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fazdazzle
Wanderer
Registered: 02/17/05
Posts: 1,796
Last seen: 11 years, 3 months
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Everyone's an exploiter
#9689674 - 01/27/09 04:10 PM (15 years, 2 months ago) |
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I read an article in National Geographic the other day that was about Borneo and how it's being exploited; the causes & effects. The author made a lot of sense talking about how we could slow our usage of products made from palm oil to inhibit the destruction of virgin rain forest, but that won't stop it completely because the native people will keep on harvesting as long as there is money to be made...and a hungry stomach has no sympathy for the forest. Of course, makes sense....but the author wrapped up the article by describing the situation of a recent native who was displaced due to an out of control burn destroying his village. He was young and had a motorbike go to town to meet his friends, but he was hoping his next purchase would be a cell phone so he could call to see where his friends were, etc.
The author closed the paper by saying something along the lines of, "If you want to save the forest, you have to buy ______ a cell phone."
It got me thinking....of course people need to eat and they won't care where they get the food from (generally). But where will it really stop? The cell phone comment really tipped me off to that - the fact is - it won't. Imagine you are a native person...poor and displaced through external interference. The outsiders help you get your community strong again, but through their help you start to see all the modern conveniences they have. Would you be OK just living at the bare minimum to save the forests while hundreds of thousands are using the forest to make their already luxurious (by their standards) lives even more luxurious? Probably not.
It seems like on the surface it would mostly depend on the person, but only to a certain extent. We are the descendants of the winners, the people who took charge and forced the rest out, which removed those "lazy" or "content" genes out of the human pool. We still have that drive. We ALL do. Greedy Americans? Nope...greedy HUMANS.
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jivJaN
yes
Registered: 08/09/08
Posts: 4,245
Last seen: 11 years, 10 days
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Re: Everyone's an exploiter [Re: fazdazzle]
#9690212 - 01/27/09 05:44 PM (15 years, 2 months ago) |
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Do you think YOU are greedy like that ? Your very generalized theory would be put to rest if you were to reply with a NO. And very shortly after with MY no. But then the question would be weather we are being honest. And all i can tell you is YES. Im being honest.. i cant prove it but i can still say it. There is no need to be negative. all it takes is one thorough look out the window to see that everything is going to shit.. But.. we are here trying to read between the lines. That must be worth something ? It takes time to completely eradicate the forces that have been humanities providers for so long. People dont care because they are addicted. We are treating the addiction.. but it takes time.. patience... And mushrooms Im not saying we should lay back and allow nature to be raped like that. But i think we also shouldnt go so far as to say were all exploiting bastards. Balance my friend. It is the only absolute truth out there..
-------------------- --------------------- All my posts in this forum are strictly fictional. They are derived from an acute mental illness , from which i am forced to lie compulsively. I have never induced any kind of mind altering substance in my life and i have no intentions whatsoever of doing anything illegal. If I have ever suggested such a thing it would have most likely been , due to my personality disorder and i probably do not remember it at all..
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fazdazzle
Wanderer
Registered: 02/17/05
Posts: 1,796
Last seen: 11 years, 3 months
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Re: Everyone's an exploiter [Re: jivJaN]
#9691908 - 01/27/09 10:23 PM (15 years, 2 months ago) |
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I would say I am not, but I don't believe that refutes my hypothesis. I don't think it's strange at all that both of us answer no, considering the website we are on. There is probably an abnormally high number of people unattached to rampant material gain here.
I've never actually been in a position where I could take tons of money and buy lots of things, so I can't say for sure that I don't want it, but I don't pursue those types of things right now and I never "hope" that I can...so like you said, I can somewhat safely say I don't, but am I really being honest? I think the fact that we would question how honest we are being with ourselves is the first step in indicating truth. A lot of people in the world (possibly us included) would say "No way! it's not for me!" but they wouldn't ever think about it in depth.
Basically what I was saying, though, is that this principle is inherent in all of us. Some of us seem to have a knack for overcoming it. It seems to me that it's our responsibility as people that have the ability to choose not to ravage the world without a second thought on who it might be impacting, to follow through and take others into consideration. Everybody has this choice, but everybody is also mixed up in the money making, I want the best life now psychological aberration.
So what I believe, is that it's not a matter of "lets not wax our cars with sea turtle urine" or what have you, but a matter of compassion and rightful societal placement. Care for the planet and it's inhabitants will have to come from within for everyone, not just consuming nations, because as I said, everyone is geared to be a consumer. It's genetic. A more fit person gets more, which makes them more fit, which encourages them to get more, etc.
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Noteworthy
Sophyphile
Registered: 10/05/08
Posts: 5,599
Last seen: 11 years, 2 months
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Re: Everyone's an exploiter [Re: fazdazzle]
#9692172 - 01/27/09 11:21 PM (15 years, 2 months ago) |
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humans are exploiters.. except some of them feel guilt.. and some of themm stop themselves from exploiting for this reason - they feel guilty about it - it is wrong
but how do you honestly think society has achieved what it has? All great empires utilize slaves.. exploitation of the power-less by the power-ful
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jivJaN
yes
Registered: 08/09/08
Posts: 4,245
Last seen: 11 years, 10 days
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Re: Everyone's an exploiter [Re: fazdazzle]
#9692610 - 01/28/09 01:00 AM (15 years, 2 months ago) |
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Well i really dont like making generalizations. You cant decide what kind of values you will "be grown" to except. Family , school , friends , location , race , gender , sexual orientation , looks, size .... All of these things impacting your personality and way of thinking. Television .. Some people really dont know whats going on in the world. I agree that many just dont care .. but there are quite a bit of those that are completely unaware.. A lot of people struggle for there own survival even if they dont live in the forest. They dont have time for that shit. You can go ahead and say that many individuals are just stupid. They dont get it. They arent bad people.. they just dont understand the entire concept...cant get their head around it.. Plus.. there are so many issues to work on worldwide , that all those trying to help are being divided into little sections that never get where they need to. They dont have the numbers.. and the numbers are a key factor in the consumerists world... Popularity.. I guess what im trying to say is that its really not the peoples fault. They dont have a clue.. This whole "system" ,if you will, goes waaay back. It has set its roots and people dont even know of another way to exist now. Thats not to say that the goal shouldnt be pursued regardless.. And it has been. I believe that awareness is actually increasing among the people. I think were actually on to something now... The whole consciousness shift conundrum .. It really seems that we are , maybe slowly , starting to realize the consequences of our old ways , and leaving them behind. I agree we need to be responsible. It is our planet after all
And i understand your negative reaction to this issue.. but it just doesnt help. It only portrays an image of hopelessness. And it shoves an ego poking message to ego people .. They start not liking the idea.. It becomes stupid gospel... To the world that is relying on media and enjoys free time with movies.. This entire notion is nothing more than another story. You see where im going with this ? So..You have to approach people through the media. But the media is run by those that start these problems in the first place. You literally.. have to manipulate the people once more in order to free them. Its a big fucking paradox. And we cant just say were bastards.. Its old news..
-------------------- --------------------- All my posts in this forum are strictly fictional. They are derived from an acute mental illness , from which i am forced to lie compulsively. I have never induced any kind of mind altering substance in my life and i have no intentions whatsoever of doing anything illegal. If I have ever suggested such a thing it would have most likely been , due to my personality disorder and i probably do not remember it at all..
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Noteworthy
Sophyphile
Registered: 10/05/08
Posts: 5,599
Last seen: 11 years, 2 months
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Re: Everyone's an exploiter [Re: jivJaN]
#9692655 - 01/28/09 01:10 AM (15 years, 2 months ago) |
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I know what you mean bro.. about the negativity... but I think it really is up to the out-of-the-ordinary actions of certain men and women that anything good happens on any significant scale in this world.
out-of-the-ordinary things happen all the time.. its a matter of the right one/s. this is where the hope lies.
unfortunately, for them to be considered out-of-the-ordinary, obviously we are contrasting it to the 'ordinary' actions of humans which are dull, egocentric, and vaguely creative. this is where the hopelessness... for the human race will never as a whole develop into a 'better species' without some sort of genocide of values or 'survival of the elite beings' sort of situation, both of which are unacceptable by today's ethical standards
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Poid
Shroomery's #1 Spellir
Registered: 02/04/08
Posts: 40,372
Loc: SF Bay Area
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Re: Everyone's an exploiter [Re: fazdazzle]
#9701289 - 01/29/09 05:57 PM (15 years, 2 months ago) |
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Quote:
fazdazzle said: I read an article in National Geographic the other day that was about Borneo and how it's being exploited; the causes & effects. The author made a lot of sense talking about how we could slow our usage of products made from palm oil to inhibit the destruction of virgin rain forest, but that won't stop it completely because the native people will keep on harvesting as long as there is money to be made...and a hungry stomach has no sympathy for the forest. Of course, makes sense....but the author wrapped up the article by describing the situation of a recent native who was displaced due to an out of control burn destroying his village. He was young and had a motorbike go to town to meet his friends, but he was hoping his next purchase would be a cell phone so he could call to see where his friends were, etc.
The author closed the paper by saying something along the lines of, "If you want to save the forest, you have to buy ______ a cell phone."
It got me thinking....of course people need to eat and they won't care where they get the food from (generally). But where will it really stop? The cell phone comment really tipped me off to that - the fact is - it won't. Imagine you are a native person...poor and displaced through external interference. The outsiders help you get your community strong again, but through their help you start to see all the modern conveniences they have. Would you be OK just living at the bare minimum to save the forests while hundreds of thousands are using the forest to make their already luxurious (by their standards) lives even more luxurious? Probably not.
It seems like on the surface it would mostly depend on the person, but only to a certain extent. We are the descendants of the winners, the people who took charge and forced the rest out, which removed those "lazy" or "content" genes out of the human pool. We still have that drive. We ALL do. Greedy Americans? Nope...greedy HUMANS.
Well since we all have boundries and find it difficult to be constantly (and outwardly) showing our true love for each other, it may seem that we're merely exploiting each other.
Of course, though, that's not to say that some people literally live to exploit others. It's "human nature".
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