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 greenlight
greenlight
Registered: 04/21/02
Posts: 103
Loc: USA
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 Political Philosophy: The Status Quo 
#620346 - 04/27/02 11:07 AM (21 years, 11 months ago) |
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Someone in another thread was talking about the desire of a "normal" person to get married, have two-point-five kids, a secure home and job, etc. Also, someone said, in that same thread, that they've heard the usual "if this country sucks so much, get out of it" argument. I've been told that as well. It depresses me that most Americans are so damn apathetic. They're fine with everything that's going on, and they love to put those American flags on their car. Anything to be a loyal citizen. They don't mind sacrificing their liberties for "security." Ben Franklin said "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
I'm not sure I'm as anti-corporation as alot of you seem to be. Corporations create wealth, and are not always bad. The same basic idea is true of government: it's not -always- bad, either. The government can protect our rights; however, it can also take them away. The problem lies in the unethical/greedy aristocracy/corporate leaders meeting up with the unethical/greedy government leaders and centralizing their power. Our current government, and the corporate media, have successfully slipped most of us into a sedate state of mind. If you sacrifice your life and some of your basic freedoms to the machine, you get that house, that car, that wife, those kids, and security that you want so badly. Good trade, right? Apparantely that's what alot of people believe.
I honestly don't know how we go about solving this problem. Dropping out of work will most likely only hurt you, the individual--not the system. The system has a large base of loyal citizen-workers to draw on. A more effective way to try to stop the status quo, or at least make it a little more bearable, is to be politically active. This issue _is_ a _political_ issue; I doubt you can change anything by ignoring politics. Sooner or later, you're going to have to convince others to agree with you--you're going to have to be political. The best thing to do is voice your opinions to others, and be intelligent about it. Vote--vote for a third party. Use the internet to spread your ideas. The internet is the greatest medium for communication we have. Take advantage of it.
As a side note:: Judging by all the people who apparantely don't "like" the current government, I think it would be good to direct them to the website of the Libertarian Party. I'm not sure how many people have political philosophies that would fall under "libertarianism", but it's at least worth checking out. I think all of you will like the fact that they believe in freedom of consciousness--meaning, they don't like the Drug War, they don't like the fact that assisted suicide is illegal or considered "wrong", and they don't like anything that violates free speech. Like I said, the site is worth checking out.... It's www.lp.org for those who are interested.
I can't think of any more to say right now, but I'm certainly interested in the topic. Discussion/replies appreciated.
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Disclaimer: Everything I've typed is of a fictional nature.
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Anonymous
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 Re: Political Philosophy: The Status Quo [Re: greenlight]
#620356 - 04/27/02 11:22 AM (21 years, 11 months ago) |
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As far as corporations go...
I think it would be good if people started getting into more of a "do it yourself" mode. More people self employed running smaller companies, people building more things for themselves instead of buying them already manufactured, stuff like that. True the big corporations will always be "more and faster" and thus cheaper, but the more people you have doing it themselves, the stronger the spirit is and the more the concept would be supported. I think people doing more for themselves would also eventually raise the intelligence and understanding of the general population.
Thoughts? Did I make some kind of sense for a change? 
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greenlight
greenlight
Registered: 04/21/02
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Last seen: 21 years, 7 months
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Re: Political Philosophy: The Status Quo [Re: Anonymous]
#620362 - 04/27/02 11:39 AM (21 years, 11 months ago) |
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That's not really where I was trying to go with my post, but I'll reply...
As far as the "do-it-yourself" attitude of others...I don't care. They can either choose to do something for themselves, or choose not to. The point at which their laziness crosses the line is when it impacts another individual--like me. When they, by popular opinion, trade MY personal liberty (up to and including consuming psilocybe mushrooms) for their "security", they have crossed the line. My consumption of an entheogen does not harm them. Take any politically-correct person, and let him explain to me why psilocybe mushrooms are illegal. I am certain that he can not prove they are "dangerous" enough to remain illegal. Or, how about cannabis? These naturally occurring organisms, and the chemicals they contain, pose no threat to the average Joe. If anything, they pose a threat to the status quo; to the upper-level, dominator humans. Senators, CEOs, and catholic priests. I suppose that's why they're illegal and so unpopular. It's frightening to me--the popular opinion on these substances... Unfortunately, people seem to be mostly lazy, and willing to let aristocratic assholes rule their lives. Oh well. Am I wrong? Do I misunderstand something?
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Disclaimer: Everything I've typed is of a fictional nature.
Edited by greenlight (04/27/02 11:56 AM)
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Anonymous
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Re: Political Philosophy: The Status Quo [Re: greenlight]
#620658 - 04/27/02 06:17 PM (21 years, 11 months ago) |
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You're right.
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JPAtanat
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Registered: 04/17/02
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Re: Political Philosophy: The Status Quo [Re: greenlight]
#620793 - 04/27/02 09:40 PM (21 years, 11 months ago) |
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I also think you are right.
I am not sure how someone's being lazy could affect you. I would argue that everyone should get more lazy. I think a large part of the power that most people here object to is derived from the frenzy of consumerism and our addiction to security. To realize that you don't need very much to get by, and actually change your ways is crucial. I bet that most people could cut the time they work in half, if they made some lifestyle changes. This country does not value simplicity at all. If the paradign started to shift towards simplicity and as the other guy said "doit your selfism" the corporate/government power would lose most of its power naturally.
I thnk it's important to keep in mind that consciousness shift comes first, and political change comes second. If the general public starts to accept things like ehneogens and cannabis, then the "laws" will be relatively meaningless and they will fall out in due time.
So it seems the solution to this problem may not be radical political lobbying, but a subtle but subversive social movement.
Does that make sense? What do you think?
Peace Earthlings.
Edited by JPAtanat (04/27/02 09:41 PM)
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JPAtanat
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Re: Political Philosophy: The Status Quo [Re: JPAtanat]
#620798 - 04/27/02 09:45 PM (21 years, 11 months ago) |
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Also, I think that this may be the natural direction of the country anyway. I thikn that eastern mysticism is becoming more and more popular in the west as more and more people (like many of us) are becoming fed up with the way our society operates.
Conversely you also see nations like Japan becominh increasingly Western in their industrialism and materialism.
However, we should not wait for the nation to implode due to disillusionment. We need to help this change along.
Peace.
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 Sclorch
Clyster
Registered: 07/12/99
Posts: 4,805
Loc: On the Brink of Madness
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Re: Political Philosophy: The Status Quo [Re: JPAtanat]
#620817 - 04/27/02 10:10 PM (21 years, 11 months ago) |
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We need to help this change along.
GO HERE--> http://www.citizenscholar.net
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Note: In desperate need of a cure...
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Xlea321
Stranger
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Posts: 9,134
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 Re: Political Philosophy: The Status Quo [Re: greenlight]
#620915 - 04/28/02 12:35 AM (21 years, 11 months ago) |
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"If america sucks then leave it"
What, and become a victim of american foreign policy?
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Don't worry, B. Caapi
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cHeMiCaLbLuE
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Registered: 04/07/02
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Re: Political Philosophy: The Status Quo [Re: Xlea321]
#620971 - 04/28/02 01:37 AM (21 years, 11 months ago) |
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we all know the goverment is not right for us but no third party would change anything unless it was you and me. even then someone else would rise up and take us over, understand there is no peace in order, only in disorder of the mind and not giving two shits.
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insanity with a plan, a plan to stop exercising truth as compared to breathing thin air, but to experience truth as all there is to experience, for what do i not already have that exsists? All i can do is enjoy the ride.
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greenlight
greenlight
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Re: Political Philosophy: The Status Quo [Re: JPAtanat]
#621361 - 04/28/02 01:07 PM (21 years, 11 months ago) |
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"I am not sure how someone's being lazy could affect you. I would argue that everyone should get more lazy."
Some people are lazy enough to let the government babysit them...I prefer personal liberty. I don't need the government to tell me what's healthy and what's not.
"So it seems the solution to this problem may not be radical political lobbying, but a subtle but subversive social movement."
I tend to favor both. Any catalyst towards positive change is acceptable to me. It seems like the social movement is what we already have; the problem is that it _does_ seem to be subtle. We do eventually need some radical campaigning, or the government won't listen. We have to demand rights...The government won't just hand them out.
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Disclaimer: Everything I've typed is of a fictional nature.
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Amoeba665
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Re: Political Philosophy: The Status Quo [Re: JPAtanat]
#621366 - 04/28/02 01:16 PM (21 years, 11 months ago) |
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I thnk it's important to keep in mind that consciousness shift comes first, and political change comes second. If the general public starts to accept things like ehneogens and cannabis, then the "laws" will be relatively meaningless and they will fall out in due time.
So it seems the solution to this problem may not be radical political lobbying, but a subtle but subversive social movement.
Does that make sense? What do you think?
i think i remember watching an episode of futurama where bender was in space and he was talking to god in a star and god said "when you do something right, it seems like you didn't do anything at all" or something to that extent..
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JPAtanat
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Last seen: 21 years, 6 months
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Re: Political Philosophy: The Status Quo [Re: greenlight]
#621416 - 04/28/02 02:24 PM (21 years, 11 months ago) |
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i agree
but what i was trying to say was that i think legalization of any drug is the crowning moment of a long path of social change, that it will be the last thing. Right now I would be happy just to change a dozen people's minds from "psychedelics are for druggies" to "I don't mind if people do them."
just think of all of the beaurocracy(sp?) and conservatism that controls the operation of our government. It is going to take changing the general publics mind about things (quite a task in itself) and then farther yet down the line, these feelings will inevitably trickle down to the politics, which always seem to be a few beats off from representing true public opinion. And only then will you start to get some new laws.
You know what I'm saying?
Of course I could be completelt wrong, but that's just my take.
Peace.
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greenlight
greenlight
Registered: 04/21/02
Posts: 103
Loc: USA
Last seen: 21 years, 7 months
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Re: Political Philosophy: The Status Quo [Re: JPAtanat]
#621682 - 04/28/02 08:09 PM (21 years, 11 months ago) |
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Yeah, I know what you're saying. I think marijuana is becoming more and more "mainstream", which is certainly good. Unfortunately, this shift of opinion doesn't seem to be applied to much else, so far.
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Disclaimer: Everything I've typed is of a fictional nature.
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