Political Discourse and Today's Society
I'm noticing a problem, it's one many see every day. It's this division we've been sucked and duped into. Aside from the media reports, it's obvious to anyone on Facebook, though many don't realize they are a part of the problem. We have become so divided we can't even talk to our friends and relatives with any degree of civility anymore. I see it in, as mentioned, the media reports and on Facebook.
Last night a friend for almost forty years commented to me how they had been "unfriended" because of a comment they made which disagreed with a politically based comment (an unnecessary, derogatory one at that) made by a mutual friend of almost forty years. So many comments today, within the safe zone of the computer screen, are nasty, derogatory and defaming. People are saying things to each other on their computers they would NEVER say face to face. It's so easy to put someone down over the "NET"; once dehumanized by the inhuman computer screen anyone can be assaulted with almost complete impunity. It's what is done in war times to make it easier to kill the "enemy". Germans did it to the Jews and non-Aryans, the Japanese did it to the Americans, the Americans did it to the Japanese, the Muslims do it to the Jews and non-Muslims, it's a common pattern. The computer screen though is not quite so selective, it's an equal opportunity "dehumanizer". Once someone is dehumanized by the screen, anything can be said or done; and as I have observed, has been.
There is a phrase in Hebrew "Lashon Hara" which means "evil tongue". It is a Jewish belief that assaulting someone's character is equal to murdering the person. And so, one should consider the questions: "Is it true?", "Is it hurtful?", "Is it constructive?" and similar. If it isn't true, or is hurtful or is completely nonconstructive, then why speak? Let's stop the "evil tongue", declare no "Lashon Hara"! As a wise Rabbi stated: "Save the planet, stop vitriolic emissions".
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As Ben Franklin once said: "It's better to be thought
a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt."
The question then becomes, can't we even talk to each other anymore? Doesn't anyone notice how the media and the political parties have us so polarized that we, the average people who are not politicians, can no longer talk to each other in friendship? In the Congress one party won't even discuss problems with the other. Each demands compliance with its own point of view. And so, those parties control and manipulate its adherents, followers and constituents to do the same.
George Washington put it very well when he said: "However [political parties] may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion." George Washington - Farewell Address, Sep. 17, 1796
This we see in the streets, in the universities and social media. If you don't agree, you have to keep quiet and comply with "my" point of view. What happened to civil discourse, the core of our "democratic republic"? Apparently it too has died along with our Republic; disintegrating into a democracy where all it takes is one additional dictator to dominate and control everyone else. I've seen some who demand you make statements and opinions in accordance to their paradigms or else keep quite or you will be vilified. Breaching said order will truly garner their wrath. These are people who are friends! Friends!! What happened? They have allowed their political party leaders, the mass media and "social media" to manipulate their minds and actions; creating greater and greater division among the people. So long as they have us fighting among ourselves, they, the politicians and their corporate and media supporters, can do whatever they want; the people are completely distracted. Divide and conquer! They are winning! The people have become so well controlled and trained they don't even know they're doing the bidding of these rich elite politicians! And it's ALL of them, not one party or the other, but both and all parties! The individual is erased on behalf of a political party.
Government is like fire, it is both a a dangerous servant and a fearful master
One group of rich politicians is always claiming the OTHER group of rich politicians are getting the better of you. Each political party is at fault; but not as much at fault as the people who are blindly following! Smart intelligent people have given up their ability to think freely, with an open mind to one another. Following their well paid political bosses the people ridicule, vilify and deride all who differ in opinion. This has been steady getting worse every election cycle.
Does anyone really think by calling someone a derogatory name or impugning another's integrity you can actually make a point of view more true or noteworthy? Far too often I see someone verbally torn down for no better reason than to bolster the inciter's personal ego. It's so easy to think by tearing someone else down you make yourself bigger or better. That happens only in the person's own self deluded mind.
The unheard battle cry "shut up", "do as you're told". The people end up closing their eyes with fingers in their ears crying "la la la, I can't hear you"; leaving a populace blind and deaf. They have truly become blind and deaf to that which is going on around them. Blind and deaf to how they have been chained and enslaved by that which feeds on their lives and lively hoods, the politicians and the mass media. An appropriate quote.
"I fear the day that technology will surpass our human interaction. The world will have a generation of idiots." ... Albert Einstein.
And so, here we are, completely unable to talk to one another. How can we solve ANYTHING if we can't even talk to one another in a respectful and civil way? Thus, politicians tell us they will solve these problems of our society "for us", but they can't talk to each other either. Their very lively hood depends on the problems NOT being solved! So they have everything to gain by keeping things just as they are and the best way to do that is keep us divided and arguing. Which sorry to say, the masses have taken to doing only too well, following the models set forth by the politicians and media.
Friends, take your lives back, take your personalities and independence back, declare yourselves individuals who are free of this nonsense and start talking to one another with friendship, respect, civility and most of all love. So many decry we should love our fellow man and turn around and hate their friends because they may have a differing opinion. It's always easy to love those who agree with you; now try and love those whom you disagree with! There's over three hundred million people in the US alone, do you really think we are and should ALL agree with each other? Damn that pesky individuality stuff, get in step with the masses and be another uniform brick in the construct of society.
As I bring this to a close, by the time I prepared this for the website, one of my dearest friends for over fifty years, cut off all communications with me. I was unfriended and blocked on social media platforms. In a phone-text message I was told I had broken his heart. He would never speak to me again, but would be attending my funeral. Apparently he looked back through old Facebook postings and ultimately declared I was hateful, he could not handle such hate anymore. When asked what he was talking about, what posts he was refering to so I could understand and possibly explain what my meaning was, there was no answer or explanation. That was it, he was apparently done with no explanation, no qualifying or quantifying his reaction.
In all this, nothing had ever been said to him, about him, in any direct response to him, or even in any direct communication with him. The only factor which can be determined is a disagreement of political opinions. Since I was of a differing opinion, I am therefore hateful. Of what, I do not know and cannot find out. No clarification was offered, even upon request. But, as mentioned he will attend my funeral. And yet, apparently I am the hateful one. It is a perfect example of what I am saying.
Come on people, wake up, take your heads out of the mind controlled sands created to dominate you. The last thing they want is for us to get along, to actually talk to each other and point out what's really going on! We out number and surround them! If we could only come together we could actually have an effect on the problems facing us. We may disagree on different things, but let's at least discuss it all. There is across the board agreement on what the problems are. The only differences are how to resolve them.
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We all have something to offer, no one has absolute knowledge or wisdom or the perfect answer, so we must work together and stop delegating our responsibilities to each other, turning it over to a group of overpaid professional liars. Together WE can solve the problems facing our country and society.
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Think about it, let's talk about it!
They all disagreed and were still willing to talk about it
