"Because the people who are most adept at obtaining massive amounts of wealth/power are those who are sufficiently lacking in empathy to do whatever it takes to obtain it, we naturally find ourselves ruled by sociopaths. "
Begins with the brainwashing of religion. Having stumbled on "The Keepers", on Netflix, I was reminded that the rebellious attitude toward sanctimonious priests of myself and other NYC street urchin friends was hardly the broader societal norm during my teen years. The acquiescence to psychological manipulation and rape by high school girls portrayed in the series laser-focused on the pure sociopathy of the Catholic hierarchy and how mindbogglingly thorough was its inculcation of sociopathic priests, so as to engender the level of submissive mind control depicted. Brainwashing? Neither the advertising industry nor political prevaricators could come close to the nearly complete control of the adolescents' fundamental assumptions about the nature of reality, society, good and evil. Make all the arguments you like about religion's positive value. For me, they fail miserably when weighed against the ability to twist very young minds away from what are necessary aspects of human cognition: observation, critical assessment, open discussion, articulation of objections to the degradation of other lives — all accomplished while maintaining an air of moral righteousness and superiority. Catholicism may be particularly bad, but many religions attack individual autonomy at such a fundamental level that they prepare perfectly functional minds to become soldiers in the armies by which those sociopaths rip us from the rest of Nature and from genuine loving embrace of one another. Looking for crimes against humanity. Suggest you look no further.
I think you may have missed her message which I read as hopeful for a greater power and purpose rather than nihilistic. Religion and those using it to manipulate others is also not the man behind the curtain. There is no man behind the curtain if you consider it’s always been ‘us’
I didn't miss it at all. By eschewing the extreme mind control of Catholicism, I've been able to worship the real deity of natural systems, such as conversing with the wisdom of ancient desert trees in my own fashion. How can there be an integrated "US, I, we, all there is," if the fundamentals of human-ness, of "us", including our oneness with all other living beings -- bacteria to bears -- in a vast extended reciprocally communicating system are torn away early and regularly during childhood. I'm pointing out the contradictions. Complementary views. Sorry if you think I'm being too negative.
I’ve been following a lot of podcasts on cults/high control groups recently. Steven Hassan on The Influence Continuum podcast talks about the importance of freedom of mind. He was in the Moonies in the 1980s and has since spent his life helping people deprogramme and develop freedom of mind.
I’m also a ‘recovering Catholic’ and agree that this particular religion is a great example of how mass manipulation can work, however, be careful to note that these old fashioned tools are being replaced by new ones and in the end, it’s the same purpose. Every idea can and will be corrupted due to our natural tendencies to compete. But, let’s not throw the baby out with the bath water. It’s good to believe in something especially if it’s your own belief
Competition isn’t “natural”. It’s just patriarchal. Which we are drowning in. Symbiosis and cooperation are much more normal in nature, regardless of the Victorian excuse for exploitation that nature is red of tooth and claw.
"We’re going to figure things out eventually" stated Caitlin
Come on. Someone put a time on it.
Since 1945 we have gone from Korea to humiliating Vietnam, through to humiliating Afghanistan (with so many in between) and on and on, creating 20 + million deaths, sanctions applied, cruel and inhumane. We have created failed states, almost all to assist Israel become King of the Middle East with US supported actions in Lebanon, Palestine, Egypt, Iran, Syria, Afghanistan, Jordan, Kuwait, Yemen, Libya), over a total of 78 years. We have tolerated getting the big finger from Tel Aviv (and lived with that embarrassment since 1967) over the USS Liberty humiliation; we have allowed a good President to be murdered by those who needed him out of the way to expand their nuclear capability and as is our nature, initiated war after war, all for US power. Now we have engineered a proxy Ukrainian game, (no Americans deaths, just Ukrainians). We call them "collateral damage" of course. Not our doing. We are not in this war. Well, we may supply weapons and billions of dollars; we may supply depleted uranium weapons and bomblets, killing for years hence; we may have our little slave boys in NATO jump up and down to receive favours from Biden’s bunch of Neocons, but we are safe from harm. Well planned.
We deserve your thanks.
We are good people really, working away for Israel and its embedded fifth-columnists under every American rock, together with BlackRock and Vanguard, militarists, banks and at the same time telling the whores in the media to jump through our hoops. And, just so as you can properly understand, we only have two political parties, all politicians dancing to the Tel Aviv tango, all tarred with the same brush and we will return to power next year to do 'more of the same'. Yes, people, returning in 2024, being one or the other. No difference at all really.
In 1963, a good President was killed. That was 60 years ago. So when is "eventually". Anyone?
"Because the people who are most adept at obtaining massive amounts of wealth/power are those who are sufficiently lacking in empathy to do whatever it takes to obtain it, we naturally find ourselves ruled by sociopaths. "
Begins with the brainwashing of religion. Having stumbled on "The Keepers", on Netflix, I was reminded that the rebellious attitude toward sanctimonious priests of myself and other NYC street urchin friends was hardly the broader societal norm during my teen years. The acquiescence to psychological manipulation and rape by high school girls portrayed in the series laser-focused on the pure sociopathy of the Catholic hierarchy and how mindbogglingly thorough was its inculcation of sociopathic priests, so as to engender the level of submissive mind control depicted. Brainwashing? Neither the advertising industry nor political prevaricators could come close to the nearly complete control of the adolescents' fundamental assumptions about the nature of reality, society, good and evil. Make all the arguments you like about religion's positive value. For me, they fail miserably when weighed against the ability to twist very young minds away from what are necessary aspects of human cognition: observation, critical assessment, open discussion, articulation of objections to the degradation of other lives — all accomplished while maintaining an air of moral righteousness and superiority. Catholicism may be particularly bad, but many religions attack individual autonomy at such a fundamental level that they prepare perfectly functional minds to become soldiers in the armies by which those sociopaths rip us from the rest of Nature and from genuine loving embrace of one another. Looking for crimes against humanity. Suggest you look no further.
I think you may have missed her message which I read as hopeful for a greater power and purpose rather than nihilistic. Religion and those using it to manipulate others is also not the man behind the curtain. There is no man behind the curtain if you consider it’s always been ‘us’
I didn't miss it at all. By eschewing the extreme mind control of Catholicism, I've been able to worship the real deity of natural systems, such as conversing with the wisdom of ancient desert trees in my own fashion. How can there be an integrated "US, I, we, all there is," if the fundamentals of human-ness, of "us", including our oneness with all other living beings -- bacteria to bears -- in a vast extended reciprocally communicating system are torn away early and regularly during childhood. I'm pointing out the contradictions. Complementary views. Sorry if you think I'm being too negative.
Drop acid not missiles.
Absolutely, but I prefer natural products; cultured Psilocybe mexicana as a "side project" in grad school. Thanks for the suggestion.
Daannng. That sounds great. I was going to say “eat ‘shrooms and stop the boom” but it didn’t seem as funny as acid. Thanks for correcting me. 🍄🤩🥳
Psilocybe Azurensis is the Key to Terence's Mind.
Beer, not bombs.
I think religion had fallen by the wayside decades ago and yet I don't see any improvement. It may be part of the cause but there is so much more.
I’ve been following a lot of podcasts on cults/high control groups recently. Steven Hassan on The Influence Continuum podcast talks about the importance of freedom of mind. He was in the Moonies in the 1980s and has since spent his life helping people deprogramme and develop freedom of mind.
I’m also a ‘recovering Catholic’ and agree that this particular religion is a great example of how mass manipulation can work, however, be careful to note that these old fashioned tools are being replaced by new ones and in the end, it’s the same purpose. Every idea can and will be corrupted due to our natural tendencies to compete. But, let’s not throw the baby out with the bath water. It’s good to believe in something especially if it’s your own belief
I'm heartened by the fact that we both survived well enough to end up as members of this community of Caitlin readers.
Competition isn’t “natural”. It’s just patriarchal. Which we are drowning in. Symbiosis and cooperation are much more normal in nature, regardless of the Victorian excuse for exploitation that nature is red of tooth and claw.
“We have met the enemy and it is us.” Especially the propaganda eaters!
"We’re going to figure things out eventually" stated Caitlin
Come on. Someone put a time on it.
Since 1945 we have gone from Korea to humiliating Vietnam, through to humiliating Afghanistan (with so many in between) and on and on, creating 20 + million deaths, sanctions applied, cruel and inhumane. We have created failed states, almost all to assist Israel become King of the Middle East with US supported actions in Lebanon, Palestine, Egypt, Iran, Syria, Afghanistan, Jordan, Kuwait, Yemen, Libya), over a total of 78 years. We have tolerated getting the big finger from Tel Aviv (and lived with that embarrassment since 1967) over the USS Liberty humiliation; we have allowed a good President to be murdered by those who needed him out of the way to expand their nuclear capability and as is our nature, initiated war after war, all for US power. Now we have engineered a proxy Ukrainian game, (no Americans deaths, just Ukrainians). We call them "collateral damage" of course. Not our doing. We are not in this war. Well, we may supply weapons and billions of dollars; we may supply depleted uranium weapons and bomblets, killing for years hence; we may have our little slave boys in NATO jump up and down to receive favours from Biden’s bunch of Neocons, but we are safe from harm. Well planned.
We deserve your thanks.
We are good people really, working away for Israel and its embedded fifth-columnists under every American rock, together with BlackRock and Vanguard, militarists, banks and at the same time telling the whores in the media to jump through our hoops. And, just so as you can properly understand, we only have two political parties, all politicians dancing to the Tel Aviv tango, all tarred with the same brush and we will return to power next year to do 'more of the same'. Yes, people, returning in 2024, being one or the other. No difference at all really.
In 1963, a good President was killed. That was 60 years ago. So when is "eventually". Anyone?