I consider part of the issue yes, the psychopathic sociopaths addicted to power and the energy we give them to promote our irrational fears. We choose not to see them even as their ultimate socialist-facist totalitarianism is rolled out as sn example in China.
That said there is in reality no ecological or climate problem today that the people, empowered, cannot manage. And you have to resist the impulses to relinquish any of your power to do so to any totalitarian system. Just as we have seen with the the lust for war (MIC) or the lust for changing, warring on our biological nature to change us to a "perfect human" (biosecurity state).
Well, I'd say politicians need to be somewhat ruthless and unprincipled when they are tasked to fight for the interests of their respective offices.
It's the interests they defend and promote that matter. The public lacks mechanisms to check on and influence them (the interests). The situation those politicians welcome, no doubt.
Contemplate The Iron Law Of Oligarchy. Lesser-evilism leading by degrees to full-blown sociopathy.
The problem is that sociopaths are unable to conceive of the common good, as their pretexts wear thin while the attractions of power remain, any idealists that they may have had around them come be replaced by by people most politely described as cynical careerists, if not outright sociopaths. Entrenched interests (see The Iron Law Of Institutions) also fulfill a similar role.
A system where everyone from the King down to the palace janitor is only out for themselves eventually deteriorates to the point where it cannot even properly serve the sociopaths in charge, much less the courtiers around them. This is why systems decline and eventually collapse under their own dead weight of sociopathic leadership and entrenched interests.
I do not necessarily think in terms of any theory. Just observing the fact that any human occupation calls for certain traits. A timid non-combative person is not suited for a political position. The feisty one is, but necessarily carries negative baggage.
It would be ideal to expect a person to be one thing at a job and completely another when at home. All the negative properties will bleed through. So it's those proverbial "checks and balances" that need to be retrievable and enforceable. As well as population willing to go through all those auditing processes. Which is not something many people would enjoy doing.
The trick is to choose the theory or rubric which accurately describes observable reality, rather than to choose the reality that best corresponds to the chosen theory.
Taking your very good post on a more serious note - we have been under a regime of psychopathic abuse. That we failed to recognize these serial abusers in a more timely fashion is on us. An abusive relationship always involves an agreement between the abuser and the abused. We must examine our own tendencies to allow such a situation to develop. Revolutions always take place within and without. This one isn't yet being televised.
Yes, any of us who are still comfortable enough to avoid rocking the boat are about to get schooled. There is always a time to act. “Don’t fire until……”
KWN.... Excellent points. Having morphed into someone who mainly sees PTSD patients now (trauma survivors, I prefer to call them to de-stigmatize "PTSD" a bit), TRAUMA (emotional, physical, sexual, socioeconomic, etc.) is THE main root of most "disease" and dysfunction on the planet, I am certain. Humans have a unique innate immune system and adaptive capability for healing that has stood us well for millenia. With little trauma, we are able to lead happy and productive lives and prosper in a general sense (interestingly, some level of trauma seems to be necessary to produce maximal creativity, empathy, sympathy, and awareness). Somewhere in our distant past, however, a certain percent (6-7% ?) of the population was "infected with" or evolved/developed DNA traits that have persisted and provided the Psychopathy under which we exist today. These afflicted sociopathic/psychopathic souls are narcissistic, devoid of empathy and sympathy, self-aggrandizing, and incredibly selfish and self-centered. They are addicted to power over their fellow "lesser" Humans and the amassing of massive piles of material goods (mainly achieved by looting and flim-flamming the peasantry. How much is "enough" for these people? Their desires can never be quenched. We are all untermensch to these defectives and only worthy of subjugation, disdain, and domination.
It this personality type that long ago took control of Humankind through its creation of dominating exclusionary religions, political schemes, force of arms, and fictions of royalty. It is these same souls who have given us our endless stream of totalitarian regimes - wars and pogroms and genocides - pirate capitalism and bastardized communism. It appears that ALL of these diverse institutions become fascist in the end (Schwabian Great Reset Fascism is the latest iteration).
We are all trauma survivors. Life IS a PTSD event. Recognizing that one is not crazy, but actually traumatized is the beginning of healing.
The Psychopathy in the West has been particularly adept (centuries of practice and multi-generational perfecting of control methods) at holding sway over the masses. Thankfully, the advent of the internet (meant to really be another control mechanism) has accidentally exposed the "wizard" behind the curtain and the herd is beginning to alert and look up from its grazing. Though claiming to be an enlightened superior being, the wizard has actually proven to be a small-minded, selfish, envious, greedy, arrogant, petty individual (usually a male of the species, but females can certainly be as bad or worse!). ...Just picture Schwab, Soros, Gates, Fauci, Birx, Hillary, and Merrick Garland, and you will get the idea! The world that these defective souls has created and foisted on most of Humankind is beginning to crumble and people (especially having been bitch-slapped with the COVID madness of late) are awakening and I am optimistic that there is positive change a'coming!
All so true and thank you. I believe as the Beatles once sang "It's hard to be someone when it all works out" and this is true to a degree. Give us a bit or trauma to overcome and the belief that we can and will and it is done. We are very good at overcoming. But saddle us with too much trauma and we are unlikely to recover.
Yes, these psychopaths, sociopaths have taken center stage. Their ugliness is overwhelming. But we have the responsibility for future human evolution to see they are defeated. Yes, I am an incurable optimist. I have faith that we the people around the planet will do the right thing. It will take an inordinate amount of time and patience but nothing is more important.
Ruling class elites like Lord Bertrand Russell called revolutions "experiments". The psychopaths collect information on which ways the winds blow and give the public its leaders to follow.
Parasitism is common. However humans must be the kings of intraspecies-parasitism. I can think of no other species which hosts so many of it's own as parasites and devotes so much energy to raising them up high. The parasites even lead worshiped in church, temple, or wicca hut; or are watched with bated breath on the boob tube, and people vote to select the best parasites to suck them dry.
Another Brilliant article. my favorite line = It's lesser-evilism every step of the way, with any discussion about not choosing evil at all being shut down as unrealistic.
People do not agree about what constitutes good and evil. Usually they have to settle for some form of lesser-evilism, especially when the agreement has to be made on a large scale to work. This disability appears to be genetic since it occurs on a wide scale. It is possible that some small communities have escaped it or evolved beyond it, but it so, they would have to stay out of sight to survive. There have been some science fiction stories along those lines.
Is there a distinction between "lesser-evilism" and compromise? I tend to think there is. I'll never be up for any degree of "evilism" but am always ready to compromise.
_Compromise_ seems to imply a kind of contract between the differing parties, whereas _lesser-evillism_ is usually "take it or leave it," for example the Democratic Party leadership versus the proggies.
I would suggest that "principles" would be the defining difference between compromise & lesser-evilism. For example, Selling arms to the Saudi's is an unprincipled act and should not be allowed. The Saudi's are engaged in genocide in Yemen. Selling them arms is evil as they pose a real threat to poorer nations in the Middle East. Compromising with the MIC to sell said arms is not in our interests. However, In our Crisis Capitalistic/Predatory economy - all principles seem to have been abandoned by leadership long ago - and talk about principles with the movers and shakers will fall on deaf ears. Just look at the LIV Golf Fiasco as another example.
Well, now we're into the territory of defining what the principles are and who is in charge of them. As one person's principles might be quite different from another's.
You all seem to be unaware that "good" and "evil" are subjective.
Here is some ancient wisdom from Lao Tsu:
"recognise beauty and ugliness is born"
"recognise good and evil is born"
(Something akin to this is also in the Bible. The metaphor of tree of the knowledge of good and evil, that most seem not to understand).
We apply these labels to human behaviour in the main. We are more matter-of-fact about animal behaviour. Are lions evil for killing animals and eating them? Of course not.
This is not to condone destruction or behaviour that harms others. You just leave that judgment to other authorities.
I think I understand your point - I am NOT unaware - but - everything is subjective. Is all art Propaganda??? Yes & No. I recognize fine Art when I see it but have a hard time explaining why I think it is fine art. Same applied for Good & Evil, as rational beings we are capable of discerning the difference. In WW2, Nazi soldiers should not be considered evil as they were enlisted and following a hierarchy. However, Guards at Auschwitz who engaged in demeaning and disgusting treatment of prisoners (having them do heavy work of meaningless results as they were worked to death as part of entertainment) is Evil. I don't think that Lao Tsu is the best choice to make here - he is very absolutist - his philosophy of everyone behave like a Warrior is flawed at it's face because our Societies (in order to properly function) require more than Warriors - we need Mothers, Elders, Care givers, teachers etc... I do not accept extreme philosophies like Tsu's and disregard his teachings completely. Carl Jung is a better choice regarding philosophy & aesthetics (in my opinion).
I'm trying to understand your insistence on the notion. Of course categorizing is subjective. Atomic bombing of Japan is considered good by many Japanese as it supposedly put them on the right track.
Is what you drive at by insisting on "subjective" that, ultimately, there is no good or bad objectively?
And if good/bad are subjective do they lose their applicability/usefulness/etc? Which "authorities" do you leave judgement to? Who's in charge of characterizing atomic bombing?
Don't patronise me. You misunderstand what I'm trying to say. It's not easy to grasp this.
"good" and "evil" are just words!
This is ancient wisdom - I didn't originate it. I'm just trying to educate you. And clearly failing. I happily admit that I'm not very good at this.
Nobody is in charge of characterising atomic bombing. Nobody. That doesn't mean that I support it. I don't support any war or any militarism. There are no other "authorities". Not really. (Some might say God.)
If the Americans were not saying that their enemies were "evil" then maybe they would understand that the people they are judging are just as human as they are.
The fundamental point that you don't understand is it's not a matter of saying one or the other. Not pointing fingers and saying "evil" is not to condone.
It's just not to sit in judgment. We are not the supreme authority. We don't get to play "god". We are all equals!
If we as a species stopped being judgmental then all war and conflict would end.
Because nobody would be saying "X" is evil or "Y" is evil any more.
Nicely Stated - I agree - there seems to be a function in our collective conscious about "settling" - I myself am guilty of this - but do my best NOT to. It is difficult in our societies though - with such poor choices for elected leaders & a Viscous & Rapacious Ruling Class, escaping lesser-evilism is almost impossible. I am troubled though at how many others go along to get along & settle in with lesser-evils so easily - being willfully blind and becoming corrupted themselves at their core.
Wow. This really touches me as a recovering alcoholic. I could never stop drinking until I could become honest with myself. But I see my addiction as a blessing because it opened my eyes, and most of us go through life never having to confront our own lies. I couldn't agree more that our whole species is shot through, individually and collectively, with addictive behavior.
In the early 1980's, I pursued graduate school academic training in planning.
One of the big reasons for our current catastrophic condition is the dismantling of the legitimacy and practice of government planning - which "sees" the future and provides democratic deliberative collective processes and pathways that show "another world is possible".
It is no accident that the late 1970's rise of Neoliberal political economy (privatization, deregulation, liberalization of global trade, financialization, deindustrialization, etc) and "free market utopianism" and individualism culture all corresponded with the rise of "public choice theory" and "law and economics". That ideology advanced a systematic attack on pre-existing New Deal government planning and regulation, as well as conceptions of solidarity, vision, public space, commons, public resources, and public policy.
None of this operated at the individual level - it's not irrational self destructive individuals that are the problem, it's systems of power and control, consciously imposed from without, and not randomly arrived at (or evolved into).
Edward Abbey: “Growth for the sake of growth is the ideology of the cancer cell.” Since "man" created the endless economic growth ideology we are quite simply Earth's cancer.
"Saturday Night Special" is another songwriting triumph describing the perils of short-term thinking.
I have long said that it took more bravery for Skynyrd to have written that song, than all the Sixties protest anthems or punk rock shouts so beloved of critics.
I agree, though they did give themselves a slight out. Most of their audience would never concede to holstering a Saturday Night Special. Glock, Remington, etc, absolutely, but Saturday Night Specials in that environ was looked upon as a "dark skin" or dark skin adjacent market.
They would be in the "adjacent" market, their behavior, both of them, isn't the sort of honour southern knights would pretend to uphold. Pretense being another key word. A "man" being cheated on would use a gun on the front lawn, though preferably a shotgun. It's like the old joke about the best place to find empty beer cans is behind the couch of a Southern Baptist.
Good article, but I can't accept those in power in Washington DC should be allowed to continue with their destructive agenda that they are holding the world hostage to. I have no love for them & ultimately wish them the very worst.
Wishing them the best doesn't solve any problems either. If enough people express their outrage & bitter disgust in the streets or better yet, right in front of the homes of Congress members, it may have some impact. People shouldn't be afraid of government. Government should be afraid of the people. Very afraid at this point.
How terrifying it is that we have a pretty clear idea of what rock bottom will look like: devastation and immense suffering (legions of blind people! rotting bodies everywhere! mass starvation) from nuclear war, or a rapidly warming planet with billions of climate refugees and immense political upheaval, or both ... plus plagues.
This is another great piece by Caitlin. She manages to nail it almost every time. I guess we've got to hope our Earth will be that 1 out of 50 methheads who actually kicks the drug, stays clean, and ends up having a good and meaningful life.
Betting aliens just happen to be giving these very odds that human civilization will survive the next 10 years: 50 to 1 against.
Tell that to the people in Ukraine right now. Even a zen master repairs a roof that's leaking on his head, or bald tires that threaten the lives of his children.
We have been "civilized" for about 5000 years, what we call it anyway, but once an idea has been entrenched, we have great difficulty cutting it out of our collective mind. I was just reading about newly discovered evidence of gladiators in Turkey, Western Europe and England, due to Roman conquest. It was a sub-culture, sometimes honoured for bravery and skill, just like our boxers, but excluded from "civilized" society and usually buried ignominiously. And right after that I read an article on the need to "normalize" prostitution for the safety of prostitutes- although they know that safety for prostitutes, just like gladiators, can never be assured : is is the nature of the work. And the work is not respectable, health producing or acceptable. Years ago I worked with a young, religious woman (fundamentalist church) who actually said prostitutes keep "good women" safe". It is the idea that some of us are born to make sacrifices, and our will has nothing to do with it. But are US and Western EU citizens going to make the ultimate sacrifice and starve and freeze in the dark this winter, just to make Russia look bad for the purposes of their respective governments? Just how deep does this sacrifice shit go? Personally, I can't see it hanging in much longer.
Yes, EU citizens are going to make sacrifices this winter, but it isn't by their choice. It is the nature of the US Oligarchy to have made that choice for them.
And hopefully, this will lead to "something else".
The "Global South" has been watching the USA grab for ever more and more and they are beginning to laugh at the naiveté of Americans who have been lulled into believing that they deserve the extra things in life. The Millennials have awoken to the reality of what is happening.
The question is, "What are we going to do about it?". Will a Clint Eastwood come and save us from our passive natures?
We must recognize that America is, and always has been, run by criminals. While lately I've been recommending Aaron Good, a couple of nights ago youTube served up a Noam Chomsky video from 20 years ago that said the same thing.
It's an old problem the solution to which seems to be -reality. Will the EU swallow the pill once more? Their heads of state will take a helluva beating if they do: Scholtz and Macron are already laughing stocks: they make Victor Orban look good. And while they like to make him out a fascist, in fact, they are more so. They have supported the events that led to un-absorbable refugees, poverty and dispossessed.
The human race is infected, just as individuals are, by viruses that can kill. People are defenseless against cultural contamination. Recognizing the existence and nature of the mental viruses that get a hold on our emotions is the first step to reversing or curing the destructive process. Hurray for early warners like Caitlin to make us think. They can stimulate the antibodies that bring reason instead of rationalization. Rationalization is the protective coating the infesting memes use for their own survival, stupidly not realizing they may be killing their hosts by making their hosts kill each other. War is a disease spread by diseased ideas humans don't know how to cure... yet. We've been told for millennia and haven't learned to apply: "Thou shalt not kill... shalt not steal... shalt not covet... shalt not lie... Treat your neighbor as thyself... " Test any of our political practices against these simple rules. What will it take to eliminate our mental infections?
This is a really good way of thinking of it. Diseases that haven't been cured YET! One of the crushing things that all of us Caitlyn readers have to deal with is that the window of time to turn things around is incredibly small because of the mentality of most of the people in the world. In the United States, 80% of all adults supported dropping bombs on Iraq in 2003 for absolutely no reason. 55% of white women voters chose Trump in the 2020 election!
But the way you think of it makes room for a huge amount of hope! Why? Because ALL of our problems are absolutely the result of meat-computer viruses. And computer viruses are very similar to REAL biological viruses. And polio was cured practically overnight!
As a matter of fact, because I was bo born in 1954, there were never ANY kids in my classes who had had polio. But there were MANY kids one class above me who wore leg braces for polio, had limps because of polio, and even my dear Joni Mitchell had polio.
But then it was over! Worldwide! OMG, I love your analogy!
Hillary wasn't even running. Are you really a bot? Hillary ran in 2016. Biden was the only choice because mathematically it was the only way to stop Trump. It would be morally reprehensible to allow Trump to hold nuclear weapons over all the children in the world, especially considering that their parents had no say in the USA election.
"It would be morally reprehensible to allow Trump to hold nuclear weapons over all the children in the world" - and now you know why I used "Hillary" as it's apparently an unknown to you that Trump actually did hold that nuclear weaponry for a few years.
And not just over all the children in the world but over you as well. Looks like you felt you were as good as nuked.
The troll even believes Biden is safer with the (edit: nuclear) football. Only true if we believe he'll trip and die fumbling for it. (edit) The sex offender/mass murderer of brown children (only in America would they go in that order) believes he just has to burn a candle, confess, and a few Hail Mary, and he's good to go toast us all. Trump doesn't believe in God, or rather Trump's god is Trump.
Yes, the human species is mentally ill. Whether we make it or not is up for grabs. I have come to terms with the fact that we may destroy ourselves. But I will live the rest of my life, however long it is, working for a better world for all.
I have made the same resolve. Although I don't belong to any particular organized religion, I do keep a sort of faith (blind faith) that existence must have some kind of meaning. More along the lines of William James resolve i.e. "The Will To Believe" regardless of the dark mystery of my (our) existence. The faith is continuing on despite being blind to what is on the horizon.
I agree. I have a kind of faith in a creative power of the universe too that keeps me going. How can you watch a sunrise or a flower bloom or a bird fly and not see the intelligence inherent in nature. It came from somewhere. The human body is so amazing too. And that mysterium is what I cling to in these crazy times.
Living in the now is also central to Eckhart Tolle's philosophy. But few people actually understand it. Few people actually live in the present moment. Mostly we obsessively think about the past or about a future which will never actually arrive. It's always the present! The past and the future only really exist in our heads.
TL:DR we are led by sociopaths
I consider part of the issue yes, the psychopathic sociopaths addicted to power and the energy we give them to promote our irrational fears. We choose not to see them even as their ultimate socialist-facist totalitarianism is rolled out as sn example in China.
That said there is in reality no ecological or climate problem today that the people, empowered, cannot manage. And you have to resist the impulses to relinquish any of your power to do so to any totalitarian system. Just as we have seen with the the lust for war (MIC) or the lust for changing, warring on our biological nature to change us to a "perfect human" (biosecurity state).
Www.movetoamend.org
Well, I'd say politicians need to be somewhat ruthless and unprincipled when they are tasked to fight for the interests of their respective offices.
It's the interests they defend and promote that matter. The public lacks mechanisms to check on and influence them (the interests). The situation those politicians welcome, no doubt.
Contemplate The Iron Law Of Oligarchy. Lesser-evilism leading by degrees to full-blown sociopathy.
The problem is that sociopaths are unable to conceive of the common good, as their pretexts wear thin while the attractions of power remain, any idealists that they may have had around them come be replaced by by people most politely described as cynical careerists, if not outright sociopaths. Entrenched interests (see The Iron Law Of Institutions) also fulfill a similar role.
A system where everyone from the King down to the palace janitor is only out for themselves eventually deteriorates to the point where it cannot even properly serve the sociopaths in charge, much less the courtiers around them. This is why systems decline and eventually collapse under their own dead weight of sociopathic leadership and entrenched interests.
I do not necessarily think in terms of any theory. Just observing the fact that any human occupation calls for certain traits. A timid non-combative person is not suited for a political position. The feisty one is, but necessarily carries negative baggage.
It would be ideal to expect a person to be one thing at a job and completely another when at home. All the negative properties will bleed through. So it's those proverbial "checks and balances" that need to be retrievable and enforceable. As well as population willing to go through all those auditing processes. Which is not something many people would enjoy doing.
The trick is to choose the theory or rubric which accurately describes observable reality, rather than to choose the reality that best corresponds to the chosen theory.
Taking your very good post on a more serious note - we have been under a regime of psychopathic abuse. That we failed to recognize these serial abusers in a more timely fashion is on us. An abusive relationship always involves an agreement between the abuser and the abused. We must examine our own tendencies to allow such a situation to develop. Revolutions always take place within and without. This one isn't yet being televised.
most of us in the center of power, however peripheral, have it comfortable enough that we aren't compelled to take drastic measures... yet
Yes, any of us who are still comfortable enough to avoid rocking the boat are about to get schooled. There is always a time to act. “Don’t fire until……”
KWN.... Excellent points. Having morphed into someone who mainly sees PTSD patients now (trauma survivors, I prefer to call them to de-stigmatize "PTSD" a bit), TRAUMA (emotional, physical, sexual, socioeconomic, etc.) is THE main root of most "disease" and dysfunction on the planet, I am certain. Humans have a unique innate immune system and adaptive capability for healing that has stood us well for millenia. With little trauma, we are able to lead happy and productive lives and prosper in a general sense (interestingly, some level of trauma seems to be necessary to produce maximal creativity, empathy, sympathy, and awareness). Somewhere in our distant past, however, a certain percent (6-7% ?) of the population was "infected with" or evolved/developed DNA traits that have persisted and provided the Psychopathy under which we exist today. These afflicted sociopathic/psychopathic souls are narcissistic, devoid of empathy and sympathy, self-aggrandizing, and incredibly selfish and self-centered. They are addicted to power over their fellow "lesser" Humans and the amassing of massive piles of material goods (mainly achieved by looting and flim-flamming the peasantry. How much is "enough" for these people? Their desires can never be quenched. We are all untermensch to these defectives and only worthy of subjugation, disdain, and domination.
It this personality type that long ago took control of Humankind through its creation of dominating exclusionary religions, political schemes, force of arms, and fictions of royalty. It is these same souls who have given us our endless stream of totalitarian regimes - wars and pogroms and genocides - pirate capitalism and bastardized communism. It appears that ALL of these diverse institutions become fascist in the end (Schwabian Great Reset Fascism is the latest iteration).
We are all trauma survivors. Life IS a PTSD event. Recognizing that one is not crazy, but actually traumatized is the beginning of healing.
The Psychopathy in the West has been particularly adept (centuries of practice and multi-generational perfecting of control methods) at holding sway over the masses. Thankfully, the advent of the internet (meant to really be another control mechanism) has accidentally exposed the "wizard" behind the curtain and the herd is beginning to alert and look up from its grazing. Though claiming to be an enlightened superior being, the wizard has actually proven to be a small-minded, selfish, envious, greedy, arrogant, petty individual (usually a male of the species, but females can certainly be as bad or worse!). ...Just picture Schwab, Soros, Gates, Fauci, Birx, Hillary, and Merrick Garland, and you will get the idea! The world that these defective souls has created and foisted on most of Humankind is beginning to crumble and people (especially having been bitch-slapped with the COVID madness of late) are awakening and I am optimistic that there is positive change a'coming!
Peace and Hope! Love and help one another!
All so true and thank you. I believe as the Beatles once sang "It's hard to be someone when it all works out" and this is true to a degree. Give us a bit or trauma to overcome and the belief that we can and will and it is done. We are very good at overcoming. But saddle us with too much trauma and we are unlikely to recover.
Yes, these psychopaths, sociopaths have taken center stage. Their ugliness is overwhelming. But we have the responsibility for future human evolution to see they are defeated. Yes, I am an incurable optimist. I have faith that we the people around the planet will do the right thing. It will take an inordinate amount of time and patience but nothing is more important.
Yes!
So many trolls so little relevance.
Ruling class elites like Lord Bertrand Russell called revolutions "experiments". The psychopaths collect information on which ways the winds blow and give the public its leaders to follow.
Parasitism is common. However humans must be the kings of intraspecies-parasitism. I can think of no other species which hosts so many of it's own as parasites and devotes so much energy to raising them up high. The parasites even lead worshiped in church, temple, or wicca hut; or are watched with bated breath on the boob tube, and people vote to select the best parasites to suck them dry.
Another Brilliant article. my favorite line = It's lesser-evilism every step of the way, with any discussion about not choosing evil at all being shut down as unrealistic.
People do not agree about what constitutes good and evil. Usually they have to settle for some form of lesser-evilism, especially when the agreement has to be made on a large scale to work. This disability appears to be genetic since it occurs on a wide scale. It is possible that some small communities have escaped it or evolved beyond it, but it so, they would have to stay out of sight to survive. There have been some science fiction stories along those lines.
Is there a distinction between "lesser-evilism" and compromise? I tend to think there is. I'll never be up for any degree of "evilism" but am always ready to compromise.
_Compromise_ seems to imply a kind of contract between the differing parties, whereas _lesser-evillism_ is usually "take it or leave it," for example the Democratic Party leadership versus the proggies.
I would suggest that "principles" would be the defining difference between compromise & lesser-evilism. For example, Selling arms to the Saudi's is an unprincipled act and should not be allowed. The Saudi's are engaged in genocide in Yemen. Selling them arms is evil as they pose a real threat to poorer nations in the Middle East. Compromising with the MIC to sell said arms is not in our interests. However, In our Crisis Capitalistic/Predatory economy - all principles seem to have been abandoned by leadership long ago - and talk about principles with the movers and shakers will fall on deaf ears. Just look at the LIV Golf Fiasco as another example.
Well, now we're into the territory of defining what the principles are and who is in charge of them. As one person's principles might be quite different from another's.
Here it is in short:
how "good" is good? How "evil" is evil?
IT'S TOTALLY SUBJECTIVE!
JUST HUMAN BEINGS SETTING THEMSELVES UP AS JUDGE AND JURY TO THEIR FELLOW MEN AND WOMEN.
SO WHAT?
For the self-proclaimed and proud Englishman you seem to lack the famed British sense of humor.
You all seem to be unaware that "good" and "evil" are subjective.
Here is some ancient wisdom from Lao Tsu:
"recognise beauty and ugliness is born"
"recognise good and evil is born"
(Something akin to this is also in the Bible. The metaphor of tree of the knowledge of good and evil, that most seem not to understand).
We apply these labels to human behaviour in the main. We are more matter-of-fact about animal behaviour. Are lions evil for killing animals and eating them? Of course not.
This is not to condone destruction or behaviour that harms others. You just leave that judgment to other authorities.
I think I understand your point - I am NOT unaware - but - everything is subjective. Is all art Propaganda??? Yes & No. I recognize fine Art when I see it but have a hard time explaining why I think it is fine art. Same applied for Good & Evil, as rational beings we are capable of discerning the difference. In WW2, Nazi soldiers should not be considered evil as they were enlisted and following a hierarchy. However, Guards at Auschwitz who engaged in demeaning and disgusting treatment of prisoners (having them do heavy work of meaningless results as they were worked to death as part of entertainment) is Evil. I don't think that Lao Tsu is the best choice to make here - he is very absolutist - his philosophy of everyone behave like a Warrior is flawed at it's face because our Societies (in order to properly function) require more than Warriors - we need Mothers, Elders, Care givers, teachers etc... I do not accept extreme philosophies like Tsu's and disregard his teachings completely. Carl Jung is a better choice regarding philosophy & aesthetics (in my opinion).
You misunderstand Tsu.
You are parrotting the traditional Christian viewpoint. (Which is a misunderstanding of the Biblical message).
I have answered Russian-bot at length. I don't hold out much hope of reaching you. It's so frustrating.
There is no point in my continuing with this conversation. You just don't get it!
I'm trying to understand your insistence on the notion. Of course categorizing is subjective. Atomic bombing of Japan is considered good by many Japanese as it supposedly put them on the right track.
Is what you drive at by insisting on "subjective" that, ultimately, there is no good or bad objectively?
And if good/bad are subjective do they lose their applicability/usefulness/etc? Which "authorities" do you leave judgement to? Who's in charge of characterizing atomic bombing?
Don't patronise me. You misunderstand what I'm trying to say. It's not easy to grasp this.
"good" and "evil" are just words!
This is ancient wisdom - I didn't originate it. I'm just trying to educate you. And clearly failing. I happily admit that I'm not very good at this.
Nobody is in charge of characterising atomic bombing. Nobody. That doesn't mean that I support it. I don't support any war or any militarism. There are no other "authorities". Not really. (Some might say God.)
If the Americans were not saying that their enemies were "evil" then maybe they would understand that the people they are judging are just as human as they are.
The fundamental point that you don't understand is it's not a matter of saying one or the other. Not pointing fingers and saying "evil" is not to condone.
It's just not to sit in judgment. We are not the supreme authority. We don't get to play "god". We are all equals!
If we as a species stopped being judgmental then all war and conflict would end.
Because nobody would be saying "X" is evil or "Y" is evil any more.
Nicely Stated - I agree - there seems to be a function in our collective conscious about "settling" - I myself am guilty of this - but do my best NOT to. It is difficult in our societies though - with such poor choices for elected leaders & a Viscous & Rapacious Ruling Class, escaping lesser-evilism is almost impossible. I am troubled though at how many others go along to get along & settle in with lesser-evils so easily - being willfully blind and becoming corrupted themselves at their core.
(Sigh) Ignorance is bliss ... !
Wow. This really touches me as a recovering alcoholic. I could never stop drinking until I could become honest with myself. But I see my addiction as a blessing because it opened my eyes, and most of us go through life never having to confront our own lies. I couldn't agree more that our whole species is shot through, individually and collectively, with addictive behavior.
In the early 1980's, I pursued graduate school academic training in planning.
One of the big reasons for our current catastrophic condition is the dismantling of the legitimacy and practice of government planning - which "sees" the future and provides democratic deliberative collective processes and pathways that show "another world is possible".
It is no accident that the late 1970's rise of Neoliberal political economy (privatization, deregulation, liberalization of global trade, financialization, deindustrialization, etc) and "free market utopianism" and individualism culture all corresponded with the rise of "public choice theory" and "law and economics". That ideology advanced a systematic attack on pre-existing New Deal government planning and regulation, as well as conceptions of solidarity, vision, public space, commons, public resources, and public policy.
None of this operated at the individual level - it's not irrational self destructive individuals that are the problem, it's systems of power and control, consciously imposed from without, and not randomly arrived at (or evolved into).
Edward Abbey: “Growth for the sake of growth is the ideology of the cancer cell.” Since "man" created the endless economic growth ideology we are quite simply Earth's cancer.
Hating yourself and others won't make the world a better place.
The “ Needle and The Spoon”? Yes, it is enshrined in our culture:
(1) https://youtu.be/UjVpjmU7wis
(2) https://youtu.be/Tdo_eB_iFFI
"Saturday Night Special" is another songwriting triumph describing the perils of short-term thinking.
I have long said that it took more bravery for Skynyrd to have written that song, than all the Sixties protest anthems or punk rock shouts so beloved of critics.
I agree, though they did give themselves a slight out. Most of their audience would never concede to holstering a Saturday Night Special. Glock, Remington, etc, absolutely, but Saturday Night Specials in that environ was looked upon as a "dark skin" or dark skin adjacent market.
You sure? The characters in the song sure sound like good old boys to me.
They would be in the "adjacent" market, their behavior, both of them, isn't the sort of honour southern knights would pretend to uphold. Pretense being another key word. A "man" being cheated on would use a gun on the front lawn, though preferably a shotgun. It's like the old joke about the best place to find empty beer cans is behind the couch of a Southern Baptist.
I bought this Savoy Brown album around 1970 that had this song about junkies on it called "Needle & Spoon" - which I didn't understand since I was so young. I learned later and always stayed the hell away from sick, conniving heroin shooters as I watched them overdose and rip off my friends - same with cocaine addicts : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDw3nDV5tV8&list=RDxDw3nDV5tV8&start_radio=1&rv=xDw3nDV5tV8&t=31 ~ latest live version I found : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvgdD7JKUng ~ https://www.facebook.com/phil.fellows.3
Good article, but I can't accept those in power in Washington DC should be allowed to continue with their destructive agenda that they are holding the world hostage to. I have no love for them & ultimately wish them the very worst.
How will wishing them the very worst solve any problems?
Wishing them the best doesn't solve any problems either. If enough people express their outrage & bitter disgust in the streets or better yet, right in front of the homes of Congress members, it may have some impact. People shouldn't be afraid of government. Government should be afraid of the people. Very afraid at this point.
I didn't say it did. How about not wishing them anything at all?
How terrifying it is that we have a pretty clear idea of what rock bottom will look like: devastation and immense suffering (legions of blind people! rotting bodies everywhere! mass starvation) from nuclear war, or a rapidly warming planet with billions of climate refugees and immense political upheaval, or both ... plus plagues.
Hieronymus Bosch glimpsed the future when he painted THIS in 1495: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hieronymus_Bosch#/media/File:The_Garden_of_Earthly_Delights_by_Bosch_High_Resolution.jpg
The living will envy the dead.
This is another great piece by Caitlin. She manages to nail it almost every time. I guess we've got to hope our Earth will be that 1 out of 50 methheads who actually kicks the drug, stays clean, and ends up having a good and meaningful life.
Betting aliens just happen to be giving these very odds that human civilization will survive the next 10 years: 50 to 1 against.
Hieronymous Bosch imagined a future. As you are doing.
The future - whatever it may hold - only exists in your head.
Tell that to the people in Ukraine right now. Even a zen master repairs a roof that's leaking on his head, or bald tires that threaten the lives of his children.
We have been "civilized" for about 5000 years, what we call it anyway, but once an idea has been entrenched, we have great difficulty cutting it out of our collective mind. I was just reading about newly discovered evidence of gladiators in Turkey, Western Europe and England, due to Roman conquest. It was a sub-culture, sometimes honoured for bravery and skill, just like our boxers, but excluded from "civilized" society and usually buried ignominiously. And right after that I read an article on the need to "normalize" prostitution for the safety of prostitutes- although they know that safety for prostitutes, just like gladiators, can never be assured : is is the nature of the work. And the work is not respectable, health producing or acceptable. Years ago I worked with a young, religious woman (fundamentalist church) who actually said prostitutes keep "good women" safe". It is the idea that some of us are born to make sacrifices, and our will has nothing to do with it. But are US and Western EU citizens going to make the ultimate sacrifice and starve and freeze in the dark this winter, just to make Russia look bad for the purposes of their respective governments? Just how deep does this sacrifice shit go? Personally, I can't see it hanging in much longer.
Yes, EU citizens are going to make sacrifices this winter, but it isn't by their choice. It is the nature of the US Oligarchy to have made that choice for them.
And hopefully, this will lead to "something else".
The "Global South" has been watching the USA grab for ever more and more and they are beginning to laugh at the naiveté of Americans who have been lulled into believing that they deserve the extra things in life. The Millennials have awoken to the reality of what is happening.
The question is, "What are we going to do about it?". Will a Clint Eastwood come and save us from our passive natures?
We must recognize that America is, and always has been, run by criminals. While lately I've been recommending Aaron Good, a couple of nights ago youTube served up a Noam Chomsky video from 20 years ago that said the same thing.
It's an old problem the solution to which seems to be -reality. Will the EU swallow the pill once more? Their heads of state will take a helluva beating if they do: Scholtz and Macron are already laughing stocks: they make Victor Orban look good. And while they like to make him out a fascist, in fact, they are more so. They have supported the events that led to un-absorbable refugees, poverty and dispossessed.
The human race is infected, just as individuals are, by viruses that can kill. People are defenseless against cultural contamination. Recognizing the existence and nature of the mental viruses that get a hold on our emotions is the first step to reversing or curing the destructive process. Hurray for early warners like Caitlin to make us think. They can stimulate the antibodies that bring reason instead of rationalization. Rationalization is the protective coating the infesting memes use for their own survival, stupidly not realizing they may be killing their hosts by making their hosts kill each other. War is a disease spread by diseased ideas humans don't know how to cure... yet. We've been told for millennia and haven't learned to apply: "Thou shalt not kill... shalt not steal... shalt not covet... shalt not lie... Treat your neighbor as thyself... " Test any of our political practices against these simple rules. What will it take to eliminate our mental infections?
This is a really good way of thinking of it. Diseases that haven't been cured YET! One of the crushing things that all of us Caitlyn readers have to deal with is that the window of time to turn things around is incredibly small because of the mentality of most of the people in the world. In the United States, 80% of all adults supported dropping bombs on Iraq in 2003 for absolutely no reason. 55% of white women voters chose Trump in the 2020 election!
But the way you think of it makes room for a huge amount of hope! Why? Because ALL of our problems are absolutely the result of meat-computer viruses. And computer viruses are very similar to REAL biological viruses. And polio was cured practically overnight!
As a matter of fact, because I was bo born in 1954, there were never ANY kids in my classes who had had polio. But there were MANY kids one class above me who wore leg braces for polio, had limps because of polio, and even my dear Joni Mitchell had polio.
But then it was over! Worldwide! OMG, I love your analogy!
"55% of white women voters chose Trump in the 2020 election!" - if only they chose Hillary. They'd be the healthy ones then.
Hillary wasn't even running. Are you really a bot? Hillary ran in 2016. Biden was the only choice because mathematically it was the only way to stop Trump. It would be morally reprehensible to allow Trump to hold nuclear weapons over all the children in the world, especially considering that their parents had no say in the USA election.
"It would be morally reprehensible to allow Trump to hold nuclear weapons over all the children in the world" - and now you know why I used "Hillary" as it's apparently an unknown to you that Trump actually did hold that nuclear weaponry for a few years.
And not just over all the children in the world but over you as well. Looks like you felt you were as good as nuked.
Oh, was it Biden? Then it's a world of difference indeed.
The troll even believes Biden is safer with the (edit: nuclear) football. Only true if we believe he'll trip and die fumbling for it. (edit) The sex offender/mass murderer of brown children (only in America would they go in that order) believes he just has to burn a candle, confess, and a few Hail Mary, and he's good to go toast us all. Trump doesn't believe in God, or rather Trump's god is Trump.
Yes, the human species is mentally ill. Whether we make it or not is up for grabs. I have come to terms with the fact that we may destroy ourselves. But I will live the rest of my life, however long it is, working for a better world for all.
I have made the same resolve. Although I don't belong to any particular organized religion, I do keep a sort of faith (blind faith) that existence must have some kind of meaning. More along the lines of William James resolve i.e. "The Will To Believe" regardless of the dark mystery of my (our) existence. The faith is continuing on despite being blind to what is on the horizon.
I agree. I have a kind of faith in a creative power of the universe too that keeps me going. How can you watch a sunrise or a flower bloom or a bird fly and not see the intelligence inherent in nature. It came from somewhere. The human body is so amazing too. And that mysterium is what I cling to in these crazy times.
Excellent conclusion to appreciate what is good while we can.
I would bathe my spirit in the days of men.
I would come naked before sorrow.
I would kneel beside the sorrowing
With my heart - bare
That I might share their sorrow.
.
I would let mine eyes weep with men;
I would drink the salt of sorrow's wine,
That its bitterness might purge my soul.
Oh, I would be a companion
Of all the spirit's joys and ills,
Thereby I might know the souls of men.
.
~PW, #LB #p17
A wonderful philosophy is to live in the now as Ferlinghetti was fond of saying and bemoaning it wasn’t happening any longer just 5 years ago
But now it is with you along with many desirous to hang out with Owl.
One can’t go astray speaking up to the cosmos socially as we have from the dawn.
Observing from the now is pleasing!
It’s called courage.
Living in the now is also central to Eckhart Tolle's philosophy. But few people actually understand it. Few people actually live in the present moment. Mostly we obsessively think about the past or about a future which will never actually arrive. It's always the present! The past and the future only really exist in our heads.