Seeing the negative aspects in life and the society that we have built can lead one to see the negative in everything.
Without some 'joy' of life, how can we ever come together as a species?
I could see all of the joys disappearing and being taken away from us. I focused on it, I tried to make others see in hopes that they could be angry enough to do something. I found that they can instead concentrate so much on the negative that they find themselves seeing everything as bad and desperately reaching for the 'joy' that is portrayed or that which they had in their life.
It took me a long time and some unbelievable pain (my own and that which I inflicted) to realize that it was not the world that I hated, but myself. I drowned myself in the pain that I had been harboring all of my life and fueled it with the problems which I saw in the world. I did not realize until it was too late that my fire had burned everyone that I had ever known and cared about.
It is so easy to concentrate on the negative; we are, after all, a society built upon blame, responsibility and punishment. We see people as invading our space, trying to change us, not pulling their weight, potential thieves or terrorists and we close off our loving, caring and understanding.
We walk down the street and judge people by their looks and what they wear, we listen to conversations and judge people for what they say (and I was a huge player in this one), we judge them by their jobs, education, children, past mistakes and just about everything else that we can. Well I found that this also divides and makes us grow further apart.
I never gave life a real chance, I never gave people a real chance; I was always too afraid of becoming 'one of them' that I ignored the beauty in everyone and lashed out in hopes of not caring.
I digress, I don't know what to do or think anymore, I know though, that I cannot hurt anymore; not myself and not others. This blog has been so angry for so long, I have been so angry for so long. I still believe that everyone needs help but I will try to do it with a little more tenderness. I see now that my judgments hurt and that I have been judging for so long.
I would like to send a sincere apology to those that I have hurt in my life and to those that I have not, I wish you well but please try to see within yourselves the power of humanistic change.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
"Experts Say" ... The Rest Of You Are Morons
I am so tired of supposed 'intelligent' people telling me that 'experts say' this and 'experts say' that or that a 'study' says or suggests something. Usually these experts and studies are referring to things which could be considered 'common sense' or which demands a change in one's perception, judgments, beliefs and behavior.
I did a Google News search for the exact phrase "experts say" and came back with 20,198 hits. The same search with "scientists say" comes back with 3691. Why is it that scientists and their opinions don't get the exposure that 'experts' do? This search is only in the 'News' section of Google. If you search within years, you can notice that the results have grown significantly over the decades. Here are some of the good ones I saw:
"Experts say anyone can be target of clever con artists" - thanks for that bit of 'clarity' - now what does this really say? It tells us be 'be on our guard' and to 'look out for ourselves' because 'danger' lurks around every corner and anyone can be a 'victim'. This is playing on the fears associated with property and security. Now with it being an 'expert' that conveys this message, it must be true and one must be afraid.
"Cold snap may do some agricultural harm, experts say" - crops may be affected by freezing? go figure. - An asinine way of create a 'faith' in what 'experts' say. They have to announce some 'obviousness' in order to appear legitimate as a whole.
"Experts say Africa has minimal influence over own development, destiny" - Africa is being plundered and shaped by other nations? No wait, it's 'destiny'; how 'mystic'. If something can be accepted as 'mystic' then little explanation or investigation is needed. One wouldn't want to go against 'destiny' or public consensus now would one?
"Reducing dependence on foreign oil will not happen overnight, experts say" - Getting us to believe that there is a normal, lengthy transition that will take place. Blindly accepting any 'restrictions' such as financial, conceding that it trumps sanity, humanity and morality.
"Standards needed for ski helmets, experts say" - with the picture of the dead celeb skier, nice touch, though there is no 'proof' that she died from the supposed fall.
Take the helmet, you have something that people will associate with death and safety for the children. There will be debates and studies and then there will be 'laws' to protect 'everyone'. Some will think "huh, not affecting me" and go on in oblivion until one day 'experts say helmets should be worn...' where ever they may be. When it finally affects them, it is too late because precedence has been set.
Keep us dumb but make us feel protected while projecting a sense of intelligence and of being 'informed'; this also creates the ego reactions which we all so frequently experience. The hurtfulness and sense of 'personal' attack which we feel is actually a 'reaction' brought about by the ego. We all want to be 'intelligent' and we parrot the things that we hear in order to portray that, all the while not really thinking, but rather, 'accepting' whatever the 'experts' tell us. The 'contradictions', such as 'Utopian dreams' and visions of real change, force us to look at the way that 'we' live and see the deficiencies therefore they seem to 'attack' the very way that 'we' live and our very 'intelligence'. There are so many 'expert' opinions that the subjects are all left with no real conclusions and science no longer matters, just opinions; we all have them but are they really 'ours'?
When did we reach that time when we needed 'experts' to tell us how to think? Do we really need help being told what to be afraid of and how to formulate our own opinions? How does the parroting of other's opinions, make them 'our' opinions? When did we stop thinking? We are told what to eat, drink, consume, where to live, what to say, how to react, what to believe and how to raise our children. There are laws, by-laws, mandates, orders, certificates, licenses ..., which 'punish' us in one form or another if we don't behave a certain way. We cheer them on and demand more laws and certificates in the name of 'security' and more 'punishment' for those that stray.
Does anyone know if vitamins, milk, eggs, sun block, baby formula, peanuts are good for us or not? Don't drink soy milk, drink soy milk, don't take vitamins, take vitamins, a barrage of noise in the end confusing the choices just enough to opt for the easy way out: whatever is easiest on the pocketbook. We all want to eat healthy but since the 'experts' have made the term 'biological' trendy, we pay through the nose for it.
Here are a few more gems that I also liked:
"Some Experts Say Rescue Program Might Not Work" - If they are truly experts, why are they so ambiguous? Because this way, either way, the 'experts' are correct, some 'experts' may be better than others.
"Emerging technologies need regulatory reform, experts say" - This is also about invoking a sense of unease about 'emerging' technologies and inspiring a form of 'control' over them. We wouldn't want any too 'radical' ideas springing forth.
"Times not so bad, experts say" - A nice definitive statement for you to believe. uh huh , duh, must be right, duh, good thing all these 'experts' are here to , duh get me through life, uh huh :) Too bad about my job, it'll pick up, we'll get through this.
"Experts say financial situation is not out of control" - If you believe, it will happen, we will bounce back to 'normal'. We seem to revel in the 'hope' and the 'faith' that these experts portray.
Hooked on experts, people don't have to think, don't have to question, don't have to feel uncomfortable about their limited knowledge because there are 'teams' of people doing their thinking for them and making sure that their experiences are 'safe' and 'controlled'. This is the same mentality of children - "If I leave it long enough, someone else will do it." It amazes me how we ever got to this point in humanity without all of these 'protections; we should have all been wiped out centuries ago.
Instead of holding onto our collective ignorance we should be embracing questions and different ideas. Look into something, don't just blindly accept it on the word of 'experts' and 'studies'. Think about your own life and experiences before passing 'judgments' and 'labels'. Collect as much information as possible; dive into the possibilities of life, human experience and co-existence with an open mind and a clear view of what is happening. Only through understanding using scientific analysis and self reflection can the 'truth' ever be found.
I did a Google News search for the exact phrase "experts say" and came back with 20,198 hits. The same search with "scientists say" comes back with 3691. Why is it that scientists and their opinions don't get the exposure that 'experts' do? This search is only in the 'News' section of Google. If you search within years, you can notice that the results have grown significantly over the decades. Here are some of the good ones I saw:
"Experts say anyone can be target of clever con artists" - thanks for that bit of 'clarity' - now what does this really say? It tells us be 'be on our guard' and to 'look out for ourselves' because 'danger' lurks around every corner and anyone can be a 'victim'. This is playing on the fears associated with property and security. Now with it being an 'expert' that conveys this message, it must be true and one must be afraid.
"Cold snap may do some agricultural harm, experts say" - crops may be affected by freezing? go figure. - An asinine way of create a 'faith' in what 'experts' say. They have to announce some 'obviousness' in order to appear legitimate as a whole.
"Experts say Africa has minimal influence over own development, destiny" - Africa is being plundered and shaped by other nations? No wait, it's 'destiny'; how 'mystic'. If something can be accepted as 'mystic' then little explanation or investigation is needed. One wouldn't want to go against 'destiny' or public consensus now would one?
"Reducing dependence on foreign oil will not happen overnight, experts say" - Getting us to believe that there is a normal, lengthy transition that will take place. Blindly accepting any 'restrictions' such as financial, conceding that it trumps sanity, humanity and morality.
"Standards needed for ski helmets, experts say" - with the picture of the dead celeb skier, nice touch, though there is no 'proof' that she died from the supposed fall.
Take the helmet, you have something that people will associate with death and safety for the children. There will be debates and studies and then there will be 'laws' to protect 'everyone'. Some will think "huh, not affecting me" and go on in oblivion until one day 'experts say helmets should be worn...' where ever they may be. When it finally affects them, it is too late because precedence has been set.
Keep us dumb but make us feel protected while projecting a sense of intelligence and of being 'informed'; this also creates the ego reactions which we all so frequently experience. The hurtfulness and sense of 'personal' attack which we feel is actually a 'reaction' brought about by the ego. We all want to be 'intelligent' and we parrot the things that we hear in order to portray that, all the while not really thinking, but rather, 'accepting' whatever the 'experts' tell us. The 'contradictions', such as 'Utopian dreams' and visions of real change, force us to look at the way that 'we' live and see the deficiencies therefore they seem to 'attack' the very way that 'we' live and our very 'intelligence'. There are so many 'expert' opinions that the subjects are all left with no real conclusions and science no longer matters, just opinions; we all have them but are they really 'ours'?
When did we reach that time when we needed 'experts' to tell us how to think? Do we really need help being told what to be afraid of and how to formulate our own opinions? How does the parroting of other's opinions, make them 'our' opinions? When did we stop thinking? We are told what to eat, drink, consume, where to live, what to say, how to react, what to believe and how to raise our children. There are laws, by-laws, mandates, orders, certificates, licenses ..., which 'punish' us in one form or another if we don't behave a certain way. We cheer them on and demand more laws and certificates in the name of 'security' and more 'punishment' for those that stray.
Does anyone know if vitamins, milk, eggs, sun block, baby formula, peanuts are good for us or not? Don't drink soy milk, drink soy milk, don't take vitamins, take vitamins, a barrage of noise in the end confusing the choices just enough to opt for the easy way out: whatever is easiest on the pocketbook. We all want to eat healthy but since the 'experts' have made the term 'biological' trendy, we pay through the nose for it.
Here are a few more gems that I also liked:
"Some Experts Say Rescue Program Might Not Work" - If they are truly experts, why are they so ambiguous? Because this way, either way, the 'experts' are correct, some 'experts' may be better than others.
"Emerging technologies need regulatory reform, experts say" - This is also about invoking a sense of unease about 'emerging' technologies and inspiring a form of 'control' over them. We wouldn't want any too 'radical' ideas springing forth.
"Times not so bad, experts say" - A nice definitive statement for you to believe. uh huh , duh, must be right, duh, good thing all these 'experts' are here to , duh get me through life, uh huh :) Too bad about my job, it'll pick up, we'll get through this.
"Experts say financial situation is not out of control" - If you believe, it will happen, we will bounce back to 'normal'. We seem to revel in the 'hope' and the 'faith' that these experts portray.
Hooked on experts, people don't have to think, don't have to question, don't have to feel uncomfortable about their limited knowledge because there are 'teams' of people doing their thinking for them and making sure that their experiences are 'safe' and 'controlled'. This is the same mentality of children - "If I leave it long enough, someone else will do it." It amazes me how we ever got to this point in humanity without all of these 'protections; we should have all been wiped out centuries ago.
Instead of holding onto our collective ignorance we should be embracing questions and different ideas. Look into something, don't just blindly accept it on the word of 'experts' and 'studies'. Think about your own life and experiences before passing 'judgments' and 'labels'. Collect as much information as possible; dive into the possibilities of life, human experience and co-existence with an open mind and a clear view of what is happening. Only through understanding using scientific analysis and self reflection can the 'truth' ever be found.
Friday, April 03, 2009
A Society Of B.S. (Bad Science)
Over 5 billion people live on less than $10 a day on this planet but I am not one of them; so let us say that the rest are the rich and middle classes (assumed 'middle class' also). These numbers tell us that less than 20% of the world population controls the financial, political, military, information, manufacturing, food, distribution, 'management' and consumption of the world's resources; some would argue that 1% rules the rest but I shall implicate all of 'the middle class' into this piece as they do not seem to be able to see beyond their 'generation'.
Since 1970, real wages have remained stagnant or gone down. Two earner households have been created along with daycare and a 'tying in' of every family member to the 'economics' of the family. This has contributed to raising the overall stress levels of the family which, in turn, creates 'blockages' in communication for its members resulting in less than ideal learning conditions at a young age. There is no longer unconditional love, there is instead pulling your weight, getting a job and paying that rent. The cost of a 'home' was 50% of a single earner income, now it is 75% of a dual earner income. 'Time' is less spent with family and values are set by society as everyone goes to 'work'.
Class has been ingrained, the disparities widened and all the while we seem so worried about the 'appearance' of things that the 'facts' wash away in the haze. As we think of 'me' and 'mine', our social 'safety nets' get cut, waters get commoditized and a mindset of 'if you ain't working, you ain't worth nothing', seems to have overtaken society. "No one rides for free" and we will 'pull ourselves out' are echoed in unison with the belief that "if everyone thinks it, it must be right".
Livelihoods based on jobs, make us dependent on the 'system' and seemingly 'competitive' in nature. With virtually all aspects of life now having a price tag attached to it, those that seem to 'get', while seemingly working less than 'me', are essentially 'stealing' my opportunities (think unions). Jobs are tied to 'free market' ideals and the competition ensues; "if I can do it for less, I will have a job"; "any job is better than no job".
Defending the ideals of a monetary system with words like 'laziness', 'jealousy' and 'incentive', the laboured masses forever justifies the failed system, which holds them into servitude, and refuses to see 'change' as anything worthwhile but instead as something sinister to be feared.
'Success' has been tied to the 'investment' of 'education' and the 'ego' has been associated with society and its outward judgements. We are told to "find what you love and figure a way to make money from it" and we accept this and go forth, turning our 'enjoyment' into competition forever believing that the only thing of importance is to 'take care of me and mine' in the form of 'success'. This is compounded at the family level and competition divides siblings as each vie for that 'success' marker that will make their parents 'proud'.
The public has been convinced that being an entrepreneur is part of the dream; that it puts 'me' in control of 'my' life, that it takes away the 'fears' that occur in an employer/employee relationship. Defending the 'dream' as a 'comfort zone'; 'I like having a home' or 'I like fitting in'. Not wanting to 'rock the boat', they will find any excuse to keep from seeing deficiencies in their lives. They don't want to be free, they just want to be free of discomfort and conflict.
Demanding solutions instead of problems and fighting thought and clarity as cynical and angry, all the while defending with 'comparisons' as a means of 'justification'. Pride has replaced common sense by defending it with irrelevant excuses and fears that we echo as we try to focus on the 'good' of our current system and wanting to direct energies towards 'fixing' the shortcomings instead of rebuilding; rebuilding may affect 'me'.
On TV, violence and crime on Cops and CSI type shows allow us to believe that there is 'always someone to blame'. They enable us to identify the 'scum' of the Earth; the criminals such as file sharers. We prefer to 'lock em up and throw away the key' or 'fine them' because they might 'steal my stuff', rather than looking for the root causes of crime. That, 'competition' driven through the environment and having to 'survive' may actually play a part in the creation of crime, is dismissed; 'bad apples' and 'punishment' are the only ways to deal with it. Getting used to the presence of 'officers' and to being 'questioned' while slowly imprisoning ourselves. Seeing the 'seedy' side of life and being able to 'identify' its non-conformity; spurring the suspicion towards all non-conformists ('anyone could be a criminal', 'beware the loner', 'he was such a quiet man'; watch your own kids for signs).
We are told that 'crime' is opportunist but yet we live an opportunistic life ourselves. We jump at a 'good deal' or an 'investment' opportunity without thinking of who had to 'lose' in order to allow us this 'deal'; another's misfortune may just be our gain. We have learned to 'accept' and 'adapt' to this system while perpetuating it through to the next generation. The kids grow up with concepts like 'you owe me' or 'criminals are bad people', echoing the lies of society and making themselves a part of it. They are led to believe that one must not stray too far from the herd and that 'hope' and 'love' will make everything better.
The media constantly plays on our 'hopes' of ownership and our dreams of an 'easy life' and 'success'. It could happen to me through instant fame and glory by being an 'idol', being 'discovered', 'working hard' or 'inventing' something, and if that doesn't work, there is always the lottery. The people try to 'earn' extra money by engaging in 'legal' activities such as gambling or speculation, all the while putting themselves further into the 'negative' for the system of 'hope' is designed to 'lure' for profit. The shame in 'loss' is so strong that it aids in further straining family relationships and communication.
9/11, a day of infamy and yet to be properly investigated, is accepted as resolved on the basis of 'bad science'. The hope that 'my government' or other 'Americans' couldn't be party to it, fuels the lies until they are accepted as truths. Mainstream media attacks the integrity, credibility and character of anyone that questions it with words such as 'extremist' or 'radical'; the same words used to describe 'terrorists'. Forgetting logic and scientific examination, the public simply 'accepts' the findings of the 'official' report and considers the case closed. Having only neuroses, fears, and emotions, we crave a haven of 'safety' and take personally the questions which may implicate our elected officials or other 'Americans'. The mind itself has gotten lazy; frustration and a sense of being over-whelmed occur when something is not 'easy' or 'straight forward'; the very sense of 'learning' becomes an attack on the ego.
There used to be a time when wisdom and knowledge were passed along and shared for the betterment of the community but it is all money now. We are all 'competitors' and the knowledge we hold may be tied to our livelihoods or to our families. We horde information, hoping to get an 'advantage' over others or to 'sell' the ideas for our own gain. We save, budget, spend and invest, believing that we are building a 'future' for ourselves and our families. We acquire as much as we can and desire forever more; we see that money brings with it a sense of entitlement and we too wish to feel 'entitled'.
Do not be afraid to learn of truths, to see deceptions and to feel despair even if logic seems to hurt your feelings. Admitting that the world is shit and that radical change is required is the first step towards real change. Being able to face the 'growing' pains of something new and not reverting back to the safety of the flawed, yet known is the challenge. Overcoming the importance of 'me' is monumental in this evolution for only humanity as a whole, can ever 'hope' to bring true justice for all and a life in balance with nature.
Since 1970, real wages have remained stagnant or gone down. Two earner households have been created along with daycare and a 'tying in' of every family member to the 'economics' of the family. This has contributed to raising the overall stress levels of the family which, in turn, creates 'blockages' in communication for its members resulting in less than ideal learning conditions at a young age. There is no longer unconditional love, there is instead pulling your weight, getting a job and paying that rent. The cost of a 'home' was 50% of a single earner income, now it is 75% of a dual earner income. 'Time' is less spent with family and values are set by society as everyone goes to 'work'.
Class has been ingrained, the disparities widened and all the while we seem so worried about the 'appearance' of things that the 'facts' wash away in the haze. As we think of 'me' and 'mine', our social 'safety nets' get cut, waters get commoditized and a mindset of 'if you ain't working, you ain't worth nothing', seems to have overtaken society. "No one rides for free" and we will 'pull ourselves out' are echoed in unison with the belief that "if everyone thinks it, it must be right".
Livelihoods based on jobs, make us dependent on the 'system' and seemingly 'competitive' in nature. With virtually all aspects of life now having a price tag attached to it, those that seem to 'get', while seemingly working less than 'me', are essentially 'stealing' my opportunities (think unions). Jobs are tied to 'free market' ideals and the competition ensues; "if I can do it for less, I will have a job"; "any job is better than no job".
Defending the ideals of a monetary system with words like 'laziness', 'jealousy' and 'incentive', the laboured masses forever justifies the failed system, which holds them into servitude, and refuses to see 'change' as anything worthwhile but instead as something sinister to be feared.
'Success' has been tied to the 'investment' of 'education' and the 'ego' has been associated with society and its outward judgements. We are told to "find what you love and figure a way to make money from it" and we accept this and go forth, turning our 'enjoyment' into competition forever believing that the only thing of importance is to 'take care of me and mine' in the form of 'success'. This is compounded at the family level and competition divides siblings as each vie for that 'success' marker that will make their parents 'proud'.
The public has been convinced that being an entrepreneur is part of the dream; that it puts 'me' in control of 'my' life, that it takes away the 'fears' that occur in an employer/employee relationship. Defending the 'dream' as a 'comfort zone'; 'I like having a home' or 'I like fitting in'. Not wanting to 'rock the boat', they will find any excuse to keep from seeing deficiencies in their lives. They don't want to be free, they just want to be free of discomfort and conflict.
Demanding solutions instead of problems and fighting thought and clarity as cynical and angry, all the while defending with 'comparisons' as a means of 'justification'. Pride has replaced common sense by defending it with irrelevant excuses and fears that we echo as we try to focus on the 'good' of our current system and wanting to direct energies towards 'fixing' the shortcomings instead of rebuilding; rebuilding may affect 'me'.
On TV, violence and crime on Cops and CSI type shows allow us to believe that there is 'always someone to blame'. They enable us to identify the 'scum' of the Earth; the criminals such as file sharers. We prefer to 'lock em up and throw away the key' or 'fine them' because they might 'steal my stuff', rather than looking for the root causes of crime. That, 'competition' driven through the environment and having to 'survive' may actually play a part in the creation of crime, is dismissed; 'bad apples' and 'punishment' are the only ways to deal with it. Getting used to the presence of 'officers' and to being 'questioned' while slowly imprisoning ourselves. Seeing the 'seedy' side of life and being able to 'identify' its non-conformity; spurring the suspicion towards all non-conformists ('anyone could be a criminal', 'beware the loner', 'he was such a quiet man'; watch your own kids for signs).
We are told that 'crime' is opportunist but yet we live an opportunistic life ourselves. We jump at a 'good deal' or an 'investment' opportunity without thinking of who had to 'lose' in order to allow us this 'deal'; another's misfortune may just be our gain. We have learned to 'accept' and 'adapt' to this system while perpetuating it through to the next generation. The kids grow up with concepts like 'you owe me' or 'criminals are bad people', echoing the lies of society and making themselves a part of it. They are led to believe that one must not stray too far from the herd and that 'hope' and 'love' will make everything better.
The media constantly plays on our 'hopes' of ownership and our dreams of an 'easy life' and 'success'. It could happen to me through instant fame and glory by being an 'idol', being 'discovered', 'working hard' or 'inventing' something, and if that doesn't work, there is always the lottery. The people try to 'earn' extra money by engaging in 'legal' activities such as gambling or speculation, all the while putting themselves further into the 'negative' for the system of 'hope' is designed to 'lure' for profit. The shame in 'loss' is so strong that it aids in further straining family relationships and communication.
9/11, a day of infamy and yet to be properly investigated, is accepted as resolved on the basis of 'bad science'. The hope that 'my government' or other 'Americans' couldn't be party to it, fuels the lies until they are accepted as truths. Mainstream media attacks the integrity, credibility and character of anyone that questions it with words such as 'extremist' or 'radical'; the same words used to describe 'terrorists'. Forgetting logic and scientific examination, the public simply 'accepts' the findings of the 'official' report and considers the case closed. Having only neuroses, fears, and emotions, we crave a haven of 'safety' and take personally the questions which may implicate our elected officials or other 'Americans'. The mind itself has gotten lazy; frustration and a sense of being over-whelmed occur when something is not 'easy' or 'straight forward'; the very sense of 'learning' becomes an attack on the ego.
There used to be a time when wisdom and knowledge were passed along and shared for the betterment of the community but it is all money now. We are all 'competitors' and the knowledge we hold may be tied to our livelihoods or to our families. We horde information, hoping to get an 'advantage' over others or to 'sell' the ideas for our own gain. We save, budget, spend and invest, believing that we are building a 'future' for ourselves and our families. We acquire as much as we can and desire forever more; we see that money brings with it a sense of entitlement and we too wish to feel 'entitled'.
Do not be afraid to learn of truths, to see deceptions and to feel despair even if logic seems to hurt your feelings. Admitting that the world is shit and that radical change is required is the first step towards real change. Being able to face the 'growing' pains of something new and not reverting back to the safety of the flawed, yet known is the challenge. Overcoming the importance of 'me' is monumental in this evolution for only humanity as a whole, can ever 'hope' to bring true justice for all and a life in balance with nature.
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