State of the world etc.

martin_e

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I put this in the "I feel sick" topic - but it got lost at the end of the page. I spent ages typing it so I'm giving it it's own thread ...

It was in reply to:
Toothbrush Steve said:
This is going to seem like a really cold reply but it is the truth. When I watch the news and they say X number of people have been killed in a war in X country. I honestly don't feel anything. I don't feel sad. I don't feel happy. I honestly couldn't care less.

This doesn't mean that I would wish anything bad on anyone because I wouldn't. I just feel so let down by the state of the world that I just focus on my own life and those around me. Some will argue that it is a very selfish way to live. You are right. I wish I didn't feel this way but I do. I feel so disillusioned by everything that I have just become numbed to the outside world.

Before Bush and his pet dog Blair went to war I went on the protest with 2 million of my fellow countrymen. Millions of other people did exactly the same thing all around the globe. Did it change one single thing? No.

For years people were saying that the end of the world would be midnight 30th Dec 2000. And when it passed people said, "See, nothing happened, we are still here." I think that midnight 30th December 2000 was the point of no return. I think that we are on the final slippery slope leading to the extinction of the human race. Our governments are so powerful and so secretive that there is really nothing we can do against them. Conspiracy theories have become a joke but that doesn't mean they aren't real.

As tragic as this might seem. I now honestly believe that the best was of living your life is to enjoy whatever you can, while you can. I'm not going to sacrifice anything for the future of humanity because humanity doesn't have one. I just want to enjoy as much as I can in my life and when I die, well it won't matter to me what happens then will it.

I'm sorry to post something this depressing. I would give anything to feel different but I don't. It is just how I feel.

Not a cheery viewpoint, but a reasonable one in the circumstances.
Here's some of my thoughts.

The millions who protested against the war was the largest mass protest EVER. About ANYTHING. Even though it was ignored, it was a precedent - a movement towards change. Humanity is changing, we are connecting, understanding and a world-wide wave of compassion and caring is growing even as we speak. The internet, and similar technologies mean that the boundaries between one human and another (whereever, and whoever they are) are blurring and fading. We can talk to each other in a way which has never been possible before. There's a very long way to go - and, yes, the greed and ignorance of "world leaders" may destroy everything before we get there. But then again it might not ...

The current wave of authoritarian government is a backlash against the inescapable irrelevence of the nation state. Already Intel, Sony, and Ford have more worldwide influence than Blair's government - and Morgan Stanley and Goldman-Sachs probably have more than Bush's. Unlike the facade of nation state politics, these capitalist institutions are actually fed and watered with *our* money. They are far more "in power" than any political force, and although it doesn't appear to be the case at the moment - in the end we have far more power over them than over (for example) the Bush administration. If everyone who marched against the war instead demanded their pension scheme money back, their bank account balance in cash and refused to buy anything from Sony, or ever drive a car again then there would have been no war.
To maintain profitability they will have to end war, the price of fiscal imbalance (poor people trying to steal things - and the guns and tanks required to stop them) is unsustainable in terms of returning money to shareholders. The scary capitalist system we live by now cannot sustain war and authoritarianism in the long term - eventually it will be stopped, by financial rather than moral concerns.

There are two scenarios. We all die because of the greed of the few. Which is a depressing thought.

Or, we use the money now spent on arms to feed, clothe and educate the entire population of the world (which it would do MANY times over) and we all live in peace and explore space, both inner and outer, forever, one world - one humanity - living for the common happiness of all.

Be depressed if you like - but I would prefer to hope ...

:cool:
 
martin_e said:
Unlike the facade of nation state politics, these capitalist institutions are actually fed and watered with *our* money

Um yeah, maybe although consider the fact that the government actually receives back more of your money than you actually have left to spend on your Sony, mortgage, loan interest etc.

Especially with the current state of our beloved gom-eyed-grinning-twat party in power at the moment the amount of additional ways they have found to fleece you means that anyone on a half decent salary living an average lifestyle will find that over 50% of what they earn finds it's way back to the wankers in one way or another.

So the government is the biggest capitalist institution of the lot.
 
Monkey Do said:
Um yeah, maybe although consider the fact that the government actually receives back more of your money than you actually have left to spend on your Sony, mortgage, loan interest etc.

<true bit - but snipped for easy reading>

So the government is the biggest capitalist institution of the lot.

Indeed - but the global culture means that now the corporate institutions can pressurise the governments to make things easier for them. i.e. "we won't put our car factory in your country unless we get things cheaper". The higher the taxation, the higher the wages they have to pay out ... the direction we are moving in is one where governments have less and less power to dictate the rules - including how much money we give them.

The move to privatisation of previously Government-owned utilities etc. across the planet, means that a lot of their previous capital holdings are now being handed out to the control of Morgan Stanley, Goldman-Sachs, the Prudential ... etc. etc. As I maintained before - they are becoming increasingly irrelevant, and I believe the present paranoia and authoritarianism is a panic reaction by those used to being in control. But they'll go bankrupt trying to collect taxes by force from those who see no return on them ... war costs a FORTUNE.

Still full of hope ...
 
Hmmm yes

Depressive human controlled world it is.
I heard on radio that Mbeki (ZA president) has accused the UN of supporting wealthy states to further their aims only, his brother also said too many fatcat Africans are skimming everything off the masses-truly. So this grred thing is snowballing horribly- a fine balance to the art of liberation and development where all trials are quickly forgotten and corruption a new way. There's that attempted coup trial in Equi-Guinea. Sure those mercenaries were not good- however ZA wants oil rights in EG therefore letting a potential unfair trial ensue. That EG president didn't get voted in either.
Anyways long & short of it all - they are vakking up the enviroment with disasterous plans.

Bush will probably get in again ? Not even all the hurricane damage will soil the voters rolls.
Iran is the next country to "take."
Blair wtf did you get involved for?
Heads are rolling- I would not be suprised in say 10 years time when the dossiers get leaked out and it comes to light that those beheaders were actually amerikan recruits expending a bit of national collateral damage to perpetuate the perception that "the Base" is bad/evil. What really pisses me orf is you get ppl here saying ah bush did the world good ridding us of terrorist threats and that "taking" Iraq was justified. Yet these ppl never actually imagine how many innocent ppl were killed 1 by 1.

Pity the ppl of Chechnya - for there lies the most vast oil reserves proximate to Russia. It is the middle east of Russia.


So keep positive <somehow>
;)
 
Toothbrush Steve said:
This is going to seem like a really cold reply but it is the truth. When I watch the news and they say X number of people have been killed in a war in X country. I honestly don't feel anything. I don't feel sad. I don't feel happy. I honestly couldn't care less.

This doesn't mean that I would wish anything bad on anyone because I wouldn't. I just feel so let down by the state of the world that I just focus on my own life and those around me. Some will argue that it is a very selfish way to live. You are right. I wish I didn't feel this way but I do. I feel so disillusioned by everything that I have just become numbed to the outside world.

i feel like this to,sometimes.
one way i look at it , sometimes is that maybe this war isn't all about what it seems and that a hidden undertone is to invade everyones personnel space and bring the war within.a fight for the hearts and minds and therefore spirits of the people.propaganda lies and more bullshit.
negative images shown by the media what is there main criteria???
think we'd do better to not take it all on our shoulders, keep the peace internlly.i don't mean to put a wall up and be ignorant but be aware and focus on the positives.meditate on peace rather than watch the shit on the news.anyways not sure if this says all i wanna say but maybe ya get the jist.
promote mental peace not mental jiihad. :peace:
 
Z Horse said:
think we'd do better to not take it all on our shoulders, keep the peace internlly.i don't mean to put a wall up and be ignorant but be aware and focus on the positives.meditate on peace rather than watch the shit on the news.anyways not sure if this says all i wanna say but maybe ya get the jist.
promote mental peace not mental jiihad.

I agree. I think the real trick is to care and be compassionate always, yet appreciate the things one cannot control. When I watch the news I feel only sadness for the people being hurt, compassion for those with no control over their situation and love for those who, in the midst of hell, show love and compassion for others. When I watch Bush shouting out the same hatred fuelled bullshit for the benefit of the American rich, I feel sorry that he won't ever know the peace and happiness accorded to the loving and caring people of this world. The more we can avoid anger and hatred in our own minds, the less of us there are who would hurt each other ... which has to be the way forward.

There are many things I cannot change, but to make one person love more and hate less at any given moment is a world-changing feat... and one I can sometimes accomplish.
 
That's it mind controls are their ploy!
Indeed subjugate the masses to extreme and violent imagery to despoil the soul is to despoil the land.
Keep projecting those green areas inside us .
;)
 
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