The impact of pornography, junk food, gambling - An apathetic nation.

Does that include "Doom Porn"? I see some can't go 2 threads w/out copping a dose...

I think everyone should watch the movie *Idiocracy* if they haven't yet done so.

It's what we will turn into if things don't slow and get fixed proper.

originally posted by: ugmold
a reply to: TheCentristPhilosopher
I've often wondered why there is an endless supply of free Porn online.

Because even free porn is making people lots of money.

I wonder if self imposed guilt about doing certain things in this life is worse than the actual act itself?

We all place feelings on our actions that are unique to our realities. Why do people mentally beat themselves up over things that are completely natural, especially if they do not harm another? That doesn't sound very healthy.

I wonder if mental stress actually manifests into physical health problems?

originally posted by: reldra

originally posted by: stosh64
The decay of American society is what happens when the majority of the people embrace the "Do What Thou Wilt" mentality.

"Do what thou wilt" is one of the sayings of the Church of Satan, but is it followed by many rules, even there.

"Do what thou wilt, if thou don't harm another", Is from my religion, Wicca.

They are both very, very similar. I don't see this as a 'decay of American Society'. You would have to prove what 'American Society' is and why this causes it to 'decay'.

You can't just blurt that out without knowing the origins of the terms and what it is in fact doing, with proof.

Totally off topic and a bit pedantic but 'Do a What Thou Wilt' isn't from the CoS, it's the Law of Thelema which was established by Crowley.
en.m.wikipedia.org...

While the CoS has tenets thst mirror this, they are much closer to what Wicca espouses in regards to causing no harm to others.

Human Brain Size is Decreasing

I realize that "size isn't everything", but one could certainly make the case
that humans reached their peak and for the most part, we are now on
the decline.

Without some super duper big brother type of super tech, such as AI
brain implants to keep the masses of sheep under control, it's hard
telling just how "degraded" humans might eventually become.

Kev

The apathy rate leading up to the revolutionary war was at least 60%. I don't know why, it's just the way things seem to go. I have no idea if the public has ever engaged in mass in politics.

a reply to: KellyPrettyBear


You have to keep in mind that cranial capacity is a direct corollary to body mass. The EMH referred to in the Discover article had more mass than humans do today in the 21st century. Likewise for Neanderthals. They both had stocky, heavy set barrel chests and more muscle mass. Compare their physiologies with thst of today's humans and the ratio of mass:cranial capacity is roughly the same. It doesn't mean thst we are lesser than our forebearers or as others have alluded, devolving.

Powerlessness.

People feel like they have little to no power or control over their lives these days. The government doesn't listen to them, their company doesn't care about them. Their kids won't listen to them. They're more isolated than ever despite having the entire world at their fingertips via the internet.

People fight back against this by using and abusing substances that gratify their ego. Using substances that illicit a dopamine surge enable people to feel as if they have control over their state of being.

Making that bet, drinking that shot, or whatever is something THEY can DO that directly and immediately alters how they feel. They have found a way to control how they feel, instead of feeling at the mercy of a cold and uncaring world that pushes them around.

Small children know this all to well. Children are literally quite helpless and have zero control over their lives. How do they cope?

Play.

They live in, and exist in their imagination. They seek refuge in play in order to have control over their reality and how they feel.

What we are seeing today in the world is huge chunks of the adult population beginning to behave like small children, only with the means and abilities of adults. We see people addicted to harmful substances, addicted to online gambling and online gaming -- people loosing themselves in bizarre fetishes and small niche communities where they can stand out and be noticed.

We see people making themselves into victims to attract attention -- which is another way of controlling other people and their reality around them. We see people classifying themselves with all sorts of bizarre adjectives like "cis-gender" in order to make themselves feel more special and unique from the "herd".

We're more connected via the internet to one another, but we aren't connecting with one another. People feel more isolated, alone, disempowered, disenfranchised, used, abused, neglected and diminished as human beings than in decades past.

People need to realize that they have power, and that they are responsible for where they are in life. The decisions and choices they've made are why they are where they are. No one else is responsible for making them feel happy and fulfilled.

No one else is going to "give permission" for you or anyone else to live your dreams.

Every moment you are alive is a moment you won't get back. Every breath you take you breathe air you'll never breathe again. In each of these seconds you can decide to do things that empower yourself. You don't have to lay down and let society and culture steam roll you, peg you and place you into a category you didn't choose or like.

You don't need unbridled escapism to feel content and happy. You don't need to hide inside of ego-gratifying activities in order to reclaim some sense of control over your life.

Simply stop letting other people manipulate your emotions.

Once you regain control over your own emotions your thoughts will slowly become more in alignment with them. And when you direct your emotions in a way you want, your thoughts and actions will follow. You will then begin to see how much power over yourself and your life you truly have.