The Gauntlet

I wonder if it was better in the past? Did we have such polarizing issues before say 1950? Or is this divide only possible with the indoctrination educational system that has been setup since then. Along with the fully bought and paid for media of today's age.

Would the main issues between freedom and tyranny even possible without the dumbing down of the american populace? Is it easy to envision the typical person who wants to remove freedoms? Maybe I am misjudging, but it seems like most of the people that would love a one world government and a bigger nanny state are the social justice warriors and the politically correct crowd. They are the farthest group from 'live and let live'.

Why?

What makes someone want to control another person either directly or through the government? Is it a lack of self confidence? Are they so miserable as a person, they are looking to bring everyone else down?

Does it all reduce to simple stupidity?

a reply to: YouSir

Then you doom us all to eventual extinction.

If, as you say “Humanity is not ready for non-territorialism...perhaps we never will be...so attempting to push against the grain of human nature will always fail...“, if we can never successfully overcome that which divides us, we are doomed.

The key can be found in your own statement; this “territorialism” is an emotional reaction generated by one of the earliest portions of our brains. That portion was vital to our survival, eons ago, when we were a young species attempting to carve an environmental niche for ourselves.

But that niche has been established. As a species, we dominate our environment, to the extent that all other competing species lay at our mercy. We can destroy all of them at a whim!

It is far past time to surpass those basic attitudes toward each other, just as our intellect has surpassed those primal drives. An infant may be excused if he/she soils its diaper, it is their “nature”. As adults we do our best not to soil ourselves.

We must always push against our nature because it is the only way we will ever develop.

You only succeed if you make the attempt.

If you never try, you’ve already failed.

a reply to: Bhadhidar

As a species, we dominate our environment, to the extent that all other competing species lay at our mercy. We can destroy all of them at a whim!

You sure it's not THAT attitude that's actually "doomed" humanity?

Do you guys read what you write? Or do you just parrot inane rhetoric?

a reply to: Bhadhidar

Why would preferring to be with like minded people lead to extinction?

What if I possess the strong desire to leave other people alone that are not harming others? Why wouldn't I want to group with similar people and form a community that revels in self responsibility and self sufficiency? Wouldn't that group become stronger through cohesion of similar values? Then when that group rejects those that don't value self responsibility, they don't decline into rot, but reinforce their morals at every step.

From your explanation, the only way for society to progress is the intermingling of all types of morals and values, even those that like to harm others and interfere with free will. How does that produce strength and survival?

I would say at this point in time, we are taking the 'melting pot' experiment to the extreme. How is that going for us today? How is our society doing with all the free acceptance of all?

a reply to: OccamsRazor04

Not a real person. A politician maybe. A super rich guy maybe

But no not a regular person who isn’t mentally ill. To want to see your country fail, like mass chaos? No

Like bad economy? Maybe. But most people want to do better. They want their house to go up in value. Be able to retire and enjoy their lives.

Yes they want to see failures. They want a handhold to grab on to to continue their petty war against the other. But when it comes down to it nobody wants the economy to tank again except psychopaths.

They are just like you for 90% of issues. The other 10% can reach compromise and debate over. But if we focus on the 90% you can get along with anyone.

People are people. They hurt, they love, they suffer loss, they die. The human condition is universal. That realization alone should be enough to allow us to lay down our arms.

a reply to: DBCowboy

Where's the compromise when; One side wants gun bans One side wants open borders One side wants higher taxes One side wants single payer healthcare

I think a big part of the problem is you believing what your side tells you about the other side.

originally posted by: underwerks
a reply to: DBCowboy

Where's the compromise when; One side wants gun bans One side wants open borders One side wants higher taxes One side wants single payer healthcare

I think a big part of the problem is you believing what your side tells you about the other side.

Well, where am I wrong?

originally posted by: Bhadhidar
a reply to: YouSir

Then you doom us all to eventual extinction.

If, as you say “Humanity is not ready for non-territorialism...perhaps we never will be...so attempting to push against the grain of human nature will always fail...“, if we can never successfully overcome that which divides us, we are doomed.

The key can be found in your own statement; this “territorialism” is an emotional reaction generated by one of the earliest portions of our brains. That portion was vital to our survival, eons ago, when we were a young species attempting to carve an environmental niche for ourselves.

But that niche has been established. As a species, we dominate our environment, to the extent that all other competing species lay at our mercy. We can destroy all of them at a whim!

It is far past time to surpass those basic attitudes toward each other, just as our intellect has surpassed those primal drives. An infant may be excused if he/she soils its diaper, it is their “nature”. As adults we do our best not to soil ourselves.

We must always push against our nature because it is the only way we will ever develop.

You only succeed if you make the attempt.

If you never try, you’ve already failed.

Ummm...territorialism isn't emotional...it's an innate part of the species...it's practiced every hour of every day by everyone...

On a small scale...as a familial unit...one step up...a clique or club or gang...beyond that a tribe or race or political persuasion...and ultimately as countries or landmasses...

Whenever exclusion is practiced...thus is territorialism also...you practice it both consciously and subconsciously...

Far past time...?

To what end...carve out your nature...excise it like a tumor...?

When you've removed the bits that make you human...and everyone looks...smells...and thinks the same...what will you have...?

Perhaps the issue isn't that we fail to evolve or transcend...perhaps the issue lies within yourself...in an impossible idealism that you've come to accept...that runs counter to everything you truly are...
Your not more evolved...or intellectual...or enlightened...you instead labor under delusion...thinking that because we build shiny examples of how we feel the world should be...then it should be thus...

Stop living in fantasy...accept what you are and deal with it...Maybe you need to let go of your progressive mindset and stop trying to drag all of humanity down a road it doesn't wish to travel.

Equanimity and balance are found in acceptance of self and what that incorporates...not in dreams of what we might wish it to be...Your nature is there for a reason...accept those reasons and stop trying to change people that have already accepted theirs...and just want to be left alone to live their lives as...they...not you see fit.





YouSir