I agree that we are conditioned, but I think it is more of a teaching that we have no power. The saying "can't fight city hall" is a perfect example.

We are conditioned to believe that no matter what, those in power get to make all the rules and are untouchable. We are shown this in the media over and over again. Every time a public official is let off with a slap on the wrist for a punishable crime, everytime a bill passes through that the majority of Americans disagree with, and everytime we are told we have a choice, but only between predetermined choices, we are led to believe that we can't change anything.

Originally posted by FreezeM
Great post. I agree that with enough people it's possible to bring peaceful change.

Not to attack you personally FreezeM, but this whole idea of 'enough people'.

Doesn't this actually prove that 'religion just isn't working'?

Most people on earth are religious. Praying, singing and dancing to or for some form of higher being that will save or help them. The result...

A world in trouble...Because there just are people...Believing in something that isn't there.

Finally I have made my point in a clear, 2 sentence way, thanks!

No. 1 - this is inevitable that the prices will go up, it irritates me, but doesn't change anything in my life.

No. 2 - This is what bugs me, but flipping out does nothing because there are enough people complacent or just ignorant that there will never be enough people snapping to make a difference.

No. 3 - Start donating then, there are plenty of programs that you can feed those who are starving. If you want change then start the change where you feel it needs to be started. People will follow your lead.

No. 4 - People are homeless for various reasons, but you could always start by buying some land, building a house and giving it away. Many people are homeless by their own doing, or rather lack of doing. The real question is why are people homeless? Is it the drunk or druggie who can't get and hold a job? Is it someone who wants a job, but is unwilling to take a position they feel beneith themselves? Figure out why someone is homeless and the problem is easier to solve, but just giving away homes, land, ect.. isn't the solution. People who don't work for what they have usually don't have the same appreciation as they might if they had worked their asses off for it.


People have not snapped yet because not enough has been taken away. The things taken away now are so gradual and behind the scenes. I have not snapped yet because I have a good life that I work hard for and I don't think things are nearly as awful as you do. Not to mention the things you listed are just not worth snapping over in my humble opinion.

This topic reminded me of a funny but true anecdote.
In prison, men have everything taken away: freedom, women, cellphones, choice of food, tv ..they dont riot..but the moment you take away their cigarettes all hell breaks loose.

Perhaps the key to people snapping is the price of cigarettes?


Just kidding but to answer your question, I would say that the people are very docile. Feed them with negativity everyday and they are happy to live with the little they have.

Originally posted by Spike Spiegle
Hey all

im new to ATS but here goes
Number1 gas prices threw the roof and are not gona get better
Number2 the bill of rights is being riped away from under youre feet
Number3 we have more then enough food yet ppl starve
Number4 we have more then enough land yet ppl are homeless
I could go on and on...
So my question is when are ppl going to snap and why havent they already?

[edit on 14-8-2008 by Spike Spiegle]

Number 1: Really? I don't know where you are, but where I am gas prices have dropped over $0.50 in the past month. If that isn't "getting better" then I really don't know what is. Should they go down more? Yes, they certainly should. Unfortunately, I don't see a mass uprising against the speculation machine and environmental regulation crowd that has driven them up to the point they are now happening anytime soon.

Number 2: Really? I don't know where you are, but where I am my rights have not been infringed upon any moreso than they ever have in my 32 years of life. I have not been silenced, I have not had my firearms taken from me, I have not been the victim of illegal searches or siezures, have not been forced to house anyone from the military, have not been forced to incriminate myself. Nothing. If you feel your rights have been infringed upon, maybe you should step back and determine if you are mistaken... you may be mistaking a privaledge for a right... such as the privaledge of being able to run from your car to the boarding gate at the airport or the privaledge to smoke in a public building.

Number 3 & Number 4: (Combined because the answer is the same.) How do you propose we feed and house these wretches? Are you suggesting the government should be redistributing land & food to them? You wanna talk about people "snapping" well, there's an excellent way to make people snap... take an already overburdened tax paying population and add the burden of having to support the hungry and homeless into the equation. I know that would be enough to make me snap. (and by "snap" here I AM talking about losing it and taking people to the promised land until the five shows up and takes me down.) I work to feed & house MY family... I have no intention whatsoever of working to also feed and house YOUR family. That is YOUR job, not MY job.

Reading through these posts - I'm not sure if we want people to snap or if we don't.

If I replace "snap" with "collectively put our foot down and change things for the better" then yes. And I think the world wide 900,000,000 people protesting the Iraq invasion was a good example of that. The coalition of the willing was weakened and the world saw that people in the US disagreed with the administration and were ignored. Since then more and more people are realizing that decisions are being made unconstitutionally. It didn't stop the invasion, but it opened a lot of eyes. It's always easier to ignore something, horrible though it may be, if it's far away and doesn't really touch your day to day life. Sad as that is to say. But if / when unconstitutional decisions come closer to home, the more people with open wary eyes the better.

The benefit to snapping is that there is the force, the impulse, the energy to carry a momentum before a fizzle or squash. But may be as harmful as the corruption being fought against. The Rodney King riots come to mind.

ATS could try an experiment - there are thousands of members who collectively know millions of people. We could probably find one challenge we all agree upon. Not 9/11 disclosure or the vote - I've read enough threads to know that there's still a lot of disagreement there. Since this is just an experiment - we wouldn't have to agree it's the MOST important - just that it's good for us to all try and see what can be done.

Here's a suggestion that almost everyone can agree upon:

- Does everyone in the world deserve access to at least 2 cups of potable water per day?

(If we're doing things in our lives that are making drinking water unavailable to others - we should at least know about it. At best fix it. We could start by just looking into where our favorite bottled water comes from. And if your own water department's water source is privately owned and who owns it. You may be surprised.)

We can think of more... but the point is I think we should start with something we can do today, with a few minutes of research and at no cost, in great numbers and see if we really can make change. Then when the time comes to snap over a big immediate urgency - we'll be more organized and confident.

Just a suggestion.

Originally posted by Spike Spiegle
So my question is when are ppl going to snap and why havent they already?

Why don't you "snap," and let us know how it goes?

As for me, I always figured that the reason life is so difficult is because somebody got here before me and set up all the rules. Since I wasn't born into great wealth, the best I can do is work hard and see if I can better my position in life. I'm not exactly sure what good "snapping" would do.

Originally posted by Spike Spiegle
how can we the people rise up...fight?hmmm single shot rifles and hanguns vs tanks,jets,organized detention centres etc etc....
I feel like running for the hills!

And there you have it, the reason why the people don't rise up and fight. "the people" would be overpowered if they stood up and fought. If it came down to it we may have the man power, but we don't have the equiptment.

Add to that in America we have the wonderful patriot act that can label anyone a terrorist simply for stating their beliefs. People simply are not willing to risk losing everything.

And as a previous poster said we do not have a united front. We're no longer Americans, we're now republicans, or democrats, conservatives, or liberals. We have no real unity anymore we have allowed ourselves to become seperated by our political parties, by our races, by our religions, by our fears. Until we can all come together as Americans, without all the divisions, with a united front we have no chance to change anything.

Just who do you want to fight against? The market? The "evil" government? Which government? All of them, or just the U.S.?

You know, there is always going to be a market of some kind, where certain things are valued more than others. As for government, do you have a better alternative? Do you want to be in charge? But what if I don't want you to be in charge? Do I get a say in the matter?

Revolution always sounds great until you get into the nuts and bolts of it.

Originally posted by Spike Spiegle
Number1 gas prices threw the roof and are not gona get better
Number2 the bill of rights is being riped away from under youre feet
Number3 we have more then enough food yet ppl starve
Number4 we have more then enough land yet ppl are homeless
I could go on and on...
So my question is when are ppl going to snap and why havent they already?

To start at the beginning...

1).- Forget about gas! We need an alternative!
2).- 'Bill' sounds like something you have to pay...
3).- Survival of the fittest!
4).- Land isn't a home.

I could go on and on also...But don't, people might get the wrong idea about me.

Why do you think there are homeless people? They are the 'snapped' ones.

Originally posted by kcire
3).- Survival of the fittest!

Gawd I hate that line. It's a crock of crap cop-out to not give a damn about anyone but one's self.

In my opinion people are already snapping.

Watch a day of the news mate.

All its full of is murder, rape, war, deaths, illness, poverty, civil war, kidnappings and the occasional t word.

All it takes is one and the sheep follow.

Great thread!!!


I've often wondered this myself. When are we going to snap??? when are we going to do something???

This is bullshhh!!! Rights being taken away, suffering of the innocent, starvation, homelessness. We pay the damn taxes! That money is supposed to be used to make our quality of life better. Not to fund wars for private profits. Or to be granted to the damn jews in Isreal. #$@% isreal!!!

I can rant on and on about this!!! It's just not right, not fair and, not the way our forefathers intended it to be. Democracy no longer exists. We are in effect slaves.

So lets go back to the question.... when ARE we going to SNAP???!!!

And more importently how can we do it? How can we come together and make a statement saying " enough is enough "


One idea I had is that for those of use who work in the public sector, we could start by setting a date in the year, one day, where we refuse to work. Refuse to do anything that contributes to our corrupt society. And see if it can grow into something more. And maybe one day someone will listen.

Maybe they'll F***ing listen when their garbage doesn't get picked up... or they have to sit in thier own SH** becuase we refuse to wipe thier a**es!

The way I look at it is:

America was a bastion of Freedom in an oppressive world.

America has lost it's way and is now a fascist state hiding under the guise of democracy.

some people realize this and are unhappy about it.

Some people are not.

The World Absolutely Has to have a Bastion of Untamed Freedom.

If America doesn't want to be that anymore then let them eat cake.

Those of us who do want Absolute Freedom should break away.

Those of us who want Absolute Freedom should take back our Bread Basket.

We should make a new country of Absolute Freedom using the Bread Basket as our new country.

Let America and those who would not stand for Absolute Freedom Ringing into Eternity go the way of the Dodo.