Who is More Paranoid, The People or The Government?, page 1

privacy

Pages:
ATS Members have flagged this thread 8 times

Topic started on 7-1-2012 @ 01:45 PM by Agarta

Definition of PARANOIA —para·noia noun \ˌper-ə-ˈnȯi-ə, ˌpa-rə-\ para·noi·ac also para·noic adjective or noun— para·noi·cal·ly adverb
1: a psychosis characterized by systematized delusions of persecution or grandeur usually without hallucinations

2: a tendency on the part of an individual or group toward excessive or irrational suspiciousness and distrustfulness of others

Origin of PARANOIA

New Latin, from Greek, madness, from paranous demented, from para- + nous mind
First Known Use: circa 1811

Examples of PARANOIA

She was diagnosed with delusional paranoia.
I had to admit that my fears were just paranoia.

Source:Merriam-Webster's Dictionary

As many of you know, in 1949, a man named George Orwell wrote a book called "Nineteen Eighty-Four" about a society ruled by an oligarchical dictatorship. It was written in a future sense and brought rise to the publics eye about the extent of a big controlling Government. It also sparked fears within the people as to where we could be heading toward.

Some of you may know, in 1965 a book was written by Richard Hofstadter, a Columbia University professor, called "The Paranoid Style in American Politics". It presented a thesis that is commonly followed to delegitimize any criticism of Government that goes above complaining about how much the Pentagon pays for nuts and bolts. It has commonly been used to dismiss and derail those that call for a smaller Government and a rise to Individual rights.

"Nineteen Eighty-Four" gives a plausible reason for common man to be fearful and paranoid of the Government institution and "The Paranoid Style in American Politics" gives the Government ways of sweeping these fears under the rug and out of the publics eye. Although this battle between the People and Government has been on going, the mistrust of the Government, by the People, began to rise above simply the Kennedy assassination and UFOs with 9/11. Yes, there have been other conspiracies like the reported death of John Wilkes Booth, but I feel personally, the level of fear and paranoia in mainstream conversations today began with 9/11.

The Government, with their secret agendas being hidden from the public in order to keep them secrets from the other Governments, had to come up with a "story" full of holes which caused the public to question actions and motivations. With a supposed terrorist plot, the public was sent spiraling into this paranoia in many different directions. Who actually was behind it?, How do we protect ourselves and from whom? Where are we headed? The mistrust of the Government began to grow exponentially.

The rise of this mistrust by the public has caused the Government to become fearful of its people and a rash of experiments(ie, the holding back of FEMA in order to test martial law capabilities after Katrina(IMO)), expansion of Government control via CIA, NSA, TSA, etc. as well as new facets of Government outside the limitations of the Constitution, and Laws designed to control the people.

Government mistrust of its people is not new as seen in the gun and other laws throughout the U.S. history so to say it began with the people is a little naive, but on the other hand to say it began with the Government is just as naive. Regardless of where and how it began this paranoia is pushing both the Government and the People closer to the "Nineteen Eighty-Four" scenario.

The question of who is more paranoid, the People or the Government, really does not matter in the grand scheme of things, IMO, but what does matter is this spiral must be broken and neither side is willing to trust the other in order to break it. IMO it has gone too far for this to be accomplished. We, the People have separated ourselves from Country(ie, land, People, Government) and it has been further pushed by the agendas of the corporate politicians(and the evil Lobbyists, but that is a whole different ball of wax). If we, the People, give in and place our trust in the Government, we give up our liberties. If the Government gives in to the people they loose their pocketbooks and control in the global market.

The only way out, as I see it, is for the People and the Government to begin to work together for the betterment of Individuals and Country together. A return to, by and for the people, in Government with a country of individuals working for the betterment of human kind on a global level. It is also my opinion we should be allowed to live the freedoms we are fighting for in other countries, instead of moving toward a dictatorship while giving other countries their "Freedom".

reply posted on 7-1-2012 @ 01:57 PM by Tea4One

The people are more paranoid than the government. The elite know that the people can't/won't rise up so they're comfortable, they have no reason to be paranoid. The people however, do. The only way for everything to work out is for the people to become concious of the fact they're being exploited and overthrow the elite.

reply posted on 7-1-2012 @ 02:05 PM by Amaterasu

Originally posted by Agarta
The only way out, as I see it, is for the People and the Government to begin to work together for the betterment of Individuals and Country together. A return to, by and for the people, in Government with a country of individuals working for the betterment of human kind on a global level. It is also my opinion we should be allowed to live the freedoms we are fighting for in other countries, instead of moving toward a dictatorship while giving other countries their "Freedom".

Or... Better still: remove profit motive, power over Others (that power the power elite presently have) in favor of autonomous power over Self, and end poverty, hunger, wage-slavery and war.

How can this be done? By releasing electrogravitics from black ops. The reason it went into black ops is because of its ability to draw free energy from the universe. Money (the mechanism of control) is merely an accounting of meaningful energy expended in an energy-scarce society. Needless to say, electrogravitics is a threat to the power elite.

We must raise awareness of this to the tipping point.

For more, I invite any ATSer who has not yet read My thread to do so: www.abovetopsecret.com...

Oh, and BTW... 1984 was a blueprint for what We see now, with the tactics of the other piece used in conjunction.

edit on 1/7/2012 by Amaterasu because: addition

edit on 1/7/2012 by Amaterasu because: clarity

reply posted on 7-1-2012 @ 02:11 PM by OptimusSubprime

The Government is more paranoid. The reason is simple. If they weren't, they wouldn't keep taking more and more of our liberty away. They are also scared to death of an armed citizenry, which is what we are here in America. The 2nd amendment is what guarantees all of the other ones, and personal firearm ownership is what is keeping the elitist, power hungry oppressors from realizing their true agenda.

reply posted on 7-1-2012 @ 02:20 PM by LightSpeedDriver

reply to post by Agarta

I can only speak for myself and I am not paranoid at all. I KNOW everyone is out to get me.

reply posted on 7-1-2012 @ 02:30 PM by SmoKeyHaZe

With all the controversies that have happened in history, the people have a right to be paranoid about the people that are in power.

The "conspiracies" that you have mentioned are only the tip of the iceberg.

What has the Govt truly have to be paranoid about?

Just like the casinos..The chips are always gonna stacked against the player..& the House always wins.

"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." - John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton (1834–1902)

reply posted on 7-1-2012 @ 02:49 PM by Agarta

Thank you to everyone who has replied in this thread thus far.

I see the Governments paranoia stems from the possibility that the People may find the truth as to how things are really done behind closed doors and stand up to the contradictions. This may be peaceful or violent, but the way the Government operates, in truth, would be appalling to the common man. This way of operation is the way the elite operates as well and I am glad they have been brought into the conversation.

reply posted on 7-1-2012 @ 03:58 PM by havok

Originally posted by Agarta
I see the Governments paranoia stems from the possibility that the People may find the truth as to how things are really done behind closed doors and stand up to the contradictions. This may be peaceful or violent, but the way the Government operates, in truth, would be appalling to the common man. This way of operation is the way the elite operates as well and I am glad they have been brought into the conversation.

I agree 100%.

But, in my humble opinion...
Before 1913, the government was small and capable of limited operations.
The people were self reliant and able to govern themselves, within reason.
Local laws and Bills varied from state to state and if you wanted change you moved.
The "federal" government was not feared.
It was respected, also within reason.
The way it should be.

After 1913, with the advent of "income tax" the government grew exponentionally.
Which, in turn, brought on a fear that was never before looked at through their beady eyes.
They had to make it seem like this new tax was mandatory.
And they succeeded....until this very day.
Now, they have all this revenue for all those pet projects to look after their subjects.
Let's face it, they wouldn't need all this legislation and "acts" if they weren't paranoid.
They build super structures and spy networks just to watch their servants.
It isn't all for watching other nations anymore...

Now I think they are afraid of something that would never happen, had they just left well-enough, alone.
But no....greed enveloped our gov't. .

That changed the entire scenario.

Remember one thing:
Don't fear the government....fear the people.
Because sooner or later the people will find out everything the gov't has hidden.
And it will not be good.
(I believe that is already taking place, hence all the frantic legislation to hinder rights)

You can't lie forever dear government...
Honest men reap what they sow.

reply posted on 19-1-2012 @ 04:10 AM by AnIntellectualRedneck

Ultimately, I think that the government is more paranoid. Those who have power fear nothing more than to lose it. The U.S. government seems to be tightening the reigns in much the same ways as the Catholic church did during the Burning Times, thereby, I think, giving a red flag that it realizes it's either losing control or has the very real potential of losing control.

reply posted on 19-1-2012 @ 04:47 AM by King Seesar

Originally posted by OptimusSubprime
The Government is more paranoid. The reason is simple. If they weren't, they wouldn't keep taking more and more of our liberty away. They are also scared to death of an armed citizenry, which is what we are here in America. The 2nd amendment is what guarantees all of the other ones, and personal firearm ownership is what is keeping the elitist, power hungry oppressors from realizing their true agenda.

Pretty much this ^ plus the government is always ready to rush into some war when we all know the war they get involved in is a way to pay the debt and for jobs which in 2012 with most of us knowing this is barbaric and evil and we see through it now.

Pages: ^^TOP^^