What to do about current tensions in society.

First of all if this is not the proper forum for this subject...please feel free to move it.

Ok...I think it's clear to most of us that tensions within society are reaching an all-time high (at least within the era that we live ).

As I have witnessed these events I have been forced to ask myself the questions of.. why are things so tense and what can be done about it?

The bottom line. .at least in my own estimation is "Respect". Or more correctly the lack thereof.

I think the one common denominator among all the classes of people that are discontented at present. Is the realization that they are not respected or appreciated on the level that they deserve to be. Now...I know a lot of people will say that respect is "earned" and not just given. And on some level and in some cases that is true. But that is not the type of respect that I am talking about here.

In my opinion each class of person that is currently upset and angry..feels that they are not being shown the level of respect that is inherently due them .

Let's take the largest class of people that is currently trying to make their voices heard and their case understood. That would be. .Women. I have seen from my own experience in life. That women carry the lions share of responsibility and burden within the family and within society in general. No..I am not talking about running companies or holding the majority of public offices (Yes. .there are women in those positions but they are definitely a minority ). I am talking about the everyday "nuts and bolts".."rubber meets the road " jobs. That is in no way meant to take away from the vast number of men that work hard to make things go. The difference. .in my observations is. As a general rule. Most men's responsibilities greatly diminish once their vocational job is over for the day. Women on the other hand tend to pick up the responsibilities of the household and often carry on working for the benefit of the family. right up until bedtime. I know that there are some exceptions to what I am saying. But I can say with great confidence that what I have said is the general rule.

Now...regarding the other classes of people that are discontented. It doesn't matter whether it is race/color, religion/ethnicity or even sexual orientation. Each of these classes of people have something valuable to offer society. As such...each of these classes must receive the respect and recognition due them.

I think it is imperative that all of us try to see what each of these classes has to offer and acknowledge it. Not only with our words. ..but also with actions to help put them on equal ground with any other class. Life does seek balance....and it will find it. No matter what course has to be employed.

Now...I realize that the solutions may not be easy. And I also realize that there are some segments within each of these groups that are irrational and unreasonable. But these segments are very small...and they serve to distract and hinder us from finding proper balance. That balance can only come through open and respectful dialogue with individuals that accurately represent each of these classes of people.

I will say that there may be some ideologies that are not conducive to balance and unification within society. I hope that the divisive tenants of these ideologies are not held by the majority of these classes of people....if so...we have a hard and uncomfortable road ahead.

Bottom line in my opinion is....each of us must work hard to properly see each class of people...and truly appreciate each class on the proper level and in appropriate and effective ways. Otherwise the near future is not bright.

The problem that exists has been growing within the community for decades. If you think about it, 'freedom of speech' is something in some respects.... that is unobtainable. Just like the idea of a 'Utopia'. It seems wonderful at first glance, but there also come with it unexpected consequences. and in some instances complete contradiction.

There was a time we were all tolerant, at least most of us. And if aggravated sufficiently we protested, held demonstrations, made noise and went home. The American population was considerably smaller than todays. Division was not as pronounced, there were more common bonds that entwined us.

The political turmoil will subside as people are able to enjoy activities outdoors again this Spring. Their hostile focuses will dim and the real world will creep in and take it from there. Tolerance is needed. As long as we feed the division, it will in turn feed on us. "What do you want to be" ? Part of the program, or self excluded from the paths that lead to success and prosperity.

What to do about current tensions in society

Protesting children need to grow up. Life is not Burger King. You don't get it your way, right away.

There is no right to emigrate to the United States. Non-citizens do not have rights. The United States is a sovereign nation, which has the responsibility to protect the country and its citizens from threats, foreign and domestic.

Only a fool throws his doors wide open to anyone.

a reply to: Plotus

I agree that this is not a new problem...it is only that the discontent associated with it has apparently reached new levels. The pressure on these classes of people has apparently reached a point that they will no longer remain silent.

I think the biggest problem with each group being heard is...people's lives are saturated with problems of their own....and also because of mass media people have plenty of other problems that they are exposed to. That leads to people shutting down emotionally...due to overload. I think an environment with no mass media would lead to a great reduction in stress for its inhabitants. That would be part of 'Utopia' ....imo.

The part about warmer weather helping is true. But the problems are real...and are not going to go away on their own. When people realize that it is impossible to support themselves on an average job...they lose heart and start lashing out against those that are in charge...as well as those that are surviving comfortably. And by rights who can blame them ?....is anyone going listen if they don't ?

Unfortunately....as I see it. The current economic and conditions are not the fault of anyone one group of people or even TPTB. It is just a result of natural maturation of our capitalistic system. Most businesses want to increase profit each year and in order to do that either labor costs have to be cut or product price increased. Either of which hurts the economic status of the average person. Now let this process continue for 150 yrs and it's easy to see how we got here.

The economic problems are the easy problems to solve....imo.

a reply to: 123143

Well....I agree that immigration is not a right. But any time people have to be reigned in...there will be initial resistance. People don't like to be inconvenienced or hindered in any way...on top of the fact that a lot of people have made plans for the future that involve bringing more family and friends to America. And right now they feel that those plans have been taken away or are at least in jeapordy of being. So it's completely understandable for a certain percentage of society to be upset. I think once secure immigration processes are in place and people adjust to the new standards.. things will be fine.

The immigration issue is just a small part of it all...imo.

a reply to: HarryJoy

Those wanting to come here have a duty to review what is necessary to enter and to meet those requirements. There should be no expectation to be accepted. That is the height of arrogance and Americans are sick to death of the entitled attitudes of non-citizens.

These people are costing us a fortune. Our coffers are not a bottomless pit.

a reply to: 123143

I agree that society is plagued by an entitlement mentality...and yes it is arrogant for a person to assume that they are entitled to the fruits of the labor of others. And yet....who can deny that the cups runneth over in this country? Another byproduct of the maturity of our capitalistic system..the efficiency of production processes leads to over production and waste ( all while eliminating jobs )...which is never a good thing.


I'm sure the inhabitants of these other countries hear the tales of the treasures carried to our landfills. And I am sure it helps fuel their desire to come here. Hopefully they also hear the tales of the emptiness of a material centered life and it tempers their desire with a dose of reality.

As far as our finances being an endless supply.....tell that to the printing presses and the stockbrokers. They didn't seem to get the memo. I won't pretend to understand the intricacies of the current financial system or what all of the implications of our current situation are. ..but....those that warn of impending collapse are starting to occupy a place similar to that of the one's that have heralded the return of the Lord. Not that I seek to discredit the latter... ( I would be quite pleased to have someone step in and set our train on a proper track ).

The reality is...currency is only a prop used to maintain an illusion...as well as usurp the authority that belongs to the Earth. For ultimately it is the Earth that holds our fate in her hands. But who is to say that it is not herself....that has allowed /utilized the plundering of her resources and the creation of this false system to test/develop the souls of the men upon her ?

Gimme a break. Mork is in it.

a reply to: Phage

Thank you Phage ...I hope you realize how much that meant to me...and how significant it was.

a reply to: HarryJoy

It wasn't meant to be significant, but I'm glad it was.

a reply to: Phage

It provided much needed comic relief as well as an uplifting message for me personally. The significance comes from the fact that it was the song played in remembrance of my oldest brother...when he passed from this life a number of years ago.

My husband and were talking about this last night. We have differing opinions on a lot of current issues.

At some point I started asking why so many in the world right now are so fed up and determined to burn down whatever system they currently live in?

It seems to me that the web, and access to so much information, was the spark.

Let's face it, throughout the history of man, there has been corruption in governments, there has been injustice for various parts of populations, there has been class warfare and inequality, there has been serious economic challenges....and yet the humans were not at the point of asserting it all needs to be blown up and destroyed. They were not fantasizing about doomsday and post apocalyptic survival as much as now.

Partly, everyone became more aware of "how it is elsewhere"- more aware of what they don't have, that others do. More aware of what they have that others don't - even on the other side of the world.

We also started spending more time staring at screens then actually doing physical action. Less person to person contact and exchange. Where we used to go to a market and see people in our community and exchange and touch, we now use one click on Amazon instead.

I think our bodies are missing being an active part our existence and our relation to the world. The struggle to survive gone, life and our actions have less meaning. I think having access to all this information made a lot of people disheartened, and discouraged. When we could imagine it is "better elsewhere" and aspire to getting elsewhere, there was some glimmer of hope that it isn't the world that is screwed up, "I'm just in the wrong place at the wrong time".
Now we know when we get online in the morning - nope, there is no where better.

I keep finding myself repeating lately that certain populations seem to be suicidal to me. Not outwardly conscious of it, but taking actions and ascribing to ideas that are ultimately going to lead to their own demise as a community.
Got into a heated debate with my husband because his strong feelings on what is wrong with our country is leading him to support a presidential candidate that has made proposals which would entail me and our three children being deported.
It is like the didn't think that far to all the potential consequences. There's just this discontent and urge to end things with big exaggerated blows.

And it is common, not only here but in other places. Personally, at this point, it seems like people are losing their minds and critical thought to surges of emotion ; cortisol is cutting down their intellectual capacities.

But then....our subconscious tend to have the last word anyway. We can only hold her down for so many centuries before she comes up and takes over the wheel, becoming the destroyer Goddess to set us all back on page 0- the blank slate, the restart....

I think the way to calm everyone down is to put aside the blind partisanship that we are ALL guilty of. We also need to leave reality TV to the TV.

What are the problems IMO?
Work
Equality
State support.

If we can have a sensible conversation about this then it would be a great start. We need to agree what is important for all.

Did any past president have ALL the answers??? HELL NO! Does this president have ll the answers ? well only the truly naïve believe so.

Good OP!

IMO, it's all personal.

Pain makes people selfish.

When you break an arm, scratch a cornea, or have a kidney stone... the last things on your mind are the starving children next door. When you are in extreme physical pain, you only care about yourself... and concern yourself with what you can do to lessen that pain.

Then one day I was told that when you are in emotional or psychological distress? That your mind can't make the distinction between whether it's physical or not... so the mind registers psychological pain as physical pain.

a reply to: Bluesma

You have hit on some very pertinent points. There is a verse in the Bible that says. "Take therefore no thought for the things of the morrow for the morrow shall take thought for the things for itself ". .. "for sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof" . Which means in my opinion don't borrow tomorrow's troubles because today has enough of its own. Now in the day that we live thanks to the internet and mass media not only do we borrow tomorrow's troubles we also borrow troubles from around the world. It is no wonder that people are stressed to the max.

Also as you have mentioned people need constructive activity they need to feel that they are accomplishing something productive in this world.... As much as we that are gainfully employed would like to criticize those that are living on government money we would still rather not change places with them.. because having money given to you is not conducive to having self respect and feeling well about oneself. I think as a general rule all people would rather work and feel that they are earning their way than have anything given to them... so those that are on welfare are not to be envied in any way.

a reply to: Tiger5

I agree very much with what you have said. Those are the issues of primary importance.

a reply to: geezlouise Yes....I absolutely agree psychological pain is just as damaging as physical pain and when a person is in pain they are focused on themselves and rightfully so... No one should have to endure pain...so yes this present system has created much psychological pain for many people and that is what we are seeing....those people are acting out trying to cry out for help from somebody to help alleviate this pain...that may not be the case in every single instance..... but I think the vast majority of the cases are that