False Absolutes
Arguments frequently ignore reality, are always devoid of empathy, and never productive.
Once humans reach the extreme emotional stage created by a potential threat to their self interest and their accepted dogma, they will rarely, if ever, see anything beyond the creed they have committed themselves to. There are simply too many emotions at stake when they endow upon themselves the “absolute truths” of their world.
Pride, self-confidence, embarrassment, etc.; ignoring all logic that may show them the alternative truths, the end result of their emotional position is, well it is nothing.
Nothing is accomplished; they are right and everyone else is wrong. Period!
In a world of seven billion humans; hell, in a nation of there-hundred million, absolute is only possible in proven science, yet we in the United States are severely divided by many false absolutes and no false absolute could be more divisive than the Second Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.
Masters of Manipulation
Hidden in these false absolutes is a man almost all of us have heard of; a man most would never associate with the US Constitution, and certainly not the second amendment. Yet; he permeates our world like the air we breath. He is often called the Father of Propaganda, even the Father of Marketing.
Hermann Goering was not A master of creating false absolutes, he is THE master of this psychological “art.” He was the master of the Nazi propaganda machine, one of, if not the most successful marketing efforts EVER; a man whose techniques are used probably more than the psychology of Freud, the science of astronomy, or the teachings of Jesus and Mohammed combined. A marketing scheme that ended with more than six million innocent people executed and approximately one-hundred and fifty million people across the globe dead is is work.
The planet is filled with students of Goering many of which work for Boeing, General Dynamics, Raytheon, Northrup Grumman, Colt, Remington, Ruger, Newscorp. Viacom, Time Warner, the Democratic and Republican political parties, The National Rifle Association, etc……..
Neoliberalism
There is nothing new about the concept of “neoliberalism,” but the term is relatively new in the US, with good reason.
The idea of neoliberalism is, very succinctly – the rich get richer and the poor poorer. It is an economic concept in which few control the wealth of the entire world.
Until the 1980’s, our economy was booming, becoming more and more inclusive. In other words, working class America was gaining in our efforts to reduce the wealth gap in the US.
Collective bargaining and our unions were instrumental in improving the lives of millions of Americans. Our economy was amazingly strong and stable. Social programs were increasing and lifting those in poverty out of the trenches and into homes. Communities were thriving and people were united in their effort to live a decent, comfortable life; people were happy and united.
Keep that in mind – “people were happy and united.”
In 1981, an economic policy called “trickle down economics” was introduced by a very wealthy television actor who was most certainly a member of the wealthy elite of this nation and the perfect tool for the wealthiest of the wealthy in this world.
When Ronald Reagan took up residence in the White House, we watched our unions dissolve. We saw the wealth gap not only return, but grow quicker than ever before.
Everyone is complaining incessantly today about executive orders issued by or our current president and frankly, I agree. Executive action is not an authority that should be misused. However, as you can see, it’s not even remotely unique to Obama (Obama – 227 to date, Reagan 381)
Far more devastating to our welfare, Reagan even took it upon himself to terminate employment of an entire industry, just for exercising their rights to collective bargaining. And, if you think about it, you can see the reasoning behind his action – he had the entire airline industry seeking his help.
What, is more important to collective bargaining than leverage?
Reagan’s action against the air traffic controllers in the US marked the beginning of the end for income equality and the beginning of Neoliberalism in the US.
Second Amendment, The Patsy Amendment
What does any of the previous have to do with the Second Amendment you ask?
I can think of nothing more divisive in this nation than the ever-present argument over firearms. Nothing in my entire 64 years of life has created such dissension among an entire, supposedly, “free and developed population.” Nothing.
Our arguments are utterly filled with false absolutes; for who can possibly know for certain what the Founding Fathers were saying with the verbiage of the Second Amendment?
We have Constitutional scholars nationwide who can’t agree on the matter, yet we have millions of ordinary citizens across the nation arguing that they know for certain what it means.
I don’t know for certain and I am willing to bet you don’t.
The verbiage of the Second Amendment is not as clear as many seem to think and we are certainly not in the situation the nations founders were when they wrote the words. Nothing is even remotely similar between then and now.
While we argue amongst ourselves and the division between you and me grows daily, we are creating a chasm that makes the Grand Canyon seem like a slight crack in the sidewalk.
We are arguing over false absolutes; over a scenario that doesn’t even exist. Why?
The world is being controlled my friend, by subscribers to neoliberalism. You know it as well as I do – one percent of the world’s population owns ninety-nine percent of the world’s wealth.
An absolute that, unfortunately, you can’t take to the bank. Why?
Because you and I allowed this to happen. While we were arguing over semantics; over non-existent boogymen and conspiracies; over theological and political differences, the one percent took our decreasing wealth gap and turned it against us.
The Master Manipulators used our nation’s psyche against us, creating propaganda that insists “we must arm ourselves.”
The Hermann Goering students and teachers who are working for the gun manufacturers lobby – the NRA have reached into our minds and pockets to increase that wealth gap even more, while the firearms industry is growing beyond their wildest dreams. And frankly, out of control.
“People were happy and united,” but no longer. The patsy amendment is being used to destroy us; we are no longer even remotely united. We argue over false absolutes while we become poorer and poorer. We have become so divided, we no longer trust one another to even walk and talk together, unless we’re carrying our Colts, our Rugers and Remingtons hidden in our belts and in our socks.
Violence feeds on corporate controlled disimagination machines that celebrate it as a sport while upping the pleasure quotient for the public. Americans do not merely engage in violence, they are also entertained by it. This kind of toxic irrationality and lure of violence is mimicked in America’s aggressive foreign policy, in the sanctioning of state torture, and in the gruesome killings of civilians by drones.Rather than bring violence into a political debate that would limit its production, various states increase its possibilities by taking a plunge into insanity with the passing of laws that allow “guns at places from bars to houses of worship.”[7] Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law, based on the notion that one should shoot first and ask questions later is a morbid reflection of America’s national psychosis regarding the adulation of gun culture and the paranoiac fears that fuel it. This fascination with guns and violence has produced a pathology that reaches the highest levels of government and serves to further anti-democratic and authoritarian forces…..There is a not so hidden structure of politics at work in this type of sanctioned irrationality. Advocating for gun rights provides a convenient discourse for ignoring a “harsh neoliberal corporate-state order that routinely generates pervasive material suffering, social dislocation, and psychological despair—worsening conditions that ensure violence in its many expressions.
I don’t need to tell you what comes next. You might wish to consider the divided nations such as Syria, Iraq, Libya, etc…. for future reference.
For more on this matter, listen to the audio “The Human Coasts of Neoliberalism”
Must have been on your mind for awhile eh.
ReplyDeleteAlway something there, mostly nothing good, though :-)
DeleteHow've you been? You back in CO now?
I'm pretty good. Still here and enjoying this simple life much more so than not. Liking the local chop a lot! Liking the fresh made in front of you tortillas too. It will be a much bigger adjustment returning than coming here. There was none. You good??
DeleteYep, I'm always good. Retirement gives one a whole new lease on life, doesn't?
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI am in awe of this post. I don't feel intellectually adequate to even try to add to it. Five Stars for you Bob Conner.
ReplyDeleteYup - 'ol Bob should be on the tb.
DeleteThanks jaded - I very much appreciate your comment and compliment. Very good to see you again.
DeleteI have been pretty quiet for awhile but have been posting a bit. People who should read your post will not see it of course. Pretty amazing what's happening.
ReplyDeleteI'll have to create a wild comb-over and learn hatred and bigotry so I can compete with Donald Trump :-)
DeleteAs always we are on the exact same page and I believe as you do what you wrote sooooo well is where we are at in this country.
DeleteI hate to be the always the negative one but I think the Right is going to pull this off. All is in place this time and it has been basically 50-50 but now the scales have tipped more to the right and into the shitter. You are not allowed to hear voices from the left and not sure they would say much anyway. It's like they want to lose.
I've been worried about the same. I'm a Bernie Sanders man, but I know the odds are stacked against him since he's not a member of the political elite. If the bigoted moron Trump takes office, this place is gone be one very weird place to live. I may damed well come down there to join you
DeleteReally interesting post. The 1980s was also the era that Thatcher devastated the union movement in the United Kingdom, abetted by Rupert Murdoch who had his own axe to grind with collective bargaining. The miner’s strike and the Wapping dispute. The Right owns that era. It was a kind of ideological workshop, in which it was okay to snuggle up to death squads and congratulate the winners of fraudulent elections in other countries, and tilt the entire plate of post-war prosperity so the gravy would only run one way at home ever after.
ReplyDeleteI remember that. Reagan and Thatcher were damned near like twins, operating the two world power houses for the world's elitists; like some twin babies from hell.
DeleteAs usual, Bob's logic cuts though much of the ridiculous statements that keep us enslaved in the non-serious discussion of issues, especially financial.
ReplyDeleteI might take issue - that Joseph Goebbels was the master of propaganda, but that's not important.
I too am a Sanders supporter. That comes from my upbringing that Democratic socialism (in the tradition of FDR) did work and helped build the great middle class, which is the key to financial stability in America.
There is an old saying, "Every once in a while socialism has to step in to save capitalism."
That's exactly what FDR's social programs did.
Since capitalists no longer see a need to consider people, or have a responsibility to the community they do business in, then government has to keep the people's needs as its first concern, as the Constitution states.
Communal taxation is a socialist concept, which helped build America. The key to building that which individuals alone can not.