PixlBit

I think the last 20 seconds of this clip sums up quite a few points you've made here Ben, it's a little black orientated but the message pretty much plays through to the bulk of society, i.e. the less well off. This kind of segregation can be seen in historical examples and even religious texts (take the tower of Babylon from the bible for example). I like the term humanitarian and believe that people who strive for equality are on the right foot but ultimately we have to face up to certain facts, one of which being that we are not all born equal ( a point you've raised your self in the past). I don't mean that we should not have equal rights, I mean that we are not all born equal. We don't all have the same strength, luck, power, intelligence. This difference is a breeding ground for hostility as I believe thats it's human nature to look upon others fortunes with some element of coveting. I ve been incredibly fortunate thus far in life and I sometimes ask myself, what I am I really doing to help those people who are less fortunate than myself? the truth is very little. Donating money is a start but it's not the real answer, getting out there and doing actual charity work would be more accomplishing in my spare time but I don not. I think thats the greatest tragedy of all, we could all do something to help someone else and on a regular basis but we choose not too. Insted, like you highlight, we spend our time at each others throats when we could all do less talking and more acting on what needs to be done.

Good read my man!

Glad you enjoyed the read,Adam! It really does seem as if we're pitted against each other on multiple levels. I also agree we're not all born with equal priveleges but at the very least we should try to treat others as we wish to be treated in turn.

   I also don't get why we're expected to choose sides and be extremists in everything we do. Why is that?

   Also, what was done to blacks has pretty much expanded to all of us. Believe me,we're in a police state. Those in power  want us fighting amongst ourselves,monitored under surveillance, or in jail.

   If you're not a sheep you're a terrorist!

I have a theory that the two major parties in power (dems and repubs) both really want the same thing, and that thing is not beneficial to us little guys but big business and money.  Therefore, they keep coming up with other little things to disagree on soley for the purpose of keeping us arguing with each other too long to notice.

Hey, wait a minute.. You have the same theory.  Hmmm...

Crap.  I think we need to find something to disagree on or start looking over our sholders.

AnonymousJ

That is pretty much my theory in a nutshell. Whether the Democrats or Republicans win really makes no difference. They both flaunt varied idealogies but in the end both parties want to dick us over and both parties are funded and supported by big businesses.

We've also gotten to the point prisons are corporate entities and they'll try to pass any law to create new inmates just so they can continue to receive more funding and more cheap labor.

We're rather boned right now!

I try not to deal with politics much because it's by turns boring and infuriating. I do agree though that our current government wants to keep us divided and squabbling to avoid dealing with real issues. I wish that members of Congress had term limits because it's the career politicians that do the most damage to us, I think.

I agree. I think career politicians often can do more damage than a president in some cases. A congressman can retain a seat longer and manipulate more issues.

I hate politics too but I have to wonder if that's been our problem all along. Aka, we have passively ignored politicians as they run our country into ruin and tyranny.

It seems it's gotten to the point they can pass most bills without us even giving our consent. Something needs to be done about that.

I'm not buingy this whole "War on terror to keep our people safe" nonsense anymore. We're almost entirely in a police state,Daft.

I frequently read stuff like this and used to agree.  But as I’ve gotten older I’ve come to the conclusion that politicians just just take advantage of an already existing rift in our country for their own political advantage.  I don’t think the politicians really have much to do with creating it. It really has been that way forever.  If you look at American history, it really is no worse now than it has ever been; it could even be argued that it used to be worse.  Most people are opinionated and stubborn and want everyone to think like them, or at the very least be forced to follow their beliefs.  How will someone who thinks gay marriage is an abomination that will destroy this country ever compromise with someone who believes that without it we are betraying our country’s ideas of equality for all?

I do think it is possible for individuals of different ideologies to get along.  Hell, I’m an atheist who has been living with my Christian girlfriend for years.  I’m also a social liberal who has very conservative parents and co-workers, all of whom I get along with great. 

But, maybe I’m a pessimist, I just don’t have any optimism at all that the political divisions will ever go away, especially when it comes the faceless “they.”  It’s human nature to lump everything into an “us vs. them” mentality.  Even when they know and are even friends with a couple of “them,” many people tend to think of their friends as the exception to the rule.  People want to be united, but only because they want everyone to agree with them and convince those that disagreed that they were wrong.

Of course, this is all my opinion and maybe I'm just too pessimistic.  I would be very happy to be wrong.

I think you're right about basic human nature. We don't need to be brainwashed to think on an "us versus them" paradigm. However, I'm sure politicians capitalize on this and use it to their advantage. A string to a puppet cannot be manipulated unless there's something already there to draw upon. On that we're 100% agreed!

Pessimist or not, I think it's great you and your wife can get along so well despite your different beliefs! That's something to be "optimistic" about at the very least!

p.s. I hope that didn't come across as a "you're wrong!" rant.  I can never tell what my tone sounds like to others.  I was just giving my opinion. I always enjoy your blogs.

I didn't take it as a "you're wrong" rant. lol. Believe me, you were not crossing any lines of conduct,bro. You were polite and respectful. I sadly cannot say the same thing about everyone I've met on the internet! It's nice people tend to be decent around here though!

I hope that I am not way off...  As I was thinking about it yesterday, the attacks on violent videogames are not going to actually go anywhere.  They bring videogames to the forefront of our minds to try and make us angry.  They know that they cannot pass any sort of legislation that would put any limitations on videogames.  Any legislation would have a negative effect on an industry that makes billions of dollars.  It would also destroy many jobs in the process.

It's beneficial that videgame development employs so many people. You would assume that would make the media STOP attacking games but I guess they're slow to learn,Trans. lol.

The fact videogame development helps our economy should be enough for the news hounds to ease off. They don't even attack the porn industry as much!

People here in Oklahoma tend to view their politicians and political parties like sports teams. They follow blindly because that's what their parents did. Makes it so much easier when you don't have to think. Or look at the issues at hand. Just vote for the same old white fart you've always voted for. Keeps people preoccupied with the show and missing out on a chance to do something positive for our state.

I simply wish my vote had the potential to change things. It feels as if no matter what promises each politician is giving us they end up being lying conniving weasels in the end. Don't get me wrong. I'm still glad Mitt Romney didn't win the last election. But it seems as if Obama is just another devil wearing a different guise. (And no, I'm not saying that because of his ethnicity.)

We need a change,Celt. I just wish I knew how to go about doing it. I think if enough Americans voted "independent" instead of going Democrat or Republican it would be a start. We need someone in congress or the white house with bold new ideas.

Some day, future generations will be appalled by the way our generation treats things like gay marriage and other humanitarian issues. Just like the appalling racism and sexism of the past, I do believe progress will be made. It might take a revolution and we very likely will be old men if that day ever comes!

I'd like to see a Revolution,Kev. Even if it is from a wheelchair. lol. I don't get why "gay marriage" is a big issue,really. The tea party makes it seem as if gays marrying will suddenly turn them into gay super soldiers capable of conquering the world. Wtf man!

I fear it's finally come to the point where finding common ground is no longer possibe for fear if one compriomise as been reached, it'll just be used as a stepping stone to continue to push one's agenda one step forward (gay marriage is a great example to this)

coming together for the common good is a noble idea, but its hard to do such when one's moral compass, or lack thereof, goes against the very core foundations of ones beliefs. Even if those beliefs are based on intellectual/religious/personal/socialicial/spiritual/common sense decisions. Personally I'd love to answer for the baseline conservative reasonings behind why they are for/against specific issues. But my baseline offerings differ from group to group. Even the conservative stances differ with which group you ask.