Seriously, is it ignorance or dishonesty?

[Lacewing]

I just saw a clip of Melania Trump speaking at the RNC, and saying “I don’t want to use this precious time attacking the other side, because as we saw last week, that kind of talk only serves to divide the country further.”

Last WEEK?? How about LAST NIGHT when the RNC bellowed a stream of absurd and apocalyptic warnings based on fear and divisiveness about what would happen if the Democrats were in charge? Seriously, how can she or anyone try to blame someone else for something that they themselves are obviously and publicly doing AS A CONSTANT METHODOLOGY? How can anyone’s word be honored if they completely ignore the entire picture and pretend that we’re supposed to only focus our attention through a tiny pinhole?

Do these people think we are too stupid to NOTICE? Or are they so far out of reality that they’re completely delusional with their own load of crap? Or are they actually evil, and speaking on a very childish level to those who can be controlled?

Has a race of stupid aliens invaded Earth in hopes of carrying out its mindless agendas amongst simple-minded humans?

And what of those “worker bees” who perpetuate division on social media and spread all of the one-sided nonsense? Do they get alien bonus points for destroying whatever they can?

Shouldn’t we be questioning all of it?

What the hell is going on???

[Belinda]

I just saw a clip of Melania Trump speaking at the RNC, and saying “I don’t want to use this precious time attacking the other side, because as we saw last week, that kind of talk only serves to divide the country further.”

Last WEEK?? How about LAST NIGHT when the RNC bellowed a stream of absurd and apocalyptic warnings based on fear and divisiveness about what would happen if the Democrats were in charge? Seriously, how can she or anyone try to blame someone else for something that they themselves are obviously and publicly doing AS A CONSTANT METHODOLOGY? How can anyone’s word be honored if they completely ignore the entire picture and pretend that we’re supposed to only focus our attention through a tiny pinhole?

Do these people think we are too stupid to NOTICE? Or are they so far out of reality that they’re completely delusional with their own load of crap? Or are they actually evil, and speaking on a very childish level to those who can be controlled?

Has a race of stupid aliens invaded Earth in hopes of carrying out its mindless agendas amongst simple-minded humans?

And what of those “worker bees” who perpetuate division on social media and spread all of the one-sided nonsense? Do they get alien bonus points for destroying whatever they can?

Shouldn’t we be questioning all of it?

What the hell is going on???

Telling lies is endemic. However the ascendance of mass media has made telling lies a lot worse for people who are lied to. It's not often noted, but the liars themselves are abusing their own souls.

[Lacewing]

Telling lies is endemic. However the ascendance of mass media has made telling lies a lot worse for people who are lied to. It's not often noted, but the liars themselves are abusing their own souls.

Agreed. It seems so dark, I can't imagine how people can do it.

Do they know they're lying? Or have they become so delusional from being in service to an identity and reality that they fear they'll perish without?

[Belinda]

Telling lies is endemic. However the ascendance of mass media has made telling lies a lot worse for people who are lied to. It's not often noted, but the liars themselves are abusing their own souls.

Agreed. It seems so dark, I can't imagine how people can do it.

Do they know they're lying? Or have they become so delusional from being in service to the identity and reality that they fear they'll perish without?

In the olden days priests kept people in order, more or less. Religion helped people to deal with their fears, and provided charity for the less fortunate. People's social betters were their moral betters, in bygone days.

Economic opportunities such as the slave trade, imperialism, and exploitation at home and abroad, aided by technological successes ****seduced people who were in a position to abandon the old morality. The process is documented in detail and recorded in detail by historians. We can't turn back the clock, so what we have now is, if you will accept the religious metaphor, a long -drawn -out Armageddon. Fear versus love.

**** Notably the Gatling gun

Yes, I think the liars are delusional.They don't know themselves.

[Lacewing]

Thanks for your response, Belinda. Thoughtful and true.

the religious metaphor, a long -drawn -out Armageddon. Fear versus love.

It seems epic! Both are so powerful.

To not know what love is capable of, is to be trapped in a small, cold, hard "reality"... and missing out on so much!

It's really quite amazing how much EVERYTHING transforms and expands the more one is filled with love, yes?

Like a lifeforce pumping through our spiritual veins...raising us from death to life...and from sleep to wakefulness.

I imagine there are many such broader "worlds" to awaken to.

[RCSaunders]

I just saw a clip of Melania Trump speaking at the RNC, and saying “I don’t want to use this precious time attacking the other side, because as we saw last week, that kind of talk only serves to divide the country further.”

Last WEEK?? How about LAST NIGHT when the RNC bellowed a stream of absurd and apocalyptic warnings based on fear and divisiveness about what would happen if the Democrats were in charge? Seriously, how can she or anyone try to blame someone else for something that they themselves are obviously and publicly doing AS A CONSTANT METHODOLOGY? How can anyone’s word be honored if they completely ignore the entire picture and pretend that we’re supposed to only focus our attention through a tiny pinhole?

Do these people think we are too stupid to NOTICE? Or are they so far out of reality that they’re completely delusional with their own load of crap? Or are they actually evil, and speaking on a very childish level to those who can be controlled?

Has a race of stupid aliens invaded Earth in hopes of carrying out its mindless agendas amongst simple-minded humans?

And what of those “worker bees” who perpetuate division on social media and spread all of the one-sided nonsense? Do they get alien bonus points for destroying whatever they can?

Shouldn’t we be questioning all of it?

What the hell is going on???

Nothing unusual.

It's politics, and all of politics is a kind of ignorance, which is born out by the fact that almost every idiot actually takes it seriously.

There is no virtue in politics, except for it's entertainment value. It is a bit pathetic in one way, but one cannot help laughing at all those who take politics seriously and work themselves up over it. The best descriptions of politics ever written were by H.L. Mencken:

A national political campaign is better than the best circus ever heard of, with a mass baptism and a couple of hangings thrown in.

Under democracy one party always devotes its chief energies to trying to prove that the other party is unfit to rule—and both commonly succeed, and are right.

When a candidate for public office faces the voters he does not face men of sense; he faces a mob of men whose chief distinguishing mark is the fact that they are quite incapable of weighing ideas, or even of comprehending any save the most elemental — men whose whole thinking is done in terms of emotion, and whose dominant emotion is dread of what they cannot understand. So confronted, the candidate must either bark with the pack or be lost... All the odds are on the man who is, intrinsically, the most devious and mediocre — the man who can most adeptly disperse the notion that his mind is a virtual vacuum. The Presidency tends, year by year, to go to such men. As democracy is perfected, the office represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. We move toward a lofty ideal. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.

Well, the, "plain people," will certainly get their wish in the upcoming presidential election. No matter which one wins, it will be their moron.

Democracy is a pathetic belief in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance. No one in this world, so far as I know—and I have researched the records for years, and employed agents to help me—has ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the great masses of the plain people. Nor has anyone ever lost public office thereby.

While there is no shortage of dishonesty in politics, it is mostly ignorance that makes it possible.

[Lacewing]

The best descriptions of politics ever written were by H.L. Mencken:

A national political campaign is better than the best circus ever heard of, with a mass baptism and a couple of hangings thrown in.

Under democracy one party always devotes its chief energies to trying to prove that the other party is unfit to rule—and both commonly succeed, and are right.

When a candidate for public office faces the voters he does not face men of sense; he faces a mob of men whose chief distinguishing mark is the fact that they are quite incapable of weighing ideas, or even of comprehending any save the most elemental — men whose whole thinking is done in terms of emotion, and whose dominant emotion is dread of what they cannot understand. So confronted, the candidate must either bark with the pack or be lost... All the odds are on the man who is, intrinsically, the most devious and mediocre — the man who can most adeptly disperse the notion that his mind is a virtual vacuum. The Presidency tends, year by year, to go to such men. As democracy is perfected, the office represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. We move toward a lofty ideal. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.

Those are great!

Well, the, "plain people," will certainly get their wish in the upcoming presidential election. No matter which one wins, it will be their moron.

So do you think people should vote?

Democracy is a pathetic belief in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance. No one in this world, so far as I know—and I have researched the records for years, and employed agents to help me—has ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the great masses of the plain people. Nor has anyone ever lost public office thereby.

So, what's the answer? How should it be set up?

Most of the people I know, along with myself, feel like the choices do not represent or reflect us -- and I think this is a common feeling of many Americans. We are disgusted by the whole affair, and are rarely tuning in to any TV or online coverage. We, like many on "both sides", are voicing/sharing our perspectives when/as we can -- watching and waiting for the system to implode or have a major shift as a result of its toxicity -- hoping that our civilization doesn't go extinct in the process -- while living our lives in as fulfilling and present ways as we can, and desiring to build/model something that more closely represents and reflects us.

What do you think people should do?

[RCSaunders]

The best descriptions of politics ever written were by H.L. Mencken:

A national political campaign is better than the best circus ever heard of, with a mass baptism and a couple of hangings thrown in.

Under democracy one party always devotes its chief energies to trying to prove that the other party is unfit to rule—and both commonly succeed, and are right.

When a candidate for public office faces the voters he does not face men of sense; he faces a mob of men whose chief distinguishing mark is the fact that they are quite incapable of weighing ideas, or even of comprehending any save the most elemental — men whose whole thinking is done in terms of emotion, and whose dominant emotion is dread of what they cannot understand. So confronted, the candidate must either bark with the pack or be lost... All the odds are on the man who is, intrinsically, the most devious and mediocre — the man who can most adeptly disperse the notion that his mind is a virtual vacuum. The Presidency tends, year by year, to go to such men. As democracy is perfected, the office represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. We move toward a lofty ideal. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.

Those are great!

Well, the, "plain people," will certainly get their wish in the upcoming presidential election. No matter which one wins, it will be their moron.

So do you think people should vote?

I think people should do what they believe is right. I'm not hedging, I really do not tell others what they should do. I believe, if they understood that government is not a solution to anything and what voting really is, they wouldn't vote, and if anyone asks I'd encourage them to use their time and energy for their own benefit and the benefit of any others that are directly important to them--but only if asked.

Democracy is a pathetic belief in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance. No one in this world, so far as I know—and I have researched the records for years, and employed agents to help me—has ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the great masses of the plain people. Nor has anyone ever lost public office thereby.

So, what's the answer? How should it be set up?

If by, "it," you mean, "society," it should not be, "set up." Why is it assumed some kind of system must be imposed on society? It never works and any system requires some people to be forced to live or behave in ways they would otherwise not behave, because if everybody already behaved the way the system-builders (social engineers) liked, they would not need the system.

Most of the people I know, along with myself, feel like the choices do not represent or reflect us -- and I think this is a common feeling of many Americans. We are disgusted by the whole affair, and are rarely tuning in to any TV or online coverage. We, like many on "both sides", are voicing/sharing our perspectives when/as we can -- watching and waiting for the system to implode or have a major shift as a result of its toxicity -- hoping that our civilization doesn't go extinct in the process -- while living our lives in as fulfilling and present ways as we can, and desiring to build/model something that more closely represents and reflects us.

What do you think people should do?

If they're asking I think they should do just what you are doing, "living our lives in as fulfilling and present ways as we can," because your own life is what you can control and you have complete authority and responsibility for that. You cannot change the, "system," and you cannot, without using force, change others either, but you can always find others you don't have to change to have benevolent and rewarding relationships with. You cannot escape the government but you can do a great deal to isolate and protect yourself from it.

It will not happen, but if everyone forgot politics and concentrated on making themselves the best human being they could be, there would be no political problems. You can't make that happen for others, but you can make it happen for yourself.

[commonsense]

So, is it ignorance or dishonesty? It’s actually emotions that inform their behavior—emotions and the lack of sufficient maturity to be able to control or compartmentalize those emotions. Indeed, whenever a “decision” seems to be beyond all reason, it usually is an emotional decision.

And the strongest emotion to hijack an otherwise cognitive process is fear—fear that is incited by propaganda spewed from news sources with a predetermined agenda, whether that source is TV news or a social media echo chamber.

It’s fear of loss, fear of hurt, fear of change, fear of taboos. Ignorance plays an important role in this because without factual information horrible boogeymen can easily be manufactured. Fear is a powerful motivator, every time.

[gaffo]

Most of the people I know, along with myself, feel like the choices do not represent or reflect us -- and I think this is a common feeling of many Americans.

and why i've been a registered Independant for 35 yrs now.

I'd be registered Libertarian (i can now register as one - but that Party was with my mindset in 2005 (ovr the Iraqnam war) - but my state did not allow registration as a Libertarian back then - the Libs went to my State's SC and finally won after a 15 yr battle-, but since 2005 that Party has moved to the Right, and now that i can register as one, i no longer align with that Party.

as for Greens, but state has never allowed for registration (I like most of the Green platform - but as i said i can;t register so thats that - nor could i vote for Nader in 2000 - not on my state ballot, nor did my state allow right ins so my prefered runner up McCain would not be counted as a write in, so i was forced to not vote for Gush in 2000 - 2 of the same old same olds - sat that one out.)

political mechine is fixed to deny 3-4th parties from being viable, and why the fastest "non-political party" is "independant since the late 1990's.

my REpublci is sick, and as long as it is fixated upon denying Greens and Libertarian representativenss will remain dissfunction.

and ya i'll vote for the fucking senial loser Biden over the insane Trump - but would prefer to have 2 other viable 3-4th partiy candiadate to vote for.



america is fucked, she is not a republic as long as 3-4th parties are shut out of the scene.

[gaffo]

What do you think people should do?

I think folks had a chance to demand access of 3rd/4th parties 25 yrs ago, but now its too late.

sadly. i not longer have faith that the system will correct itself, even if folks finally wake up, those folks are not informed and just want blood now, and the system will just bunker down - 1789 all over agian.

result will not be reform to a representative republic, nor witl it be pretty.

i sadly think the American Republic is now officailly dead.

Bidon is just a lesser of the ills, no real reform will happen, just a slower decay vs the faster version of the same thing with Rump.

hoard your cash, and plan an exit strategy to any other 1st world nation that will take you(i need to take my own advice and look into other nation's immigration laws so i can get the fuck out of this failing state).

[gaffo]

So, is it ignorance or dishonesty? It’s actually emotions that inform their behavior—emotions and the lack of sufficient maturity to be able to control or compartmentalize those emotions. Indeed, whenever a “decision” seems to be beyond all reason, it usually is an emotional decision.

And the strongest emotion to hijack an otherwise cognitive process is fear—fear that is incited by propaganda spewed from news sources with a predetermined agenda, whether that source is TV news or a social media echo chamber.

It’s fear of loss, fear of hurt, fear of change, fear of taboos. Ignorance plays an important role in this because without factual information horrible boogeymen can easily be manufactured. Fear is a powerful motivator, every time.

yep, and fear fear FEAR of the........."whatever" $ell$ for the 24/7 "news" channels.

its all about the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$, and the weak minded that fall for the media narative of fear fear FEAR$$$$$$$$

we get what we deserve.

probable we are just too fucking dumb as a collective to deserve a functioning Republic.

if we are too dumb to turn off the boob tube of hysteria, and instead fall for the narrative like sheep..............we deserve what we shall get.