Pana asked me to start a thread on Freedom..

[lkwalker]

I think I do get that. Maybe you should start a thread about not giving a fuck. It's an interesting state of mind. Call it 'MrP's Theory of Intellectual Sloth.'

[MrPenny]

I would, but......I don't give a fuck. Wouldn't want to compromise my values and appear to give a fuck.

"Intellectual Sloth"......that's rich. How 'bout we discuss the many ways ignorance is rephrased by the afflicted.

[lkwalker]

You seem to give a fuck about your own tedious hubris. Go for it.

[MrPenny]

Or maybe, we could veer off and discuss "chutzpah".

[lkwalker]

Excellent. And that many faceted concept belongs squarely in the Philosophy forum. Do it.

[Pana]

Not giving a fuck for the larger world is the new norm, the new value, that's constantly rammed down our throats as the acceptable way of being.

Perhaps freedom from cultural norms and standards has freed the individual to be more of an individual but it has also fostered egocentrism, self interest and apathy towards the well being of others.

People forget that their actions affect others. At one time did we not feel more of a responsibility for our actions as they played out in the larger arena? Now we are more concerned with how we are affected and forgetting the effect of our own actions.

I blame it all on Oprah where being a victim became the all important thing in popular culture.

Anyway, I'm off. Have finished plastering and am now priming. Good day, all.

[IndicusMaximus]

I think there's a kind of compassion that's passive.

I care about the wellbeing of the world, but I know there's no talking sense into anyone, and I know that favor must be genuine, and to go out of your way to make the world a better place is assuming that you know better. I think the best way to make the world a better place is to be yourself, and the perversion of individuality in this day and age is that you to go out of your own way in order to be yourself. You have to buy this or please that or live to the expectations of another. If what you truly are is what others would consider "evil", then be evil. If you are good, then be good. If you're active, be active. If you're social, be social. Lazy, be lazy. Angry, be angry.

The world may be superficially much more chaotic-looking that way, but it as a whole will benefit the world and everything will come together much more naturally.

I don't think that it's possible to allow that to happen with the current apparates in place.

Like the Mayan civilization and other ancient civilizations that just suddenly were abandoned, the same will probably happen with us.

I think collectively every individual is realizing the futility of belief that this system will generally provide a better day tomorrow than today. Survival IS important, and we realize that our survival is in ultimate jeapordy here.
Unfortunately, it seems as though when the first inklings of realization come, the more the individual rebels against that unsettling feeling.... resulting in an overall culture which seems to be in a zombified state of denial for a period of time.

The denial can't last forever. The prison walls must become contracted and not only visible, but impossible to ignore because of the overwhelming pressure.

[TraumaT]

I think collectively every individual is realizing the futility of belief that this system will generally provide a better day tomorrow than today. Survival IS important, and we realize that our survival is in ultimate jeapordy here.
Unfortunately, it seems as though when the first inklings of realization come, the more the individual rebels against that unsettling feeling.... resulting in an overall culture which seems to be in a zombified state of denial for a period of time.

I think this is very true.

Great post, Indy.

[Pana]

I think there's a kind of compassion that's passive.

I care about the wellbeing of the world, but I know there's no talking sense into anyone, and I know that favor must be genuine, and to go out of your way to make the world a better place is assuming that you know better. I think the best way to make the world a better place is to be yourself, and the perversion of individuality in this day and age is that you to go out of your own way in order to be yourself. You have to buy this or please that or live to the expectations of another. If what you truly are is what others would consider "evil", then be evil. If you are good, then be good. If you're active, be active. If you're social, be social. Lazy, be lazy. Angry, be angry.

The world may be superficially much more chaotic-looking that way, but it as a whole will benefit the world and everything will come together much more naturally.

I don't think that it's possible to allow that to happen with the current apparates in place.

Like the Mayan civilization and other ancient civilizations that just suddenly were abandoned, the same will probably happen with us.

I think collectively every individual is realizing the futility of belief that this system will generally provide a better day tomorrow than today. Survival IS important, and we realize that our survival is in ultimate jeapordy here.
Unfortunately, it seems as though when the first inklings of realization come, the more the individual rebels against that unsettling feeling.... resulting in an overall culture which seems to be in a zombified state of denial for a period of time.

The denial can't last forever. The prison walls must become contracted and not only visible, but impossible to ignore because of the overwhelming pressure.

Well said, Indi. You have much sense and understanding in that heart and mind of yours.

[Dr Exile]

Like the Mayan civilization and other ancient civilizations that just suddenly were abandoned, the same will probably happen with us.

My step father was an anthropologist, so I spent much of my childhood climbing over old ruins. One day, while standing on top of a crumbling old Olmec pyramid I asked him why the city fell. His simple but profound answer, "they got bored with it."