The Root

[Seeker]

(nothing to do with 'rooting' all you aussies ...)

Just wanted to blather on about what I think is at the root of the troubles affecting our society these days.

I start off by ruling some stuff out:

1. Outer Party Politics: By which I mean, the elections and politicians we see on TV and the news, as well as the departments and agencies. While there are obvious problems, the political beast is not a foreign entity; it springs from us.

2. Inner Party Politics: By which is meant, the maneuverings and factionalism which go on beneath the surface. The competing 'conspiracies' and manipulations. The Boogeyman. Well, it ain't it. Puppetmasters need puppets, and Boogeymen can only really control the world to the extent that we in the mass allow them.

3. Our Economic System: I think that, just as people tend to get the political culture they deserve, we also create our economic system.

4. Racism: The 'malaise' of these days affects everyone. I have yet to see any evidence of white racial superiority or any other races superiority. Everyone seems to be getting ****ed up pretty much the same.

So the Root of our problems is 'us', the people, specifically our Culture and Mass Psyche. We can't blame the manipulators, because snake oil requires both a buyer and a seller, and when it comes to human civilization the onus is on the buyer.

I'd break it down like this:

1. Ignorance, particularly willful 'fingers-in-the-ears' ignorance.

2. Apathy.

3. Selfishness.

4. Hedonism.

5. Fear of seriously entertaining the opinions of others.

6. Arrogance.

7. Tremendous lack of respect for everything.

I'd trace some of this in our modern global culture to:

1. The end of Shame and Guilt as a major cultural and psychological force.

2. The lack of Taboos and any serious sense of Dignity or unviolable sacred spaces.

Any thoughts? Solutions? Mad dances with the Great God Pan under a Horned Moon?

[onodera]

How exactly will reverting to paganism solve the problem of ignorance and hedonism?
My only answer is education, education, education, crammed down people's throats if necessary all over the world.

[Dinner]

I blame the gays... And Canadians. That pretty much makes Asher the anti-Christ.

[Provost Harrison]

It's because people aren't wearing enough hats.

[Seeker]

I have:
-A Red Army fur cap
-a Tilly hat
-a Panama hat
-a leather cap like what Robert deNiro wore in Ronin
-a battered old sex tourist straw hat
-a pirate hat with skull and crossbones.

I'm doing my part, step up you punks!!

[Wezil]

I suffer from 2) and 4) (with a touch of 6).

Apathy - I don't like mankind's long term prospects and see little incentive in working against what is inevitable.

Hedonism - I'm only here for a short time. Let me enjoy it.

[The Mad Monk]

http://theglennbeck912project.com/

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Except for ignorance, everything you've cited can be subsumed under one general problem: narcissism. And one can argue that narcissism even reinforces (and might create) ignorance, by creating a disdain for things that one doesn't already know.

[Theben]

4. Racism: The 'malaise' of these days affects everyone. I have yet to see any evidence of white racial superiority or any other races superiority. Everyone seems to be getting ****ed up pretty much the same.

While true, there are still enough racist people in positions of power to still make it harder for non-whites around the globe to 'get ahead'.

1. The end of Shame and Guilt as a major cultural and psychological force.

2. The lack of Taboos and any serious sense of Dignity or unviolable sacred spaces.

You live in Korea and you can say this? Them asians have plenty of the above still and are as ****ed in the head as anyone else.

[Seeker]

It is true that the culture of shame lives on in Asia, but I think you should not discount the freaking MASSIVE social and cultural changes going on in todays Asia. They're just a little ?behind? us.

The 70s and 80s generation was still pretty traditional, but the next batch.....it's interesting to see old teachers used to the old 'do not step in the shadow of a superior person' attitude running headlong into the modern youth.

They are not quite like extras escaped from the set of 'Kids' like I remember my youth, but they are changing...

EDIT: Also, I'd dispute that they are just as ****ed in the head. They are ****ed, but in a different way. And it gives life here some unique advantages. It is trite of course, but after six years I am only just beginning to appreciate what occidental civilization can learn from the east. The negatives are easy to see, but there are many profound positives that creep up on you too. Like the notion that the nation is a 'family'. Like self-discipline. I don't know, maybe what we need in the west is to learn to have Jeong (http://www.prcp.org/publications/sig.pdf) and Kyong? Of course, I've been repeatedly assured that barbarians can never actually have 'jeong'. I'm also trying to raise my Inscrutability. Am I Inscrutable yet?

[Elok]

Hmm, the thread's loaded with atheists talking about what makes the world a terrible place to live in, and nobody's mentioned religion yet. Should I be relieved, or insulted?

[BeBMan]

I'd break it down like this:

1. Ignorance, particularly willful 'fingers-in-the-ears' ignorance.

2. Apathy.

3. Selfishness.

4. Hedonism.

5. Fear of seriously entertaining the opinions of others.

6. Arrogance.

7. Tremendous lack of respect for everything.

That's the poly OT as we know it.

[onodera]

Hmm, the thread's loaded with atheists talking about what makes the world a terrible place to live in, and nobody's mentioned religion yet. Should I be relieved, or insulted?

I've mentioned education. Educated people are generally less religious, which is good.

[Elok]

Nice try, but you dropped the ball, admit it.

[Theben]

Hmm, the thread's loaded with atheists talking about what makes the world a terrible place to live in, and nobody's mentioned religion yet. Should I be relieved, or insulted?

It's just so obvious we didn't feel the need to mention it.