An incredible story, and your point is well made. I've been rereading a lot of Charles Dickens recently, and getting very angry. When I read his books as a kid, I used to think, "thank goodness those terrible days of the 19th century, the exploitation of poor people and children, are gone forever!" This was reinforced by history classes which talked about the Industrial Revolution (appparently American kids never hear about any of that). Things only became better thanks to very hard work and sacrifice on the part of many reformers, who had to fight to civilize society one law at a time. Though, of course, those horrors weren't gone in large parts of the world. And now there's a strong effort on the part of the U.S. government to bring them back, right here, more profitable than ever. There is deregulation of corporations, as though they were somehow so much more ethical than actual people that they don't need to be held responsible for their criminal actions. There's a movement to destroy what's left of universal public education and replace it with god knows what. Medicine is just as harmful and vastly more expensive than in the past. Unbelievably usurious interest rates on credit cards and such are a matter of course. Religious hypocrisy is praised while any honest attempt to reveal unpleasant facts is simply ignored, if not suppressed. I even hear talk of recreating debtor's prison. And apparently people sit hypnotized in front of their TVs. I don't know, I quit watching TV, except for movies, decades ago.
People without knowledge of history (and literature) have no choice but to be weak, helpless, stupid victims. I guess that's the way they want it.
You can't imagine how honnoured I feel when I see your opinions droping in my Lj! Doesn't matter if I agree or not with, they are ever made with intelligence, by someone who thinks by herself. And well, after this explosion of adulation (my god! this start I made nearly makes me vomit :D) I have to say that I totally agree. Anyway, when I made the post, I was still under the effect of the story and the thoughts which were jumping into my mind and, at least in one comment, I went a bit too far. When I said that we are not that far from those depravating member of the high society. Maybe I had to point it a bit more subtly because we, in general, don't have that level of depravation. We humans, in general, we have our dark side, OK, but few of us we go so far except some true bastards or some guys who are sadly insane. What I had to say is that even some of our most insignificant day to day actions can have a not that far effect, which isn't the same at all. But the important thing is to asume it, try to open our eyes as much as possible and think by ourselves. Of course, these are the kind of things which make us sufer a lot if we have a minimum of sensitivity. And yes, I agree with you with all you say about the brainwash people have (ever we had it and now what happens is that the systems to wash our brains have improved a lot, as you so well describe :/) I think is important we still resist. In fact, if you think and are conscious about what is happening in the world (you don't have to be informed exactly by all the shit is happening: as you said with the perfect example of Dickens, those things are still happening now) you can't stay with your hands in your pocket by sufering a lot for all that. But we can't be all the time doing turns to all it or we can finish being insane :/ As I commented to another friend above (or is it bellow?) We have also our incredibly good side as well. Oh, it's late, I have to go and take the train! Have a good night!!!
People without knowledge of history (and literature) have no choice but to be weak, helpless, stupid victims. I guess that's the way they want it.
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And well, after this explosion of adulation (my god! this start I made nearly makes me vomit :D) I have to say that I totally agree. Anyway, when I made the post, I was still under the effect of the story and the thoughts which were jumping into my mind and, at least in one comment, I went a bit too far. When I said that we are not that far from those depravating member of the high society. Maybe I had to point it a bit more subtly because we, in general, don't have that level of depravation. We humans, in general, we have our dark side, OK, but few of us we go so far except some true bastards or some guys who are sadly insane. What I had to say is that even some of our most insignificant day to day actions can have a not that far effect, which isn't the same at all.
But the important thing is to asume it, try to open our eyes as much as possible and think by ourselves. Of course, these are the kind of things which make us sufer a lot if we have a minimum of sensitivity. And yes, I agree with you with all you say about the brainwash people have (ever we had it and now what happens is that the systems to wash our brains have improved a lot, as you so well describe :/) I think is important we still resist. In fact, if you think and are conscious about what is happening in the world (you don't have to be informed exactly by all the shit is happening: as you said with the perfect example of Dickens, those things are still happening now) you can't stay with your hands in your pocket by sufering a lot for all that. But we can't be all the time doing turns to all it or we can finish being insane :/
As I commented to another friend above (or is it bellow?) We have also our incredibly good side as well.
Oh, it's late, I have to go and take the train! Have a good night!!!
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I agree with you that by far the majority of people are not evil. Most have good intentions, and everybody has an incredibly good side at times.
But it's amazing the amount of evil that good people will allow to happen by managing not to notice it's happening.
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