Proverbs 23:7a, "As a person thinketh in their heart, so are they." http://bit.ly/lOnOzU
On Twitter.com, there is an atmosphere of constructive intellectual exchange that challenges and causes each of us to think about why we believe what we believe. The internet represents a similar component of technological advance as Movable Type did to the First Enlightenment* (1650AD-1800AD). Twitter.com, Facebook.com and MySpace.com are analogous the coffeehouses and debating clubs of First Enlightenment. Through these electronic forums, Information and Ideas are being freely exchanged at a rate too fast for most governments to adapt to (for the purpose of maintaining their own power and the status quo)
One of my fellow Citizens and Patriots, responding to one of my “tweets” suggested that a split was occurring amongst WE THE PEOPLE in general and, in particular, those of us who take a greater interest in Liberty, Freedom and Politics.
My fellow citizen and cohort described this perceived split as "Libertarian" vs "Conservative". Before I say more, I thank my said cohort for bouncing their ideas off from me, so I would be inspired to reflect upon what causes me to believe what I believe in this regard. I hope that each of you are enlightened by our exchange of ideas.
Before I say more, let me repeat my simple request that you take ownership of your perception of reality and think critically for yourself. Do not believe anything I say, nor anyone else says… until you consult other sources you trust and can effectively state the reasons for your position to someone else who would be critical of your position. (Yes, I am suggesting you talk to yourself to achieve this, if you don’t have another confidant)
In my humble opinion (IMHO), I do not see the political divisions quite as simply. May I suggest an alternate perception of reality? I think WE THE PEOPLE are split into 4 groups with 4 different perspectives of reality.
1) The Oblivious;
2) The Overwhelmed and/or Disenfranchised
3) The Aware Fatalists (Hobbes)
4) The Informed Optimists (Locke)
Before you read more, it may be helpful to review the following – John Locke http://bit.ly/mFMPfo vs Thomas Hobbes http://bit.ly/m0nB86 Summary Chart http://jim.com/hobbes.htm and Hobbes vs Locke – The Battle Continues http://mackinac.org/10295 .
1) The Oblivious
The Oblivious are either purposely unaware or incapable of understanding that the current functioning of our Government has greatly departed from the intentions of our Founding Fathers. In the Oblivious Perception of Reality, Politics and Liberty are either not important or not possible to understand. This simple perception of reality is easier than a more complex perception of reality.
2) The Overwhelmed and the Disenfranchised
This group of people has given up on trying to process the myriads of information and contradicting opinions relating to politics and liberty. They no longer try to "vet" the accuracy of the information that comes to them. In these folks perception of reality, they recognize that Politics and liberty are important, but have either given up trying to make sense of all the propaganda, censorship and indoctrination or believe their is nothing they can do to change anything. Therefore, they have stopped trying to process it all and become "comfortably numb" as in "Ignorance is Bliss" Having been tossed about the turbulent intellectual and political storm myself, I can empathize with their experience and perspective of reality, but I will myself to not submit to this subjugated perspective of reality.
3) The Aware Fatalists (Hobbes)
These folks believe People are not by nature social animals ergo, society could not exist except by the power of the state.
These folks believe that people cannot distinguish right from wrong. And, therefore any morality or law that exists is that which the Government has the will to enforce. Or as Mao Zedong said, "All political power comes from the barrel of a gun" http://bit.ly/mNbeBT
These folks believe all people are evil by nature and nothing can be done to change that, so why bother. They believe that effort or action to resist the evil nature of mankind is wasted and, therefore, they are resigned to the evil nature of all people, including themselves. (Plausible Deniability)
These are the Incumbent politicians, vested and/or subjugated political party loyalists and compensated (cash and/or other consideration) political party operatives of, at least, the 2 major political parties among us in America today.
Because Aware Fatalists (Hobbes) have this low opinion of the character and intelligence of the general public, they believe they have the right to manage the public with propaganda, censorship and indoctrination. They often invoke the tactics of Edward Bernays http://bit.ly/9oqSc4 http://n.pr/a306L http://bit.ly/OXBSh . This is the position of the Incumbent Progressives in both the Republican and Democratic Political Parties.
These folks believe that Leaders (they) are superior to the General Public and therefore, they RULE WE THE PEOPLE rather than REPRESENT WE THE PEOPLE. (If you ponder this, you will recognize this as a different way of saying the Pre-Enlightenment concept of the “Divine Right of Kings” http://bit.ly/mFbiiw ) These folks resent the concepts of "inalienable rights" and "Natural Law / Natural Rights".
These folks are aware but see nothing wrong with our Government as it currently exists. They see the change from the ideals and principles of liberty and freedom that our Founding Father's envisioned and incorporated in the Constitution, as a necessary evolution due to their perspective on the evil nature of mankind.
By their definition, anything government does, does not violate the Social Contract. You have the right to not be killed or retaliated against if you just shut up and obey your government.
THIS IS WHY AWARE FATALISTS (HOBBES) INSIST THAT OUR CONSTITUTION AND BILL OF RIGHTS ARE LIVING DOCUMENTS WHICH CAN AND MUST BE RE-INTERPRETED TO REFLECT CHANGES MADE NECESSARY BY THE EVOLUTION OF SOCIETY.
4) The Informed Optimists (Locke)
These folks believe that people by nature are social animals.
Informed Optimists (Locke) believe that human beings are capable of distinguishing right from wrong.
These are the people that are optimistic about the nature of mankind. These people believe that all people are capable of resisting the nature to be selfish and aspire to higher planes of ethics, morality and character.
These people believe that All People were created equal. Therefore, if and when elected, Informed Optimists (Locke) REPRESENT WE THE PEOPLE, rather than RULE WE THE PEOPLE.
Informed Optimists (Locke) believe that most people are generally good. And that people can be can overcome temptations and be encouraged to higher planes of morality, ethics and character through various means.
Amongst the means the Founding Fathers believed to be effective in achieving higher planes of morality, ethics and character were: transparency and accountability, as well as division of power and ensuring that elected officials interests were the same as WE THE PEOPLE. With these checks and balances, everyone could see and expose the misdeeds of those in power. And because power was divided, any evil doers could be held accountable and removed. And, said evil doers further subject to public repudiation for their evil acts. Further, with the Interests of Elected Officials being the same as WE THE PEOPLE, Elected officials would be less tempted to pass rules not in the Best Interests of WE THE PEOPLE http://bringhomethepoliticians.com .
THIS IS WHY INFORMED OPTIMISTS (LOCKE) INSIST THAT OUR CONSTITUTION AND BILL OF RIGHTS ARE NOT LIVING DOCUMENTS. IF THE TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY, DIVISION OF POWER AND COMMONALITY OF INTERESTS THE FOUNDING FATHERS BUILT INTO THE CONSTITUTION AND BILL OF RIGHTS ARE ALLOWED TO BE DISMANTLED PIECEMEAL, THE MEANS OF MOTIVATING OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS TO STRIVE TO HIGHER PLANES OF MORALITY, ETHICS AND CHARACTER WOULD BE LOST. AND THE CONSEQUENCES OF BEING CAUGHT THAT FURTHER ENHANCE SOCIETY’S MORAL ASPIRATIONS WOULD ALSO BE LOST.
Sadly, I must report that much of the Constitution and Bill of Rights have already been changed by the Incumbent Aware Fatalists (Hobbes) to the great detriment of WE THE PEOPLE.
That having been said, I ask which group do you belong to? I consider myself to be an Informed Optimist (Locke).
To Restore our freedom, Liberty and Constitution, we must recognize that Freedom isn't free http://bit.ly/jlUSaG . And the price of freedom, in this exercise, may not be obvious. It has been said that thinking is the hardest work http://bit.ly/mlfpf6 . And some of us just avoid thinking because it is hard work.
Our politicians take advantage of our reluctance to think by trying to make our artificial choices simple and easy. Vote for the Red or the Blue. Vote for the elephant or the donkey. Vote for the Republican or the Democrat. The definition of Republicans and Democrats ever changing and being arbitrarily defined as the elite feel most beneficial to the elite retaining power: Big Government vs small Government; More Taxes vs Less Taxes; Baby DNA Banking vs DNA Privacy, More war vs less war; Racism and Sexism vs Equality, National Health Care vs Self-Sufficency; Abortion; Gay marriage; Immigration, Religious Freedom.
IT IS FAR HARDER, BUT MUCH MORE REWARDING, TO THINK FOR YOURSELF OUTSIDE OF THE BOX. I WOULD SUGGEST TO YOU THAT YOU CONSIDER YOUR PERSPECTIVE OF REALITY AS ONE OF POLITICAL CHOICES BETWEEN LIBERTY AND FREEDOM vs ENSLAVEMENT, SUBJUGATION AND TYRANNY. http://GOOOH.com
But in this case, I believe everyone will agree that the reward for the work done here trumps all other considerations.
The Aware Fatalist (Hobbes) will tell you, let us do all the thinking for you... And on its face, their simple explanation of the perception of reality you should accept seems easy and comfortable. Until you realize that the perception of reality they want you to subscribe to reduces to: “You have the right not to be killed or retaliated against as long as you shut up and obey your government... Wait, even then if you shut up and obey, if we kill you that does not violate our social contract, because the Government Determines what the social contract is”.
Being an Informed Optimist (Locke) requires more and never-ending thought and self-control - BUT ISN'T YOUR LIBERTY AND FREEDOM WORTH IT?
Are you going to accept enslavement and subjugation yourself, your children and future generations, just so you can be lazy and not think for yourself?
"If you love wealth more than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, depart from us in peace. We ask not your counsel nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you. May your chains rest lightly upon you and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen."
- Samuel Adams http://bit.ly/lvxjIF
Freedom is not Free. Nor is it easy.
Our Current Government is out of Control. Will you invest the time and effort to educate yourselves and demand your Elected Officials Stop acting like Aware Fatalists (Hobbes) so you, your children and future generations can live in the liberty and Freedom provided by Informed Optimists (Locke)?
Or will you be lazy and selfish and allow yourself, your children and future generations to be enslaved and subjugated by ruthless, duplicitous incumbent tyrants?
The Choice is yours.
Those were my thoughts.
Thank you for taking the time to read and reflect upon what I have written.
I write this article with the same intentions as Thomas Paine http://ushistory.org/paine. I seek no leadership role. I seek only to help the American People find their own way using their own “Common Sense” http://amzn.to/kbRuar
In Liberty,
Don Mashak
The Cynical Patriot
http://twitter.com/dmashak
Tooth Fairy, Easter Bunny, Santa Claus, Pro-Wresting & the US 2 Party System 1/2 http://exm.nr/k9E8DB
* The First Enlightenment http://exm.nr/kJNOWw (1650AD-1800AD), was characterized by techological advances which made the transmission of knowledge and ideas to occur at a pace more rapid than the then ruling classes could adapt to (for the purpose of retaining their power) The Invention of Moveable type http://bit.ly/iLnpvw made Books, pamphlets, Newspapers and public libraries possible. And CoffeeHouses and Debating Clubs sprang up where the "Men of Letters" and the General Public could further discuss the information and ideas contained in the various publications. Through these publications and dialogues, developed the concept of Natural Law. And the Governments of the time either assimulated the demands of the Masses or were brought down through violent revolution.
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