The Sleeping Country?

Jucudeno · 10-30-2006, 03:28 AM

It seems to me that the United States, and the world...since the inception of our primate culture into recorded history, have been like a sleeping person, struggling against slumber.

We awake to the full realization of who and what we are, sentient beings capable of creating a society that works and has a full functionality. Yet, after time, we seem to slip back into the comfortable and inevitable peaceful state, where there isn't action, and we seek no real reform of self or society. And eventually, as we near the sleep, or the death, as it would be, the slumber of the grip of tyranny and oppression, genocide and totalitarianism...we have that jolt where one is fully asleep and his head begins to fall, only to wake itself up with a violent start.

Revolution.

We come back through so many cycles of oppression and uprising, of rich schemes and poor enslavement. Of the poverty of mankind being controlled by the elite. Plato's Republic would be aghast to see it's fullest implemention among the societies of the world.

My question is...if you agree with my observation, then when do the throes of humanity cease in this form? When do we learn to wake up and greet life with the fullest of our intent? This is true in all things, in personal life, family life, social life, and a country's life.

We allow ourselves to slip into disease, disuse, and finally the very throes of death.

Why not prevent this decay, I wonder?

Hmmm...

More readily prevent it, at any rate.

Anyway, I just wanted to make this observation.

Good night and adue,
-Benjamin

Jucudeno · 12-04-2006, 03:19 AM

Hmmm, perhaps I should restate my idea.

It seems to me like the nature of humanity in politics and in life is to ever not fear the necessary things to be feared until they are baring down their necks, with their teeth nearly ripping out their throats. It seems like the average man is complacent in his life if he is given his necessities and leaves well enough alone until the world is collapsing. But even if the world is collapsing, should he still possess his basic necessities and a certain level of comfort, he seems to not notice, and if he should, he seems to surprisingly not care.

Let the future be the future, and hype be hype. The world may melt, the wars may escalate, the very nature of life may be pointlessness in this state of being, but as long as it is comfortable pointlessness, they seem to endure in their society, even as it dissolves, as long as they have the illusion of security.

Does this make more sense?

Rizash · 12-05-2006, 02:10 PM

people just deny the truth... people dont want to see things happen so they prevent themselves from seing them... even as they do happen. People are not at ease enough with the true nature of man, a nature that tries to compete and gain an upper hand by stepping on each other. Those who are not smart or strong enough to make a real difference still want to have their way so they force their hand.... Thats why society collapses from time to time and we revert to our corrupt behaviors of old.

The biggest example of the dangers of this "over comfort" are religion. How many people take a religion like Islam or Christianity and taint it so the weak minded people who blindly follow it (NO, I'm not saying all people who follow organized religion are weak minded, just the extremists and people who follow closed minded... these religions even try to teach you to be open minded and observant, but many of those teachings are long forgotten) follow their words. Religion is another form of control... and it is the form of control that most people on this planet fall under. Why are they so complacent with corrupt leaders and conflict? Because they were born and raised to NEVER even concider the actual situation, only to concider what they have been taught and told to feel. If you want to know where this form of complacency (and corruption) comes from... look at religion... it isnt the only cause, but its the biggest example of how it is our nature to not open our minds to things different than status quo....

ArtificialOne · 01-22-2007, 04:35 PM

First.. I'm an amatuer scientist..just geuss at what..lol...I think spirtualiaty is one of the most single things that seperates us from animals. Other animals and insects have "hive" mentality (i.e. meercats, bees, ants, apes). I often think that mans selfishness and greed gets in the way of true advancements. I once watched a lecture at vcu where two doctors (man and wife) were talking how technology will evolve to a point that will basically turn us back into Hunter gatherers. By the means that anything we need we ill be able to go and get with liitle need for work or money. What kind of society would this tech wrought? I don't know? I'm a big advocate for tech and think that our attention is often diverted by simplistic social problems that seem to go in circles. Many of the politicians get elected basd on these annoying topics or better yet based on hatred of the other guy.. which is whats happening now. You never here politicians talk about 20,50 or 100yrs from now. Hollywood and it's materialistic preaching has limited our attention span to a few minutes to years. When we started the space program everyone knew it would take years to decades not weeks or months. Can you imagine if we tried to do that today.. or build the pyramids? No one would be able to wait that long and it wouldn't happen..... My simple plan.. get rid of quick soundbites and teach our children not to be so materialistic. Stop electing angry politicians and elect people who think 5,10,15 yrs down the road. I plan in the next yr or so to start a 501 that will do just that: Push Hi tech and long term planing.

Clockwork · 01-22-2007, 04:55 PM

No one was ever told up front what the purpose of life was; so why go ruining our comfort by putting forth effort to secure a future that we probably won't be alive in? Yes, it is short-sightedness, but very few would be willing to do work with such distanced rewards. I'm not blaming anyone for having that mentality.

ArtificialOne · 01-22-2007, 06:08 PM

Good point, But I argue the point if we do work for long term things we "might" be able to live forever.... I mean if we put the resources together we might at least be able to live for a long long time....If you look at the major amounts of money that is wasted in stupid projects and studies it's unbelievable... (not just the war) I'm talking about stupid nonsense programs like salmon breeding in wisconsin or something.. and other dumb projects politicians slip into bills to line their and their areas pockets....
http://www.sunlightfoundation.com
Here's one link on it ,..... I lost the real good one but there's numerous examples.. if even some of this money was actually kept from this horrible spending we could do some great things

Clockwork · 01-22-2007, 06:56 PM

Oh, certainly. We could overcome any hardship as a race, with time and the proper application of our studies to further our knowledge in science. We could live forever. But do we have the discipline? Not yet anyway...

ArtificialOne · 01-22-2007, 07:29 PM

Unforntunately true.

Cyntrox · 01-23-2007, 07:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clockwork

Oh, certainly. We could overcome any hardship as a race, with time and the proper application of our studies to further our knowledge in science. We could live forever. But do we have the discipline? Not yet anyway...

Is there even a better reason to work for long-term goals? We don't have it? Let's get it!

DarkHeartedDemoness · 01-23-2007, 07:50 AM

I don't want to live forever.

Since we're in the formative years of that, it seems like it would be painful. And unnatural... But mostly painful.

Death is a part of life. I want to have children, I want to grow old, and I want to die. The deaths of my generation will make room for a new generation. I wouldn't deprive my children or grandchildren of having children of their own just because I'm selfish enough to not want to die.

Johnny Gnar Gnar · 01-23-2007, 11:41 AM

A few of my friends and I have been discussing things along these lines for awhile. I think the biggest thing that we bring to the table (that animals really do not have, or control better) is an enormous ego. We all have one, though some control it better. Some do not control it at all. I think that is a huge reason we don't see things happen. As in this whole "waking up and smelling the roses" kind of idea that I agree must happen. There are millions of people talking of revolution (I'm one of them) on the internet, yet there are very few that step up. I think alot of that has to do with ego. Who would want to be the first to step up, and maybe be wrong? I look at it the other way though, who wouldn't want to stand up and be right? I don't know. Just my $0.02.

ArtificialOne · 01-27-2007, 12:32 PM

Interesting fact about "Awakening"
Many scientists believe that the next step, and or the last several have been neurological. I think Dean Koontz had an interesting book about the next step in evolution being faster communication.

Also, most of our tech seems to be geared towards faster, instanteneuos communications and information. It reasons that our physical evolution may follow similar suit.