I know I have been reading your blog. I get impatient with my fellow Canadians for their complacency when these issues apply to all of us. Most of my readers are American and British. Few Canadians realize the price we pay for being a colonized country, just as Americans are paying an even higher price to sustain the parasitic empire in Washington.
Thanks, Robert. You stay safe too. I keep thinking of the words: better to be a live coward than a dead hero, but if enough of us speak up we can all be heroes together, and have some safety in numbers. What are we here for anyways, eh?
I know. My partner, who is a swimmer, was telling me last night about a scandal now rocking the swimming world. Several years back, at an international competition, the entire Chinese swimming team tested positive for taking a heart medication normally given to elderly patients with poor circulation. The world doping organization should have disqualified every one of them, but it allowed them to compete. They medalled in a number of events, edging out non-doping athletes who should have won. Fast forward to now, the world doping organizations malfeasance has been exposed, the Chinese athletes disqualified, and their medals awarded to their non-doping competitors.
This made me think; mankind tries, it always tries to form good governments, or altruistic charitable organizations, or amateur athletic competitions that reflect our highest ideals, and without exception they all fail, spectacularly. Why? Because human beings are venal, acquisitive, mean-spirited, selfish and act like the primates they are. Vicious, naked apes, with as much emotional self-control and capacity for self-reflection as any Chimpanzee.
We’ve tried every imaginable form of government - they all fail. International organizations like the U.N., a solid failure. NATO, a corrupt failure and, according to many, a positive force of evil in the world. In the United States, we pass good laws designed to correct real problems like the Civil Rights Act, or the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency, and immediately a swarm of lawyers and lobbyists set to work to destroy it, nullify it, weaken and destroy it. We are all being lied to. The planet is in crisis, the danger of environmental collapse is very real: it’s imminent. And nothing is done. No measures are taken to prevent or forestall it. Every branch of our governments know what is happening and they aren’t even asking us to turn off the lights if we aren’t using a room in our house. Or stop wasting food? Or sort our recycling - it’s bogus anyway.
What I’m saying is, we are selfish and ignorant by design, and when the shit hits the fan, we will lack the ability to pull together, pool resources, and place the good of the group over our own selfish interests and desires.
I wish I could believe that humanity is ready for a golden age of peace, environmentalism, equity and prosperity for all, but the human race never fails to disappoint and to corrupt and defile every opportunity it has for greatness.
My contention is that unless there is a "golden age of peace," life on the planet will become either highly marginal or extinct. We are at a critical historic turning point where we could have systemic collapse. The West is the culprit and has to adopt a whole new value system, lifting ourselves out of wars and barbarism.
Great points, but Jill Stein isn't going to make a "good showing," no matter what she does. At best, she'd get 5% of the vote and carry no states, and she'll be lucky to get 1%.
Most Americans think that a third party vote is a "wasted" vote, and most of those who don't think the system's so corrupt and rigged that their votes will not be accurately counted, so why bother?
That line of thinking leads to the conclusion that if Stein really did get a lot more than 1% of the vote, then those votes would magically be flipped to another candidate by fraudulent voting tabulation programs.
Maybe Canadians can vote your way out of this, but we Americans cannot.
I won't dare try to predict this election as there are too many explosive issues and variables. If she doesn't make a good show it is very alarming for America's future given the rampant decadence over so many years.
If the silence of the lambs prevails we are thoroughly screwed.
The Democratic election in August could be full of surprises.
Canadians cannot vote their way out of this because our system is just as broken in its own ways.
Neoliberalism has inflicted huge damage on Western Democracies everywhere and the road back is going to be long and brutal.
I still think the Dems might pull Biden just before their convention this summer, but if they have any plans to do that they’re sure keeping them quiet. Or maybe they think they’ve got the election rigged so they don’t give a damn.
I realize that all the bad news that gets 'thrown' at us is more than disheartening...BUT...even though many of us might not have the required time to read long missives, I find it extremely important to know what is going on and what is coming our way. I much blame 'smart phones' and social media for creating a society that is into itself, selfish. I would not call this 'progress'.
Hey, Robert, you'll be happy to know that I'm Canadian, and I read your posts.
I agree -- we're in scary times, and they will (and do) affect us in Canada.
I know I have been reading your blog. I get impatient with my fellow Canadians for their complacency when these issues apply to all of us. Most of my readers are American and British. Few Canadians realize the price we pay for being a colonized country, just as Americans are paying an even higher price to sustain the parasitic empire in Washington.
Stay Safe, Robert
Thanks, Robert. You stay safe too. I keep thinking of the words: better to be a live coward than a dead hero, but if enough of us speak up we can all be heroes together, and have some safety in numbers. What are we here for anyways, eh?
Another Canadian here. I love your post Robert.
It’s true. I am not intentionally nasty to anyone, but I much prefer to be left alone.
I know. My partner, who is a swimmer, was telling me last night about a scandal now rocking the swimming world. Several years back, at an international competition, the entire Chinese swimming team tested positive for taking a heart medication normally given to elderly patients with poor circulation. The world doping organization should have disqualified every one of them, but it allowed them to compete. They medalled in a number of events, edging out non-doping athletes who should have won. Fast forward to now, the world doping organizations malfeasance has been exposed, the Chinese athletes disqualified, and their medals awarded to their non-doping competitors.
This made me think; mankind tries, it always tries to form good governments, or altruistic charitable organizations, or amateur athletic competitions that reflect our highest ideals, and without exception they all fail, spectacularly. Why? Because human beings are venal, acquisitive, mean-spirited, selfish and act like the primates they are. Vicious, naked apes, with as much emotional self-control and capacity for self-reflection as any Chimpanzee.
We’ve tried every imaginable form of government - they all fail. International organizations like the U.N., a solid failure. NATO, a corrupt failure and, according to many, a positive force of evil in the world. In the United States, we pass good laws designed to correct real problems like the Civil Rights Act, or the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency, and immediately a swarm of lawyers and lobbyists set to work to destroy it, nullify it, weaken and destroy it. We are all being lied to. The planet is in crisis, the danger of environmental collapse is very real: it’s imminent. And nothing is done. No measures are taken to prevent or forestall it. Every branch of our governments know what is happening and they aren’t even asking us to turn off the lights if we aren’t using a room in our house. Or stop wasting food? Or sort our recycling - it’s bogus anyway.
What I’m saying is, we are selfish and ignorant by design, and when the shit hits the fan, we will lack the ability to pull together, pool resources, and place the good of the group over our own selfish interests and desires.
There is the old saying that "Man is a wolf to man."- Latin proverb
I wish I could believe that humanity is ready for a golden age of peace, environmentalism, equity and prosperity for all, but the human race never fails to disappoint and to corrupt and defile every opportunity it has for greatness.
My contention is that unless there is a "golden age of peace," life on the planet will become either highly marginal or extinct. We are at a critical historic turning point where we could have systemic collapse. The West is the culprit and has to adopt a whole new value system, lifting ourselves out of wars and barbarism.
Thanks for your comment
Great points, but Jill Stein isn't going to make a "good showing," no matter what she does. At best, she'd get 5% of the vote and carry no states, and she'll be lucky to get 1%.
Most Americans think that a third party vote is a "wasted" vote, and most of those who don't think the system's so corrupt and rigged that their votes will not be accurately counted, so why bother?
That line of thinking leads to the conclusion that if Stein really did get a lot more than 1% of the vote, then those votes would magically be flipped to another candidate by fraudulent voting tabulation programs.
Maybe Canadians can vote your way out of this, but we Americans cannot.
I won't dare try to predict this election as there are too many explosive issues and variables. If she doesn't make a good show it is very alarming for America's future given the rampant decadence over so many years.
If the silence of the lambs prevails we are thoroughly screwed.
The Democratic election in August could be full of surprises.
Canadians cannot vote their way out of this because our system is just as broken in its own ways.
Neoliberalism has inflicted huge damage on Western Democracies everywhere and the road back is going to be long and brutal.
I still think the Dems might pull Biden just before their convention this summer, but if they have any plans to do that they’re sure keeping them quiet. Or maybe they think they’ve got the election rigged so they don’t give a damn.
I agree, the only reason he is being left in office is to save face and he is going to resign at the convention.
I realize that all the bad news that gets 'thrown' at us is more than disheartening...BUT...even though many of us might not have the required time to read long missives, I find it extremely important to know what is going on and what is coming our way. I much blame 'smart phones' and social media for creating a society that is into itself, selfish. I would not call this 'progress'.
So true, junk technologies are our death knell and bacchanals all rolled into one.