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The Great Divide and Apathy Towards Politics
#1
The Great Divide and Apathy Towards Politics
After the most recent Presidential election two things have become more apparent to me than ever before: the divide between "left" and "right" and the apathetic attitude that most younger people have towards politics and government. I am an inherently self-centered person so it should not be surprising to anyone that I couldn't care less about politics... but recent events have made me start to worry about the future of our country more than ever.

To any of my conservative acquaintances out there, please don't think that this is going to be some Trump-phobic rant. That's not where I'm going with this, though Trump is certainly part of the picture I hope to paint. I can't speak for any generation other than my own, if I even can speak for my own, but I would argue that people my age (millennials as many would call us) simply do not care about politics. As for myself, I see this great divide between the left and the right... I see Trump - untrustworthy, lying moronic sack of dung that he is. I see Clinton - manipulative, conniving and buddy-buddy with the establishment. And I'm forced to ask, "What's the point? Why should I participate in any of this?" As misguided as this type of attitude may be, it is still somewhat well founded.

When is any of this going to change? In 2017, our political processes seem to be quite behind the times. Our lawmakers and the laws they create seem to trail behind the cultural consensus of how things "should be," and people everywhere can sense this. Politics seems to be an old man's game, and maybe it always has been this way, but I'm truly concerned that as the years go on, less and less people are going to be concerned with continuing this relay race.

I think it is time for change. Not the Obama brand of change. Not the Trump brand of change. Real change. Real reform.

It is 2017 and America still runs based on some document that was written over 200 years ago... Does that truly make sense to anyone? Following tradition for traditions sake isn't good for anyone. I'll refer you to The Lottery by Shirley Jackson.

Does it make sense that we have one person running a country populated by over 300 million people?

I'm not saying that some sort of purist democratic system is the answer either... with well over half of this country being populated by people who still believe in imaginary stories, I don't necessarily like the idea of everything being left up to a popular vote either. But what exactly is it going to take for us to change?

The liberals are concerned with making everything fair and equal and unoffensive and the right seem to be concerned with "making America Great Again!" - whatever the fuck that means. Both sides are moronic and do more to divide us than anything. Black Lives Matter... Police shootings... Refugees... What the fuck are we doing?

I'm a Satanist. I'm too self-involved to ever truly be interested in politics. But goddam it's a sad day when even I'm worried about the direction our country is going in. I know that in America it's easy to say, "Oh, you're overreacting! We've always gone through ups and downs, this point in history is no different." But I'm not so sure. For people to be this fucking stupid in this day and age is surprising and depressing at the same time. I know I'll be okay. I know where I'll go and what I'll do if shit hits the fan. But I hope it never comes to that.

Let me just say... to other Americans on here... we're not as invincible as we think we are. It'd be a bit much to say I'm scared. But worried? Honestly, yea, a little bit. I know we like to believe that our reality is unshakable and that things will always be okay, even if a little turbulent, but I'm just not so sure about that.

Just some thoughts.

/rant
“Love is the only bow on Life’s dark cloud. It is the morning and the evening star. It shines upon the babe, and sheds its radiance on the quiet tomb. It is the mother of art, inspirer of poet, patriot and philosopher.

It is the air and light of every heart – builder of every home, kindler of every fire on every hearth. It was the first to dream of immortality. It fills the world with melody – for music is the voice of love.

Love is the magician, the enchanter, that changes worthless things to Joy, and makes royal kings and queens of common clay. It is the perfume of that wondrous flower, the heart, and without that sacred passion, that divine swoon, we are less than beasts; but with it, earth is heaven, and we are gods.” - Robert. G. Ingersoll


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#2
RE: The Great Divide and Apathy Towards Politics
What are you going to do about it?
God thinks it's fun to confuse primates. Larsen's God!






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#3
RE: The Great Divide and Apathy Towards Politics
Sorry, Ace, but that's not a rant, it's a whinge (you Yanks call it 'whining', I believe). You state more than once that you're not interested in politics, yet go on and on about how your political set-up needs to change. Well, where the fuck do you think political change comes from? People, that's where. People who are hacked off at the system and demand change and cause change. If you're that distressed about how things are going in your country, maybe getting up off the parliamentary side of your arse and actually doing something would make more sense than whinging to a bunch of online strangers. Have you ever donated money to a candidate, volunteered for a campaign, organized a petition? Do you vote? If not, why not? Do you urge your non-voting mates to do so? I doubt it very much, as your posting indicates that if things get bad enough, you're going to run like a rabbit.

What is far more disheartening than the problems inherent in any political system is this Imma-just-stand-back-and-watch-it-burn attitude of yours.

Boru
‘But it does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are twenty gods or no gods. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.’ - Thomas Jefferson
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#4
RE: The Great Divide and Apathy Towards Politics
Having a constitution makes sense to me, though maybe it's because I'm used to living in a country where we have a set of guidelines for how things are supposed to work. Of course many in power decide to ignore it when it's convenient, so you could say it's not all that effective. I think we can agree that there are good ideas in the constitution, though. And one guy running a country? We're supposed to have various checks and balances, and hundreds of government officials working together, and all that good stuff. The president doesn't rule on high, though there are a lot of people in the country that think one guy running a world of seven billion is a dandy idea.
Poe's Law: "Without a winking smiley or other blatant display of humor, it is impossible to create a parody of Fundamentalism that SOMEONE won't mistake for the real thing."

10 Christ-like figures that predate Jesus. Link shortened to Chris ate Jesus for some reason...
http://listverse.com/2009/04/13/10-chris...ate-jesus/

Good video to watch, if you want to know how common the Jesus story really is.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88GTUXvp-50

A list of biblical contradictions from the infallible word of Yahweh.
http://infidels.org/library/modern/jim_m...tions.html

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#5
RE: The Great Divide and Apathy Towards Politics
(April 8, 2017 at 5:51 am)chimp3 Wrote: What are you going to do about it?

What am I going to do about what?

(April 8, 2017 at 6:45 am)BrianSoddingBoru4 Wrote: Sorry, Ace, but that's not a rant, it's a whinge (you Yanks call it 'whining', I believe). You state more than once that you're not interested in politics, yet go on and on about how your political set-up needs to change. Well, where the fuck do you think political change comes from? People, that's where. People who are hacked off at the system and demand change and cause change. If you're that distressed about how things are going in your country, maybe getting up off the parliamentary side of your arse and actually doing something would make more sense than whinging to a bunch of online strangers. Have you ever donated money to a candidate, volunteered for a campaign, organized a petition? Do you vote? If not, why not? Do you urge your non-voting mates to do so? I doubt it very much, as your posting indicates that if things get bad enough, you're going to run like a rabbit.

What is far more disheartening than the problems inherent in any political system is this Imma-just-stand-back-and-watch-it-burn attitude of yours.

Boru

You seem to be thinking that I hope to incite change or something by making some post on an internet forum? I can assure you that is not that case.

You sit there and tell me I should "get up off my arse" then you suggest starting a petition or donating to a political candidate? That's hilarious.

I don't need to participate in a broken system to diagnose or simply recognize problems within that system. Just like I don't need to be a mechanic to notice that my car isn't running correctly. The difference is, if my car broke down I could, and would want to, actually fix it.

Also... you call it running? I call it survival. People like you would just be a source of food, fuel, weapons and shelter for people like me in any sort of shit-hits-the-fan situation. (though to be completely clear I have no reason to believe that anything like this will happen any time soon, I'm not some sort of doomsday prepper type)

Get down from your high horse. All I wished to do was see if anyone notices the same things I notice.

(April 8, 2017 at 7:34 am)Chad32 Wrote: Having a constitution makes sense to me, though maybe it's because I'm used to living in a country where we have a set of guidelines for how things are supposed to work. Of course many in power decide to ignore it when it's convenient, so you could say it's not all that effective. I think we can agree that there are good ideas in the constitution, though. And one guy running a country? We're supposed to have various checks and balances, and hundreds of government officials working together, and all that good stuff. The president doesn't rule on high, though there are a lot of people in the country that think one guy running a world of seven billion is a dandy idea.

Of course the constitution is not an inherently bad idea, but in 2017 shouldn't there be some sort of revised edition? I mean to not change a document that is the basis for an entirely different country than what existed back then seems a bit silly. And true, one person does not technically run the entire country... but the idea of "President of the United States of America" just seems so silly and antiquated.

And complete globalization... that is an interesting idea actually. I don't think one person would be suitable for that job either, though.
“Love is the only bow on Life’s dark cloud. It is the morning and the evening star. It shines upon the babe, and sheds its radiance on the quiet tomb. It is the mother of art, inspirer of poet, patriot and philosopher.

It is the air and light of every heart – builder of every home, kindler of every fire on every hearth. It was the first to dream of immortality. It fills the world with melody – for music is the voice of love.

Love is the magician, the enchanter, that changes worthless things to Joy, and makes royal kings and queens of common clay. It is the perfume of that wondrous flower, the heart, and without that sacred passion, that divine swoon, we are less than beasts; but with it, earth is heaven, and we are gods.” - Robert. G. Ingersoll


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#6
RE: The Great Divide and Apathy Towards Politics
It does get amended from time to time. Can you give an example of something you think is outdated about it? Also what kind of leadership do you think is better? Don't all countries have one sort of representative or another?
Poe's Law: "Without a winking smiley or other blatant display of humor, it is impossible to create a parody of Fundamentalism that SOMEONE won't mistake for the real thing."

10 Christ-like figures that predate Jesus. Link shortened to Chris ate Jesus for some reason...
http://listverse.com/2009/04/13/10-chris...ate-jesus/

Good video to watch, if you want to know how common the Jesus story really is.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88GTUXvp-50

A list of biblical contradictions from the infallible word of Yahweh.
http://infidels.org/library/modern/jim_m...tions.html

Reply
#7
RE: The Great Divide and Apathy Towards Politics
(April 8, 2017 at 4:42 pm)Chad32 Wrote: It does get amended from time to time. Can you give an example of something you think is outdated about it? Also what kind of leadership do you think is better? Don't all countries have one sort of representative or another?

Have you ever read the constitution? Do you talk like that? Does anyone now days use that type of language?

Do you think our current system makes sense?

The idea that one has to participate in a broken system in order to comment on it is absolutely absurd.

Don't get me wrong, personal freedom wise.. the USA is one of the greatest places to live on this planet. All I wished to put forth is that I am, at times, worried about the direction our country is going and was curious to see if anyone felt the same way. I never claimed to have any answers.
“Love is the only bow on Life’s dark cloud. It is the morning and the evening star. It shines upon the babe, and sheds its radiance on the quiet tomb. It is the mother of art, inspirer of poet, patriot and philosopher.

It is the air and light of every heart – builder of every home, kindler of every fire on every hearth. It was the first to dream of immortality. It fills the world with melody – for music is the voice of love.

Love is the magician, the enchanter, that changes worthless things to Joy, and makes royal kings and queens of common clay. It is the perfume of that wondrous flower, the heart, and without that sacred passion, that divine swoon, we are less than beasts; but with it, earth is heaven, and we are gods.” - Robert. G. Ingersoll


Reply
#8
RE: The Great Divide and Apathy Towards Politics
I haven't read it front to back, no. Our current system has three branches of government, with checks and balances. I think it would work if everyone wasn't bought off by the rich. If we were an actual representative republic, instead of an oligarchy.
Poe's Law: "Without a winking smiley or other blatant display of humor, it is impossible to create a parody of Fundamentalism that SOMEONE won't mistake for the real thing."

10 Christ-like figures that predate Jesus. Link shortened to Chris ate Jesus for some reason...
http://listverse.com/2009/04/13/10-chris...ate-jesus/

Good video to watch, if you want to know how common the Jesus story really is.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88GTUXvp-50

A list of biblical contradictions from the infallible word of Yahweh.
http://infidels.org/library/modern/jim_m...tions.html

Reply
#9
RE: The Great Divide and Apathy Towards Politics
(April 8, 2017 at 5:10 pm)Chad32 Wrote: I haven't read it front to back, no. Our current system has three branches of government, with checks and balances. I think it would work if everyone wasn't bought off by the rich. If we were an actual representative republic, instead of an oligarchy.

Precisely. In theory, communism is great too. Though in practice much worse than our current political system, obviously.

That's why the idea of "getting involved" in politics is amusing to me. People actually believe they can change the system by working from within the system. Money talks. Bullshit walks. And if you're not bringing money into politics, you're bringing bullshit.
“Love is the only bow on Life’s dark cloud. It is the morning and the evening star. It shines upon the babe, and sheds its radiance on the quiet tomb. It is the mother of art, inspirer of poet, patriot and philosopher.

It is the air and light of every heart – builder of every home, kindler of every fire on every hearth. It was the first to dream of immortality. It fills the world with melody – for music is the voice of love.

Love is the magician, the enchanter, that changes worthless things to Joy, and makes royal kings and queens of common clay. It is the perfume of that wondrous flower, the heart, and without that sacred passion, that divine swoon, we are less than beasts; but with it, earth is heaven, and we are gods.” - Robert. G. Ingersoll


Reply
#10
RE: The Great Divide and Apathy Towards Politics
How would we know how communism is in practice?  We haven't tried it in living or historical memory..though it did seem to work pretty well for a quarter million years. I imagine that it would get gamed, like any system faced with human beings....but I don't understand the narrative here, on communism. As long as money is an option..sure...communism is bullshit. Kind of like saying that knives are useless in the face of pistols. Nevertheless, all of the shit we love about our money and it;s relationship with government is the communist shit...for the people, owned by the poeple, beholden the people.

We think that public education is swell...for example. We think that not starving the poor is swell, for example. We think that taxes pay for roads right nice...for example. Quietly, "communism" has subverted it;s competitors.
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
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