Friday, July 06, 2007

DON'T LIKE THE WORLD? THEN CHANGE IT!


"Liberty leading the People."

It has always amazed me just how easily humans accept the status quo no matter how unpleasant, dangerous or unfair it is. Currently, the control of 300 million frightened Americans by Bushco is just one example.

Obviously we humans are easily conditioned, first by our parents, then our wider family, community, state, then country. From the beginning, we are told that this is good, that is bad, this is how males and females should behave, this is how worthwhile students, employees, sportspeople, citizens, etc, must act. To reinforce this we are taught about laws which govern our behaviour, the punishment that will follow should we deviate. All along, questioning of anything is strongly discouraged.

In many homes and schools, religion is introduced as both a threat and an inducement and we are told about what happens to sinners and the rewards that await us if we're good (rewards that come from some Big Guy or Gal in the Sky that no one has ever seen or met). We are taught that our religion is the right one, that our God is the only one.

So, ever more dutiful, we vote, pay taxes, go to church, are deferential to our betters in the main, accept that there are very rich people who live like Kings, that democracy is best, that a two party system is essential, that we have to spend much of our early life being 'educated' then, for the balance, we have to work hard (to help make someone else a millionaire), get a mortgage, try to become rich, have kids. Some of us become bored public servants or we join the Armed Forces and spend our life killing other people, etc. Then, at sixty-five or seventy (if we live that long), our duty done we retire and wait around to die while wondering what life was really all about.

The funny thing is that is doesn't have to be this way at all. We can have any world we want. We can have any society we want. We can change all the rules of the game tomorrow. How is that possible, you ask?

Well, our rulers are in the minority and we, the people, are in the majority. Bigtime! There are at least six billion of us and perhaps a couple of million of them. The overwhelming numbers are with us! So what's stopping us?

Those who are profiting politically or economically from the current world order will oppose any change. Strongly. They are not going to sit idly by and watch their empires, the ones that lay the golden eggs for them, being dismantled, their assets sold off, their power diluted. Imagine how Murdoch might feel if suddenly he was no richer than a shoe polisher? Imagine how George would feel if he was stripped of his political power and had to pick peas in California to make ends meet (assuming of course he would be capable of doing that)? Putin, Pervez, and all the other Presidents and Prime Ministers, Despots and Kings who oppress and manipulate and torture anyone who opposes them, they could all be banished, ridden out of town on a rail in a matter of months if we, the people, so decided.

And what about the Multi-Nationals who are busily poisoning and polluting our world and creating global warming as they urge us to buy, buy, buy? We could get rid of them, change things back to a more rural lifestyle, one where we again enjoy the simple things of life and the natural world. Imagine being freed from the gimmicks of technology and the endless pressures of advertising, of social climbing, of materialism, etc.

And what about nationalism, the drive by some countries to control others (in the case of America, even the world) using military force? We could all decide to be world citizens. We could decide that everyone in the world must share equally in the world's wealth. We could declare greed a vice, imperialism a crime.

And what about religious division, the conflict that has raged for centuries between Muslims and Christians and Jews and Hindus, etc? Surely religion, for those who deem it important, must be relegated to a position where it can result in no more than a war of gentle words rather than an ongoing exercise in hatred and killing as is too often the case.

And what about war? We, the majority, could stop it tomorrow. We could, after taking back control of our world, destroy all weapons. We could close down all the armament industries and turn them into medical research centres and put all those who profit from war in gulags where they belong. We, the world's people, could declare peace tomorrow and it would be so.

Yes, our world could be a wonderful place and life a beautiful, peaceful experience with everyone caring for each other and sharing, with things like honesty and generosity and humility and selflessness being valued once again.

There's little stopping us! What the hell are we waiting for?

14 comments:

Neil Shakespeare said...

It just never happens, does it? Makes me think of the Wobblies, the United Workers of the World back in the early part of last century. You can out-man 'em easy, but those bastards got the big guns. Thanks for your comment over at my new place. I'll link you up. Best to you and yours,...Neil

Daniel said...

Hopefully it will happen one day, Neil, perhaps when the people have been trodden into the dirt enough!

billie said...

history- my friend- repeats itself. people will not rise up to beat the status quo. at least not the folks who live a cushy life compared to other parts of the planet. isn't that really the problem? the western world having so much- and wanting to keep it all like a spoiled brat- and the rest of the world living in one big ghetto? the have nots outnumber the haves-- but the haves have bigger guns. i know what you are saying though. civil disobedience worked throughout the world and here in america. why aren't people using tools like that to force change? i don't know.

Larry said...

Maybe most appear content with the way things are, because they have no vision to look beyond today, to see what could be.

Daniel said...

Betmo, thanks for calling by. Gandhi had the idea. He knew that appealing to the conscience of the rich and powerful was futile.

Larry, welcome to my blog. Strange isn't it? People eat dry crusts when they could dine on pheasant!

Coffee Messiah said...

As long as people will accept crap, it will be financially profitable to dispense it. Dick Cavett

And so it goes......

Anonymous said...

I think the 80/20 is coming into play here....with 20% of the people telling the 80% what to do.

Too much money is being made on the Arms Deals for there ever to be genuine peace again. As I've said before Daniel...people just don't grasp the concept that the billions of dollars, that go into manufacturing the killing machines don't translate in the Churches as murder. The means do justify the end!!

We as a society don't have a sense of conscience about other countries' wellbeing. That top 20% that can make and break the decisions don't want change.

Look at the grins of soldiers as they go off to war, kissing their wives and children goodbye. Departing Australia to go and annihilate others of similiar backgrounds as those he leaves so cheerfully behind.

Most Australian soldiers volunteer to fight, they're not forced to kill but they choose to do so of their own free will. They want the money!

At least I don't hear now that they're "fighting for Australia", because we all know it is for Bush!

While there is greed there will be no change!

Daniel said...

Hey, Coffee, thanks for calling.

Mary, Bush or Oil?

Cheers!

Anonymous said...

And what about the Multi-Nationals who are busily poisoning and polluting our world and creating global warming as they urge us to buy, buy, buy?

Not taking away anything away from your excellent point...maybe a way to sum up one dimension of this is to consider how beneficial it is to "sell, sell, sell" or more accurately stated...to divest oneself.

Daniel said...

Divest oneself! Kvatch, that is tantamount to heresy in the capitalist world.

Anonymous said...

Looks like my optimism is finally rubbing off on you Daniel... never give up!
WE CAN CHANGE THINGS FOR THE BETTER!!

Fleming said...

Daniel, it's good to see your blog again.

Your post and the comments make me conclude that it isn't numbers that win the power, but organization. We 80% need to become "one-pointed" as Zen (I think) says. You can't pierce a board by slapping with a heavier board, but a little nail does wonders because its force is concentrated. Organization! And that calls for leadership. I wish I had an easy answer for how to accomplish the process. Apparently most people won't even take an interest, much less do anything revolutionary, unless they're in serious pain.

Gadfly said...

You are an alright dude and all right!

vjack said...

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