[discodown]

This is an offshoot from the prophets wife book thread. It seems that that book may not be published in case it offends a small amount of people. Its not an isolated incident.

There are various well publicised examples of things being done to prevent people becoming offended as well. (e.g the council who wanted people to stop using the word brainstorm incase it offended epileptics) While I don't believe half of it I do think that as a society we are all being nudged by the government and media into similar thought patterns. We are all being gently nudged into thinking there is nothing but imminent and catastrophic danger from the climate, muslims, china, iran, peadophiles, teenagers, hoodies, drug users, knife weilding kids and they things we eat and drink.

It seems to me that we are being herded into thinking that there is fear around every corner, everyone else wants you dead and you can't trust anyone. Bill Hicks once said this "The world is like a ride at an amusement park. It goes up and down and round and round. It has thrills and chills and it's very brightly coloured and it's very loud and it's fun, for a while. Some people have been on the ride for a long time, and they begin to question: Is this real, or is this just a ride? And other people have remembered, and they come back to us, they say, "Hey - don't worry, don't be afraid, ever, because, this is just a ride...” But we always kill those good guys who try and tell us that, you ever notice that? And let the demons run amok. Jesus - murdered; Martin Luther King - murdered; Malcolm X - murdered; Gandhi - murdered; John Lennon - murdered; Reagan... wounded. But it doesn't matter because: It's just a ride. And we can change it anytime we want. It's only a choice. No effort, no work, no job, no savings and money. A choice, right now, between fear and love. The eyes of fear want you to put bigger locks on your doors, buy guns, close yourself off. The eyes of love, instead, see all of us as one. Here's what we can do to change the world, right now, to a better ride. Take all that money that we spend on weapons and defenses each year and instead spend it feeding and clothing and educating the poor of the world, which it would many times over, not one human being excluded, and we could explore space, together, both inner and outer, forever, in peace."
Right now the eyes of fear seem to have the upper hand. Because the truth it most people are basically good. Whatever colour they are, whoever they prey too, whatever they believe. They're just like you. Just trying to get through the day, the week, the year as best they can. Really we have very little to fear except that as a society we are being conditioned to fear, to hate, to resent and to conform. And that scares me more than Islam, Iran, North Korea, Cancer, Global Warming and teenagers.

Maybe we shouldn't allow ourselves to be so homogenised?

[scarby]

Dude, you need to stop thinking so much - it can't be good for ya.

[Wildcat]

There is and always has been politicians and media outlets that encourage and exploit our fears making them worse than reality.

I don't really see the link with homogeneity though, except in the trivial sense that the same logic is applied to us all.

Your conclusion about everyone being the same and for the most part good people, I fully support.

The conclusion of this sentiment and your criticism of homogeneity is a welcoming of diversity and dare I say it multi-culturalism.

In that sense I am in agreement, but as said before I don't see the link with fear.

[Alastair]

I quite agree. Consumerism demands we become bland timid little creatures who will buy whatever ideas and products we are fed and the government wants to micromanage our every move.

[Glamrock]

Originally Posted by Alastair

I quite agree. Consumerism demands we become bland timid little creatures who will buy whatever ideas and products we are fed and the government wants to micromanage our every move.

Roughly translated...Sheep

[Alastair]

Originally Posted by Wildcat

In that sense I am in agreement, but as said before I don't see the link with fear.

Did you ever watch The Power of Nightmares? It's available for public download for free and highly recommended.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Power_of_Nightmares

[Wildcat]

Originally Posted by Alastair

Did you ever watch The Power of Nightmares? It's available for public download for free and highly recommended.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Power_of_Nightmares

No I'll download it and watch it, it looks interesting.

I watched Chomsky's Manufacturing Consent last weekend, I can recommend that as a good film on the general topic of media manipulation.

[Ninjamagic]

Originally Posted by Alastair

Did you ever watch The Power of Nightmares? It's available for public download for free and highly recommended.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Power_of_Nightmares

great link, hope to watch this later as havna seen it

[Mathom]

Originally Posted by discodown

Right now the eyes of fear seem to have the upper hand. Because the truth it most people are basically good. Whatever colour they are, whoever they prey too, whatever they believe. They're just like you. Just trying to get through the day, the week, the year as best they can. Really we have very little to fear except that as a society we are being conditioned to fear, to hate, to resent and to conform. And that scares me more than Islam, Iran, North Korea, Cancer, Global Warming and teenagers.

Maybe we shouldn't allow ourselves to be so homogenised?

Well exactly, most people are OK, they're just trying to get along in life. Which is why I reject so much of the tosh that's shoved down our throats in the papers about every single mother being a scrounger, every lad in a hood being a thug, everyone in a suit being trustworthy, every Muslim hiding a bomb, every Christian being a bit thick, etc.

Keeping us feeling scared and feeling resentful of one another keeps us in conformity and ready to buy more products. It's all about the money.

[partypants]

Dude...have a drink and a roll in the hay. You sound way over-stressed.

[Alastair]

Originally Posted by Wildcat

No I'll download it and watch it, it looks interesting.

I watched Chomsky's Manufacturing Consent last weekend, I can recommend that as a good film on the general topic of media manipulation.

Thanks for the recommendation, I'll download and watch that one myself. I know he gets mentioned in John Pilger books, so it has to be worth a look.

[discodown]

Originally Posted by partypants

Dude...have a drink and a roll in the hay. You sound way over-stressed.

You may well be right

[Swan_Vesta]

There is a lot of wisdom in the teachings of Bill Hicks......... It's true, It's all just a ride.

[discodown]

Originally Posted by Swan_Vesta

There is a lot of wisdom in the teachings of Bill Hicks......... It's true, It's all just a ride.

Its funny, as religion releases its grip there aren't many inspiring people left so more and more the 'comedians' are the bringers of truth