4 ms·

I suggest to you that you may be a victim of popoganda. Thee is in your writing a sense of urgency and direness. Fear monger it is a profitable business for “

by skh 8y ago

I suggest to you that you may be a victim of popoganda. Thee is in your writing a sense of urgency and direness. Fear monger it is a profitable business for “news” organizations. I use quotes around news because such media is really entertainment. It’s easier to keep viewers hooked via fear monger it. I’m old enough to remember when conservatives in the U.S. were the ones clamoring to regulate speech on college campuses and liberals decried censorship. Now it is reversed. I’m guessing we have opposite political philosophies and in the cruelty environment there s little common ground. Perhaps though you’ll agree that he essence of the problems you fear and mentioned stem from too much power concentrated in too few hands. Let us strive for a system where power is spread out.

friedman23 8y ago
I'm responding to your unsaid argument, political power is the most dangerous type of power. There is a qualitative difference between the Rockefellers/Carnegies (the peak of economic power) and Maos/Hitlers/Stalins (the peak of political power) of the world. All communism does is replace the economic class system of capitalism with a political one.
lgleason 8y ago
I remember that as well and rejected the extreme right control during that time. That said, what it has been replaced with has taking us from the frying pan into the fire with the tactics. When I see one side trying to force others into their belief system by shame, emotional blackmail, violence, character assassination, career destruction etc. I am generally very skeptical of that side's message as propaganda. To be very clear, beyond what I have read, I've personally experienced this at the alter of progressivism and know others who have as well. The big thing is not that we come from different political philosophies. It is that all who want to espouse them are afforded the opportunity to debate and discuss them freely. These days in tech, many corporate settings etc., many fear losing their job, having their professional life destroyed, etc. for expressing views that go against the progressive narrative. Once again I have personally experienced this and know others who have as well in addition to what others have reported. Before things got so politically charged I used to enjoy learning about the views from the other side and having those discussions. These days a mono-culture has taken over and we have lost that which I reject. But to your point, I agree that having power spread out it a better way. Let people have actual freedom to choose what works best for them, and, more importantly actually respect different view points...which is sadly a lost art today.
- com2kid 8y ago
  > When I see one side trying to force others into their belief system by shame, emotional blackmail, violence, character assassination, career destruction etc. I am generally very skeptical of that side's message as propaganda. To be very clear, beyond what I have read, I've personally experienced this at the alter of progressivism and know others who have as well. Both sides do this, almost equally. It isn't a progressive vs conservative thing, it is a "someone wants to crush the other side" thing. Conservative commentators are forced to tow the party line or become outcasts. Progressive commentators, same thing. If one of Trump's policies works out well, NYT isn't going to run an article about it, nor is Fox news going to give serious consideration to any of his failings. Both sides will however name and shame anyone who doesn't tow the line. > Before things got so politically charged I used to enjoy learning about the views from the other side and having those discussions. These days a mono-culture has taken over and we have lost that which I reject. The problem is both sides are working to stifle free speech. Conservative trolls have no issue ruining the life of anyone who they decides deserves it, and many progressives have no qualms about doing the same! It is sad that people cannot have even polite public discourse in this nation anymore for free of consequence from their fellow citizens. Someone a world has been created where we need not fear the government, we need only fear ourselves.

by skh 8y ago

friedman23 8y ago

I'm responding to your unsaid argument, political power is the most dangerous type of power. There is a qualitative difference between the Rockefellers/Carnegies (the peak of economic power) and Maos/Hitlers/Stalins (the peak of political power) of the world. All communism does is replace the economic class system of capitalism with a political one.

lgleason 8y ago

I remember that as well and rejected the extreme right control during that time. That said, what it has been replaced with has taking us from the frying pan into the fire with the tactics. When I see one side trying to force others into their belief system by shame, emotional blackmail, violence, character assassination, career destruction etc. I am generally very skeptical of that side's message as propaganda. To be very clear, beyond what I have read, I've personally experienced this at the alter of progressivism and know others who have as well. The big thing is not that we come from different political philosophies. It is that all who want to espouse them are afforded the opportunity to debate and discuss them freely. These days in tech, many corporate settings etc., many fear losing their job, having their professional life destroyed, etc. for expressing views that go against the progressive narrative. Once again I have personally experienced this and know others who have as well in addition to what others have reported. Before things got so politically charged I used to enjoy learning about the views from the other side and having those discussions. These days a mono-culture has taken over and we have lost that which I reject. But to your point, I agree that having power spread out it a better way. Let people have actual freedom to choose what works best for them, and, more importantly actually respect different view points...which is sadly a lost art today.

com2kid 8y ago
> When I see one side trying to force others into their belief system by shame, emotional blackmail, violence, character assassination, career destruction etc. I am generally very skeptical of that side's message as propaganda. To be very clear, beyond what I have read, I've personally experienced this at the alter of progressivism and know others who have as well. Both sides do this, almost equally. It isn't a progressive vs conservative thing, it is a "someone wants to crush the other side" thing. Conservative commentators are forced to tow the party line or become outcasts. Progressive commentators, same thing. If one of Trump's policies works out well, NYT isn't going to run an article about it, nor is Fox news going to give serious consideration to any of his failings. Both sides will however name and shame anyone who doesn't tow the line. > Before things got so politically charged I used to enjoy learning about the views from the other side and having those discussions. These days a mono-culture has taken over and we have lost that which I reject. The problem is both sides are working to stifle free speech. Conservative trolls have no issue ruining the life of anyone who they decides deserves it, and many progressives have no qualms about doing the same! It is sad that people cannot have even polite public discourse in this nation anymore for free of consequence from their fellow citizens. Someone a world has been created where we need not fear the government, we need only fear ourselves.