tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3386976829639042251.post9181118647735999795..comments2023-09-11T06:22:41.615-07:00Comments on Black Diaspora: A Pavolvian Christmas AwardBlack Diasporahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08890792781361839105noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3386976829639042251.post-21385616966360102592011-12-28T13:34:03.253-08:002011-12-28T13:34:03.253-08:00@Greg L: "America is really at a crossroads w...@Greg L: "America is really at a crossroads with some stark choices; accept the truth and reform or reject it and continue to bum rush the lifeboats."<br /><br />To see the truth, the American people would have to see pass its own press releases: American exceptionalism, America's supposed God-ordained place in the world (God favors our undertakings), and the high regard given to democracy and capitalism.<br /><br />The Occupy Wall Street movement protesters are sounding the alarm in the streets, and for their effort are being pepper sprayed at close quarters.<br /><br />No, the American people "can't handle the truth," as evidenced by how we're treating those who have tasked themselves to awaken the others.<br /><br />"All of the empires ultimately crumble under their own weight and such will be our fate."<br /><br />I have to agree. I've thought about this eventuality long and hard, even from a historical perspective. I see no way we can extricate ourselves from the inevitable: Ours is a global economy, with almost every action taken elsewhere in this economy, having global ramifications.<br /><br />For example, if one member within the Eurozone fails, the whole European Union fails, sending a tsunami wave of economic destruction up against our shores, a nuclear-fallout scenario, although we're not a member of this union.Black Diasporahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08890792781361839105noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3386976829639042251.post-27743844726794675822011-12-27T20:21:11.226-08:002011-12-27T20:21:11.226-08:00>>>We've been conditioned to believe ...>>>We've been conditioned to believe that all setbacks are temporary, that America's greatness will never be challenged, and our military might will remain unparalleled in a world where we furnished many of the weapons that may be used against us.<br /><br />Rome, no doubt, felt the same: so convinced of its own greatness, not understanding that the enemy within was far greater than the enemy without, it became a victim of its own seeming invincibility--and was eventually overthrown by barbarian invaders.<<<<br /><br />Well said and this is precisely where we're at right now. We're at the cusp of a huge change that no one is prepared for save for those few who raped and pillaged with abandon knowing what was coming down the pike. America is really at a crossroads with some stark choices; accept the truth and reform or reject it and continue to bum rush the lifeboats. It looks like we're opting for the latter (as measured by resource wars and the like). <br /><br />Fox news and clowns who masquerade as politicians are a reflection of this bread and circuses scenario at another level. Unfortunately, folks have come to expect this and would actually demand it in the unlikely event that these guys would stop. <br /><br />All of the empires ultimately crumble under their own weight and such will be our fate.Greg Lhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16130586577590547845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3386976829639042251.post-38039849930843486412011-12-27T14:23:56.422-08:002011-12-27T14:23:56.422-08:00Greg L: "There are many venues in America whe...Greg L: "There are many venues in America where bread and circuses are offered and this story illustrates this."<br /><br />You're right, of course--there are more "venues" to distract and entertain folks, than there are outlets to inform and educate. For them--these venues--the propagation of ignorance to the masses is just as important as the money they receive to perpetrate this fraud and farce.<br /><br />Continuing your analogy, the Occupy Wall Street protesters are the Christians of our time, falling under the blade of gladiators, and the maw of lions, as the crowd roar its approval, its ears gladdened by such words as, "They're just dirty, lazy, sex-starved hippies, getting what they deserve at the hands of the nation's peacekeepers." <br /><br />OWS protesters are sounding the alarm, and Fox News and other Republican are using their sacrifice as an opportunity to deride them--thereby diminishing their message--while at the same time offering up "bread and circuses for the people to keep them entertained and distracted from the dire circumstances that existed." <br /><br />People need to be reminded: Rome, and its decadence, eventually turned to rubble, as the empire went through years of decline, a fate that may soon be visited upon this nation.<br /><br />Even our politics has a gladiatorial feel to it, as each Republican candidate compete to be more outrageous than their fellow candidates, hoping to win the favor and accolades of those packing amphitheater seats to view the arena spectacle below.<br /><br />"It ['our economic dilemma'] will be far worst than anyone has imagined and thanks to this conditioning, many are just simply unprepared."<br /><br />This "unpreparedness" will bring its own measure of challenges for the nation--for the individual, law enforcement, and our political readiness to deal with mass disaffection. <br /><br />We've been conditioned to believe that all setbacks are temporary, that America's greatness will never be challenged, and our military might will remain unparalleled in a world where we furnished many of the weapons that may be used against us.<br /><br />Rome, no doubt, felt the same: so convinced of its own greatness, not understanding that the enemy within was far greater than the enemy without, it became a victim of its own seeming invincibility--and was eventually overthrown by barbarian invaders.<br /><br />"When you stop and think about it, that makes no sense, but operant conditioning is all about eliciting the desired reaction rather than getting one to think."<br /><br />Precisely. The manipulators don't want people to think for themselves, as they crave to do the thinking for them--Rush Limbaugh with his legions of "Ditto-heads," and Fox News with it countless "little foxes, that spoil the vines."Black Diasporahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08890792781361839105noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3386976829639042251.post-42182421581169615972011-12-27T12:52:27.033-08:002011-12-27T12:52:27.033-08:00@Redeye: "Until the left gets it's own Fo...@Redeye: "Until the left gets it's own Fox News we are going to continue to fight an uphill battle with ignorance in action due to misinformation."<br /><br />If Fox News is where millions go to get their "daily bread," small wonder that Fox News viewers are some of this nation's most uninformed, and factually challenged.<br /><br />Not only does my brother-in-law keep his snout in this trough (Was that too harsh?), he eagerly bashes Obama in public, and freely castigates liberals as the cause of all the world's troubles. <br /><br />Fox News has ridden high in the ratings, beating out MSNBC and CNN for the top spot, regardless of the time slot, and demographic.<br /><br />I've said this before: What disturbs me more than a sly Fox News, are those who, because of their biases and bigotries, are drawn to this kind of rancid fare, and from it daily partake.Black Diasporahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08890792781361839105noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3386976829639042251.post-80782895719713636372011-12-27T12:02:06.701-08:002011-12-27T12:02:06.701-08:00"Would you believe over at Fox News the card ..."Would you believe over at Fox News the card has become the subject of some controversy,"<br /><br /><br />Let me think about that for a second.....HELL YES. It's Fox News. It's who they are and what they do.<br /><br />Until the left gets it's own Fox News we are going to continue to fight an uphill battle with ignorance in action due to misinformation.Redeyehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16726342951810334788noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3386976829639042251.post-14095779502807849162011-12-25T18:07:07.399-08:002011-12-25T18:07:07.399-08:00It wasn't but a few hours ago that I commented...It wasn't but a few hours ago that I commented about the Air Jordans on my facebook page. Here's what I said:<br /><br />"Maybe it's just me, but whenever I hear about a buying frenzy, I head in the opposite direction as I'm figuring that everyone buying is overpaying. Of course, my position on that might be different if I'm behind the counter doing the selling.<br /><br />In the waning days of Rome, they had bread and circuses for the people to keep them entertained and distracted from the dire circumstances that existed. There are many venues in America where bread and circuses are offered and this story illustrates this. Going out, getting trampled and getting into an altercation simply to spend $ 180 on a pair of shoes is entertainment for some I suppose, but it's really a reflection of the sad state of affairs in America."<br /><br />Yes, in a way, we've been trained in Pavlovian responses to prompts to consume and to be honest that trait is going to make matters much worst over the ensuing few months as people begin to grasp the true nature of our economic dilemma. It will be far worst than anyone has imagined and thanks to this conditioning, many are just simply unprepared. As this sets in, many of these same folks will wish they had that $ 180 back when they realize that those shoes can't be eaten.<br /><br />Christmas, as practiced here in America, is a created holiday designed specifically to benefit the retailers and all of the trappings are all about sales, marketing and getting our money. What sense does it make to give someone else a present on your birthday? When you stop and think about it, that makes no sense, but operant conditioning is all about eliciting the desired reaction rather than getting one to think.Greg Lhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16130586577590547845noreply@blogger.com