Category: politics

Why We Need Counter Culture

By , August 23, 2007 8:00 pm

In modern western civilization there is a ruling class, although it is not generally acknowledged as such. We have a government – made up of politicians. These people determine things such as national and international policies and of course laws. They have enforcers – judges, lawyers and police officers. These things, taken in context, are not necessarily a bad thing. I scarcely think such a codependent culture like ours could function from day-to-day without them. So many people are taught in public school to conform, to obey, to respect and to depend on governmental services. Without those services, those who depend on them (as they have been raised) would be lost.

Some nations enjoy government sponsored health-care, which I dare say is a very noble undertaking in a capitalist society. It is far more humanitarian to decree that all shall have free access to doctors and surgeons than to charge them for these services. It is a very alarming thing indeed that in other countries health care providers would rather let another human being suffer or die over money. What a selfish and foolish concept – applying monetary value to saving a fellow being’s life!

My point is that to say “all forms of government sponsored social services are evil” is a reckless and fatal attitude to hold. However, blind faith and dependence on these services leaves the average soul in a weakened position. One has access to the social infrastructure, but only if one subscribes to it’s cultural values. Fall out of line and you risk arrest, or denial of these same services. Essentially it is a self-supporting codependent relationship.

Children raised to trust government because it does some good might fall into the trap of accepting that all that a government does is good. And why not? We live in a democratic society, do we not? We voted for these people, as a majority, so they have our best interests in mind, don’t they?

History tells us no, at least not always. One merely has to look at the rise of the Nazi Party in Germany last century to see that. What started as a campaign of social reform and rejuvenation for a battered country was steered drastically into World War II. It was done through propaganda and the government’s realization that they could influence and orchestrate cultural changes for their own ends. By the time it was realized at large that something very evil was going on – the Nazi’s had a stranglehold on popular culture, and the strength to shut down distention.

Counter culture can serve as a check of sorts, against the masses being led astray. It questions the authority of the government and it’s actions, and the wisdom of doing something just because everyone else is. It promotes a civilization’s people to look within their own selves and find meaning, instead of chasing the neatly packaged goals set out before them. Furthermore, as long as you can find individuals living by their own terms, freely, perhaps it can be gaged that not all is lost.

The Saddam Show’s Final Episode

By , November 5, 2006 12:08 pm

Anyone who’s heard anything about world events knows that Saddam Hussein has been on trial for crimes he committed as leader of Iraq. The crimes of humanity that it’s alluded that he committed where claimed by his government as the work of Iran. The US supported these claims and provided financial and military aid until 1990 (2 years after the end of the Iraq-Iran war), when George H. W. Bush (the current US President’s father) decided that was no longer the case. Is it any surprise that his son has now invaded Iraq, and put Saddam on a farce trial? I say farce because I don’t think was any doubt in anyone’s mind of the outcome, even before it started.

I don’t pretend to justify Saddam’s actions, however I do believe what the US has done to Iraq by far exceeds them in terms of bloodshed, disruption and inhumanity. It all leaves me with one question: When is Dubyah’s trial?

As a final note, Saddam wasn’t all the demon the ‘Coalition of the Willing’ would have you believe. During his tenure he introduced a Western-Style legal system instead of Islamic Law, increased Women’s freedoms as well as giving them high-level government and industry positions. These things are generally unheard of in Arabic nations.

I wasn’t there, and do not deign to know all the facts. I’m sure History will be the judge of it all, although it’s the victor who writes the books so we may never hear all sides.

War, Oil and Excess

By , August 28, 2006 1:37 pm

Just some food for thought:

Supposing the US did not attempt to invade other countries and gain control/influence over their oil supplies and the result of not doing so would be that the general populace would have to ease their reliance on the automobile.

How many more people do you suppose would be supportive of an invasion of Iraq given that scenario?

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