Open Thread 03-11-22 - Some of Them Were Angry
NOTE:The title and much of the quoted text are from Jackson Browne's brilliant Before the Deluge
Some of them were dreamers
And some of them were fools
Who were making plans and thinking of the future
With the energy of the innocent
They were gathering the tools
They would need to make their journey back to nature
While the sand slipped through the opening
And their hands reached for the golden ring
With their hearts they turned to each other's hearts for refuge
In the troubled years that came before the deluge
As we head into the abyss...
For far too long far too many of us have mostly ended up just going along with some of the worst acts against humanity, ever. Either in outright denial of reality or via superhuman feats of rationalization...or by being misled in one way or another, or by simple exhaustion, pummeled as we are by the constant torrent of media-borne propaganda.
In our time we find ourselves mired down in a pig-headed system, divorced from reality and blind to consequences, in which we are played by fake-ass politicians, cheap carney hucksters in Brooks Brothers suits whose souls were sold a long time ago to Wall Street, Corporate America and the Military Industrial Complex.
Fly-by-night politicians shine the public on as they grab all they can for themselves, tomorrow be hanged. Climate change? Pfffft, what's that? The billionaires hate it (because greed makes you stupid), so they'll just keep blathering and stalling. That's what they are paid for.
Look where it's brought us:
A shallow culture, obsessed with trivial matters, and dangerously ignorant of important things. Our culture, broadly speaking, is out of touch with deep wisdom, with little or no meaningful connection to the earth and the cosmos, to other peoples or to our own history. We have the unique and dubious honor of inhabiting the plastic land described by the hippies of the 60s...only worse - a superficial place where nothing matters more than celebrity, sports, entertainment and money. Mostly money. Our politics, rendered down to the pure fat, is no longer about ideology, other than that which has attached itself to the worship of money above all other things. The worship of Mammon, if you like. You know it by its battle cry, 'tax cuts for the rich!'
Some of them knew pleasure
And some of them knew pain
And for some of them it was only the moment that mattered
And on the brave and crazy wings of youth
They went flying around in the rain
And their feathers, once so fine, grew torn and tattered
And in the end they traded their tired wings
For the resignation that living brings
And exchanged love's bright and fragile glow
For the glitter and the rouge
And in a moment they were swept before the deluge
All this cheap and shallow meaninglessness is infused with a false patriotism and a bullheaded belief in the infallibility and essential goodness, nay, greatness of America. No matter what – against any and all evidence to the contrary. No matter how many bombs we drop, how many immigrants we kick in the teeth, how many children we rip from the arms of their loving parents, no matter how many countries we ruin.
The biting truths of our actual history and present realities are often ignored or glossed over in public schools. Things deemed too controversial are often dodged altogether, never mentioned. My son graduated high school without learning the first thing about the Vietnam war, except from me. The right-wing conservative push against educating the public hath wrought its results. They succeeded, to some substantial degree, in dulling the public mind.
Many Americans are obviously either disinclined or incapable of making an honest and rational assessment of our nation, its history or its present outsized negative impact on world peace, human rights, environmental degradation, global warming, etc. We Americans are too often led by the nose by people who do not have our best interests at heart, nor the world's, and who are manifestly incapable of making wise decisions. Most Americans, like most others, are good people but the ones who have landed in charge are not. Objectively, they are not good for the future of our species.
It's all less surprising that this ugliness has crept into the heart of the nation when you consider that ours is the most highly propagandized society ever, and that we are dominated by ruthless greed-maddened authoritarians. It's undeniably true and it's had a profound effect on our culture. The modern masters have honed the art and science of propaganda to high art indeed. And their tools are more powerful by the day. The ruling elite hire masters of manipulation and pay them king's ransoms for their powers to dupe us.
They do all this while attacking and sabotaging public education in order to better subjugate and impose suffering on the masses to keep 'em in line. It's all about the selfish greed of the stupid rich. Their runaway greed makes them blind and foolish, hardly the ones we need leading us into the future. They've done enough damage already. They stand on the world stage, naked before the world.
We live in a fake Disneyland bubble of their making, purposely constructed to distract and dazzle the rubes, while the slick boys make off with the treasure. It's a land where Kardashians are enormously important, and the plight and struggles of the poor are not. It's a place where it's not worth dwelling on wars and stuff or how we can pitch in and make life better for the homeless, the ill, the imprisoned, the wretched. We are now a place where it makes sense to cut taxes on the richest of the rich while turning away from helping the needy. A land where no one worries about the future. A fairy tale land where it's reasonable to doubt climate science, support unnecessary wars, tolerate police violence and racial discrimination or homophobia and pretend like nothing bad will ever come of such foolishness, such hatefulness.
Television in particular and the media in general have warped reality to suit their singularly self-interested owners. They have done society a grave disservice by misusing their powers to confuse, manipulate and mislead the public mind. And no one has overestimated the power of visual media. Its power is great indeed. If anything, we've underestimated it. That power can be used for good or ill, and it's been, in many cases, not only misused but criminally so.
In many profound ways, and largely because of the willful misuse of the power of television, or by yielding to the usual powers, modern society embodies George Orwell's dystopian novel, 1984. Only our high-tech, high-security surveillance state is more powerful, ubiquitous and insidious than even Orwell could imagine. Not that I'd take anything away from him. He channeled the future like he was drinking water. Pure genius.
“War is peace.
Freedom is slavery.
Ignorance is strength.”~ George Orwell, 1984
I want to propose some points for Americans to ponder, forgive me for belaboring the obvious:
Do you think that the military industrial complex (or whatever permutation of that you prefer) is moral, defensible, sustainable or justifiable?
Do you think it's good for the nation?
Do you think it exemplifies our principles as a nation and a people?
Do you think it's worth it?
These are the kinds of things we've been, in effect, duped into saying yes to. Many of us. With, presumably, varying degrees of consciousness or actual agreement involved.
Some better questions might include:
Do you think the Military Industrial Complex thrives on war and is thus a threat to peace?
Can you think of better ways to spend those trillions?
Can you imagine a society with trillions to spend on infrastructure, science, technology, humanity, the arts and making life dramatically better for everyone?
Is the long term well-being of humanity and the planet important?
Have we used the power of television and the media wisely and for the benefit of humanity?
Is it wrong to intentionally mislead the public?
Is it wrong to kill people for profit?
Is it wrong to profit off the sick and suffering?
Is it wrong to profit off of war?
Shouldn't peace and reason be our highest goals?
Isn't posterity a thing?
Aren't we all in this together?
Have our elected 'leaders' served us well?
Can't we do better than this?
Let the music keep our spirits high
Let the buildings keep our children dry
Let creation reveal its secrets by and by, by and by
When the light that's lost within us reaches the sky
If we weren't spending trillions on war, we'd have trillions to make everything better.
Life could be a dream.
Just imagine.
“The best books... are those that tell you what you know already.”
~ George Orwell, 1984
Television hypnotized America. The Internet can wake it up.
Some of them were angry
At the way the earth was abused
By the men who learned how to forge her beauty into power
And they struggled to protect her from them
Only to be confused
By the magnitude of her fury in the final hour
And when the sand was gone and the time arrived
In the naked dawn only a few survived
And in attempts to understand a thing so simple and so huge
Believed that they were meant to live after the deluge
Let the music keep our spirits high
Let the buildings keep our children dry
Let creation reveal it's secrets by and by, by and by
When the light that's lost within us reaches the sky
Let us all remember that everything is connected.
Comments
Good morning folks...
I've oft wondered what OPOL would have to say about the current political zeitgeist. I think this essay is appropos in its message, both then and now.
I pondered whether to publish this in OPOL's name or my own, I think it's much more effective using his moniker. Having gotten to know OPOL rather well over the years I'm sure he'd have no problem with this repost, hell, I can hear him say "Fuck yeah" in my memory's ear right now.
Anyhow, I thought you'd all enjoy re-reading this piece. Its message is even more urgent now than it was in 2018.
Outstanding.
He is very badly missed. Rest well, OPOL...
Twice bitten, permanently shy.
Agreed...
he was a great man.
Morning, C99
What a way to start the day! The abyss we are heading towards so rapidly now was articulated beautifully by OPOL.
Let me add some morning items:
Lavrov describes the Existential Fight Russia is engaged in. (added by me, The Side With The Most To Lose Never Gives in)
Final bit for now-----Iran Nuclear talks in Vienna Break Down.
This is as surprising as saying that Guantanamo will remain open for the forseeable future.
NYCVG
Yes...
as timely today as it was in 2018.
What strikes me is, beyond the kinetic hostilities in Ukraine, the target of this initial economic war is everyone on the planet. This isn't just a battle of military forces, we all have bullseyes on our backs.
Good morning...
So nice to glimpse OPOL's wisdom again.
Round and round we go on the war profit machine and propaganda cycle.
I keep wondering if people have forgotten WMD? They lie, they lie, they lie.
Scott Ritter has been making the rounds and interjecting a little sanity. Here he is with George...
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lh4ClXnv9w8]
Thanks for the OT and OPOL's wisdom!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Good morning lo...
It's almost unbelievable that Ukraine (or whomever) would think that they could build biological labs near Russia without Russian Intelligence being aware of it. It doesn't make sense, but a lot of things don't make sense nowadays, do they?
difficult to get reliable info...
but my understanding is they were some of the first bombed targets. TPTB are very foolish to underestimate Russia.
We're in for a cold weekend. We've got to cover our few planted beds and blooming blueberries this afternoon to weather the high teens Sunday AM...30's all day tomorrow. Then back to the 60's and 70's next week.
Take care and thanks again!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Apropos:
Life is full of infinite absurdities, which, strangely enough, do not even need to appear plausible, since they are true.
--Luigi Pirandello
be well and have a good one
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
So nice to have you back!
Computer issues can be a total damper on our days.
NYCVG
many thanks...
Glad to be back, and the repair was less than $50 which delighted me.
Wonder how long this 15YO computer will function? Seems daunting to shop for a new one, but probably should.
All the best!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Old PC new PC
hi and thank you for dropping that benjamin on me last week, it fed me well until the March income arrived and now it is back on the transition pile of cash savings.
My newest rig is twelve years old, I realized after griping at zed2 that time what I see here is not what iPhonePadThing users or Windows users see. Or even other Linux users! Except the text, that is the same. lol Anyway, if I had to buy something new I'd look at framework laptops, because I am a die-hard DIYer. Their site is frame.work and they only have one option so far but it is fun to shop even if not buying right now. They are not a BIG corporation, yet. Good luck!
Thanks for posting this
I posted it the EBs and hoped people took a glance at it because it’s message is just so awesome.
Take the time to watch it. You’ll be glad you did. I’m relistening to it. The one I posted has more from Galloway that is worth hearing.
Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.
….
Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.
I caught it live with many good interviews....
...but was delighted to see it clipped with Scott's interview featured.
This was also good from late Feb.
The Ukraine Crisis with Dan Cohen and Scott Ritter
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
This is exactly as I have been believing the last couple weeks.
"I’m a human being, first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.” —Malcolm X
Sadly this is no longer true
Television hypnotized America. The Internet can wake it up.
Almost every website that deals more in the truth has been banned and now all that’s left is media outlets that just parrot what they are told to say. Biden’s WH is saying that Putin alone is responsible for the high gas prices and people believe it.
That goes back to what OPOL said about what people are being taught in school. Every person decrying the slaughter in Ukraine has stayed silent when it has been their own country doing the slaughter.
The comment is from an article about Russia destroying the hospital, but do people even know how many hospitals their country has destroyed? Or how many millions of people who have been killed by our military or our brutal sanctions? We watched in horror as social media has censored one person after another because they refused to parrot what their government was saying. And the masses cheered. Now we are watching every website that was telling another side of the story about what is happening in Ukraine being removed and now all that is left are ones whose job is to spread propaganda and twist reality into what the PTB wants us to believe it is. And since millions of Americans have jettisoned their critical thinking skills they think that reality is true. As Joe said, it’s going to be hard coming back from this. I wouldn’t even know where to start.
Remember that documentary about how Fox News has warped so many minds and that the left laughed at those whose minds had been? I wish they would buy a mirror and take a glance into it because they would see themselves in it.
I don’t think OPOL had any idea how bad this would get. Or maybe he did and that’s why he kept writing about it. Timely essay. It needs to go viral.
Thanks for posting it again, JtC.
Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.
Good morning Johnny. Thanks ever so much for
republishing that sadly timeless column. Timely then, timely now, and, one fears, perpetually. It should be required reading throughout the land, even for and among those who never read Orwell or Camus or listened to Zappa, Browne, Baez or any of the rest.
be well and have a good one
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
Henry Wallace knew this long ago
Lies, lies lies, that's all the empire has left
https://jessescrossroadscafe.blogspot.com/
I never knew that the term "Never Again" only pertained to
those born Jewish
"Antisemite used to be someone who didn't like Jews
now it's someone who Jews don't like"
Heard from Margaret Kimberley
The awesome power of nature
This happened once where I walked in California. The river was hundreds of yards away from the path along the hill next to the golf course and it got flooded and when I returned a few hours later to get photos it was back in it’s bank and hard to tell it had ever flooded. I was gobsmacked.
Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.
TPTB say that one should not speak out against the official
narrative or you will see consequences! You will believe what we say is the truth.
Not sure if the first tweet is accurate but it seems about right.
Sometimes cartoons speak the truth.
Peace Out!
Thank you JtC. Seeing OPOL on the front page heals what ails me. Thanks a lot.
youtube
this video is private
then why did you upload it
this video is public/private
OIC
Oops! Sometimes actions have unintended consequences.
https://theconversation.com/ukraine-how-the-global-fertiliser-shortage-i...
Do you think the the US and its puppets thought of what is instore before their latest moves?
I don't think they thought at all n/t
There is no justice. There can be no peace.
Well I think that Biden's handlers thought that the "Tough Guy"
stance would improvehis atrocious polling numbers
In the short term it seems to have worked. Unfortunately the repercussions will impact us and the rest of the world negatively in a profound way and it going to get much worse.
Moreover my understanding is that
in Russia the use of poisons like glyphosate is prohibited -- a policy that both bars corporate infuence and affects production in cost and the health of the food/grain and those who produce it especially. My impression is that a great deal of farming is still done locally by people who own their land.
The book Rediscovering Collapse (Dmitry Orlov. 2008) helped me understand a bit more.
When OPOL left for Costa Rico,
I asked him to make sure he kept in touch, and kept me fed with pics of sloths, my big fave wild animal, right there next to my ultimate fave, the Honey Badger.
The whole time he was there, finding peace, some tranquility, a tidge of love, he reported regularly, he had not seen a sloth.
He was a true believer in love, and peace, and nothing in his somewhat tragic life swayed him. I hope his son carries his flag for him.
I am hoping some global reckoning occurs. Peace. Love. It is our only way forward. No more war. Never war.
Peace out, indeed.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Thank you JtC for the reprise of OPOL’s epic post.
I started with Before the Deluge performance and was cracked open by the lyrics. It was a while before I was clear eyed enough to read the rest.
Prophetic and powerful, I felt echos of the hopes and dreams of my youth, lost to capitulation to the system, seen as as a necessity in our child rearing years, now returning to a more inner life, long neglected, in this my nascent dotage. Like coming home to what’s most important, as the carnage of power continues its rampage.
Orwell, OPOL and others held a steady bead on the tools of ‘The Man’ and the grave danger they posed to life itself on our only planet. They knew, and did not forget. My thanks go out to them all for their vigilance and the traces left behind.
Capitalism is the extraordinary belief that the nastiest of men for the nastiest of motives will somehow work for the benefit of all."
- John Maynard Keynes