Corrupt Society

When Trump was sworn in, I came very close to investing in coal, oil and weapons. I don't have much and it would be an easy way for a person like me to make some extra this year and for the next several years. I decided against it and I will just keep saving what I can toward that sailboat I'll someday acquire. I can live without it, I'd still rather have my honor and self respect than some extra money. I'll stick with the high yield savings account and I enjoy my work.

It got me to thinking that getting ahead in our society requires a certain selfish devotion to acquisition despite any harm done to others. It got me to thinking about this thing, which I have long known of and perceived clearly in a way that started to hit even more at home. Society seems to reward the very worst traits in humanity. Avarice, duplicity, usury and parasitism are qualities that make for success in our society whereas some of the best qualities do not. Integrity, honor and compassion do not make for a good hustler.

I have always known this, and I have always known that the same holds true in the pursuit of political power. I was highly literate from a young age, having read classical literature as a teenager. Macbeth was easy enough for me to understand. Machiavelli seemed to me a satirist. Grasping the intricacies of sociopolitical ideologies came later. As I branched out to understand many of them, I embraced some ideological tendencies and rejected others. I found that some were applicable to the time and place where they arose but the human corruption was always the same. The major flaw in every system, socialist and capitalist alike is the same, human corruption.

More recently, I have gotten my hands on some books by Hesse. I really like Steppenwolf. Timothy Leary loved it before he advised a generation to "turn on, tune in and drop out". I liked it because here was an author who was extremely unpopular with his contemporaries in his society. He went down as one of the greatest authors but he was an Aryan German of high social standing who wrote ill of fascism while Hitler was Fuhrer. His society did not appreciate his integrity and his love of jazz music and psychotropic substances.

Several years ago I resolved to just live my life, to enjoy what is on this planet before it is ruined. I love this world and the divine beauty of nature. The interconnectedness of species and ecosystems and the interdependent evolutionary paths that created the diversity of life. I saw myself carrying the weight of the world on my back, believing I could change our society. I saw clearly that my own optimism was costing me my chance to enjoy it freely while my civilization was designated an extinction event by our intellectual leadership. My cynicism set me free of that burden.

I suppose that's not entirely true. I have spent a lot of time and very hard work on volunteer projects to help build artificial reef structures that will benefit future generations in foreign countries. I often point to it as my contribution to society. So I'm not completely cynical yet, nor am I free from a desire to change the world.

I'm just rambling but if anyone wants to write something or post pictures go ahead.

abandonconflict said:

When Trump was sworn in, I came very close to investing in coal, oil and weapons. I don't have much and it would be an easy way for a person like me to make some extra this year and for the next several years. I decided against it and I will just keep saving what I can toward that sailboat I'll someday acquire. I can live without it, I'd still rather have my honor and self respect than some extra money. I'll stick with the high yield savings account and I enjoy my work.

It got me to thinking that getting ahead in our society requires a certain selfish devotion to acquisition despite any harm done to others. It got me to thinking about this thing, which I have long known of and perceived clearly in a way that started to hit even more at home. Society seems to reward the very worst traits in humanity. Avarice, duplicity, usury and parasitism are qualities that make for success in our society whereas some of the best qualities do not. Integrity, honor and compassion do not make for a good hustler.

I have always known this, and I have always known that the same holds true in the pursuit of political power. I was highly literate from a young age, having read classical literature as a teenager. Macbeth was easy enough for me to understand. Machiavelli seemed to me a satirist. Grasping the intricacies of sociopolitical ideologies came later. As I branched out to understand many of them, I embraced some ideological tendencies and rejected others. I found that some were applicable to the time and place where they arose but the human corruption was always the same. The major flaw in every system, socialist and capitalist alike is the same, human corruption.

More recently, I have gotten my hands on some books by Hesse. I really like Steppenwolf. Timothy Leary loved it before he advised a generation to "turn on, tune in and drop out". I liked it because here was an author who was extremely unpopular with his contemporaries in his society. He went down as one of the greatest authors but he was an Aryan German of high social standing who wrote ill of fascism while Hitler was Fuhrer. His society did not appreciate his integrity and his love of jazz music and psychotropic substances.

Several years ago I resolved to just live my life, to enjoy what is on this planet before it is ruined. I love this world and the divine beauty of nature. The interconnectedness of species and ecosystems and the interdependent evolutionary paths that created the diversity of life. I saw myself carrying the weight of the world on my back, believing I could change our society. I saw clearly that my own optimism was costing me my chance to enjoy it freely while my civilization was designated an extinction event by our intellectual leadership. My cynicism set me free of that burden.

I suppose that's not entirely true. I have spent a lot of time and very hard work on volunteer projects to help build artificial reef structures that will benefit future generations in foreign countries. I often point to it as my contribution to society. So I'm not completely cynical yet, nor am I free from a desire to change the world.

I'm just rambling but if anyone wants to write something or post pictures go ahead.

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Good read I am also a fan of Hesse I would highly recommend Siddhartha. You make some solid points you can't get involved in the insanity of humanity or you will lose yourself and become part of the insanity yourself, but that does not mean we can not help others and improve the well being of others and ourselves. Sometimes that means not doing anything at all, to not react to the insanity of people and thereby losing your own sanity.

We have to realize that ultimately nothing is important, if you are building a house then it is very important that you lay the foundation first, but when you realize that even the construction of the house is not actually important then how important is the laying of the foundation. By realizing that "no thing" is important you transcend the material world and the world becomes powerless to upset you, to others it may seem that you are uncaring but you are caring just in a more authentic and productive way than giving in to the thoughts and emotions of society which is insane.

But I do not agree that humanity is doomed I mean surely we will all die off eventually but there is a cure for this collective insanity, for us to regain our own sanity and thereby transforming the thought process of the collective to a more positive and productive view of the world.

If you are interested in learning more I would recommend " A New Earth " by Eckhart Tolle I think someone of your mindset would really appreciate this book. Very wise man well worth the $15.