Comments on: A Dose of Realism http://dissidentvoice.org/2009/12/a-dose-of-realism/ a radical newsletter in the struggle for peace and social justice Thu, 08 Dec 2011 15:07:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: joed http://dissidentvoice.org/2009/12/a-dose-of-realism/#comment-61116 joed Thu, 03 Dec 2009 01:38:34 +0000 http://dissidentvoice.org/?p=12367#comment-61116 but what i find so valuable about DissidentVoice et al is that there are a few other citizens of the world--i am not so alone in my frustration. Tnx bozh, Cripes, author Petersen. yeah, bozh, i have held a sign at local farmers market since 02. sign reads, "war crimes are being committed in your name". my biggest concern is that i will get suckered into a pissin' contest with a patriot of some type. i don't expect to change anyones' mind. i hold sign for my self. at least i said something. didn't just let this shit happen--i said something and i was in public on the street--i was not in the FREE SPEACH ZONE but what i find so valuable about DissidentVoice et al is that there are a few other citizens of the world–i am not so alone in my frustration. Tnx bozh, Cripes, author Petersen.
yeah, bozh, i have held a sign at local farmers market since 02.
sign reads, “war crimes are being committed in your name”.
my biggest concern is that i will get suckered into a pissin’ contest with a patriot of some type. i don’t expect to change anyones’ mind. i hold sign for my self. at least i said something. didn’t just let this shit happen–i said something and i was in public on the street–i was not in the FREE SPEACH ZONE

]]> By: bozh http://dissidentvoice.org/2009/12/a-dose-of-realism/#comment-61105 bozh Wed, 02 Dec 2009 22:37:50 +0000 http://dissidentvoice.org/?p=12367#comment-61105 joed, u see it correctly, Instead of standing on street corners and telling passersby what is really going on, most people ost of the time preach to the right people. US governance and constitution allowas it precisely because what we say matters very little. Once the free speech wld matter, it wld be curbed or or banned. I have done some leafletting on the streets starting `97, when clinton anounced bombing of iraq. And again in late `02 or early `03. Even tho i wld say to people that no war protest ever even delayed a US aggression let alone prevented or stopped it once under way. But i did to for my own conscience, saying to self: not in my name! tnx joed, u see it correctly,
Instead of standing on street corners and telling passersby what is really going on, most people ost of the time preach to the right people.
US governance and constitution allowas it precisely because what we say matters very little.
Once the free speech wld matter, it wld be curbed or or banned.
I have done some leafletting on the streets starting `97, when clinton anounced bombing of iraq.
And again in late `02 or early `03. Even tho i wld say to people that no war protest ever even delayed a US aggression let alone prevented or stopped it once under way.
But i did to for my own conscience, saying to self: not in my name!
tnx

]]> By: joed http://dissidentvoice.org/2009/12/a-dose-of-realism/#comment-61103 joed Wed, 02 Dec 2009 22:20:50 +0000 http://dissidentvoice.org/?p=12367#comment-61103 yeah, that game of choices and consequences is only played when the doler of the consequnce wants to play. but, when are you folks gonna see that this site and the others like it are part of the masters plan for you all. this site is part of the FREE SPEACH ZONE the masters let you have. you feel like being here is making a difference but it ain't. being here is keeping you off the streets. but then oh well, at least you "think" you are helping. Being here is sorta' like the PLACIBO EFFECT isn't it! "...meanwhile our children will drink filthy water for the rest of their lives..." this from, "Big Darkness Soon Come" yeah, that game of choices and consequences is only played when the doler of the consequnce wants to play.
but, when are you folks gonna see that this site and the others like it are part of the masters plan for you all. this site is part of the
FREE SPEACH ZONE the masters let you have. you feel like being here is making a difference but it ain’t. being here is keeping you off the streets. but then oh well, at least you “think” you are helping. Being here is sorta’ like the PLACIBO EFFECT isn’t it!
“…meanwhile our children will drink filthy water for the rest of their lives…” this from, “Big Darkness Soon Come”

]]> By: Don Hawkins http://dissidentvoice.org/2009/12/a-dose-of-realism/#comment-61085 Don Hawkins Wed, 02 Dec 2009 18:54:43 +0000 http://dissidentvoice.org/?p=12367#comment-61085 Here's another dose of reality. Just saw a commercial on TV about health care. They told me to not vote for government run health care and to stand up for patents rights. That's government run is this where we use the S word or maybe the C word. You see people are now smarter than they have ever been and if you look the truth is out there. The private sector that's a Wall Street term know what's best for us that's why there private. Of course we could think in a new way. A human being is part of the whole called by us universe, a part limited in time and space. We experience ourselves, our thoughts and feelings as something separate from the rest. A kind of optical delusion of consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from the prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty. The true value of a human being is determined by the measure and the sense in which they have obtained liberation from the self. We shall require a substantially new manner of thinking if humanity is to survive. (Albert Einstein, 1954) I have a bad heart and need an operation and yes I have a preexisting condition born human to be denied just seems wrong. Many so called leaders have bad hearts I watch c-span and they aren't denied if I get a $3,000 dollar suit and talk like a second grader will that help? Here’s another dose of reality. Just saw a commercial on TV about health care. They told me to not vote for government run health care and to stand up for patents rights. That’s government run is this where we use the S word or maybe the C word. You see people are now smarter than they have ever been and if you look the truth is out there. The private sector that’s a Wall Street term know what’s best for us that’s why there private. Of course we could think in a new way.

A human being is part of the whole called by us universe, a part limited in time and space. We experience ourselves, our thoughts and feelings as something separate from the rest. A kind of optical delusion of consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from the prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty. The true value of a human being is determined by the measure and the sense in which they have obtained liberation from the self. We shall require a substantially new manner of thinking if humanity is to survive. (Albert Einstein, 1954)

I have a bad heart and need an operation and yes I have a preexisting condition born human to be denied just seems wrong. Many so called leaders have bad hearts I watch c-span and they aren’t denied if I get a $3,000 dollar suit and talk like a second grader will that help?

]]> By: Don Hawkins http://dissidentvoice.org/2009/12/a-dose-of-realism/#comment-61080 Don Hawkins Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:52:20 +0000 http://dissidentvoice.org/?p=12367#comment-61080 kalidas I don’t think, therefore I am not? How could you write such a thing. This is the twenty first century we have I-pods, cell phones, flat screen TV's to watch the information age in all it's glory we have Fox New's here in the States they are fair and balanced and CNN the wisdom is astounding not the worst of times the best of times and washing machines front load kind it's Christmas and time to shop lot's of stuff millions of things no billions made of plastic another miracle of the Universe and movie stars that we always' know what they are doing oh sure a few minor problems but our leaders today are now smarter than they have ever been. I think therefore I am not what you wrote how do you come up with stuff like that and let me add brilliant. I forgot we went to the moon next Mars and beyond. kalidas
I don’t think, therefore I am not? How could you write such a thing. This is the twenty first century we have I-pods, cell phones, flat screen TV’s to watch the information age in all it’s glory we have Fox New’s here in the States they are fair and balanced and CNN the wisdom is astounding not the worst of times the best of times and washing machines front load kind it’s Christmas and time to shop lot’s of stuff millions of things no billions made of plastic another miracle of the Universe and movie stars that we always’ know what they are doing oh sure a few minor problems but our leaders today are now smarter than they have ever been. I think therefore I am not what you wrote how do you come up with stuff like that and let me add brilliant. I forgot we went to the moon next Mars and beyond.

]]> By: kalidas http://dissidentvoice.org/2009/12/a-dose-of-realism/#comment-61071 kalidas Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:12:05 +0000 http://dissidentvoice.org/?p=12367#comment-61071 I don't think, therefore I am not? I don’t think, therefore I am not?

]]> By: Don Hawkins http://dissidentvoice.org/2009/12/a-dose-of-realism/#comment-61063 Don Hawkins Wed, 02 Dec 2009 16:15:55 +0000 http://dissidentvoice.org/?p=12367#comment-61063 And just maybe the little god's are not really in control of an out of control system but machines that are used to control said system. The black box tell's us to do this it was almost right last time. Is it one big machine no lot's of little machines. The little God's are now talking orders from the little machines. Feed the system feed the system. And just maybe the little god’s are not really in control of an out of control system but machines that are used to control said system. The black box tell’s us to do this it was almost right last time. Is it one big machine no lot’s of little machines. The little God’s are now talking orders from the little machines. Feed the system feed the system.

]]> By: bozh http://dissidentvoice.org/2009/12/a-dose-of-realism/#comment-61059 bozh Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:47:52 +0000 http://dissidentvoice.org/?p=12367#comment-61059 Cripes, yes, We do live in a culture of blaming the victims. It is the victimizers blaming the victimized. Such thinking is not confined to US; it is a world-wide trait. It has been around for at least 8k yrs. So, US overclasses had good teachers. tnx Cripes, yes,
We do live in a culture of blaming the victims. It is the victimizers blaming the victimized. Such thinking is not confined to US; it is a world-wide trait.
It has been around for at least 8k yrs.
So, US overclasses had good teachers. tnx

]]> By: Noor al Haqiqa http://dissidentvoice.org/2009/12/a-dose-of-realism/#comment-61051 Noor al Haqiqa Wed, 02 Dec 2009 14:19:33 +0000 http://dissidentvoice.org/?p=12367#comment-61051 It is about time this hogwash was called what it is ~ swill. These messages also make the beleagured feel guilty for not believing the spin and actually having the temerity to face facts which are, at times, grim. It is a great way to make people feel they are at fault when in reality, life is rarely fair, the odds are stacked against most of us. It also removes accountability from the true villains among us. I believe in accepting personal responsibility, but face it, there are outside factors. Hearing you have terminal cancer and are given a few weeks to set your affairs in order does not go away if you smile hard. Losing a parent and growing up in the system does not get better if you smile better. Can you imagine this "philosophy" cutting the mustard in AIDS inflicted Africa? or beleaguered Palestine? or what is left of Iraq? Purely Western idiocy. Thanks for the post. It is about time this hogwash was called what it is ~ swill.

These messages also make the beleagured feel guilty for not believing the spin and actually having the temerity to face facts which are, at times, grim.

It is a great way to make people feel they are at fault when in reality, life is rarely fair, the odds are stacked against most of us. It also removes accountability from the true villains among us.

I believe in accepting personal responsibility, but face it, there are outside factors. Hearing you have terminal cancer and are given a few weeks to set your affairs in order does not go away if you smile hard.

Losing a parent and growing up in the system does not get better if you smile better.

Can you imagine this “philosophy” cutting the mustard in AIDS inflicted Africa? or beleaguered Palestine? or what is left of Iraq?

Purely Western idiocy.

Thanks for the post.

]]> By: cripes http://dissidentvoice.org/2009/12/a-dose-of-realism/#comment-61027 cripes Wed, 02 Dec 2009 07:02:45 +0000 http://dissidentvoice.org/?p=12367#comment-61027 "positive thinking" goes along with "individual responsibility," "accountability" and "personal choice" as buzzwords of phony overclass propaganda designed to brainwash the slave classes into a beleif that their exploitation is their own fault. As long as they (we) continue to beleive we actually have any "choice" worth mentioning, then we will turn frustration inward, or perhaps, at other members of the exploited (those welfare queens!), istead of directing it at the power centers where all the significant decisions are made. I'm sick of hearing drivel about "personal responsibility" directed at the homeless, unemployed, and oppressed, who have no power at all. Maybe it's time we propagated the meme that social responsibility, that is, the choices made by powerful institutions and their owners, need more accountability, cause that's where the action is. We could start with, I dunno, universal health care, foreign wars, bankers bailouts, UNaffordable housing, and slave wages, to name a few. “positive thinking” goes along with “individual responsibility,” “accountability” and “personal choice” as buzzwords of phony overclass propaganda designed to brainwash the slave classes into a beleif that their exploitation is their own fault.

As long as they (we) continue to beleive we actually have any “choice” worth mentioning, then we will turn frustration inward, or perhaps, at other members of the exploited (those welfare queens!), istead of directing it at the power centers where all the significant decisions are made.

I’m sick of hearing drivel about “personal responsibility” directed at the homeless, unemployed, and oppressed, who have no power at all. Maybe it’s time we propagated the meme that social responsibility, that is, the choices made by powerful institutions and their owners, need more accountability, cause that’s where the action is.

We could start with, I dunno, universal health care, foreign wars, bankers bailouts, UNaffordable housing, and slave wages, to name a few.

]]> By: lichen http://dissidentvoice.org/2009/12/a-dose-of-realism/#comment-61002 lichen Tue, 01 Dec 2009 23:46:44 +0000 http://dissidentvoice.org/?p=12367#comment-61002 All of the "positive thinking" spiritual trash really makes me sick. These people are incapable of talking to others without criticizing the language used; as they beleive that goblins of the "universe" will come after you if you don't lie about your emotions, your life, and everything else in order to pretend that things are what they are not. This is easily seen in many places, such as the broadway musical 'rent' which preaches to, threatens, and abuses aids patients into following a bankrupt spiritual path. It is, ultimately, completely devoid of social justice; as if "thinking" or "visualizing" things one way or another means that you deserve better things in life than people who have not programmed themselves towards subjugation and self-blame ("if only I had been more positive, I wouldn't have been fired.) Barbara is correct about how this has invaded support groups with punitive, exclusive moralism as well; where people are seperated into "survivors" (the people who go along with the spiritualist positive forgiveness 12 step christian BS) and the "victims" (the hated people who suffered through abuse, addiction, etc but do not "follow the program" and ignore their emotions, their history, themselves in favor of "positivity.") No, life isn't decided by the false, abstract, baseless, disgusting concept of "positive thinking." Most of it is put into place by intentional policy from the upper levels of government. All of the “positive thinking” spiritual trash really makes me sick. These people are incapable of talking to others without criticizing the language used; as they beleive that goblins of the “universe” will come after you if you don’t lie about your emotions, your life, and everything else in order to pretend that things are what they are not. This is easily seen in many places, such as the broadway musical ‘rent’ which preaches to, threatens, and abuses aids patients into following a bankrupt spiritual path.

It is, ultimately, completely devoid of social justice; as if “thinking” or “visualizing” things one way or another means that you deserve better things in life than people who have not programmed themselves towards subjugation and self-blame (“if only I had been more positive, I wouldn’t have been fired.) Barbara is correct about how this has invaded support groups with punitive, exclusive moralism as well; where people are seperated into “survivors” (the people who go along with the spiritualist positive forgiveness 12 step christian BS) and the “victims” (the hated people who suffered through abuse, addiction, etc but do not “follow the program” and ignore their emotions, their history, themselves in favor of “positivity.”)

No, life isn’t decided by the false, abstract, baseless, disgusting concept of “positive thinking.” Most of it is put into place by intentional policy from the upper levels of government.

]]> By: brian http://dissidentvoice.org/2009/12/a-dose-of-realism/#comment-60968 brian Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:14:06 +0000 http://dissidentvoice.org/?p=12367#comment-60968 the placebo effect is used to deny alternative therapies any effect...Homeopathy, in particular, is treated at best as placebo. the placebo effect is used to deny alternative therapies any effect…Homeopathy, in particular, is treated at best as placebo.

]]> By: bozh http://dissidentvoice.org/2009/12/a-dose-of-realism/#comment-60953 bozh Tue, 01 Dec 2009 17:46:52 +0000 http://dissidentvoice.org/?p=12367#comment-60953 As one person had said, [positive thinking or anything else] Is just a word that we believed a thing. It seems to me a bit awkward to say it that way. What he meant, methinks, is that a label is a label and reality is reality. Or to understand it better, serotonin and other neurotransmitters in ur synapes and nervous system, can be called "thinkings", but the reality is never the word "thinkings".I say it in plural because it indicates some process is going on and unbelievably complex! Perhaps we weren't millennia ago so much label or word[s]oriented as we are now. I am not saying that words have no value. They do. But only if they come after seeing, touching, feeling, tasting, and smelling. Nearly all politico-sacerdotal talk rests solely on ideating-thinking-feeling and not on seeing, etc. So the entire wisdom may be in that old saw: show me; let me taste, and smell it. People have jumped into shallower water than they thought and got badly injured. Natch order of evaluation wld have prevente dthe jump. Priests and pols have taught us to reverse the natural method of evaluation which automaticly leads to peace of mind, gregariousness, cheerfulness and have supplanted it with 'teachings' that u first must believe and then look or not look at all. And the mess is on! And folks, nobody can smell or see a promise. So, when a pol, guru, or priest makes promises [both tacit and explicit] be wary. ?All may be lies! tnx As one person had said, [positive thinking or anything else] Is just a word that we believed a thing. It seems to me a bit awkward to say it that way.
What he meant, methinks, is that a label is a label and reality is reality.
Or to understand it better, serotonin and other neurotransmitters in ur synapes and nervous system, can be called “thinkings”, but the reality is never the word “thinkings”.I say it in plural because it indicates some process is going on and unbelievably complex!

Perhaps we weren’t millennia ago so much label or word[s]oriented as we are now. I am not saying that words have no value. They do. But only if they come after seeing, touching, feeling, tasting, and smelling.

Nearly all politico-sacerdotal talk rests solely on ideating-thinking-feeling and not on seeing, etc.
So the entire wisdom may be in that old saw: show me; let me taste, and smell it. People have jumped into shallower water than they thought and got badly injured. Natch order of evaluation wld have prevente dthe jump.
Priests and pols have taught us to reverse the natural method of evaluation which automaticly leads to peace of mind, gregariousness, cheerfulness and have supplanted it with ‘teachings’ that u first must believe and then look or not look at all. And the mess is on!

And folks, nobody can smell or see a promise. So, when a pol, guru, or priest makes promises [both tacit and explicit] be wary. ?All may be lies! tnx

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