Sat May 23, 2020, 07:08 PM

Do You Ever Feel Brainwashed?

I am having this weird feeling (that I would like to ignore), that our government, no matter what party, is only doing what is in the best interests of corporations, and if we're lucky, it will be good for us, but that's a crap shoot, and if our government has to choose between the 1% and the ordinary US Citizen, we're getting the shaft.

The "brainwash" is believing that the government looks out for us. That the CDC protects us, that the FDA protects us, that the EPA protects us. In three years, it has been very clear that these three organizations can be corrupted OR crippled for the good of the 1%. But what if it's not just the last 3 years. What of this has been going on for decades. That the food we eat may or may not be safe depending on whether the FDA was bribed. The drugs we take may or may not be safe depending on whether the FDA was being lenient. Our water may or may not be safe, depending on whether the EPA had political backing.

There are a bunch of men with AK-47s storming capitols because they are convinced that the government is "out to get them".

I am starting to think that the truth is somewhere in between.

And I don't want to ignore it, but I don't know what to do about it.

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8 replies	Author	Time	Post
Do You Ever Feel Brainwashed? (Original post)	qwlauren35	May 2020	OP
I feel I was brainwashed when I ate animals. Government funding of factory farms and the military	mucifer	May 2020	#1
Corporations are not going away.	LakeArenal	May 2020	#2
Money $ick assholes, it's bananas, they are just ill from power and greed stuck on MORE MORE MORE?	Brainfodder	May 2020	#6
K&R, I'm feeling like this is pre Iraq war "shock and awe" and the stupid assed media is going along	uponit7771	May 2020	#3
Every republic that has ever existed has been an oligarchy.	Laelth	May 2020	#4
OK	qwlauren35	May 2020	#7
Take pride in the fact that you are a liberal.	Laelth	May 2020	#8
My sentiment has been that the covers have been pulled back and "America" is a sham.	chowder66	May 2020	#5

Response to qwlauren35 (Original post)

Sat May 23, 2020, 07:13 PM

mucifer (22,076 posts)

1. I feel I was brainwashed when I ate animals. Government funding of factory farms and the military

I actually worry that the supreme court has allowed the electoral college to be bribed.

Yeah, I think there's some brainwashing.

I think there is also a reason Jimmy Carter went into office with a huge beautiful smile and came out looking sad. I believe he had to do things he really did not want to do.

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Response to qwlauren35 (Original post)

Sat May 23, 2020, 07:15 PM

LakeArenal (25,229 posts)

2. Corporations are not going away.

Politicians courting that money won’t go away.

No I don’t feel brainwashed. I see brainwashed. I am pretty sure it isn’t me.

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Response to LakeArenal (Reply #2)

Sat May 23, 2020, 07:23 PM

Brainfodder (5,456 posts)

6. Money $ick assholes, it's bananas, they are just ill from power and greed stuck on MORE MORE MORE?

Moscow Mitch and the Mrs. are insanely wealthy, WTF is he doing this evil shit routine for if not the above?

It sure aint serving the citizenry, except some rich assholes?
Does a good Moscow Mitch feel good everyone story even exist?

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Response to qwlauren35 (Original post)

Sat May 23, 2020, 07:17 PM

uponit7771 (88,280 posts)

3. K&R, I'm feeling like this is pre Iraq war "shock and awe" and the stupid assed media is going along

... despite all the evidence showing Red Don is full of crap.

This time 50,000 more people might get killed than necessary

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Response to qwlauren35 (Original post)

Sat May 23, 2020, 07:20 PM

Laelth (32,014 posts)

4. Every republic that has ever existed has been an oligarchy.

The United States is a republic. Therefore, it is an oligarchy. We just have to accept this fact. Oligarchies can be benevolent (if they are liberal—if they are dedicated to spreading the wealth that capitalism generates to ALL the people), or they can be malevolent (if they are dedicated to concentrating wealth in the hands of the richest and most powerful among us).

I am a capitalist and a liberal. I favor a benign oligarchy that enriches us all, but I will not deceive myself by thinking that the United States isn’t an oligarchy. It is, for better or for worse.

Accepting the truth as you perceive it IS NOT brainwashing. It’s just painful acceptance of truths that your previous belief system could not encompass.

-Laelth

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Response to Laelth (Reply #4)

Sat May 23, 2020, 07:37 PM

qwlauren35 (5,480 posts)

7. OK

Sounds like I need a bit of schooling so I can lower my expectations.

Thanks for your words. They bring a strange comfort.

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Response to qwlauren35 (Reply #7)

Sat May 23, 2020, 07:41 PM

Laelth (32,014 posts)

8. Take pride in the fact that you are a liberal.

You accept oligarchy. You just want a benevolent oligarchy that works to improve the lives of ALL the country’s citizens.

The Most Serene Republic of Venice (also an oligarchy) lasted for 900 years. Liberal government is the way that they did it. Be proud to be a liberal.

-Laelth

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Response to qwlauren35 (Original post)

Sat May 23, 2020, 07:20 PM

chowder66 (7,734 posts)

5. My sentiment has been that the covers have been pulled back and "America" is a sham.

It's a giant lie. Nothing works as it's supposed to and everything has a loophole.

I do think our party tries to make it work the way it should for the most part but Republicans have been so neck deep in the machinations behind the scenes for so long they have created a nightmare that only works for the top 5% of them.

The only way we will ever get this back on track and headed in the right direction is when Democrats retain the Presidency and the majority for at least 12 to 16 years. It's not just democrats getting screwed, it's their own party and those who support them are most definitely brainwashed.

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