We have met the enemy and they is us.

[Ripley]

I grew up reading Walt Kelly's Pogo and even named a cat after that character.

Kelly's satirical comics were pretty damn observant about America's social and political hypocrisies and absurdities.

Rod Serling's Twilight Zone was another beautiful display of Art describing the dark side of America. Many of his "futuristic" scenarios are happening right now in living color.

Those voices were read or seen in most newspapers or on TV during prime time.

What have we become as a nation where voices such as theirs would not be "allowed" to be read or seen? Nothing even comes close to those artists in the papers or on the Tee Vee today.

Forced and accepted conformity and fear has driven this country into an artistic and honest self-analytical black hole.

For Kelly, the real fight to preserve American democracy takes place on the microcosmic battleground of the individual psyche, and the real enemy is not a venal politician but the human susceptibility to fear, ignorance, and the conformity: "Pogo is Kelly's great satire on the unnatural behavior of human beings who live like marionettes--slaves to the repression of their society." Porky Pine, the resident philosopher of Kelly's Okefenokee Swamp, summarizes the problem in a 1952 panel: "Eventually ever' man gotta face the problem of tryin'to figger if it's worthwhile to prove that he is himself." Pogo encourages its readers to answer in the affirmative.

Why do so many choose to be lulled by mesmerizing sound bites and despise those who point out the depths of the depravity?

[Hydra]

1. Because they don't want to see

People turn away from the things they do not want to accept. As an advocate and an artist, I can tell you that most people don't want to see through my eyes.

That doesn't stop my from trying to do it, though.

[melody]

3. Who are "they"? What do you think they don't see?

Just wondering.

[Hydra]

5. I used to advocate for kidnap victims

And I spend my time now teaching people about economics. Almost everyone I talk to seems to live in a bubble of what they want to believe about the world. They pretend to care(at least about the kidnap victims), but then they say "what can I do?" and promptly run off.

I've only had a handful of successful conversions, but at least those were powerful. Those people are now well-equipped to go teach others.

[lonestarnot]

6. Interesting. What did you teach people about kidnap victims when they asked what can I do?

[Hydra]

10. The problem is that they were not asking what they could do

They were stating that it didn't concern them by feigning powerlessness. One category of people never did that to me- people who were previous victims of sexual abuse or had friends or loved ones who were similarly abused.

Now, the revelations that the NSA is spying on everyone make me sick to my stomach. They KNOW where most of these kids are, and they know who and where the traffickers are for the organized crime variation.

Do they do anything about it? No. They opt to fudge the numbers instead.

Epic fail.

[melody]

7. 90% of everything is crap - Sturgeon's Law

However, I personally think everyone has their own type of perception that may not be obvious. They may care in other ways.
They may have other "equipment". Only about 10-20% of the population is truly sociopathic.

[Hydra]

9. Sociopathy is trumped by apathy

Or worse, victim blaming.

The truth is that most people would rather whine about the world or ignore it rather than make the solid steps to change it.

[melody]

2. It's that very "blaming the people" psychology they've used against us

It is the fault of the government. They know more about things we are not allowed to know. They are more powerful than any of us.

[bean fidhleir]

12. They're more powerful than any of us, but NOT more powerful than ALL of us

And not even as powerful as MOST of us - acting together.

[Fire Walk With Me]

4. Read my Journal.

Very unpopular stuff, but I believe it to be true (and have had too much accuracy in extrapolating their agenda for some to be comfortable).

The only question remaining is what is their agenda and how far are they willing to go to accomplish it? I'm not a troll, I'm not a defeatist, I'm just sick of Reagan and Bush and Democrats who also act like Reagan and Bush and then expect something new.

[Ripley]

13. Yes.

I'm just sick of Reagan and Bush and Democrats who also act like Reagan and Bush and then expect something new.

Isn't that the whole damned frustrating, mind-blowing, blood-boiling thing in a nutshell? Does anyone even remember the ABB campaign? This is not ancient history, folks. What the Hell happened with the 2006 100 days of change other than raising the minimum wage a pittance?

Dems hedge on healthcare
By Manu Raju
Posted: 04/23/08 08:17 PM

Congressional Democrats are backing away from healthcare reform promises made by their two presidential candidates, saying that even if their party controls the White House and Congress, sweeping change will be difficult.

It is still seven months before Election Day, but already senior Democrats are maneuvering to lower public expectations on the key policy issue.

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/dems-hedge-on-healthcare-2008-04-23.html

Lowered expectations. Bait and switch. Or, how about simply a CON GAME?

[opihimoimoi]

8. We have seen the SOLUTIONS but they have been kidnapped and held in some strange prison

Time for Rescue party and moving ahead....

[sourmilk]

11. There are a lot scarier than Walt Kelly out there.

Philip K. Dick, for one, and John Brunner for another. USAmerican Prophets, both.

[Ripley]

14. Have read both of those authors.

(My point was about mass dissemination via newspapers and TV)

There is more to "Blade Runner" than meets the eye. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep was more about loss of Humanity than it was about Good Cops hunting down rogue Synthetics.