A Brief History Of Civilization: Three Crazy Ideas

Many years ago civilization took a turn for the worst, about the time of the Romans. A few mutant crazy humans decided that some people were special, and others were not. Some people deserved all the wealth they could finagle from others, and screw everybody else. This modest sophistry, enabled the humans with that dysfunctional frame of mind, to become the wealthy leaders and make the rules. The sane humans, concerned with their children and care of the planet, missed most of this because it was irrational to believe that anyone would want to rule the world. These crazy people became the Roman Empire and spawned more crazy people, who believed just like them.

As far as I can tell, humans have always believed that killing someone was OK, if they didn't agree with you. Murder is the ultimate form of persuasion. This is especially true of religion, at least according to the old saw that goes something like, "...more people have died in the name of religion than any other.." I'm sure you've heard it. Apparently, it is true. Armed with this simple idea, the crazy Romans went forth and conquered the sane people. The insanity was transmitted to the conquered, usually by way of rape and slavery, which spawned still more crazy people, who believed just like them.

Now this is a strictly personal opinion, and I'm not sure how to phrase it without insulting someone. Therefore, I will try to be succinct: Anyone who believes in any religion is crazy.

For that matter, Anyone who believes in any religion is an idiot. I don 't believe I can put it any more plainly than that. The religion doesn't matter. It is the need and willingness to believe that identifies that most common Human neuroses. It only gets truly crazy, when you are willing to kill others who don't believe in your version of the Fairy Tale. So, with the righteous power of God (s) behind them, the various Crazy People (not just Romans any more) conquered the infidels. By virtue of torture, rape, murder and slavery, they spawned still more crazy people, who believed just like them. (As long as we're at it, most of the old Fairy Tales, are more reasonable explanations than Creation Theory. )

By stirring these three erroneous premises into the rise of civilization, things are much clearer. Here they are in summary:

1. I'm special and you are not.


2. It is OK to kill you if: you don't agree with me, or have something I want


3. My religion is the only true faith (see 1 and 2)

The popularity of these three erroneous premises, have led us from the Roman Empire, to the fragmented Roman kingdoms. From there to the British Empire and eventually to the Bush Neocons. All of whom accepted the three crazy ideas as correct. Through each of these eras, and the many that I passed over, one thing has held true. Each new version of the craziness that sprung up, was a little better for the sane people. Generally it took a overload of oppression to start the sane people into action, but eventually it happens. Happy people never start a revolution.

To me it seems that the Bush Administration, Our first Saudi Presidency, has embraced these ideas as the basis for their foreign and domestic policies. Much as in the Corporate arena, where the 3 ideas have always been "Business as usual". Eventually, most governments have to respond to the sane people, they will only let so much slide.

So it is up to us sane people, I consider myself sane in that regard, to slow the crazies down. They can't really be stopped, no truly sane person would run for political office. But they can be slowed. We can support and vote for the least crazy of them and slow down the others, for a while.

Democrat or Republican

I am told that the clinical definition of insanity is the tendency to do the same thing over and over again and expect different results. - Stephen F. Lynch

I like to start with a quote, it makes it seem as if I know something. I have just started "State of Denial: Bush at War, Part III" - by Bob Woodward. While it is disturbing, so far, it is not surprising. I think it was a mild profile of the Administration. I always pictured Rumsfeld as a full-blown paranoiac, trying to save the world from the godless liberals and communists. I always figured Rove plays just like the creepy SS Man in Indiana Jones, they look alike. Also, I always thought that the Saudi Royal Family flat-out purchased the Presidency, so they could get rid of Saddam, and give the militants something to shoot at beside the Saudi Royal Family. They can afford it.

We can't. We have lost the Country, Our America, Everyone's America; to the lunatic fringe of religion, prejudice and the very worst parts of Capitalism. In a large part I blame the Media. Morrow and Cronkite and Rudd, fought for nothing. The great and unbiased media news doesn't exist anymore. They are running special interest promotional spots as real news. the news is not, it's a long commercial. It's a dirty joke.

You and I did it. Through action, or the lack of it, we allowed this Administration to screw up America, maybe beyond redemption. By accepting, we allowed the TV news to degenerate into the biased, glitzy beast it has become. The rest of the World has backed away from us. Just as you would back away from the playground bully when he gets that look in his eye, and you know someone is gonna wind up upside-down on the monkey bars.

But all this is nothing new, the news during the Thirties and Forties was filled with exaggerations, staged stories and pure bullshit. Some of most revered politicians have been crooked bastards - some of whom were out of touch with reality. Ideally, anyone who would want to run for office, should be forbidden from doing so; which leaves a whole different set of issues. So what can we, you and I, do about this mess?

Vote, for one thing. Read the paper, it may be little more than fish wrap, but at least it's not TV. Go to a city council meeting, see what you think of the folks you are going to vote for. Join the ACLU, Young Republicans, Greenpeace, Pro-life group or a Pro-choice group. Join the YMCA - Join something, learn something, sign something or SAY something. Watch PBS, instead of the Glitz Channels. Go the the Library, Watch the History Channel. Watch the History Channel and then go to the Library and look it up.

Don't take any one's word for it; use the Internet, the Library, Your children and find out more. Don't take any of that for granted, either. Do your own thinking, make your own decisions. Better yet, stop everything and play with your children. Then get up off your intellectual ass and do something to make yourself feel better about America, Our America. There must be a way for us "Po' Folk" to get it back.

It is unfortunate that we only have two choices; Democrat or Republican. (Please leave the Independents out, this time. All those loose cannons helped the Republicans, in the last election.) I see the Democrats as the lesser of two vile, disgusting, crooked, perverted evils.
Such is American Politics.
If you are as disgusted as I am, register to vote in the 2008 elections. I would consider this unpleasant experience with the Saudi Presidency a victory for America, if 60 percent of the citizens turned out to vote. I wouldn't even care if they voted for another Republican.


Gordon
http://www.gordonm.com



Next Time: What I Believe And Why I Don't Give A Damn What You Think.
- Dick Cheney's imaginary diary