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And So, My Fellow Americans: Ask Not What Your Country Can Do For You ………
And So, My Fellow Americans: Ask Not What Your Country Can Do For You ………
For a few months now, I've been sensing a shifting vibration in the comment section of ZH and it’s something I wanted to talk about. There’s a growing undercurrent of inevitable defeat and resignation in the air and if nothing else, we need to be aware of and acknowledge it. I suspect some of it has to do with the very nature of Zero Hedge, which has a single minded focus; to expose the ugly underbelly of the beast and its various assorted minions, lackeys, stooges and front men. So the range of comments that are "on topic" will obviously be narrower (and a bit more negative) than a standard financial news blog or a general interest news site. This is to be expected. Tyler, Marla and the rest of the crew set the beat and we dance to the tune.
In addition, the invited contributors are guests of Zero Hedge and pretty much stay within the Zero Hedge theme, though poor Leo gets beat up for being realistic (some would say optimistic) in his assessment that the rocket fueled market rise isn’t over. I can't speak for the others but my sense of social grace demands that I not burden or embarrass my host by singing off key. After Tyler invited me to contribute and Marla showed me the house, my primary question was "What were the house rules"? Marla said that other than the obvious, meaning no loud parties, keep my feet of the coffee table and use a coaster under my glass, there really were no rules. The ultimate judge of whether an article is off base would be the reception it receives on ZH. She wouldn't need to run me out of town if I bombed or went off the reservation because the ZH community would do it for her. Fair enough. But this is a financial blog and I’ve often wondered where the line is between inbounds and out.
With that in mind and with sufficient rope in hand to hang myself, I’d like to start a new dialogue. There seems to be a growing survivor’s vibe on ZH that has ballooned as the stock market rise has continued in defiance of all known laws of gravity. There’s quite a bit of anticipation that the bubble’s going to blow soon and it's going to be ugly when it does. And while everyone doesn’t subscribe to this perspective, in my view we seem to be developing a herd mentality that is narrowing our focus and tolerance for contrary views. Considering this is a contrary blog, we’re becoming somewhat intolerant of contrary views. In my humble opinion these are warning signs, and this was the reason I decided to post my "How To Start A Populist Movement In Under Three Minutes" article. My intent was to break up the music mix and spin some new tunes. And as always, I wanted to spark discussion and debate.
The response was great, with many jumping in and providing intelligent and thoughtful feedback, proving once again that the real value and hidden treasure of ZH is in the comments section. In fact, there appears to be a movement growing already, with many discussing the idea of a one page synopsis of the top issues we're facing that can be quickly distributed to friends and community. This was an excellent example of proactive thinking rather than reactive, of positive instead of negative; a sign of healthy community discourse. In fact, there was an wonderful comment posted by "Bob" that I would like to (in part) repost because it deserves closer attention. He (assuming Bob is a he) brings up a valid point and something I was hoping to see. Bob said....
"I'm pleased to see this question addressed. My perception of the ZH commenter community's evolution from the beginning to now is that the herd here has developed ever more sophisticated rationales, analyses, arguments and proofs, excuses, etc., for fatalistic surrender to impotence in the face of the criminal mass clusterfuck by the banksters and their minions. This strikes me lately as the perfect soil for a non-movement . . . a potential crop that just never germinated. If I were a NSA psy-ops guy, I can see that clever passivity would be a great thing to cultivate as cool enlightenment. I would indeed like to see something different here, however."
Further down, in response to some back and forth commenting, Bob makes another valid point. He says……
“I do understand the math, B9K9, but I don't understand sitting back. That posture may be good for the individual, but the larger community (it seems to me) deserves more from the people who are most knowledgeable--meaning much of the ZH readership--than for us to circle our wagons and simply await the fireworks together. I understand the odds of it making any difference, but it strikes me as throwing in the towel. Do I have an active alternative to offer? Not in cyberspace, I'm afraid.”
The focus of my articles and comments, particularly since I was invited to be a contributor, has been to see the bigger picture, to look within the mind as well as over the hill, to see beyond the single minded perspective of “the one” and gain the perspective of the many. If we were to dogmatically follow a path of strict self interest in our thinking and actions, the community as a whole, whether in cyberspace or in earth space, would rapidly disintegrate into a narcissistic naval gazing self centered hell hole.
In my view, Bob quite eloquently challenged us to see not only that we need to move beyond the self, the ego, but that we must do so, that it is our obligation as members of this community to reach out to others and return far more than we consume. He’s talking about the selfless impulse of community service in whatever form it may take. Bob is challenging us to put our money where our mouth is and do something rather than just talk about it. His comments certainly hit home with me. While my message has been consistent, I’ve been timid and hesitant, reluctant to push any harder than to drop ideas and concepts here and there and see what germinates. As I said earlier, some of that has to do with my position as a guest. But that doesn’t mean I couldn’t do more.
So are we just sitting around, waiting for Armageddon to arrive to prove us correct in our assessment? Are we endlessly discussing how many angels can dance on the head of a pin while congratulating each other on how refined our analysis is? I don't mean to be harsh or critical. ZH is by far the best blog I've ever seen, with an active community of dedicated contributors and posters of obvious high intelligence, open mindedness and tolerance for contrary views and opinions. The community is the icing on the cake Tyler, Marla and company serve up piping hot on a daily basis. Hands down, we have a great community.
But where are we going and what will our contribution be to the community outside of ZH if we’re correct and the world is headed for a very painful awakening? What if it doesn’t? We talk all the time about the sleepwalking masses. I published two articles titled "End of Empire" which obviously speaks to where I think things are headed, though I expect the unwinding to be agonizingly slow as the vampire powers extract every last ounce of blood from the body, eventually killing it’s energy source. But what am I doing about it? How am I preparing myself and my community for what I see coming? If you think this thing through, if the veins and arteries of this nation become clogged, not only will the nation as a whole suffer greatly but the communities where we live will be impacted as well.
I found myself thinking the other day that my America, the one I grew up with and took for granted, was missing in action, AWOL, gone and seemingly never to return. And I wondered what had happened. Why wasn’t someone doing something about this? Where were the responsible people? Where did “we” go wrong? How could we have let these bastards steal that which is most important to each and everyone one of us, our identity, our national soul, our presence. It feels like someone snuck in during the night and took the very essence of America. Then I realized that this essence isn’t static or stationary, that it can’t be formed into a box or tin can which is then placed on a shelf for easy retrieval when needed. It’s much more than that.
My body is not the same “body” I possessed a month ago. Most of my cells have been replaced or repaired and technically I’m not the same person I was. But obviously I am the same. This seamless transition occurs because my essence (some would say my soul) is passed from one cell to the next, with both old and new cells acting in concert to maintain and possibly improve the whole, the entity of which each cell is a part of. The continuity provided by my consciousness ensures that my essence isn’t lost as my component parts are repaired and replaced.
Thinking this through to its logical conclusion, a deep sadness fell over me as I recognized that at some point I had failed to pass on America’s essence to the next person, the next citizen, that I was in fact AWOL, not America. America is exactly what you would expect her to be after decades of neglect and disinterest, of constant use without renewal. I looked into the belly of the beast and that beast was me. If I had been upholding my end of the bargain, these bastards would not have been able to do as much damage as they’ve done. I’m not shouldering all of the blame, only my fair share of this mess. I’m not asking us to walk a self destructive path of endless guilt and despair, only that we do an honest self assessment of our own responsibilities and (in) action and then move the ball forward.
America isn’t a land mass located in the Northern Hemisphere between the Pacific and Atlantic. America isn’t 350 million people who live within its boundaries nor is it a government drifting dangerously close to a rocky shoal in uncharted waters. America is none of these things. America is an idea, a concept, a state of mind, the cumulative product of the collective consciousness of not only its inhabitants, but of the 6.6 billion humans who live outside its borders. Which means America can renew and rebuild as quickly as we wish, for the reality of this renewal can materialize as quickly as our imagination can create it. We can change everything in an instant if that is our wish.
For example, I can instantly decide I no longer wish to be angry with my son for some silliness he may be guilty of. It’s me, and me only, who can decide at this very moment that I would rather love and hold him tight than spend another minute angry about something of no consequence. This conscious decision, not anything my son did or didn’t do, is the spark that creates the change that then effortlessly materializes. No one “makes” me angry, sad, glad or frustrated. It’s always my choice, my decision, what my reaction or perspective will be, regardless of outside influences. I decide what state of mind I possess and what will be presented to the world from one moment to the next. To blame anything or anyone else for my state of mind is nothing more than blame shifting and the ultimate in self deception. The same applies to all of us; to that state of mind we call America. This is our center, our energy source, where our true power originates. It can never be taken from us, only given away because we’re either ignorant that we posses it or tricked into believing it doesn’t exist at all.
The American renewal could begin in an instant if only we make the conscious decision. When done, it would quickly be followed by the fleeing sorcerers and magicians. It’s so deceptively simple that it remains incomprehensible. The powers-that-be have tricked us to believe that only they possess the power to change what we see. So while fully armed but convinced we are defeated, we hand over our power and turn back to our bleating. The powers may appear to be supremely arrogant, but they’re also aware that the time bomb is ticking. They’re more frightened of us than we are of them and the evidence of this is in their preparations for the end.
While there are always a thousand and one reasons not to do something and sometimes just one or two in favor, the consensus roadblock to change is awareness and self-actualization, brought about through organization. Here is a brief excerpt from the book “Here Comes Everybody: The Power Of Organizing Without Organizations” by Clay Shirky.
“For most of modern life, our strong talents and desires for group effort have been filtered through relatively rigid institutional structures because of the complexity of managing groups. We haven’t had all the groups we’ve wanted, we’ve simply had the groups we could afford. The old limits of what unmanaged and unpaid groups can do are no longer in operation. The difficulties that keep self assembled groups from working together are shrinking, meaning that the number and kinds of things groups can get done without financial motivation or managerial oversight are growing. The current change in one sentence is this. Most of the barriers to group action have collapsed and without these barriers we are free to explore new ways of gathering together and getting things done.”
For thousands of years, each successive generation of the powerful have perfected the techniques and methods used to distract, deflect or destroy populist movements that have a dynamic leader. And the belief is that movements cannot exist without a leader. The failed populist movements of the past 50 years of American history are perfect examples of this. The labor, anti-war and minority movements of the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s were subverted from within or by execution. The same can be said with the political assassinations by the state of JFK, RFK and MLK, to name just a few. To think that such overwhelming forces could be subverted by a leader of a nascent movement is pure folly. You do not attempt to meet head on any forces that are overwhelming. But, what keeps the powerful up at night is precisely the opposite, a leaderless movement that can’t be appeased, divided or decapitated. And since the mechanisms of communication for leaderless organizations are now a central part of the economies of the world, the tools we can use to create this movement can’t be taken from us without crippling the powerful as well. Power to the people now has a new and more powerful context in which to germinate and bloom.
A very famous line from John F Kennedy's Inaugural Address of January 20, 1061 has been rattling around in my head for weeks. Kennedy was attempting to tap into the soul and creative spirit of America with his signature speech, and he continued this theme during his tragically short presidency. JFK was not only trying to wake a sleeping giant, he was doing something far more dangerous to the entrenched powers-that-be. He was attempting to transfer power back to Americans by inspiring Americans. He was showing us that we can, that we should, that we are in fact obligated and responsible as citizens of this nation to give more than we receive. Most importantly, he was telling us with actions and words that by doing so; we grow stronger both individually and collectively. This is a concept we take for granted when dealing with our families, but we’ve forgotten it’s also our responsibility and reward as citizens of this nation and our community. We complain that we’re called consumers rather than citizens. Do we deserve to consider ourselves citizens? Do we honor the concept of citizenship with little more than our rhetoric?
So with apologies to Tyler and Marla if I'm breaking the house rules and in the spirit of the season of spring renewal, I’d like to ask the ZH community what we think each of us might do to move the ball forward. Short of moving into an underground bunker with a stash of dehydrated food and emergency supplies of Playboy magazine (or Playgirl for our female contingent) if or when the breakdown comes, we'll still be living in our community and thus we'll need to make do with what's in place at that time. What can we do on a local, regional or national level that will improve our lot in life as a community and as a nation, now or later? How can we organize without leaders? As far as I’m concerned, anything goes and no comment should be shouted down as silly because quite frankly, we really have no idea how this will play out.
As inspiration, below please find Kennedy's inaugural speech in its entirety. Ready.....Set......Go!
Vice President Johnson, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Chief Justice, President Eisenhower, Vice President Nixon, President Truman, reverend clergy, fellow citizens, we observe today not a victory of party, but a celebration of freedom—symbolizing an end, as well as a beginning—signifying renewal, as well as change. For I have sworn before you and Almighty God the same solemn oath our forebears prescribed nearly a century and three quarters ago.
The world is very different now. For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of human life. And yet the same revolutionary beliefs for which our forebears fought are still at issue around the globe—the belief that the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state, but from the hand of God.
We dare not forget today that we are the heirs of that first revolution. Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans—born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace, proud of our ancient heritage—and unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of those human rights to which this Nation has always been committed, and to which we are committed today at home and around the world.
Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty.
This much we pledge—and more.
To those old allies whose cultural and spiritual origins we share, we pledge the loyalty of faithful friends. United, there is little we cannot do in a host of cooperative ventures. Divided, there is little we can do—for we dare not meet a powerful challenge at odds and split asunder.
To those new States whom we welcome to the ranks of the free, we pledge our word that one form of colonial control shall not have passed away merely to be replaced by a far more iron tyranny. We shall not always expect to find them supporting our view. But we shall always hope to find them strongly supporting their own freedom—and to remember that, in the past, those who foolishly sought power by riding the back of the tiger ended up inside.
To those peoples in the huts and villages across the globe struggling to break the bonds of mass misery, we pledge our best efforts to help them help themselves, for whatever period is required—not because the Communists may be doing it, not because we seek their votes, but because it is right. If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich.
To our sister republics south of our border, we offer a special pledge—to convert our good words into good deeds—in a new alliance for progress—to assist free men and free governments in casting off the chains of poverty. But this peaceful revolution of hope cannot become the prey of hostile powers. Let all our neighbors know that we shall join with them to oppose aggression or subversion anywhere in the Americas. And let every other power know that this Hemisphere intends to remain the master of its own house.
To that world assembly of sovereign states, the United Nations, our last best hope in an age where the instruments of war have far outpaced the instruments of peace, we renew our pledge of support—to prevent it from becoming merely a forum for invective—to strengthen its shield of the new and the weak—and to enlarge the area in which its writ may run.
Finally, to those nations who would make themselves our adversary, we offer not a pledge but a request: that both sides begin anew the quest for peace, before the dark powers of destruction unleashed by science engulf all humanity in planned or accidental self-destruction.
We dare not tempt them with weakness. For only when our arms are sufficient beyond doubt can we be certain beyond doubt that they will never be employed.
But neither can two great and powerful groups of nations take comfort from our present course—both sides overburdened by the cost of modern weapons, both rightly alarmed by the steady spread of the deadly atom, yet both racing to alter that uncertain balance of terror that stays the hand of mankind's final war.
So let us begin anew—remembering on both sides that civility is not a sign of weakness, and sincerity is always subject to proof. Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate.
Let both sides explore what problems unite us instead of belaboring those problems which divide us.
Let both sides, for the first time, formulate serious and precise proposals for the inspection and control of arms—and bring the absolute power to destroy other nations under the absolute control of all nations.
Let both sides seek to invoke the wonders of science instead of its terrors. Together let us explore the stars, conquer the deserts, eradicate disease, tap the ocean depths, and encourage the arts and commerce.
Let both sides unite to heed in all corners of the earth the command of Isaiah—to "undo the heavy burdens ... and to let the oppressed go free."
And if a beachhead of cooperation may push back the jungle of suspicion, let both sides join in creating a new endeavor, not a new balance of power, but a new world of law, where the strong are just and the weak secure and the peace preserved.
All this will not be finished in the first 100 days. Nor will it be finished in the first 1,000 days, nor in the life of this Administration, nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet. But let us begin.
In your hands, my fellow citizens, more than in mine, will rest the final success or failure of our course. Since this country was founded, each generation of Americans has been summoned to give testimony to its national loyalty. The graves of young Americans who answered the call to service surround the globe.
Now the trumpet summons us again—not as a call to bear arms, though arms we need; not as a call to battle, though embattled we are—but a call to bear the burden of a long twilight struggle, year in and year out, "rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation"—a struggle against the common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease, and war itself.
Can we forge against these enemies a grand and global alliance, North and South, East and West, that can assure a more fruitful life for all mankind? Will you join in that historic effort?
In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility—I welcome it. I do not believe that any of us would exchange places with any other people or any other generation. The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it—and the glow from that fire can truly light the world.
And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.
My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.
Finally, whether you are citizens of America or citizens of the world, ask of us the same high standards of strength and sacrifice which we ask of you. With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on earth God's work must truly be our own.
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+1
Somehow the information we know that will change things MUST be heard by others that you don't know. My action will be to hold a sign at various places around town, such as the courthouse, grocery store, traffic light intersection, etc. that says- You can stop income taxes- you can stop property taxes. When others ask how, I'll tell them about rolling over the elected gov't every 2-4 years for awhile so those who want to be elected understand the power of the vote. Then if they are still listening, tell them too learn about the FED, gold, what a slave they are being made into as the gov't spends thier money without permission. We have to plant ideas without being shrill. The internet can't be allowed to take the place of conversation with our neighbors.
You can stop income taxes- you can stop property taxes
Way to train selfish, non-cooperative thinking!
Those sidewalks that you're standing on exist BECAUSE you pay taxes.
Geez people, get a grip! It's about being FAIR. If you want something, and people COLLECTIVELY agree to it, then taxes MAY be fine.
I'm not trying to be protective of the SYSTEM (I'm FAR from that), but logic and critical thinking need to prevail.
well if cooperation is defined by the federal budget (both in terms of quantity & quality), sorry but that cooperation is infringing on the life, liberty & pursuit of happiness of most of its individual citizens (living and yet to be born) of not only America, but of the Earth.
some of us prefer cooperation, but only when we have a little more control when a select few take repeated advantage of our willing sacrifices of our life, liberty & happiness for the "greater good".
we should all have a choice whether or not to enable destructively dysfunctional behavior, yes?
lndmvr, i concur. I made a promise to myself to tell each person i meet what condition we are in. I have learned to say less, but in a way that has meaning to them.
Cog Diss... I appreciate your post. I don't post much, but I read always... maybe it was my trip to DC last week, but coincident with your post I find myself coming out of my "seeing the crash coming" funk and thinking more about the reset in positive terms. I am pretty well set with guns, ammo, PM, and dehydrated food.
Jefferson said, "All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent." What to do? I am beginning to organize like-minded individuals in my neighborhood... and I am going to the Chris Martenson seminar in New Paltz NY next weekend. I have also joined SwarmUSA.org.
One conundrum to me is why more people don't seem to care... and I have come to the conclusion that part of the problem is that we (I) am part of a relatively limited demographic... i.e. people that have a non-neglidible net worth that I want to... need to.. protect. After the orgy of debt-fueled consumer spending over the last decade in this country, there simply aren't enough people motivated to care. It is my thesis that if every gov't and union person had the same deal Corp geeks do, i.e. self-managed 401K being the basis for retirement... then there would be many more angry truth seekers such as myself... but alas... only 27% of families have net worth > $250K, and much of that is in housing (not liquid). If you don't have significant savings, you don't care about ZIRP, and you don't care about the possibility of devaluation in the long term. I don't know how to bridge this lack of motivation on the part of the majority with a movement that really gains traction. I honestly think we won't see the reset until the current system blows up completely.
CD, thank you for this piece and thank you for the many wise contributions you add to this community.
"And since the mechanisms of communication for leaderless organizations are now a central part of the economies of the world, the tools we can use to create this movement can’t be taken from us without crippling the powerful as well. Power to the people now has a new and more powerful context in which to germinate and bloom."
I stopped writing/calling the big boys after TARP. 100/1 or 300/1, they still did what they wanted and I never felt as powerless as I did at that moment. I remain cyber-active and many of my friends and family think I'm nuts, but I keep on.
Similar to what Frank Owen stated, many of the movements lack focus and the Tea Party is a great example of that. Yet I agree with every word you said and feel that we have to stop sitting on our asses and get out and start kicking some. With a strong and focused mission statement and some good leadership, a movement can start at a community level. Perhaps one of the end goals can be to have enough Americans peacefully march on the mall with a common mission statement.
Community activism is going to be needed before the SHTF. I know I am prepared, but it's not going to do me much good because I will never be able to turn my head to another hurting human. I'd rather be dead than turn into the monsters that run this country now.
Please continue this effort and I promise to be involved in any way necessary.
This is a good thread, and lots of interesting comments here. Like many companies that have become too big to manage, I think America as a 'system' feels out of control. I thought we would see a true third party emerge (not this 'tea party' which seems like much of the same from limited understanding) as a way to reboot the current political system. But I think our country has lost trust - in our leaders and in each other. When there is no trust, the whole thing collapses. I feel despair, because not only have I lost trust in our leaders, but I don't know what is safe. Buy gold? Really? From who? If the collapse really came, would anything short of a generator, a gun, lots of ammo and fuel and a stockpile of food really be of much use?
When tragedy comes to us (e.g. 9/11, the 2003 blackout, the more recent mini hurricane in the NE), people figured out how to cope and make do and it actually gave me some hope that not all is lost for America. But we've definitely lost our way, and we have leaders that we elected that do not share our concerns, nor our priorities. They care about elections and their own agendas, and rammed through healthcare despite mixed feelings from the people. At times I wonder if we are ungovernable. All I know is that I don't know where to start, other than to make sure my own house is in order.
It was the "American Dream" because it never really existed. It was, from the start, a mechanism to exploit huge, mostly uncontested (knock off a few basically unarmed natives, wield slaves to do the real work) riches. The booty basically has been exhausted, exhausted in that it can no longer support the growth game.
It's not all this complicated political mumbo jumbo. It's purely physical constraints. Rulers can only rule if they are able to take the needed amount to stay hoisted above the others without the others becoming too stressed. This applies to all power, public as well as private (got that tea baggers?).
Seer:
This really strikes at the heart of the matter.
Once the continent was settled (1888/Apaches-Geronimo/ last of the Indian wars), a new paradigm was needed to sustain growth. 1898, the Spanish American War, was the beginning of the empire and America's global reach.
In our time, real organic corporate profitability peaked in 1997 and 'virtual earnings' became the financial tool of choice.
Thus began the pro-forma era of dot.com garbage, and the Street's reliance on fraudulent, worthless paper to leverage their gains and keep the game going.
The visible rot/corruption that you referred to earlier is the net result of the debt driven, depleted resource base from which the cartel is forced to operate.
Now, even free money from the Fed isn't enough. In essence, all of the real wealth has already been stolen. So, to maintain the 'growth curve' and produce the alleged cash flows that provide the 'global ponzi-skim' they have to keep going further and further out on a limb.
As they do so they become more exposed, and more vulnerable
ZH's commentary (particularly Tyler's) is a laser piercing bite on what's real and what isn't. I love it.
As for "negative" and "positive" news, and "left" and "right" politics — both concepts miss the point and are dumbed down drooling versions of what's not real — the epitome of herd mentality.
JFK's "Ask Not .." speech was beautiful in 1960 but this is 2010 and the shadow government is fully in place now. We no longer have a country, see, that's the problem and if you start with the premise that things are like they were in 1960 (already partly lost), you have missed the point.
agreed that taken alone, "Ask Not" does not address the pink cockroaches in the room (or what C.D. calls crazy Auntie in the attic). our dear leader has proven this with his "Hopey McChange Mix" of that speech in '08, only to follow up with same ol' extend & pretend duets with the MIC Crew once he got top-of-the-pops.
however, when taken together with Eisenhower's farewell address (given just 3 days earlier in Jan '61), methinks it is quite relevant to modern times. those who choose to believe that the system can still be changed from within might be willing to consider that those 2 speeches could perhaps be the alpha & omega of a formidable foundation for a true 3rd way in american politics.
hard to demonize the opposition when they're quoting 2 u.s. presidents who still invoke strong personal memories for many americans still alive and who are still held with 'deep reverence' by their respective Parties That Be on both sides of the aisle. and whose lives were both intensely intertwined with the Shadow.
either that or get willie nelson to run in 2012.
Alas I only read a small bit, but thought I should add a comment.
I've been working on this stuff for over two years now. I'm less copncerned with trading and the market and more concernmed with financial reform etc. We could get another 5 years before the blow up again.
But I'm very sad. because with the endless lobby money, endless time, etc the industry as they are winning. People have battle fatigue.
If it was up to me i'd prefer anarchy, revolution, massive disruptions, etc. We don't have a functional democracy anymore, but a criminal oligarcy. The issue is that it won't happen, but where and when. I understand why people are blowing up bombs. it's because the system has failed and no matter how clearly it has it doesn't reform. that creqates hoplessness, etc.
The media attacks those who feel the threshold of voilence has been reached. they are "nuts, psycho's, etc". I don't buy into that, but understand why they feel impotent against the corporate owners of the country.
Administration is engaged in an attempt to break the system. Unemployment, taxation, over-regulation, citizenship for all of our illegal southern neighbors. We can intuit what system they want to replace the current one with. The question I have is why the banks are cooperating. The answer may simply be that this is the banks' show, and the politics are window dressing.
What is the goal? More control, more money, fewer of us serfs around to breed and foul the nest for them? Maybe there is a big asteroid coming and they need some fast cash to build a really deep bunker-city or spaceship.
We don't have to "intuit". The hard evidence is piled high. Anyone with half a brain could understand it. The momentum to total soverign obliteration is accelerating but the fools think a call to their deaf corrupted sold out congress representative is the answer. It's hopeless.
This isn't 1776. The opposition is well positioned, well armed, well disguised and well funded — sucking currency in all forms from their opposition (We The People) on a daily, hourly basis to fund their oppositions' slavery.
Moreover, 1776 didn't have a huge welfare class fighting you at the other end, nor did its citizenry have a huge entitlement mentality.
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May I suggest that the only thing ZH can accomplish is to make sure that wealth transfers to the ZH readership as we ride the financial roller coaster. With wealth comes power, and absent a complete breakdown of order, "change" can only be brought about by those with the wealth.
Most people I talk to are in complete denial and want the present system to continue. Thus far, Vilfredo Pareto's "next 20 percent" which the top one half of one percent must keep happy, still have faith in the system.
The objective of ZH is to replace the current elite with a new elite of ZH readers!!!
Hmm... I'd take freedom over weath any day. Because, with just wealth you are required to do the bidding of others: that bidding might end up taking your life.
Unless you become self-suficient (as in peasant farmer) you're NOT going to be FREE.
Warning: More pig analogy stuff...
A wild pig is free, but has to feed itself (read "not wealthy"). A domestic pig is fed, it's "wealthy." We know the fate of the domestic pig...
very interesting perspective on the great pyramid. you're more than welcome to climb it if you wish. but hope you understand, some of us out there prefer other wonders (like crop circles & hanging gardens of babylon for instance). since it's such a big country, it would seem like there could be room for our preferences to co-exist without infringing upon the others' "life, liberty & the pursuit of happiness", yes?
While it may be your goal to become one of the favored 20%, it is not mine.
I think that in the current environment, the dues to join that club are far too high - as they will be paid in pieces of your soul.
Nice rapier thrust at the vital region of the issue.
Me ....Elite...loloolol Mr Palladium , you are funny.
There are a couple of issues here. The first is that, by everything we've learned and been taught, the situation with the debt of both the US and the rest of the world appears to be untenable and must be faced eventually. The second is that there are very powerful forces in play who have huge motive for finding a way to make the seemingly impossible happen.
Now, in my personal opinion (and therefore completely possibly wrong view), the powers behind the throne are either going to fail, and if they fail my expectation is of deep systemic effects when they fail, or they are going to succeed in kicking the can downstream a bit further.
Part of the disbelief on ZH appears centered around the idea that they cannot possibly succeed in kicking the can yet again. But they may just do it. Before the blow up happened I mentioned on another blog that I expected the next great bubble, if it forms, to be centered around cap-and-trade. That was just a guess but a reasonably educated guess. I admit that I also felt that they likelihood that such a followup bubble would form was low but now I have to admit that, at least in my own view, the chances of that bubble (or another like it) are rising. Ben and his band of bandits may have well succeeded in pushing the problem downstream far enough that most people won't "connect the dots" the next time the same kind of Ponzi blows up yet again.
The third alternative, which I simply have not yet bought into, is that the system is supposed to work this way. Maybe for the elite it's working as intended but I don't think the masses quite had this in mind when they think of "business as usual".
CD raises some good questions that we ought to consider. The primary consideration seems, to me, to be whether the elite have latched enough indentured servitude around our necks yet or not. Maybe this pile of servitude is not yet enough to sate their lusts and they want us all licking dog crap from the heels of their boots. In that case, there are more bubbles yet to blow, in order to further enslave us even more to the banker cartel, who meanwhile piously tell us that they are doing "God's work." Now please excuse me while I go vomit.
There are a thousand ways of pushing the Great Wheel. The main things are as you say. Wake up. Understand. Accept self-transformation.
But the inner voice will answer each of us in a different way. I find the Internet to be very valuable because I can take my time, enter to my desired degree of involvement, and get the situation analysis correct. And help others to do the same.
This information is critical, this knowledge is power, no defeatism can alter that. Anyone who wants to look can open their eyes.
Short manifestos or 'issue papers' are helpful. I have learned that you don't have any issue covered until you have the bullet points (no more than 3--human capacity to absorb falls off a cliff at item 4), the one pager, the two pager, the five pager the fifteen pager and the fifty pager plus all the sourcing. Challenging isn't it? This community has none of that but does have a world-class ad hoc response capability. I don't say that lightly.
Keep blasting away at the depth of the corruption, the need to take action on financial, personal and community/political levels. I have posted Sharp's menu of non violent actions many times in the past couple of years. There are literally over a hundred 'things to do' that have proven track records.
I have been involved in several 'movements' and all I can say is we have the biggest target in history in front of us. Our nation and our communities are undergoing deep transformation. The best we can do is improve ourselves and be open to engagement at all levels.
The market puffball has given us and our families and institutions the gift of time. A year now...time to think and act. Honestly, time enough and more.
CD, keep sticking topical posts up and start a 'greatest hits' list of your own to make the most pertinant comments 'sticky'...once a quarter or so post that. Old school bbs stuff, eh? Much will be revealed.
On politics, I think the Founders had it mostly right but corporate power blew past Jackson and steamrolled us per Eisenhower. We need to draw a bead on that. Arguably unions and interest groups in general fit that bill--not my personal position but a nod to a broad platform for discussion. I hope that an active and involved citizenry can still make a difference but the Federal printing press is blunting the crisis; many states, however, are being transformed and will never be the same. We need to reinvent much of the economy and 'slough off' the multinational elite like a useless dead skin. But parts of the economy cannot be localized and we need a lean mean US federal government that is more in line with the Founders to handle the bare minimum of tasks.
We need to help form a leadership--a social leadership--that will speak to the changes in America, and how to preserve our essence in a new (honestly presented) economic landscape. I believe it is possible and it is our duty.
PS isn't it funny, when you start to get serious Goldman Sachs seems so...irrelevant....
Goldman Sucks IRRELEVANT???
Are you nuts!?
Anony, he is correct. GS irrelevant . So is the present government, since there is only one outcome, the inevitability of compound math/interest
CD nice work.
I'm sure there are others like me that echo what I take as Bob's and your call to arms. Everyday I am staggered at the general apathy of the people at large. They do not care that they have been robbed over the course of the last crisis or about their future unfunded retirements. (I'm 30).
Personally my opinion is that extend and pretend will be more effective than people on here imagine it will be, and yes, while that will lead to an even larger crisis it will be too many years in the making.
By "too many years in the making" I mean any movement we may start will be dismissed as crack pots and garner little attention and support from the masses unless we do have further shocks to the system.
Defeatist? Yes, but if you need me to join you in a march down Pennsylvania Avenue and making a placard saying Down with Vampire Squids I'm still on board.....
The system was hurting in 2002, make no mistake. The hurt was obvious in 2008. That's only six years. I don't think the next crisis is so far away as you believe.
I have attempted on three separate occasions to change the conversation at three different dinner tables from the mundane to the serious since January.
Each attempt was met with vacant stares, a smile or two, and then a quick return to the mundane. No one even wanted to talk about the Constitution.
No one I know, but for here, wants to hear about anything that does not immediately affect them or their children. I'd venture that until they step on a rake and it smacks them in the face, they will not confront the demons that beset them.
Till the masses in the middle begin to at least WANT to understand what is happening to them, then the metaphor about the frog in the pot still prevails.
Appreciate the effort CD but a 'lone gunman' is about our only shot at turning things around, one who takes out several high-ranking fatcats. Bombs are going off in other countries; it's only a matter of time for some brave souls to risk their lives, give them up, in defense of our freedoms. I wish it were me, but whatever it takes to reach that tipping point, that level of desperation, it has not directly reached me either.
"I have attempted on three separate occasions to change the conversation at three different dinner tables from the mundane to the serious since January.
Each attempt was met with vacant stares, a smile or two, and then a quick return to the mundane."
I can so relate to this. Here in my country I am increasingly disturbed by the increased regulation/big-government/nanny-state we are facing daily. We are becoming a semi-police state where government is progressively stripping away our freedoms and punishing/penalising the common folk who don't comply. Meanwhile big business owns our government and gets everything it wants. Politicians are caught being corrupt and lying and they don't even resign. A few words to the media and by the next day it is forgotten. Citizens are the criminals, while the biggest crooks roam free.
And does anyone here care about this? In a word, no. I bring these topics up and it is pointless. People are brainwashed and believe everything TPTB tell them is for their own good. I feel like an alien in my own society, wondering why nobody can see what is blindingly clear to me.
Our ways, our systems are so corrupted that I feel utterly powerless. But I want to do something. I too believe that if a revolutionary change is to occur, it will not be a mass-movement. Most people will simply not pull their heads out of the sand, no matter what is biting them on the ass. It will come from an enlightened few. I'm just not sure how we will do it.
.
People mistakenly believe that the American revolution was broad based. It was not. It was fought and actively supported by about 5% of the colonists. The remainder were equally divided but did little to support the revolutionaries or King George.
Revolutions of mass support simply do not occur. A creative minority in a society decides that it is time to change things and they change it. So far, the minority that is winning this battle are the tyrants. The people who support freedom constantly handicap themselves by arguing that they should use defined channels to effect change... when those exact channels have already been compromised and controlled by the enemy.
Change can come to the United States but it won't come via the ballot box precisely because the ballot box is now rigged to prevent change. So change will have to arrive via some other route. That route may be violent or it may be peaceful. But it won't happen by supporting the Demoncrats and the Republithugs yet again in the next election.
Great point.
I have read alternative publications for years, way before the internet took off. There are so many great blogs now(like ZH) and so much useful info - it is uplifting to know there are hundreds of thousands whose minds have been deprogrammed. We no longer buy into the govt/corporate mindf***.
As you correctly note, we are overdue in moving to the next level as it pertains to influencing others.
Go ahead and try to write, call or fax your congress-critter. Unless your donation check has lots of zeros you will accomplish nothing.
Now there are only 3 things they fear:
-fear of losing their power
-fear of losing their wealth
-fear of losing their personal safety
At this point in our nation's history nothing else will bring about positive change. The elites and plutocrats have too much control.
Our non-violent focus will be on the first two items.
MakeThemFearYou.com is coming in May.
We will need the assistance of all of you.
That is all for now.
I still think a well written one page assesment for the people would be good because we believe the written word more readily. I will retype it here at home, make a lot of copies, pass them out to the many who do not have computers. If we all do that we may make the change we need
If you are starting from scratch here's a good one:
Bunch of other good stuff @ www.freedom-force.org
Thanks for the info and the link WW. Always a great place to start and finish.
Never give up, never let go.
I find myself discouraged on a daily basis but as I said in my article, I and I alone am responsible for my state of mind. If I'm depressed by the fact that my message is not heard, than it is my ego that is hurt and I need to deflate it some more in order to carry on. I want to do so much that when it seems I accomplish nothing it feels hopeless. But such is not the case.
You are the teacher. Always remember that the teacher only appears when the student is ready. Since the students are not ready, you have little to do but sharpen your skills. I sense in you the spirit to effect change and it was one of the reasons I mentioned your idea, though I now wish I had mentioned you. You needed a lift. My apologies. Don't give up.
Thank you very much CD. Sensitivity comes with the package and my ego got the best of me .Its an ongoing struggle. Yes too about the needed lift. I have personal challenges also.
I wrote this some time ago and hope you find it helpful.
Merely Human
To or not to be!? Written by a poet named shakespeare long ago still rings a cord within me. Most of us live our lives and only at its conclusion realize we have not been all that we could be! Yet we would argue and insist all truh our days that we know who we are. To fully understand what it is to be human one must rise above ones self and see all the parts and aspects of ones human embodyment. I will attempt to do so.
The primary object of our focus as regards our self is most often our phisical body. Many humans believe they are the body. Many humans also speak of having a soul. My claim is that i have a body and I am a soul. How would you have it?
Without the phisical body I would not be able to live on this material earth.
Without emotions I would fail to survive, since love and fear propel me to survive and nurture self and family.
Without imagination there would be no higher desire than sensual gratification.
It is entirely possible to live on earth and be a creature of emotion or subject to the constant whims of ones mind. I have lived this way and saw nothing wrong with it at the time. During that time i was merely human and had no trouble justifying all i was and did. I was the personality taking pride in my young body and how smart i was. Do you know someone like that?
Just as the hand knows where to scratch, so too do we know there is more to us then bone, flesh and hair. We pray for others souls whilst we do not recognize our own. As long as the mind is not controlled by proper channeling or guiding of ones thoughts we are the victims of it. The same is true of the emotions.
It is not wrong or bad to be happy, sad or joyfull. To be caught up in one emotion is to be the prisoner of its opposite as well.
Remember that All that is of this material world has opposites. It pays to be the neutral observer. Allow the emotion but guide it in a positive direction.You cannot easily stop water going downhill, but it can be channeled in a different direction
The mind is a different can of worms. Much more challenging to control. Surely during the course of your life you or someone you know has said these words.."all day long i've had the same song in my head". We can and should choose our thoughts. We create our future with our actions. Thought is an action.
What does this have to do with the price of beans?
Well , seems to me Santa, tooth fairy , bankers and even our history is questionable. Mayhap its time to get real, beginning with ourself. The entire cultural set we have now is based on lies.
My name is Harry koschorreck I stand for truth and refuse to live in fear and am willing to give up all i have. And am aware of government eyes on us. They dont matter anymore, the play is writ.
hi harry, i am kathy
i have always liked your way, in fact gravitated with it†
Thank you, Kathy
CD, I have been thinking similar thoughts for quite some time. I think the biggest problem is that there are so many different causes that get bundled together in movements that it makes unanimous consent almost impossible. Look at the fiasco going on with the Tea Party with Palin recently saying that Republicans are Tea Partiers too.
What we need is one common rally point and to leave the others aside to be dealt with later.
"I suspect some of it has to do with the very nature of Zero Hedge, which has a single minded focus; to expose the ugly underbelly of the beast and its various assorted minions, lackeys, stooges and front men."
Corruption. The whole system has been mutated by various factions in order to get what they want over and over for so long that it is more about feeding the leaches than maintaining the host's survival. I can't help feel that the biggest positive change would be ending all of the crony capitalism, secrecy, back-door deals, and the elimination of the revolving door between the public and private sector.
We may not all be able to agree on abortion, gay rights, health care, military action/occupation, Democrat or Republican, Keynes or Hayek, Coke or Pepsi, so let's accept that and all stand together against just one thing - corruption.
The collapse is what we need. There are not enough people activated right now to change anything. The rate of movement towards system failure is speeding up and the rate of acceleration is increasing. We see that. Soon enough game over and then hoepfully we can start a better and longer lasting game next round. It appears this one will not be fixed in any orderly fashion but yet I try. Next election will probably amount to a few independents or third party elects but mostly just Republicans with a fake anti-government message. Nothing will change. People need their spanking to wake up. I think folks here are just wishing for it to happen sooner rather than later so we can get on with rebuilding (and perhaps to say "I told you so").
What do I do?
I constantly ask that people bank with local credit unions. Stop shopping at Wal-Mart and the like. Support local business by buying local. I ask them to unplug form their TVs and educate themselves. I reccommend readings and documentaries, including this site. I explain how both left and right are now the same beast in different costumes. I am constantly labeled a "Negative Nancy", "Debbie Downer" etc. Yet I march on.
I think we need to identify the real underlying problem with our system. Grossly unfair distribution of wealth is the problem. It's become comic book-like.
Our current system where becoming a hedge fund manager is rewarded 1,000 times more than becoming a doctor and 10,000 times more than a teacher is doomed.
And as the wealth becomes more lopsided the game gets more slanted in the wealthy's favor. Money is power and the power wants to protect and grow their position.
Why is that when I suggest that reinstatement of high upper income tax brackets on here I get junked? I don't say it so that the government controls more money. By nature a high % tax bracket controls greed and limits power and wealth. There should be a limit. There must be a limit. Level the playing field. I do not hear that idea discussed here.
Level the playing field.
Oh, it WILL be leveled. These are short-term profit-takers, their careers are not longed for this world. 2/3 of the world's population lives on $3/day or less. The world's resources are rapidly depleating. I think that the squeeze will really be on on those who don't actually produce; paper money will turn to dust and all these bafoonies will become extinct. My fear of mandating any playing field is that it would KEEP such jobs around. In general I agree that things are out of whack, it's just that I don't see how a corrupt system is going to self-check/manage itself to those ends: have the highly visible banksters really throttled back on their pay? no, not really (in spite of the outrage and attempts to force many of these new govt employees to take lower pay).
The first comment to this post complained about its length, as did several that followed. My response is, it was just as long as it needed to be to express what its author believed needed to be said.
In Thomas Jefferson's time, educated people communicated their thoughts to each other through personal letters just as long and thoughtfully composed. In longhand with quill pens. Today we are exposed more to sound bites and tweets, which express attitude without reasoning.
A tip of my hat for a worthy effort.
Right on CD! I've noticed in the comments so far that the part about conscious decision hasn't been given it's due respect. Consciousness is the key. Proactive thought produces, reactive thought reduces. I like the concept of "100th monkey syndrome" whether or not it has any scientific validity. My observation seems to be that if a critical mass of minds is reached a shift occurs (especially noticeable in music, style, etc.) . This place we all find ourselves in is a creation of an old paradigm. The solution lies not in the old paradigm, but in something new. Giving w/o expectations seems to be core to this new way. No more fear based economy, society. People I know that exhibit joy, pretty much base their life on this ( not to mention it's talked about extensively in every prominent work of wisdom).
As far as what to do, how about "think big, act small". Start with self then work to community then something larger. Let go of concepts based upon us and them. Revisit what inspired you in your youth. Spend some time not pointing the finger at anyone, but yourself.
Easier said than done, I know. But every little effort matters. It matters. That it matters is the antithesis of despair.
the hero with a thousand faces, by joseph campbell, is an excellent book, to boost your energy level, the celestine prophecy, by james redfield, was quite enjoyable too
Liquidate political parties, liquidate stocks, liquidate the corporations, liquidate real estate, liquidate the lobbyists. . . . [That] will purge the rottenness out of the system. High costs of living and high living will come down. People will work harder, live a more moral life. Values will be adjusted, and enterprising people will pick up the wrecks from less competent people.
Ok. Rant over. Think big act small. Definitely.
Some of these may sound silly. I think what we are talking about is reversing the atomisation of society and the first step is meeting people and talking.
Exactly. Ain't nothin' the man hates more than when the sheeple start doin' it for themselves! Grow your own veggies, news media, and communities. Don't let 'the man' tell you how to live.
Don't underestimate your power, either. If the economy shrinks (due to non-participation, hopefully) then all outstanding loans can't get paid back. The too-big-to-fail will have more money printed, but this can't go on forever. Nobody likes getting stiffed with devalued dollars, so nobody is going to take them as payment unless at gunpoint. And there ain't enough guns willing to work for such obvious parasites.
A minor quibble - I ignore politicians who run things larger than a small town. They are bought and sold, and the LieBold machines along with them. Local politicians are not a problem, in my experience. They are often willing to work with you and yours. A petition with 25 names on it is a big deal to them, and such a petition can be cranked out in an afternoon. Been there, done that.