This page has been archived and commenting is disabled.

Question Everything, Believe Nothing - Chapter One - Suspending Disbelief

Cognitive Dissonance's picture




 

Question Everything, Believe Nothing

Chapter One

Suspending Disbelief

By

Cognitive Dissonance

 

 

Introducing a new portal into the mind of Cognitive Dissonance

www.TwoIceFloes.com

 

Chapter Two may be found here.

 

Where are the outer boundaries of our mental box, that comforting space where we ‘believe’ the uniquely individual ‘me’ can be found? What is the limit of our ability to think and perceive beyond our current ‘belief’ system, to think outside the lines of our own perceptional box? Can we ever locate a clearly defined line of demarcation where we cross over from all that ‘we’ believe is ‘me’ and where the herding ‘we’ bulls ‘us’ over?

Is ‘our’ belief system entirely ‘yours’ or is it for the most part indoctrinated into you by ‘our’ culture and those who directly or indirectly influence our culture, thus by extension ‘you’? Who, or more accurately, what are ‘you’ if very little of substance differentiates ‘you’ from ‘us’? In many ways this is a chicken or egg question and it appears that a decent method by which we may answer it is to work backwards and examine what is ‘belief’ and what it means for us to ‘believe’.

One of the ways we have been mentally, emotionally and spiritually hijacked is through our language, a concept brilliantly described in Orwell’s classic work ‘1984’. For many, the words ‘believe’ or ‘belief’ are seen as strictly religious or fantastical thinking, and certainly not for the logical or scientific mind. In the worldview of most, which neatly encompasses their ‘belief’ system, there are ‘facts, science and math’, and then there is ‘belief’ and ‘faith’.

Sadly this is the Achilles heel of the average person (we are all more or less average when it comes to self awareness, though we love to ‘believe’ we are well above that mark) because by thinking this way, by believing in this manner, we create our own blind spots and exclude ourselves from what in many aspects we actually practice, essentially complete and total blind faith and belief in nearly all facets of daily thought and living.

How much of our thought, of our daily thinking, is original or organic and how much is slightly modified, then enthusiastically regurgitated, cultural beliefs indoctrinated into us from an early age. Reinforced by the echo chamber of news, advertising and TV programming as well as movies, books, social media, science, economics and politics, can any of us ever really tell which thoughts are ‘ours’ and which were created to be ours via cultural conditioning. Unless we force ourselves to first obtain, and then maintain perspective, it all becomes a blur of flashing lights and background noise to be willingly, even eagerly, accepted as just the way things are.

Our society is obsessed with the holy grail of facts, absolutes, and conclusive answers. We are taught as soon as we can comprehend that this is the way things are and we know these things to be true. We view our recent ancestors as backwards and uninformed, cavemen for all practical purposes, yet we never seriously consider that we are just as uninformed and will be considered so by the future ‘us’ in twenty, fifty, a hundred years from now.

Question Everything

 

There is no respect given (because none is seriously offered by ‘us’) to the inquiring mind willing to step outside the boundaries of conventional thinking, only empty vessels that wish to be fully indoctrinated into the present day belief system. The herd demands we believe what the herd believes and increasingly that belief is divorced from reality.

I suspect there are several reasons for this phenomenon. As I discussed in The Science Delusion the spectacular success of materials science (the mass production of ten million things) has contributed to the delusion that we know it all, that we have arrived, that there is certainty in many if not all things, and that we ‘know’ this ‘certainty’ with near absolute precision. All it needs is a few small tweaks here and there.

But I suspect something else is going on here and I don’t recall it being discussed much in the virtual circles I frequent. Until the advent of mass media, ‘modern’ man lived an existence surrounded almost entirely by physical reality, up close and very personal. In fact, until sometime after World War Two most homes did not even have central heat, indoor plumbing or a house wired for electricity. Life, to put it simply, was very raw.

There was once a mostly solitary and desperate immediacy to daily living (the present day homeless are quite familiar with this condition) and a mind that dwelled in fantasy and not focused on the needs of the here and now was often severely punished by Mother Nature. Dawdle too long in the petunias and you might die of exposure later because you did not put up enough firewood and salt away enough food.

Presently we trade our regimented labor for easily convertible script, also known as currency, which in turn we redeem for fundamental basics, creature comforts and desirable wants (as opposed to ‘needs’) that until 100 years ago were almost exclusively the realm of the very wealthy. This in turn has greatly diminished the immediacy of the here and now, and thus its apparent relevance and importance. While there is great debate over whether idle or free time has increased or decreased over the last hundred years, what we ‘do’ with our free time has dramatically changed, and in my opinion not for the better.

While man has always devoted some of his play time to alternative reality fantasy thinking, whether it was simply daydreaming on a warm spring day or reading a classic work of fiction, never in the history of ‘modern’ man has such a huge percentage of the population devoted hours upon hours every day exclusively to ‘suspending disbelief’. Nor have we done so in such a mentally and emotionally intrusive manner. I am, of course, speaking about television, movies and other forms of immersive mass media mind warping.

 

Question Type

 

If you were to ask the average person if they understood the difference between ‘real world’ reality and TV or movie reality, you would be hard pressed to find someone who wasn’t absolutely certain they could tell the difference. And yet so much of the mass media we consume is integrated into our daily living so seamlessly that no longer can we clearly see the fine line of demarcation between reality and fantasy.

Just talk to an attorney, public defender or police officer about the public’s perception of justice and police processes after the public has drunk deeply from the CSI media cup for well over a decade and you will get an earful. We aren’t talking about ignorance here, as in a lack of knowledge, but rather deliberately distorted perceptions and programmed ignorance, a far more dangerous and easily controlled state of mind.

The only thing worse than someone who doesn’t know what they are talking about is someone who believes they do because they have been conditioned to think so, but still does not. The serially convinced are so much more dangerous to themselves and to others than the merely deluded delusional.

I don’t necessarily object to fantasy or fantastical thinking, of suspending disbelief in order to enjoy a depiction of alternative reality, which is essentially the altered mental and emotional state we enter into when consuming ‘pulp fiction’ mass media. In fact I was (and still am) a rabid fan of science fiction when I was a younger man. My problem is in the method of media immersion, completely passive rather than interactive and creative.

While reading (science) fiction, daydreaming or engaging in truly creative thought or artistic expression, the activity itself requires that we co-create the reality, to engage our creative energy and thinking process and actively interact. On the other hand mass media consumption requires of us, demands of us, very little (if any) real intellectual or creative effort on our part, only a willing suspension of disbelief and the near total surrender of our mind. Just turn on, tune out and tumble in.

The mass media alternative reality world is already imagined, produced and packaged for us by others and we are simply a passive recipient of the information download, or programming as the networks readily admit it is called. We are just along for the ride so buckle up, open your eyes wide and fully disengage the discerning mind. Suspending disbelief in three, two, one………

Do some research on brainwaves during different activities, then compare the mind while reading, writing, even dreaming, and when passively watching the television or a movie. Even when the brain absorbs so called ‘educational’ documentaries, when viewed through the brain imaging MRI, the results are little different from “CSI” or “Days of our Lives”. Garbage in garbage out makes for a garbage mind, with the body soon to follow.

 

Question Why

 

Not only are we being deeply programmed into hundreds of alternative realities, the cumulative effect of which we are increasingly unable to discern, but we are also being conditioned to remain in a near constant state of belief suspension, the most psychically, emotionally and spiritually vulnerable condition we could possibly allow ourselves to remain in.

Comparable to Pavlov’s dogs responding predictably to specific stimuli, we willingly and eagerly suspend disbelief while consuming pulp fiction on TV and other mass media. While we claim the ability to re-enter the ‘real’ world when the news or a commercial comes on, from what I have learned our brain wave pattern doesn’t change all that much when we switch from ‘True Blood’ to the bloody evening news and then back again.

And make no mistake about it; mass media news and other ‘real’ programming is just another form of prepackaged pulp fiction that we vacantly consume with little or no discernment between one alternative reality and another. The principal difference is that we have been conditioned to believe that the news is ‘real’, thus it is even more deeply absorbed into our psyche as ‘truth’ where it mixes and melds with other deeply programmed beliefs we mistakenly call facts, reality and truth.

Similar to an inch worm’s incremental progress, as long as the latest alternative reality conditioning is similar to the old one (it doesn’t need to be exact) we inch our ‘real world’ perception further and further away from reality and closer to the world our handlers create for us. This is one of the reasons predictive programming is so successful. Repeatedly plant the suggested meme seed now and reap the harvested alternative reality later.

Reflexively we fall into a state of passive receptivity when plopped in front of the boob tube. And as much as we may protest to the contrary, there is less of a tendency to apply critical thinking when in front of the glowing conditioning apparatus then when reading the exact same material or discussing it with others.

The brilliance behind this type of deep conditioning is that it targets our natural tendency to rationalize away any negative aspects under the guise of entertainment. “Hey, we’re just having some fun. It’s a TV show for crying out loud, not real life.” The programmer doesn’t need to convince us to suspend disbelief when we willing do so under the cover of fun for all. Open wide and say “Please sir, may I have moar”.

The latest programming phase started more than a dozen years ago with so called ‘reality TV’ programming, which supposedly features ‘real life’ people dealing with contrived difficulties in purportedly unscripted situations. While I agree that every action seen on the viewing screen is not strictly or rigidly scripted, both the characters and producer, along with the editing room, insert false conflicts and drama where little or none would normally exist, all under the pretence of a ‘game’ show. More importantly we are shown, and expressly informed, that something is ‘real’ when clearly it is not. So once again belief is engaged by suspending disbelief in order to swallow whole the patently unbelievable.

 

Typewritten Questions

 

If we examine the term ‘suspending disbelief’ we realize that what we are asked to do, what is demanded of us in order to ‘enjoy’ a harmless little activity and accept our programming, is to ‘believe’ what we are seeing in order to internalize and embody it as real. Our imagination is the creator of our own personal reality so hijack that and you and I are effectively controlled.

Only if we accept what we are seeing and hearing as ‘real’ will we express emotion and empathy and fully engage in the alternative reality. This in turn enables and allows our ‘self’ to be fully assimilated Borg like into the proffered fantasy hook, line and sinker. When all the moving parts click the programming results are spectacular. Just watch the apparatus work its magic when imminent war is being announced or the next financial crisis ‘suddenly’ occurs.

Every twelve to fifteen minutes during prime conditioning time our primary programming is interrupted for commercial breaks during which, while our empathy and emotions are fully exposed and vulnerable, we are showered with sales ads precisely designed to do the same. Meaning we are programmed to desire whatever it is they are selling using our own fully exposed emotion and empathy as leverage against us. Talk about striking while the fire is hot.

I looked up ‘belief’ and ‘believe’ in several dictionaries and found near universal definitions that often had little to do with religion and much to do with everyday living and thinking. For example, from Merriam-Webster comes the following.

be·lief: noun, a feeling of being sure that someone or something exists or that something is true; a feeling that something is good, right, or valuable; a feeling of trust in the worth or ability of someone; a state or habit of mind in which trust or confidence is placed in some person or thing; a tenet or body of tenets held by a group; conviction of the truth of some statement or the reality of some being or phenomenon especially when based on examination of evidence.

be·lieve: verb, to accept or regard (something) as true, to accept the truth of what is said by (someone), to have (a specified opinion), to have a firm religious faith, to accept something as true, genuine, or real; to have a firm conviction as to the goodness, efficacy, or ability of something; to consider to be true or honest; to accept the word or evidence of.

Wow, I could not have said it better myself. Who among us has the courage and internal steadiness to examine ourselves for any and all traces of unexamined belief, then thoroughly remove all threads from our everyday use, all while maintaining some semblance of continuity in relationships, work, play and growth. Personally I find the task daunting at best and just about impossible at worst. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t even try.

 

Chapter Two to follow soon.

 

03-05-2014

Cognitive Dissonance

www.TwoIceFloes.com is unlike anything you will find on the web, a truly unique destination. There you will find distinctive Premium Members only articles as well as discussions on wellness and health, homesteading, spirituality & philosophy and most importantly ‘safe’ forums not found anywhere else. Come by for a peek and stay a while.

 

- advertisements -

Comment viewing options

Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to activate your changes.
Wed, 03/05/2014 - 19:13 | 4514017 Boxed Merlot
Boxed Merlot's picture

I looked up ‘belief’ and ‘believe’ in several dictionaries and found near universal definitions that often had little to do with religion...

 

 

I've recently been immersing myself in Dr. Sproul's mentor's teachings on Christian apologetics (http://www.ligonier.org/learn/series/handout_apologetics/) and found it refreshing he spent nearly a third of his time debunking the notion of having faith in faith.  Abandoning reason in order to embrace the notion human existence is more than 70-80 orbits and poof is "no way to go through life, son."  If there is a God then it absolutely falls to reason our reason should absolutely be used to discover God. 

The bible should not be believed as the word of God because it says so.  It should be approached initially as a word of man and given the same tests for reliability as any other writing.  Naturally it ends up being susceptable to increasing scrutiny because of it's claims, but only should be given the creedence once it has proven itself to be historically reliable.  Suffice it to say, there's no other artifact that's received the degree of attention to detail and has yet remained intact and "unrevised" as the 39 / 27 books of the canonized bible.  

Certainly one can expect various "interpretations" due to the number of human languages the original languages have been translated into.  Look at the various "interpretations" of the Russian accounts of recent Ukrainian events have been twisted to say.  However, at the end of the day, the advice to "follow the money", or perhaps more precisely, to discover the author's motivation is far more important to understand than the message itself. 

I maintain as a Calvinist, people are inherently evil but capable of good.  This places me at odds with most of my fellow "believers", but I've been fooled more than once and will try to use my God given ability to reason until God takes it from me.

 

jmo.

 

 

 

Wed, 03/05/2014 - 22:10 | 4514093 akarc
akarc's picture

ONe book I found quite interesting was, "reading the Bible through Western eye's" which goes into much detail about how failure to understand the culture and time of it's writing significantly impacts our ability to understand it.  I prefer the quest of a personal relationship with a higher power. I just have to be careful it is a higher power I am seeking or my mind lookiing for validation for what I wish to believe.  HOurs of meditation and prayer resulting in depression then a turn on a twistie opens up a wholen new vista that refreshes the soul.

Wed, 03/05/2014 - 19:22 | 4514065 Pinche Caballero
Pinche Caballero's picture

Are you here? Now I am really worried...

Wed, 03/05/2014 - 19:08 | 4514002 Lumberjack
Lumberjack's picture

Cog, I love your new site and this is a great addition to ZH as it gives pause to what we are exposed to, directly and indirectly, on a daily basis. Truth be told I am getting up in years and have this philosophy, "my eyes are nearly deaf and my ears nearly blind". Besides that, I could use a pair of spectacles and a hearing aid too but that can wait. The other thing comes from experience. Thanks to you and the Mrs. for keeping on and may that pot you wrote about provide many more years of service ;).

Wed, 03/05/2014 - 19:19 | 4514048 Cognitive Dissonance
Cognitive Dissonance's picture

Pop's Pot still gets used when needed.

I looked at it the other day, the lid actually, and immediately thought I should bend out that last little deformation. Then I realized that to do so would take most of its character away. The not quite flat lid remains unchanged.

Wed, 03/05/2014 - 19:53 | 4514220 Lumberjack
Lumberjack's picture

I have some old cast iron and your story really touched me. Once in awhile you have to season it, this cast iron was hand made back in the day, a bit warped from use but can't be beat.

My grandson who is 6 was here the other day and asked me a few questions that I had to give a generic answer to. It isn't an appropriate time to explain to a 6 year old what is going on (politically or tax wise), but somehow I am proud of him for asking that question and will try my best to guide him and the other grand children in years to come as best I can. 

Wed, 03/05/2014 - 19:03 | 4513957 ThirdWorldDude
ThirdWorldDude's picture

Very well written, Mr. Cog. I 'believe' you've got yourself a (ZH) bestseller.   :)

Heck, you've touched upon so many things here that I don't know where to start. Maybe from the beginning; technological revolutions... or finding better ways of alienating yourself from your true self. Revolution, as a term, doesn't implicitely mean  to go forward; instead it's a breaking point, a crossroad from which the road can take you either to Evolution or to Devolution. It's clear as day which way our civilization has taken. As Huxley stated so accurately, "technological progress has merely provided us with more efficient ways for going backwards". 

Technology and predictive programming coming from both media and educational system have murdered spirituality. I'm not talking about organized religion, but of the God within. There are no more any moral boundaries except for those that our overlords impose on us. For a species with an abnormally strong tendency to intraspecies violence it's a recipe for disaster.

As an addendum to our predictive programming, a large majority of the population existing today has been raised to 'believe' they are a beautiful unique snowflake while also getting praises for below average performances at school, sports or whatever other activity. It only helped create a society of narcissists with overblown egos, one large vanity fair of individuals with absolutely no humility, ability for introspection or healthy self-criticism. 

Oftentimes in my daily life when I observe how things have become so twisted, I wonder if it is only me going insane. It's not an easy task paddling upstream, but once you've taken the red pill there's no turning back. Certainly people have contemplated in a similar fashion in all of history and usually those are the ones that've ended up in flames, on a stake. A fact that speaks volumes about humanity's gene pool... Which reminds me of my favorite quote from Richard Linklater's movie "Waking Life" [sorry I have to be a contrarian, after all we live in a world of duality :)]; highly recommended for those who like deep philosophical tirades that ask questions instead of providing 'answers':

"When you come to think of it, almost all human behavior and activity is not essentially any different from animal behavior. The most advanced technologies and craftsmanship bring us, at best, up to the super-chimpanzee level. Actually, the gap between, say, Plato or Nietzsche and the average human is greater than the gap between that chimpanzee and the average human. The realm of the real spirit, the true artist, the saint, the philosopher, is rarely achieved.

Why so few? Why is world history and evolution not stories of progress but rather this endless and futile addition of zeroes. No greater values have developed. Hell, the Greeks 3,000 years ago were just as advanced as we are. So what are these barriers that keep people from reaching anywhere near their real potential? The answer to that can be found in another question, and that's this: Which is the most universal human characteristic - fear or laziness...?"

Thu, 03/06/2014 - 07:33 | 4515914 Element
Element's picture

Real fear is absolute, result of observation of the need to act. That is rarely a problem, you act, the fear goes. But there is the fake version of imagined fear, the kind promoted by Dick Cheney, which is a problem, and must be addressed and eliminated internally but seeing it is a fraud.

Laziness can also be relative, for instance, if a person thinks certain actions are not worth it, or are in fact ancillary and optional, but not essential actions, while another person thinks the same actions are mandatory, who is right? The second person is going to call the first person lazy, the first person is going to think the second person is an annoying nosy asshole. Go to a primitive tribe who's not only unplugged, but have never really been plugged and concepts like boredom or laziness have little meaning, same for entertainment.

I know from my own deliberate removal of all forms of entertainment and external input and intrusion, including telephone and internet, that nothing bad happens. You do not go into a swoon, you do not get lonely, your do not feel deprived and anxious, nor do not miss it. You instead feel completely relaxed, your mind can observe more clearly, no disturbance by intrusive ideas, then you can think about things very clearly, and fully explore them one step at a time.

Multitasking is a fraud. No one can really do it, they just claim they can. In fact multiple studies have shown that multi-taskers are much more inaccurate and ineffective at doing tasks, than single focused people doing one thing at a time. The single focused people are faster, much more accurate and they complete tasks fully, compared to all multitaskers.

http://www.flyingmag.com/technique/proficiency/human-factor-perils-multi...

http://www.flyingmag.com/technique/proficiency/human-factor-perils-multi...

So it should not be too surprising to then discover that if you completely remove distraction altogether, as in a 'primitive' tribal context, or even the Hellenic Greek context, where TV, radio and broadband reception was poor and books and journals were few, then your mind is going to clear right up. And if we replicate that environment we can then focus and observe and learn far more keenly than when we are bombard with 'information'.

Yet commercialism has sold to us the idea and convinced us that totally cluttered mind, and multiple activities, equates to a clear-head and ro added capacity.

The evidence that this is entirely false, that it is instead disrupting and undermining our mind's clarity, and is damaging behavior, is all around us, in 2014.

 

Thu, 03/06/2014 - 08:12 | 4515967 new game
new game's picture

great post! yea, and while doing that task, go methodically so as to enjoy the moments.

some say time is the spirit of happiness, so i ask "what is the rush".

(unless the rush is the enjoyment)        :)

Wed, 03/05/2014 - 21:25 | 4514709 LawsofPhysics
LawsofPhysics's picture

"Why is world history and evolution not stories of progress" - You really believe the human race hasn't progressed?

FAIL.

Must be my lying eyes.

Thu, 03/06/2014 - 01:52 | 4515597 ThirdWorldDude
ThirdWorldDude's picture

LoP, redo the math without technological progress in your equation.

Then, please, do get back with your new result. I'm vividly interested in finding out the exact domains of human existence that we're so superior in as compared to 500, 1000 or 5000 years ago...

Wed, 03/05/2014 - 18:52 | 4513944 kchrisc
kchrisc's picture

Believe, live and expect non-aggression against Life, Liberty and Property for you and yours and the world will be a better place for all.

Non-aggression against other's Life, Liberty and Property should be the yard/meter-stick that all other beliefs should be measured against:

If you believe that aliens are passing by in the tail of a comet and you need to kill yourself to hitch a ride. Knock yourself out.

If you believe that you can take people’s children and wealth and use them as weapons to steal and subjugate foreigners for your benefit. I don’t think so.

If you believe that you can steal people’s wealth by “printing” and hiding behind the violence of government. You have another thing coming.

 

“These guillotines were made for cutting…”

Wed, 03/05/2014 - 18:45 | 4513911 akarc
akarc's picture

Cog, I wrote this in 09 on my site (which I only keep up now for reference and to post pics and stuff as "Bikers" I assume did not appreciate such writings):) But then it is not about bikers, it is just and intro to all of us. I book marked it for your next post as I wanted to share it with you as it seems we suffer the same insanity. I found the gear picture in your post so apropo as I use to use a gear illustration to demonstrate how easy it is for the outside world to jam up our inside world. Anyway for whatever it is worth. it is yours, do with as you will.

The source of our lie and our destruction- a dumb bikers take

This is long. We make no apologies. If you wish to understand what is, you must first understand what was, which can very well lead you to what will be. If you don't like history, truth, politics, or knowing how and why our nation is crumbling, don't bother with it!

Myth:

A traditional, typically ancient story dealing with supernatural beings, ancestors, or heroes that serves as a fundamental type in the worldview of a people, as by explaining aspects of the natural world or delineating the psychology, customs, or ideals of society:the myth of Eros and Psyche; a creation myth.
Such stories considered as a group: the realm of myth.

 
 
A fiction or half-truth, especially one that forms part of an ideology

As bikers we pride ourselves on our "independence" and the mytho's that has grown up around the lifestyle.  However, in fact, we are no different than any other people.  For Americans have fallen into the same trap of believing in the myth that has grown up around who we are, or are supposed to be.

In other words we have fallen guilty to believing the lie of not only our country but ourselves. 

It is an easy trap to fall into. As we have suffered from the false belief that we are our own person.  Which is a lie.

Being born with a "Tabula rasa," like the hard drive of a computer, our programmers (parents, schools, media, friends, religions and life experience) begins our programming.  Unfortunately our programmers, being born before the time of anti-virus and anti-malware programs, have been programmed and over time become infected with many viruses and malware.

The blank slate that we are born with is unable to differentiate between that which is real and that which is not.  It trusts it's programmers and accepts that which is inputted as the truth.  Thus "garbage in, garbage out".

When we are taught the lie over and over again it becomes our truth, our reality. And people are highly resistant to having their truth denied. The truth becomes a threat to our reality and security and without our reality what have we?

An example: Copernicus was a Church Administrator, lawyer, medical practitioner, defense planner and "respected" astronomer.  In other words a staunch member of the establishment of the times.

But he did something that scared the hell out of not only him, but the rest of the world.  After 39 years of work he proved that the planets revolved around the Sun instead of the earth.  He died, writing in his book   , De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium,  “The scorn which I had to fear on account of the newness and absurdity of my opinion, almost drove me to abandon a work already undertaken.”

His work was banned by the church and he was buried in an unmarked grave for his efforts. And then came Galileo. another establishment member, mathematics professor who just happened to discover the law of "falling bodies" as well as the parabolic path of projectiles, invented a calculator, built a telescope, proved Aristotle wrong and Copernicus right.

And how was he rewarded for proving and advocating for the truth?

he was summoned to Rome by the Inquisition to stand trial for "grave suspicion of heresy," stating that he had been ordered personally in 1616 to not discuss Copernicanism, either orally or written. Despite the fact that Galileo was able to produce a certificate signed by the late cardinal Bellarmine stating that he was under no further restrictions than applied to other Catholics, he was compelled in 1633 to abjure and was sentenced to life in prison.

That sentence was swiftly commuted to permanent house arrest, but the Dialogue was ordered to be burned, and the sentence against him was to be read publicly in every university.

and

An investigation into the astronomer's condemnation, calling for its reversal, was opened in 1979 by Pope John Paul II. In October 1992 a papal commission acknowledged the Vatican had made errors, but stopped short of admitting the Church was wrong to convict Galileo on a charge of heresy because of his belief that the Earth rotates round the sun.

There are some important words above that haunt us today.  "Censorship".  Denial of the truth.

Especially relevant when you consider current events, such as:

China's government plans to require all PCs sold in that country as of 1 July to be shipped with software that blocks certain websites, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal.

The move, which is expected to give government censors heightened control over how China's citizens use the internet, is intended to protect young people from "harmful" content such as pornography, according to the software's main developer.

The software, called Green Dam-Youth Escort, would block access to banned websites by connecting to a regularly updated database of banned sites and block access to those addresses,according to the report. The requirement is aimed at "constructing a green, healthy and harmonious internet environment, and preventing harmful information on the internet from influencing and poisoning young people", according to a 19 May Chinese government notice the newspaper cited.

The Chinese government has a reputation for restricting its citizens' access to the internet.

Earlier this month, on the 20th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre, China reportedly blocked access to websites such as Twitter, Yahoo's Flickr, YouTube, Microsoft Hotmail, Live.com, Wordpress, Blogger and many other social-networking sites.

Note the words. "protect", "harmful", "banned," "government censors",  and most interestingly,

"constructing a green, healthy and harmonious internet environment, and preventing harmful information on the internet from influencing and poisoning young people"

Now ask yourself, how would that sentence sound if you removed the word "harmonious and replaced it with "politically correct"? And how American Companies who profit in China respond?

A spokeswoman for Hewlett-Packard Co., which has the largest PC market share of any U.S. vendor in China, said the companyis "working with the government authorities and evaluating the best way to approach this. Obviously we will focus on delivering the best customer experience while ensuring that we meet necessary regulatory requirements."

Sales of PCs in China neared 40 million units last year, second only to the U.S. Chinese company Lenovo Group Ltd. had the largest market share, with 26.7% of units shipped in the first three months of 2009, while H-P had 13.7% and Dell Inc. had 8.1%, according to research firm IDC.

Manufacturers have more than just sales in China to consider when the government asks them to do something: Major PC companies also have investments in factories and research facilities in China.

Dell declined to comment on the software. Lenovo said, "We review all legislation relating to our business," and didn't comment further.

U.S. Internet companies have for years grappled with demands from the Chinese government to censor content or share potentially private data with police.
Several of the biggest -- including Google Inc., Yahoo Inc. andMicrosoft -- joined together last October to announce a set of guidelines for how they would comply with censorship requests from countries such as China, including a promise to be transparent about the requests they receive. But the effort, known as the Global Network Initiative, was criticized by some civil-liberties groups as being short on specifics and not doing enough to fight censorship laws. No computer hardware makers are members of the group.

A Yahoo spokeswoman said that the company would "continue to analyze international developments that may impact our industry." "We strongly support the free flow of information and the right to freedom of expression," she said.

An argument can be made, has been made and will continue to be made to justify profit, that a taste of "capitalism" will motivate a people to thirst for Freedom to be "all that they can be." But how can that occur when "freedom" of the mind is replaced by "programming" of the mind.

The issue of "slavery" during the formation of our on Constitution might be analogous here. 

Which brings us back to the "lie" which we referenced to begin with.

With the programming we have received since birth comes the skill of "rationalization". A defense mechanism by which we learn to re-enforce our lie to create or maintain our reality:

According to the DSM-IV rationalization occurs "when the individual deals with emotional conflict or internal or external stressors by concealing the true motivations for his or her own thoughts, actions, or feelings through the elaboration of reassuring or self serving but incorrect explanations."

This is not just done on an individual basis but with co-operation of the masses. Thus China rationalizes it's need to perpetuate oppression to protect the masses from "pornography".


America rationalizes it's need to implement repressive laws to "protect homeland security", to protect us against "terrorism".

It is our failure to understand the role of  our rationalizations that allows us to continue to repeat the mistakes of history over and over again. Although we know the Holocaust occurred there is still argument as to the why of it and if we can not answer that question we can guarantee that such actions will happen again as they have and do in Africa. Consider from, 

'Explaining Hitler': Dangerous to Understand, Dangerous to Ignore:

What the more absurd of these theories make clear is how dangerous the effort to explain Hitler can be -- how it can result in a rationalization of his actions, exempting him from responsibility for his crimes while shifting the blame to abstract historical forces or subconscious psychic drives. 
It can also provide us with false consolation. Those theories that suggest that Hitler was a madman completely off the charts of human behavior allow us to shrug him off as a horrible anomaly, while other theories, which suggest that he was not consciously evil, enable us to ignore his darkest implications about human nature. 
At the same time, Rosenbaum argues, repudiating any effort to understand Hitler or the Holocaust (as Lanzmann has done) can lead to a process of mystification that effectively shields the murderers from responsibility for their crimes and thwarts all efforts to learn from the horrors of the past.

Our own individual responsibility is to "question" everything or become pawns of the ones who do.
This is especially true in matters of Government, as governments have a tendency to rationalize/sell their actions to be in "your" best interest. Unfortunately, the process of our learning, accepting, and acting on the truth may be to late.

After all the Jews have not been the only ethnic group to suffer indignities forced on them by others who felt superior.  It is happening right now, here in America. To Americans who have abdicated responsibility to the truth, in favor of agendas. Many of whom spend little to no time investigating the whys and hows that which is ours is being taken from us a little at a time. Just quietly suffering as we desperately try to  cling on to the little piece of the pie we have and grab more if we can.

And let us not forget that should we support the American Corporate participation in Censorship in other companies, will we see it when it happens here?

Paradoxically this is our fault and it is not our fault. Remember we have been programmed. Are we Democrats or Republicans and why for example?  Are you one or the other because your background "programmed" you to be such? Or did you arrive at your persuasion based on your own independent
investigation of the facts? And if so, chose one, why is it that you can not see the validity of the other?
Choosing  instead to treat the other as the enemy.  Is it out of fear that should your enemy have a point your own reality is so tenuous as to be at risk?  If so, Congratulations, you have just joined the ranks of those who who don't believe we ever set foot on the moon. 

How much has been stolen from us by Government, Corporations and even Charities because we have failed to ask the questions we may not want to hear the answers to? 

How many want to believe that they have been suckered by the Muscular Dystrophy Association (and others)?

Now take that a step further and ask, how many want to believe they were suckered by their programmers? Their parents, teachers, media, friends, government, and all the other forces your trusted with your safety. Worse yet, just trusted period.  Reality a little thin yet?

Imagine your reality, your belief system, as an old reel to reel tape going around and around in your head. Everything is fine as long no pressure is exerted against it. If you apply a little pressure, a threat to your reality/belief system, to the tape you will notice there is resistance, but it will still go round and round.  As you apply more pressure the resistance is greater, to the extent that the spools may begin to slow and  heat up. A headache so to speak.  Now this is a tape that you value, that you do not want to lose.  If that tape breaks, if information is provided the substantiates that your belief system/reality is faulty what will you do?

Embrace the truth or discount it and save the valued faulty tape and the pain of losing it?

If tomorrow morning news broke presenting irrefutable evidence that God never existed, how would  you react?  Discount the truth? Rationalize the truth? Or accept the truth and radically change the behaviors that were based on your belief of a non existent God?  More telling yet, how do your behaviors now align themselves with whatever God you choose to profess to believe in?

And when you have answered that, answer this one, how do  your behaviors now, align themselves with the principles of individual rights on which America was founded?

Are you a free individual or an easily manipulated pawn by virtue of defective programming?
Ask a car salesman that has studied pacing, mirroring and other forms of "irresistible communication."  Ask marketing firms whose lifeblood is contingent upon getting you to believe that "Cheerios" will save your life.

The fact/truth is that we have become well programed to believe that lies are truth. How many times have you listened to someone repeat a infinitely forwarded e-mail as a "fact," referred them to "Snopes.com" and had them respond with Snopes lies???? 

So the source of all lies is us.  If you own stock in a computer company that is positioned to rise based on increased sales to China based on agreeing to help suppress the truth to masses of people will you sell  it at a loss? It goes further than that. Would you stop purchasing items made in China or Oil exported from Russia, providing other countries with the ammunition to destroy what little we have not already destroyed.

Of course not. For some one simple reason. We can not. The train has left the station. It is to late. We have allowed the Corporate/Governance alliance to engage in the ultimate capitalistic achievement, the sale of a country and it's people.

They were able to do that by creating an economy by which most American workers receive at least some percentage of their income from the federal government (via tarp). Which of course you will have to repay in order to enable the Federal government to return a portion of it to the rich, who will then use it to pay some of us and the circle becomes vicious indeed. 

See:
Fed Would Be Shut Down If It Were Audited, Expert Says
Russia to sell US Treasuries, eyes IMF bonds 
China's Yuan Ambitions 
The Issue: Outsourcing

And for all the  talk of green shoots there is more than one second shoe out there ready to drop:
 Credit Card Defaults Reach Record Highs in April

 U.S. unemployment—currently at 8.9 percent—is expected to approach 10 percent as the country endures its worst recession since World War Two. Credit card losses are likely to follow that way.

It is not VISA that is going to take this hit. VISA does not loan  money for the most part. It processes the money loaned out by the same banks that created the sub prime mess that YOU and I have had to bail out. It is us that will take the hit again.

In fact if there are any green shoots at all it is not for you and I.  It is for those who do not need them!
In June of 2005 Richard Greenspan said,

The income gap between the rich and the rest of the U.S. population has become so wide, and is growing so fast, that it might eventually threaten the stability of democratic capitalism itself.

 Greenspan cites income disparities and an inadequate high school education system as detrimental to America in the long-term.

or check out:  More or less equal?

THE past 30 years have been a great time for the wealthy. Their businesses became more profitable; their equities and properties increased in value; for those who worked in investment banking or hedge funds, bonuses rose steeply. And the further up the income scale you went, the better the rich did. Just as the bottom 90% of the population have lagged far behind the top 10%, most of those in the top 10% have trailed the elite 1%. And that select 1% has looked in envy at the Croesus-like 0.1% at the very top of the tree.

And this is where belief systems become skewed based on programing, you have been led to believe that you are well off and you to can participate in the "American Dream". An example:

You, if you are one of the ones that can afford it (do not discount the large mass of Americans who can not), purchase a couple hundred shares of a stock and are elated if it rises in price a dollar contributing to your retirement (which is another lie entirely).  The really rich, and by that I mean people in this country that have money that you or I can not fathom, who have no conception nor care for the daily trials and tribulations you face,  buy the whole company, rape it, resell it with no thought to weather or not your shares go down and you take a beating.

The reality is that most today have been priced out of the new economy and burdened with enough debt to insure that our grandchildren will have little choice of participating also. State and municipal workers pray that enough taxes can be generated to keep there salaries.

Especially Federal workers. Just look at the disparity among wages between federal and private sector workers (see:  Lou Dobbs says thats the stuff of Revolutions) We have gone from a country of individuals of revolutionary spirit  with a dream of making things better for the future of all to a country of sheep who fight each other while the wolves stand on the hill salivating at a free meal provided by ignorance and fear. Of course the revolution is not going to come any time soon and if it did we may in fact be in even more trouble. We have become a country so divided that any  legitimate revolution would surely result in anarchy, as we would be to absorbed in self interest to effect a solution. Which is ironic considering a solution already exists, The Constitution of the United States of America in conjunction with the Declaration of independence In my conversations with people on these issues, when you can actually find one or two that are even interested in such conversations, inevitably I am confronted with the statement, "that won't happen!" The problem is, it has. We are just no longer able to tell the difference between a lie and the truth. Nicole Herbots said: "Our truest self-interest is in the end is always the ethical choice of resisting or leaving, as we will be inevitably be the next victims of the repressive policies we did not confront but ended up supporting by complying." Now that we are the victims, what will we do?

"ARGUE FOR YOUR LIMITATIONS AND THEY ARE YOURS" "IF NOT NOW WHEN"
From the book "illusions" by Richard Bach Originally posted in 09 here http://www.bigbendbikersforfreedom.com/2009/06/source-of-our-lie-and-our...
Thu, 03/06/2014 - 05:19 | 4515813 Element
Element's picture

Sparrow in the knuckle at 140 km/h, it's the beak that hurts most. Scrapping the innards of your shoulder and neck is fun too. Crotch-rocket fan, 2013 GSX-R750 M4 trumpet 16-tooth front. That and new rubber never gets old. One day it'll take me, but I'm OK with that.

Thu, 03/06/2014 - 10:42 | 4516499 akarc
akarc's picture

"Crotch-rocket fan, 2013 GSX-R750"

LOrd Im glad they didn't have em when I was coming up because I know this feeling,  

 "One day it'll take me, but I'm OK with that."

IF you have never done Bear Tooth Pass and get a chance take it. You get to the top and all is right with the world. YOu get to the bottom and try and get a room and........

Thu, 03/06/2014 - 13:23 | 4517307 Element
Element's picture

I'm in Australia, but will have a look at Bear Tooth Pass on utube for onboard video. There's only a handful of ranges within riding distance from my home, mountain-side rides. Just got to watch out for the roos at night.

Wed, 03/05/2014 - 18:42 | 4513906 ebworthen
ebworthen's picture

Great stuff again Cog, thank you.

I could stare in a mirror all day and never see myself as others see me.

You mention one of the most fundamental shifts in human society ever; our detachment from the land via the industrial revolution and the harnessing of electricity and petroleum energy.

We have descended into a fantasy world which contains real material objects yet is disconnected from individual tangible consequences of the world's construction.  It is the biggest house of cards ever constructed.

Fewer and fewer use an outhouse, till the soil, raise livestock, or have to chop wood; everything is provided via non-renewable energy and machinery run by an unseen and infinitesimal percentage of the population.

It was this detachment that brought about things like the Federal Reserve and fiat currencies unhinged from tangibles such as Gold or Silver, and our current Ponzi.

It is our detachment that has led to our consumptive mania; rushing, hurrying, scurrying to CONSUME and climb overtop one another to go or get SOMEONE or SOMETHING.

For a time I was tempted to get two bumper stickers; one for the left rear of the bumper that said "Something", and one for the right rear of the bumper that said "Someone". 

I decided it was better to just be an anonymous observer where my physical presence is concerned.

Too many crazy monkeys out there.

Wed, 03/05/2014 - 18:51 | 4513938 Cognitive Dissonance
Cognitive Dissonance's picture

Mrs. Cog and I live in farm and cow country up here on the Blue Ridge Plateau. The thing is that even though these people may watch some TV and eat some fast food when they are down the mountain where some fast food is available, even though they may have electricity and central heat, they still mend the fences, step in the cow pies, doctor their sick cows, horses and kids and get their hands dirty.

While I sense that they are somewhat mesmerized by the machine, and even that varies greatly from person to person, I feel strongly that it is the land and all that it represents that helps keep them grounded to a greater extent than them there 'city people'.

I love it up here. And I love it even more that after a tough winter my neighbors are beginning to realize that we are here to stay and we are in some ways just like them. I am honored that they are beginning to accept me into their world.

Wed, 03/05/2014 - 21:31 | 4514736 Shad_ow
Shad_ow's picture

Many of us who live in The South are much the same.  We experience and own modern things but remain grounded to nature and producing what we need.  It isn't the same as 30 or 40 years ago but is very different from large urban areas.  I am both proud and grateful I was born here.

Your words above should be taken to heart.  They can prevent much heartache and disappointment.  The trick is determining who and what to trust in today's world which is hard but we must try because love requires trust.

Wed, 03/05/2014 - 22:16 | 4514951 Cognitive Dissonance
Cognitive Dissonance's picture

The deeper I go into the south the more I am impressed. The further north I go, and I was born and raised in New England, the more embarrassed I am by how rude and disinterested many can be. I don't wish to whitewash the entire northern area, but I have often said that I have been treated better in the south than I think my northern neighbors, and myself included, would have treated someone from the south living up north.

Just my observation after living in various parts of Virginia since 1998 and New England from birth to 1998.

Wed, 03/05/2014 - 19:28 | 4514089 cougar_w
cougar_w's picture

I come from hill-folk myself and as self defense against license still rank myself as one of them. The apple does not fall far from the tree, no matter what path it takes on the way down. Do not give us hillbillies too much credit. We do the needful every day as a matter of economy and in some ways out of a kind of blunt acceptance. It requires little imagination and even less inner struggle. And no, we will never accept you if you were not born in our hills. We will be crudely sociable, and that's all. The world will rise up over a thousand years and crash down again in 20 but our lives will hardly change. We never noticed, it didn't matter, God didn't mention any of that.

Wed, 03/05/2014 - 20:40 | 4514478 Cognitive Dissonance
Cognitive Dissonance's picture

"Do not give us hillbillies too much credit. We do the needful every day as a matter of economy and in some ways out of a kind of blunt acceptance. It requires little imagination and even less inner struggle."

I do get what you're talking about. I can see some of what you are saying in their eyes at times. BUT they are mostly honest and straight forward and while I might never be accepted as kin, they treat me fairly and actually smile to me now and then. Since I have made it through the same winter as they have, and it has been a real rough winter here, I can't be all bad.

Can I?   :-)

Wed, 03/05/2014 - 20:43 | 4514503 cougar_w
cougar_w's picture

Just so you know, you'll need to be bit by a rattlesnake or gored by a steer before they'll visit you on the porch. Doesn't hurt if your horse kicks in the door of the truck and you just drive around with it that way.

Maybe, it's worth it. You do get to hear some really great stories.

Wed, 03/05/2014 - 20:53 | 4514547 Cognitive Dissonance
Cognitive Dissonance's picture

I have found one thing these mountain folk have in common with the city people. When given half a chance and a genuine ear that is truly interested and carefully listening, nearly everyone wants to talk to me.

Mrs. Cog says I glow people. Not sure what it is, but it is amazing what complete strangers will tell me after just a minute or two if I can engage them in conversation. It always brings a smile to my face and often to theirs as well.

It's magic. I know cus I can feel it.

Wed, 03/05/2014 - 21:03 | 4514605 Mrs. Cog
Mrs. Cog's picture

It's almost embarassing. Complete strangers find themselves confessing personal things to Cog within minutes of striking up a conversation. I never know quite what to do with myself while this is going on.

Thu, 03/06/2014 - 07:47 | 4515938 new game
new game's picture

your hubby is intellectualy honest and honest people love to engage. the walls vaporize when we reveal our soul!

the opposite happens with dishonest people(for the most part), they are threatened...

we all have a story to tell!

Wed, 03/05/2014 - 21:50 | 4514842 jusman
jusman's picture

Easy.  Just love your husband more!

Thu, 03/06/2014 - 02:21 | 4515630 Tall Tom
Tall Tom's picture

They sense the non-judgmental soul. We are all screw ups in this life...some more than others. Empathy is a valuable trait.

 

Can you walk a mile in another man's shoes?

Thu, 03/06/2014 - 06:26 | 4515864 tip e. canoe
tip e. canoe's picture

TT, don't know if you like electronic music, but even if no, the lyrics in this are worth listening:

Coldcut - 'Walk A Mile In My Shoes'

around these parts, we all have a tendency to overthink matters on occasion (myself guilty as charged), spending hours upon hours noodling in our little mind boxes for the golden needle in the haystack that will solve all our world's problems, when all this time, perhaps it could be found right beneath our feet as we reach down to tie someone else's shoelace.

using the head without the heart only leads us lost within an infinite hall of mirrors, methinks.

Wed, 03/05/2014 - 18:28 | 4513852 nowhereman
nowhereman's picture

Have you ever noticed how every other prime time program is enforcement related?  I truly "believe" this is no accident.  The powers that be, want us to "believe" that if you commit a crime, you will be caught, and you will be punished.  This is because  all law enforcement are dedicated and professional.

I can't watch that crap.  I'm retired from law enforcement and I can tell you from experience, unless you are a complete moron, you will get away with it 9 times out of 10.  And that 10% is mostly luck.  People in enforceent are schmucks like everyone else.  Putting in their pensionable time, hoping not to  get hurt in the mean time.  As a matter of fact, for the most part they're really not that bright.  Check out the education requirements on your local police force.  High School Grad, maybe a community college diploma in law enforcement.  When I was younger, it was grade 10.   The force doesn't want people who can think for themselves, they want meat that follows orders and can find a donut shop.

But that's not what the media will have you think, otherwise, there is nothing stopping us all from becoming criminals and getting away with it. Ever wonder why the mafia was so successful?  They figured out a long time ago that only a schmuck is legit.

Thu, 03/06/2014 - 08:27 | 4515995 GCT
GCT's picture

Spot on Nowhere it is all about law enforcement and how irresponsible men are.  Top it off with marriage and a real realtionship as stupid and you have TV.  Oh I forgot the down trodded and special casses as identified in th programming

I watch the new for the weather and turn it off.  I do like to watch Wheeler Dealerson velocity as it is a fun show tht actually shows a mechanic that can do real work with his hands!  Other then that you can keep TV. Med are demonized as stupid irresponsble smucks that either ake advantae of women or doing somrthing criminal to women.  Women are protrayed as the down trodden or single, responsible strugling single parent that does not need anyone else to provide a stable environment.  Hit lifetimeand we are all criminals as we abuse or murder women. TV is programing and the feminization of men.  We should be more like the women is crap.  Single parenting is the way to go is crap. Children are more balanced with a father in their lives.  If the actor or actress is married you will never see the spouse unless they are pregnant or the man is causing trouble.  I left TV land decades ago. 

I am sure some person will come along and tell all about how fucked up we men really are and tat is ok as I know he or she ae already programmed by the media to believe all the crap spewed forth daily.  I laugh at my old boss wo blamed all her problems on men and yet she was marred three times and her new man left her a note tellng her how fuked up she was.  I just told her to look in the fucking mirror as either her selection skills were bad or she was just a bitch.  I already knew the answer.  Hell she was complaiing about her daughter sleeping with a married man and he then left his ife for her and she was being real judgemental.  I told her like mother like daughter!  You see her third huband she did the same thing!

Anyway TV is a programming tool for the masses.  Best propaganda tool on the planet.  Now look in the screen and smile!  Let us take away all your problems and make life wonderful for you. 

Wed, 03/05/2014 - 22:52 | 4515093 tip e. canoe
tip e. canoe's picture

But that's not what the media will have you think, otherwise, there is nothing stopping us all from becoming criminals and getting away with it.

funny, that's the same way me chooses to believe
re: the ALL-C-I revelations by EdSnow and Co.,
except the psyops takes one step deeper into the metapool:

that dissent is somehow criminal

and even deeper yet:  that the word dissent implies that there is even an authority in the first place.

sorry, but this schmuck ain't buying none of it.

Thu, 03/06/2014 - 07:37 | 4515928 new game
new game's picture

seven layers deep and finally the truth. right or wrong?:)

by not filling ones' head with garbage, a layer or two is enough...

i sought, i found, i confirmed, and slept on it and it became my truth.

Wed, 03/05/2014 - 19:07 | 4513998 akarc
akarc's picture

"Have you ever noticed how every other prime time program is enforcement related?  I truly "believe" this is no accident.  The powers that be, want us to "believe" that if you commit a crime, you will be caught, and you will be punished.  This is because  all law enforcement are dedicated and professional."

Such a relevant statement. Even more interesting is Gibbs of popular NCIS. KNown to have committed murder (those in his case I can not say I would not seek revenge) he remains the hero of a program about bringing people to justice. We eat it up with no consideration as to how constant saturation impacts us.

Wed, 03/05/2014 - 18:53 | 4513947 Cognitive Dissonance
Cognitive Dissonance's picture

"Have you ever noticed how every other prime time program is enforcement related?"

Two words. Predictive programming.

Wed, 03/05/2014 - 21:34 | 4514759 LawsofPhysics
LawsofPhysics's picture

Three words; Kill Your Television.

Thu, 03/06/2014 - 02:13 | 4515621 Tall Tom
Tall Tom's picture

Who in the hell will downvote that???

 

Destroy your TeeVee. Kill it. Demolish it.

 

I said it above. I will say it again. TeeVee is a SCOURGE. I hate it with a passion. I have quit a job because the boss had the fuckin' thing on in the same room where I was working. All it did was AGITATE me. Goodbye employer.

Wed, 03/05/2014 - 23:40 | 4515302 janus
janus's picture

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rNfL2L0weY

one word: Elvis...THE O-G mac-daddy.

janus

Wed, 03/05/2014 - 18:15 | 4513793 janus
janus's picture

COG-D,

janus high-fived ya, too...and i did it for all the right reasons.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpUAaXvjUQ4

it is in the spirit of detachment, dissonance and the present dialectic that i choose to tell a story.  this story will have no moral; it offers nothing in the way of appeasing assurance for anyone's mores or sensitivities; it is instead an existential evaluation of someone's (guess who) attempt to synthesize the competing tensions and truths of our bewildering existence here on earth.  

all the world's a stage; and we are but actors upon it...

enter janus:

this story is probably not true...so no one should bother fact-checking or any other such nosy bullshit.  i was reminded of it last night.  you see, janus found himself perusing the ole boob-tube, which is something he's rarely known to do; i was burbling over with angst over this mess in ukraine...i tried wishing it away for the first few days, and, surprisingly, that was of no avail....then i set my mind to ignoring it; again, nothing doing...i finally settled on a strategy of mindless distraction.

i was fortunate enough to find rocky iv; the one where rocky KOs the menace from minsk in a riveting show of true-blue american pluck and against-all-odds heroics...man-oh-man, by the time gorbechev was standing to applaud the italian stallion, and his & adrian's son was by the rockster bein publically reprimanded for breaching bedtime to watch daddy down the ruskie...why, boys, it was like i was back in 1986 again.  i was at this point six beers in; so i was more than stirred...not that this particular movie's airing was not coincident to the present situation in kiev -- heavens no!

but i loved it nonetheless...i remember things back then...i remember reagan...i remember disneyland...i remember california

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8H0xopW3wk

shortly afterwards, i channel-surfed my way to the colbert report...figurin it was too late to keep the soviets at bay, anyway.  and i was furthermore curious to know what form of propaganda was to the hip youth bein pitched in underhanded blasts of cleverly-phrased cynicism.  i got my fill.  i obviously disagree with stephen on many things; but i'm at the very least satisfied that he's got an agile and imminently witty head on his shoulders.  funnier than janus?  hells-fuckin-no...but he's good for a laugh or two -- in the ways of double-irony, that is.

it was at this point that i was forced into facing a few very uncomfortable facts and was also reminded of the story i'm about to tell.  so, i was spared the evil ruskie meme and instead treated to a feast of sinister janus-types; catlin flannagan (whom i sometimes don't totally disagree with) has, it appears, joined in the crusade to punish people like me for being so goddam awesome.

here's the first uncomfortable fact:  there is something dark and wicked imparted by the experience of fraternity.  maybe so; but it was a helluva lotta fun.

here's the more uncomfortable fact:  stephen colbert was an SAE...you read that aright, a Sigma Alpha Epsilon...not sigma 'phi' epsilon...Alpha -- Lions, Violets & Minerva...oh my!  our brothers include such luminaries as William Faulkner, presidents (including mckinley), president(s) of standard oil, the bridges family of hollywood fame, and, apparently, Stephen Colbert (Phi Alpha, brother).

and, finally, here's the mostest of uncomfortable facts:  The Es at dartmouth are rushing catholics?  what in the name of Holy God is going on at dartmouth?!?  i put it to you, you racist mascot having dartmouth indians, where have your scruples gone?  have you taken leave of your senses?  pledging a papist!   maybe a half-hebrew who's openly converted to the presbyterian cause...but a romanite, with a frenchie last name?  all the same, i guess i could see stephen fittin in just fine.  

hell, i'll make a confession, we had a brother with an italian last name...ended in a vowel and everything (almost like he wasn't ashamed of it or something)...there at mississippi state (go DAWGS!!!).  'peyton' (the italiano) was, along with janus and several others, a founding memeber of the Wednesday Night Trip Club.  every member of this illustrious club, save for janus and 'chris', were delta-boys...and delta boys are like cajuns, only protestant (just to give you an idea of the nature of the ruckus). 

sadly, the wednesday in question was to be the club's last official function; and it's all the fault of janus.  i still feel a pang of guilt for putting the kibosh on so merry a weekly endeavor...but, as they say, all good things involving powerful hallucinogens must come to an embarrassing and ignominious end.

our group (not just the Es...there were pikes, sigma chis, kappa alphas and a few kappa sigs involved in this 'group') made a bar near the lowndes/oktibbiha county line famous -- and they will for this forever owe us.  yes, The Landing was 'our' spot...and they always ran a wednesday night special -- budweiser, $1.25 a bottle (cold as a witch's titty, too).  this was the perfect setting for public tripping.  

it's vital that one be very comfortable when tripping; ill-at-ease and unfamiliar are the perfect recipe for a 'bad-trip'. and all our careful planning & fraternal companionship notwithstanding, this was to be an oh-so 'bad-trip' for janus.  

our lil clique went through the normal schtick...dosed some orange sunshine (this was april of 94', we'd brought back a stash of the stuff from the dead show in atlanta that year...which always immediately followed the annual pot fest)...smoked some buds, shotgunned some beers, shared lotsa laughs (everything's hilarious when you're trippin; till, rather suddenly, it isn't), climbed in the bronco, turned up some tunes and rolled down the windows...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwdA3Pnckok

everything was going swimmingly -- in our minds and in the happy-space surrounding us.  we were playing a game of pool, drinking under age, not harming a soul, demonstrating to all the proto-type of what should be the Good American, taunting people we didn't like, and, for the most part, minding our own business; but, astonishingly, here in the land of the free (and even in north mississippi), we, of all people, were singled out for acting 'suspiciously'.  

what manner of rubbish is this vaguery, 'suspiciously'; the very term is prejudicial and purely subjective.  and yet, it holds some currency with 'authority'.

the buzz-killers came storming into the bar...buzz-killers with badges, guns, cuffs and an aggressive distaste for harmless mischief.  yes, it's true...it's not just the catlin flannagans of this world that have it out for frat boys, the cops are in on the conspiracy, too.  i say we are a valid and put-upon minority, deserving of 'rights' and such-like.  and so, to all the buzz-killers of the world, i say to you, "we shall overcome!"

anyway, dry your eyes, there is a bit more to this story.

now, understand, i blame the panicked and idiotic action i next undertook on the hallucinogen in question (orange sunshine will really do a number on your common sense).  it is so out of character for me to hastily toss my wallet, containing a strip of seven squares of orange sunshine (neatly wrapped in a piece of bright, silvery aluminum foil), into the billard-ball reservoir, right in front of the deputy sherrif, while cartoonishly looking the other way, in an ill-advised attempt to distract his attention; truly, i normally never panic...but, in this unfortunate case, i did.

this all went-down in front of a couple hundred people...give or take.  The Landing was a popular place on wednesday nights; and the Wednesday Night Trip Club was a major component of that success.  and this is the respect they show us?  calling the cops just because we're caterwauling like lunatics and having one hell of a good time?  sometimes people get jealous; sometimes the green-eyed monster just takes over....haters!

oh, i don't wanna tell what happens next...twas a grim and miserable affair.  i don't eat white bread, never had nor have; i found the cell less than satisfactory in every conceivable regard; the jailers were very ill-mannered and testy; i found my fellow cell-mates to be uncivil, poorly-read, unhygenic and grossly uncultured vermin.  by the time it was all over, i was ready to incite a riot.  thank God it only lasted 12 hours.

and while we're thanking God, thank God it's not on my record, either...after all, it's expensive to do chemical analysis on lil bits of paper in mississippi (or something like that...heh-heh-heh).

the summer following that semester got crazier still...gasoline was 79 cents a gallon; none of us had cell-phones.  i don't feel ashamed of any of it.  it was a good time to be young in america.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSHY1_ux8rs

gee, my life's a funny thing/

and am i still to young?,

janus

 

 

 

Thu, 03/06/2014 - 02:06 | 4515614 Tall Tom
Tall Tom's picture

Cool story. Most of my time trippin' was spent wandering the streets of a Dead Winter Cold in Flagstaff...alone...in the middle of the night. It put the perspective on the Hell we live in.

 

But you brought up a point that I felt was worth repeating. You wrote, "...not that this particular movie's airing was not coincident to the present situation in kiev -- heavens no!"

 

Do you think that the film is part of the script and that it is just a part of the Television Programming? You try and escape the hell through distraction and then the "mindless entertainers" place that Hell right back in your face.

 

I know that you know that it wasn't accidental, not a coincidence.

 

But next time, if there ever is a next time, don't freak when the Law comes in and lose your Orange Sunshine. (I almost want to do that now...ALMOST. But that time has passed.)..and your Freedom. I guess when you have done it as many times as I have you learn to maintain.

 

As for me...I'd have eaten the rest of it, all of it... myself...in front of the cop. (They can't test for it in your urine or blood.)

 

If you are going to trip it is best to have a stash of Thorazine or Hadol...in case of a bad trip.

Wed, 03/05/2014 - 18:01 | 4513729 MillionDollarBoner_
MillionDollarBoner_'s picture

Hey, CD, great article. Nicely argued, clearly expressed and awesomely focused.

Don't want to overdo the adulation but just say - keep up the good work...please. This fucked up world needs wise people like you more than it will ever know and, especially, right now. 

Wed, 03/05/2014 - 18:43 | 4513912 Cognitive Dissonance
Cognitive Dissonance's picture

Thank you. Chapter Two is coming in a day or two.

In my opinion it is even better than Chapter One because it talks about one of my favorite subjects.....Group Think and the Hive Mind.

Wed, 03/05/2014 - 19:20 | 4514056 cougar_w
cougar_w's picture

I hope you don't intend to trash-talk the Hive Mind and group-think. Without those as crutches I don't think most people would be able to have any coherent thoughts at all, on anything, for any occasion.

But if you do, please do it with the proper degree of relentless savagery.

You know me, I talk a smooth talk but I'm mostly in it for the actual carnage.

Wed, 03/05/2014 - 19:46 | 4514178 Cognitive Dissonance
Cognitive Dissonance's picture

Well..I do have some great 'bee' images to post with it. And Nazi crowds as well.

Will that do?

Wed, 03/05/2014 - 20:11 | 4514353 cougar_w
cougar_w's picture

Bees rock. It would be sad to lump them in with Nazis. I really have to protest that.

Nazis are just humans doing what humans do best; herd each other around like mindless domesticated cattle. Even natural cattle have more sense than that, you do not want to fuck around with wild cattle, bitches will rip your intestines out. It's the domestication angle that ruins humans. We lost the spark.

Bees have the spark. Man do they. Every wild thing has the spark and every wild thing even a field mouse will when cornered try to rip out your intestines. In the case of actual field mice it's kinda funny. Mean little shits.

Use the bees, but mention that they have a spark the Nazis lost. Bees are all about life. Hitler was eventually all about death and death claimed him and his in the end. Lesson here is you gotta be careful what you worship. Hell even a field mouse can teach you that. Mean little shits.

Wed, 03/05/2014 - 17:53 | 4513687 RaceToTheBottom
RaceToTheBottom's picture

The last few years have convinced me to trust no one, nada, never, no one solitary person, ever.....

Ever person that talks to you wants something, every phone-call is someone trying to cheat you out of money, neighbors are trying to lie to me for their benefit....

I blame WS

Wed, 03/05/2014 - 18:55 | 4513956 Cognitive Dissonance
Cognitive Dissonance's picture

Time to make some changes in your life. Mrs. Cog and I felt the same way living 50 miles south of DC. It's a different world where we live today. Come on out to the Blue Ridge Plateau of Southwestern Virginia. Plenty of cow patties to go around.

Wed, 03/05/2014 - 19:29 | 4514097 logicalman
logicalman's picture

I still live in the city (fortunately out on the edge), but I find the less I have to do with the 'normal' world the better I feel.

I don't operate a motor vehicle.

No TV

No Credit Card.

No debt.

I cycle about 100 miles a week, at least, even in winter (Canadian winter).

Almost no packaged food - I love to cook and I think I'm fairly good at it.

Archery has become a passion - I make my own bows and arrows.

Don't care about the weather - There's no such thing as bad weather, just poor clothing choices.

I educate myself constantly on very many subjects.

One day I'll go for the dirt nap, but until then, I will live life (mostly) on my own terms.

 

Wed, 03/05/2014 - 20:35 | 4514467 Cognitive Dissonance
Cognitive Dissonance's picture

"Don't care about the weather - There's no such thing as bad weather, just poor clothing choices."

What a great statement. Mrs. Cog and Cog child unit are often cold. I'm gonna use your quote all the time....or at least until Mrs. Cog threatens me with divorce.  :)

Wed, 03/05/2014 - 22:29 | 4515013 logicalman
logicalman's picture

I ride a bike 365.

I've ridden in -45ºC and +45ºC (I prefer the +)

 

Do NOT follow this link or you will be banned from the site!