I'm a bit ignorant when it comes to Politics : should I feel stupid/bad?

[J.DavisNJ]

Fucking A.
You aren't gonna change a damn thing scribbling on a bit of paper and sticking it in a box.
The only thing that'll make our world less fucked is people educating themselves on what's ACTUALLY going on and making a stand.
Look at footage of all the student protests in the 60's and 70's. That's how you make a difference. What I would have given to be a part of that rather than be surrounded by the apathetic slugs the world is populated by nowadays. Those that care know there aren't enough of them to do anything, and those that don't know don't care to find out.

Well, the student protest thing is a bit of a generalization - many of them were dirty hippies that hoped to make a "difference" by painting their faces and making cool signs, but many were just stoned out of their minds and joined the herd.

The civil rights protests on the other hand made the real difference and put pressure on the government to really clamp down on that shit. The people getting doused with fire hoses and attacked by German shepherds were the real deal IMO.

The protestors in Iran are another good example.

-Joe

 

[drew_drummer]

At least it's effort - much more than words typed in an internet forum. You do realize that most of those student protesters in the 60's and 70's also voted for change (I'm a product of the 60's, born in the summer of love from a family of activists who marched) - not just typed about it on the internet, not just sounded off on subjects, sounding tough, all the while eating their Dorito's, drinking their Mt. Dew, and talking about how much crabcore sucks. Your right - they got out, they did something - but I sure as hell assure you they voted as it a way to change what they didn't like. You can talk all you want, but if you don't back it up with action - get off your ass and cast a vote for change, your simply hot air.

I'm sure most of you know that I'm a bit older than the majority as such I've been around through more administrations that you have guitars. If you really think talking tough on an internet forums about hoe you would love to have been around then - how you would have been a protester or an architect of change - yeah! If you can't take the minimal effort it takes to vote at all levels of government, then I highly doubt you have the effort in you to march for what you feel is right - I tend to suspect you will sit down like most of the other apathetic masses and bitch about change but do nothing to bring it about. I'm sorry if I've pigeon holed you as people who take the effort to vote seem to be being pigeon holed in this thread with comments like "and then going back to Desperate Housewives or your old VHS copies of Emanuele, has any net effect in the real world".

I love all the tough talk - it sounds good, hell it probably impresses your friends, but what effort do you give freely of your self to change this world? What do you yourself do to improve the lives of others, do you march for the causes you feel will help others? Do you donate money to those more in need than yourself? Have you ever been to a town hall meeting to try and change all the cuts in your town education system that's seem to be turning out these apathetic masses? What do you do? I imagine this will get more fire up the militias speak - more the only change comes from violent revolt type tough guy talk. It sounds nice guys - now go back to your lives that have no impact on the world that you care little for - hell so little you don't care what happens enough to read the news once and a while or to participate in it.

I like most of you, I think you are talented musicians and producers of said music, but the tough guy stuff only goes so far - change happens in ways small and ways large. You are entitled to your words as long as you are a participant in change - voting and participation in causes I believe in are my ways. People have helped change my life and I give back freely of myself in return - I care about our school systems, our poor, our disabled. I only talk about what I participate in - not grand statements of tough talk. So once again - what do you do?

Passion fuels the soul - it fires the engine of creation and it the force that changes the world. I know my passions - do you?

The only one acting all tough guy around here is you. What you fail to grasp is that I philosophically disagree with your stance on voting. Voting is most often (in my view) a luxury of having the illusion of effort.

But in reality; once the vote is cast.. everyone goes about their day, not really giving a shit.

I'm not saying I'm any different - I'm not. But at least my eyes are open to it.

Being a participant of change is not a prerequisite for using my voice. The fact I have a voice box is more than enough reason to use my voice. And to say someone should shut up if they're not going to conform to your IDEAL of being a participant of change... it's leaning a little toward fascism for my taste.

 

[Ermz]

In Australia you're required by law to vote. How's that for a democratic society? We're full of fun little hypocritical shit like that. Just another method to give people an illusion of sway.

Our news is delivered by networks owned or associated with the very same parties that are in power. Mass media outlets are all as corrupt as any government, corporation or financial institution. How can a vote ever mean anything if the very basis of it is filtered down? World news is a game of Chinese whispers played with the utmost of greed and malice.

Ultimately there are only ever two viable political parties eligible to win here. The country's reigns switch back and forth every several years, and each party inevitably undoes all the foresight and planning (if any) of the other. When it comes to it, and an absolutely ridiculous bill is being passed through the government, we ultimately have absolutely no sway to stop it. The recent internet filter is a prime example. Not a single expert of any kind has ever agreed that it would be a viable deterrent to anything, much less an effective use of the mammoth funds being devoted to it. The polls were ENORMOUSLY against the proposal, yet it's gone through anyway.

This is democracy (capitalism). Your vote does not mean shit unless you have sufficient political sway, finances or social stature. Being forced to vote is the ultimate irony, that final slap in the face. The government dictating that they control your free will, just enough to give you the false illusion of having any in the first place. I fucking laugh every time I think of it, just as I am while writing this.

The only thing I'm passionate about is watching this poisoned, disgusting, corrupt construct toppling around and society ultimately falling to its feet. I live to see the self-destruction of this disgusting species, so many of whom stand on the shoulders of giants, yet give no thanks. How few are the pioneers that gave us all we take for granted today? Those moronic teenage drones with their fringe cuts and tatts, living their cyber-lives without even having an iota of the awareness or intelligence of those who brought them the pleasure. Those who work so diligently for large corporations whose ambitions and toll are so obscured from even them. So few of us ultimately live lives worth anything. So many of us live life in such predictable patterns. Everything is pre-ordained from the moment we're born. Taxes, marriage, health, insurance, old age & death. Sapped at every turn by markets, industries, political policies, all done to assimilate one into this grand design, destined to failure. Born into obeying laws never agreed to, forced into accepting contemporary social norms that sway with the wind, stomped on by those same machinations designed to give one political significance.

No, we are well past the point of no return. Our self destruction should be self evident. Apathy is the only sane choice for me. I focus on my craft and invest all of myself in it, trying to be the best and at least bring joy to a few before I ultimately expire and my life's worth boils down to a simple monetary inconvenience for the funeral arrangement.

 

[drew_drummer]

A little darker than I'd like Ermz, but I think I basically agree with you.

The only change I'm capable of is in my local area - not being a cunt to my family and friends, spreading as much love and happiness as I can. Yes I occasionally do give to charity, no I don't go to the schools to rant about what they're teaching - I don't have kids, they'd consider me a paedo for even being on the school property - and I went to a few of the anti-war marches around the whole WMD thing - look how successful those were!! (or not)

It's possible to be a good, caring person, without having to resort to mainstream politics.

And fuck Greenpeace whilst we're at it.

 

[amarshism]

+ fucking 1 ermz

 

[amarshism]

Think what you want about voting being a force of change or not. At least it's effort - much more than words typed in an internet forum. You do realize that most of those student protesters in the 60's and 70's also voted for change (I'm a product of the 60's, born in the summer of love from a family of activists who marched) - not just typed about it on the internet, not just sounded off on subjects, sounding tough, all the while eating their Dorito's, drinking their Mt. Dew, and talking about how much crabcore sucks. Your right - they got out, they did something - but I sure as hell assure you they voted as it a way to change what they didn't like. You can talk all you want, but if you don't back it up with action - get off your ass and cast a vote for change, your simply hot air.

I'm sure most of you know that I'm a bit older than the majority as such I've been around through more administrations that you have guitars. If you really think talking tough on an internet forums about hoe you would love to have been around then - how you would have been a protester or an architect of change - yeah! If you can't take the minimal effort it takes to vote at all levels of government, then I highly doubt you have the effort in you to march for what you feel is right - I tend to suspect you will sit down like most of the other apathetic masses and bitch about change but do nothing to bring it about. I'm sorry if I've pigeon holed you as people who take the effort to vote seem to be being pigeon holed in this thread with comments like "and then going back to Desperate Housewives or your old VHS copies of Emanuele, has any net effect in the real world".

I love all the tough talk - it sounds good, hell it probably impresses your friends, but what effort do you give freely of your self to change this world? What do you yourself do to improve the lives of others, do you march for the causes you feel will help others? Do you donate money to those more in need than yourself? Have you ever been to a town hall meeting to try and change all the cuts in your town education system that's seem to be turning out these apathetic masses? What do you do? I imagine this will get more fire up the militias speak - more the only change comes from violent revolt type tough guy talk. It sounds nice guys - now go back to your lives that have no impact on the world that you care little for - hell so little you don't care what happens enough to read the news once and a while or to participate in it.

I like most of you, I think you are talented musicians and producers of said music, but the tough guy stuff only goes so far - change happens in ways small and ways large. You are entitled to your words as long as you are a participant in change - voting and participation in causes I believe in are my ways. People have helped change my life and I give back freely of myself in return - I care about our school systems, our poor, our disabled. I only talk about what I participate in - not grand statements of tough talk. So once again - what do you do?

Passion fuels the soul - it fires the engine of creation and it the force that changes the world. I know my passions - do you?

Are you one of the fundamentalist Christians who will control the American government in a few years? Once they have the numbers and control the majority vote as a collective, what will be the point then? You fail to understand that it all boils down to the numbers, and whilst you can still vote from a minority, realistically it counts for shit. The government doesn't look at your vote and try to incorporate the policy you voted for. They sit back, smile, and feel superior to poor people like you who still believe in government. I believe in democracy, I really do. It's supposed to provide government for an accurate mean representation of the countrys demographics. But when you've got 51 percent of the country voting for one shit dude, and 49 percent for another shit dude, I just can't be bothered anymore. How is the resultant government an accurate representation of it's people if 49% of them are stuck with someone they didn't vote for?

 

[abt]

Here is my take on it.

Naive - You've had little exposure to it so you don't know anything about it.
Ignorant - You have the opportunity to learn about it but you choose not to.
Arrogant - You're ignorant but you choose to have an opinion anyway.