Empowerment during dangerously ignorant leadership

What in the world is going on?
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hester_prynne
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Empowerment during dangerously ignorant leadership

Post by hester_prynne » October 17th, 2007, 6:09 pm

For several years now the American public, and the world have been witnessing the U.S.'s loss of power and identity. The downfall has been more than adequately visible to all of us, since the Bush Regime.
We've watched the unrealistic, overtly pampered offspring of wealth take insightfully written and created laws that they do not understand, and toss them out of the way to get their own way, for whatever reason. I still do not understand why they attacked Iraq and killed Saddam in the middle of going after Al Qaida.

We know we've been lied to, used, and that many of us are being manipulated into fighting and dying for a proven whim! This has been horrifying! And we are still in it!!! Being run by it!!!!!

I've been wondering, what kind of "power" I am to attain from all of this?
The answer keeps coming up: less and less, and eventually, none.
There's no power in apathy. The emptiness of it gets old.
Outrage doesn't do any good unless it's in huge numbers.
So where is the opening for empowerment in all this?
Personally, I find solace is not working for a "conventionally sold out" employer. It doesn't pay well at all to do this, and it renders me poor materially, but I feel so much better inside, despite the lack of pay! There is something to this.
Fed jobs, Gov. jobs, Corporations, I roll my eyes at them anymore.

I dunno, maybe I'm just one of the many, first in line for a huge wave of lifestyle changes and downsizing that is already in motion, just not as visible as the corruption yet. Maybe empowerment out of all of this, is to be able to let go of alot of outworn beliefs, trusts, and needs and to become more self-sufficient outside of the mainstream, accept a lack of security as we've known it, while flexibility becomes the most reliable security of all.....
Anyway, the question?
Where is the empowerment for you, in all of this mess the US is in?

H 8)
"I am a victim of society, and, an entertainer"........DW

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jimboloco
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Post by jimboloco » October 18th, 2007, 5:55 pm

First of all, I appreciate that you are making an effort to grasp and describe what is going on from an alienated perspective. This I believe is healthy for you and for others, including me. So this in itself is a form of empowerment, I mean, you do not become some sort of futuristic zombie.

I recently went to Disney World's EPCOT, which we enjoy, the fall food and wine festival. Where else can you walk down the street and pass by a couple from the Andes with their bowler hats, minding their own biz.?

I went to the small Chinese kiosk set up outside their large permanent pavillion. They were serving up chicken with peanut sauce. The young man serving it spoke perfect English. I asked him, "you came a really long way for this?" No smile, very ordered, as were they all. I then said, "well, you picked a nice time of the year to be here." No reaction.

Suzie and I sat on a bench to the side, and one of the women came to the trash barrell. Finally I got a smile.

Maybe it is just some people. Maybe it is the character of mass conformity.

I work with a pharmacist who is a big Florida gators fan. He hugs all the women. Once last year he and I got into it for about 15 minutes. He still believes that Saddamn Hussein was involved in 9-11. He loves George Bush. I have to work with this guy day after day. So I affirm my own strength of perception, and keep a boundary with him. Not losing it in the presence of a moron is an empowerment.

Staying healthy is a plus, exercising, some kind of spirituual, mystical energy.

Tuning into alternative news, being sane and searching for a quality lifestyle is at least the foundation for living. Beyond that, helping give encouragement to other estranged persons is one thing I try to do, altho sometimes that can be distressing. Beware of junkies. No judgement, just have gotten ripped off by them on two occasions.

I listen to talk shows and try to empower myself to debate them. when they say war with Iran is around the corner, that we have been enemies since 1979, I remember that we were supporters of the shah and that the populist iranian revolution was in response to that, so iran is not my enemy.

I know that al-qaiduh is not welcome in shiite areas if iraq, nor among many of the sunnis, so I believe that the Bushco mentality and rationalization for staying there is false. America is not the world's superpower. Bushies just think so.

I know that we as a nation are addicted to a false power and are weak and distressed within. Knowing this is empowerment. I am not alone. There are many others, yourself included. we have to want to make this country change.

Right now, I am choosing to not do street demonstrations, altho will do so if we bomb Iran. But not on a continuous basis. I need sanity, not fingers from rabid right wingers on the street. I am now out of the loop as far as getting public speaking opportunities, which I had while attending the Quaker meeting. I am not a full time activist. I have a hard and difficult job to do, one that is rewarding to me and helpfuul to others. I need some discipline for that, and family relationships, so I balance things.
plus am still healing from my previous lifetime. I carry inside me a livid anger, a shock, but have embraced it, hold it in my gut, not in my heart or head.

Trying to stay informed and current, plus letter writing to the paper and occasionally to the Nation, to the congress and senate, occasional congressional phonecalls, reading others opinions and reflecting on them, etc,
then pray for an honest election with a decent slate of choices.
But if the shit hits the fan, I will take to the street.
plus talk about it at work sometimes, and other places where i have an opportunity.

empowerment, staying sane and cultivating awareness.

also, working at a co-op is wonderful, a way to connect with an alternative economics, and an opportunity to discover community.
[color=darkcyan]i'm on a survival mission
yo ho ho an a bottle of rum om[/color]

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hester_prynne
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Post by hester_prynne » October 19th, 2007, 1:22 am

I thank you so much for your post Jimbo.
I think i'll be reading it alot.....
Really, thank you so much....
H 8)
"I am a victim of society, and, an entertainer"........DW

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stilltrucking
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Post by stilltrucking » October 19th, 2007, 8:51 am

I think about how good I got it
I think about how much worse it could be
I think about how bad it is
And how bad it has always been



One in four people still support Bush
He must be Jesus Christ


I hope I make it to 2008
I am going to vote my ass off
Any got dam democrat running is preferable to a republican
I am trying to scrape together twenty bucks to send to mike gravel

I am overhead
we are all overhead in this senior housing complex
we don't do nothing for nobody
we all draw our social security money
we all got AARP on our side

This scribbling empowers me
at least that is my fantasy.


Good answer Jim
I am going to read it over and over
you can write you can draw
everyone here so gifted
my gift is that I am crazy
I suppose

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e_dog
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Post by e_dog » October 20th, 2007, 4:24 pm

Active noncooperation.

The US military is an imperial force.

Bush is the devil's minion. Cheney is the Devil incarnate. Or automationate.

Speak out against recruitment and pray for a Draft.
I don't think 'Therefore, I am.' Therefore, I am.

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jimboloco
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Post by jimboloco » October 22nd, 2007, 2:25 pm

thankyou guys
just don't put me down when i wander into the intellectual domain of
the philosophers in the agora
and the literatii
i got fucking wickepedia on my side

they are leaving old st pete for the city
san fransisco
but hey
i got th latin quarter in tampa
and old ladies with whiskers
to dance for

i am still doing therapy
with my zen duude

it's true
i was ruled by my alienation for so long
and it is still here
just informed enough now
to have a collected center
while i sing th blues
and hester
i yam glad to be your friend
absolutely.
Maybe empowerment out of all of this, is to be able to let go of alot of outworn beliefs, trusts, and needs and to become more self-sufficient outside of the mainstream, accept a lack of security as we've known it, while flexibility becomes the most reliable security of all.....
i like this prophetic awareness
a lady buddhist teacher
when things fall apart
says that a basic awareness that we live in groundlessness
is somehow important

i gotta go research it

time for some exercise
peace and love

mercy st i gonna be digging that ss check in 5 more years meself
gonna convert my mercedes to a hybrid
we gonn head on over to hesters and hoot an holler!

\e dawg
you a cool pup
keep waggin!
[color=darkcyan]i'm on a survival mission
yo ho ho an a bottle of rum om[/color]

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