Glad To Say "We Are Entering An Era Of Shattered Illusions"
Posted by Zenphamy 10 years, 3 months ago to Philosophy
Recently, straightlinelogic submitted a post "Revolution In America" advocating a look at the objective reality of the current state of the country as a tyrannical police state, and a realistic projection of it's fate and our's in it's ultimate failure. An argument was proposed for helping that collapse occur sooner rather than later in a way and a time frame that offers an opportunity for the productive and liberty minded of our society to affect change in a non-martial method through denying financial support.
The comments and responses to that post were surprising (disappointing) to some of us, on an Objectivist site. But rather than just abandoning the argument and hope for a more thorough discussion of the topic somewhere else, I've spent some time in further search for supporting arguments and ideas that offer further opportunities for the application of objective reason to the real world we all find ourselves in.
The referenced author offers strong arguments for Objectivists to examine themselves for illusions that keep them from any positive actions. From the article linked:
"The structure of history is held together by two essential and distinct kinds of links, two moments in time to which no one is immune: moments of epiphany, and moments of catastrophe. Sometimes, both elements intermingle at the birth of a singular epoch. Men often awaken to understanding in the midst of great crisis; and, invariably, great crises can erupt when men awaken. These are the moments when social gravity vanishes, when the kinetic glue of normalcy melts away, and we begin to see the true foundations of our world, if a foundation exists at all.
Catastrophe occurs when too many people refuse to accept that around us always are two universes at work. There is the cold, hard reality that underlies everything. And on the surface is a veil of deceit and compromise. The more humanity compromises vital truths in order to enjoy the comfort of illusions, the more mind-shattering it will be when those illusions fall away. These two worlds can coexist only for short periods of time, and they will always and eventually collide. There is no other possible outcome."
and:
"Our mission as an opposing force to globalism is to come to terms with our own illusions and to erase them, to stop compromising and to stop waiting for the final shoe to drop and to take positive action now rather than after the endgame develops. This means preparation and organization for the worst-case scenarios. This means making one’s family, neighborhood and community as self-reliant and secure as possible. The excuses have to stop. The distractions and intellectualized silver bullet solutions have to stop. Hard work and risk are all that are left, all that matters. If we do this, and if we do this now, then victory is possible. In any contest of strength and will, he who knows himself best, he who sheds all illusion, will be the winner."
I would argue that many here and throughout the Objectivist and Liberty communities are mired in their own illusions of intellectual superiority, personal camouflage, and individual safety that prevents any realistic discussion of the true and imminent dangers faced by all.
The comments and responses to that post were surprising (disappointing) to some of us, on an Objectivist site. But rather than just abandoning the argument and hope for a more thorough discussion of the topic somewhere else, I've spent some time in further search for supporting arguments and ideas that offer further opportunities for the application of objective reason to the real world we all find ourselves in.
The referenced author offers strong arguments for Objectivists to examine themselves for illusions that keep them from any positive actions. From the article linked:
"The structure of history is held together by two essential and distinct kinds of links, two moments in time to which no one is immune: moments of epiphany, and moments of catastrophe. Sometimes, both elements intermingle at the birth of a singular epoch. Men often awaken to understanding in the midst of great crisis; and, invariably, great crises can erupt when men awaken. These are the moments when social gravity vanishes, when the kinetic glue of normalcy melts away, and we begin to see the true foundations of our world, if a foundation exists at all.
Catastrophe occurs when too many people refuse to accept that around us always are two universes at work. There is the cold, hard reality that underlies everything. And on the surface is a veil of deceit and compromise. The more humanity compromises vital truths in order to enjoy the comfort of illusions, the more mind-shattering it will be when those illusions fall away. These two worlds can coexist only for short periods of time, and they will always and eventually collide. There is no other possible outcome."
and:
"Our mission as an opposing force to globalism is to come to terms with our own illusions and to erase them, to stop compromising and to stop waiting for the final shoe to drop and to take positive action now rather than after the endgame develops. This means preparation and organization for the worst-case scenarios. This means making one’s family, neighborhood and community as self-reliant and secure as possible. The excuses have to stop. The distractions and intellectualized silver bullet solutions have to stop. Hard work and risk are all that are left, all that matters. If we do this, and if we do this now, then victory is possible. In any contest of strength and will, he who knows himself best, he who sheds all illusion, will be the winner."
I would argue that many here and throughout the Objectivist and Liberty communities are mired in their own illusions of intellectual superiority, personal camouflage, and individual safety that prevents any realistic discussion of the true and imminent dangers faced by all.
Previous comments... You are currently on page 2.
Despite the accusations, we have no "illusions". We are all aware of what is happening in government. It isn't new. Anyone who has followed Ayn Rand is well aware of her observations and explanations of what has been happening and why since Atlas Shrugged was published almost 60 years. People have been thinking and acting for decades both for cultural change and in their personal lives to protect themselves.
It is insulting and dishonest for these Walter Mittys of the Revolution claiming to represent Ayn Rand's philosophy to smear rejection of nihilistic revolution as "hiding behind Ayn Rand", "advocating a placating attitude towards your masters" and "a life of slavery", "recommendation of living in fear and trepidation" as a "lap dog that accepts occasional kicks in the ribs as the cost of free meals of scraps and dares to think that all the other dogs should do the same in order to spread the kicks out" -- and in response to the rejection of the smears: "Whaaa". Advocacy of the rejected "overthrowing the government" and "revolution" is pawned as "the use of the mind and the expression of the works of that mind".
Yes, they really said that. None of it is true. It's shear demagoguery trying to manipulate people into going along with their nihilistic scheme through through the purple prose of misrepresentation, mocking, taunting and moral intimidation, all of it dishonest.
This is a forum for discussion of ideas and current events for those sympathetic with the values of Atlas Shrugged and Ayn Rand's philosophy. That certainly includes discussion of the declining state of the country and the nature of the government, and has included discussion of ideas on how to find the best place to live with as much independence as possible, not generally confused with reforming the country or bringing down the government. Some have for years been involved in effecting political policy for the better here in reality and know very well what is feasible and what isn't.
The forum is not a place for anarchists -- who don't even have the strategic sense not to do their planning in public -- promoting, with frantic rhetoric, illegal action and plotting the overthrow of the government, with or without any idea of what would replace it, and which only needlessly endangers everyone here from those in government and elsewhere who don't know the difference between Ayn Rand and what they call "terrorists".
First I would like to say where I agree with the author, albeit with a humorous twist: It is really tragic when I find myself hoping that the Earth WILL be hit by an asteroid. (Only a little asteroid; maybe just sideswiped.) I am in substantial agreement with the author that 'lack of contact with reality' is the root of the illusions that we encounter. (This makes a case for Starship Trooper or Tunnel in the Sky, does it not?) People cannot seem to understand that you cannot vote more money-worth into existence or change reality by amassing overwhelming opinion. (Personal peeve: we even seem to have lost the idea that science consists of disproving theories - your own or somebody else's.) Perhaps if we had a recoverable physical catastrophe (asteroid) we would have a large opinion-shift in favor of reality - and a common 'enemy'.
Not too likely, eh? I agree. It is a dream.
The aspect which I feel is overlooked in the article is the role of technology. (Though khalling referred to that in her post.) If we leave a grid energy model, we can at least ameliorate the effects of collapse. More importantly: If the collapse is delayed by another 20 years, we will be in a different world: a world in which robots are the non-innovative producers and a very small fraction of the humans are innovative producers.
I say this not to take the conversation off-track, but because I believe that this IS the track we are on and to overlook it is just another way of not seeing reality. Where we are now, the article is probably largely correct in the catastrophic effects of collapse (though like DrZarkov I am less sure of the Illuminati aspect). Had the collapse come twenty or even 10 years ago, it would not have been so severe. Five years from now it will probably be worse...but 20 years from now (MIT leaf-hydrogen panels; 3D printers ubiquitous) it might be much 'less bad'.
Like many of you, I am trying to hedge my bets even now so that I will not experience a worse-case scenario if an catastrophic collapse does occur. (NB Yesterday was the anniversary of the Northridge Quake in LA, which I experienced close up and personal.) I am not certain if the best answer is 'chaos now; beat the rush' or 'hang on'.
Jan
The Bilderberger globalists exist just as the Council on Foreign Relations and the Trilateral Commission. In addition, there are other well respected (at least in their own minds eyes) groups albeit less well known such as; the United World Federalists, World Federalists International and their ilk. All focused on creating a True New World Order under the banner of market socialism (crony-capitalism perhaps?).
To reinforce this issue, back in the 90's, Mikhail Gorbachev (now who heads up a think tank in California) said that the road to the future required 3 things; 1) a single world government (I.e., UN), 2) a single world economy (globalist/Keynesian, market socialism) and 3) a single world religion -(Gaia/Eviromentalism). So, for those who believe this is all "conspiracy theory, I can assure you it is much more than that!.
This is all verifiable I assure you.
"The hardest thing to explain is the glaringly evident which everybody had decided not to see".
Ayn Rand
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes...
I get closer to getting my head around a catastrophe and how govt might behave in such scenarios. The problem is-as the author states, collapses unfold. I fear that small business owners will fall apart first along with massive corporate lay-offs. Federal and state employees will have time to recover and make arrangements. this is the way it always is. during the depression, one of my grandfathers farmed. they had food but not alot of anything else. My other grandfather was a rural mail carrier. that family really didn't feel touched by the depression, except there were fewer goods available and of course the war and war effort. I note that some of the friendliest states to hunker it out in could also be a problem with droughts and water availability. we're getting closer to an off the grid system for living, but I still need to be able to get gas. after weathering out a hurricane this summer that shut down grid services for two weeks, my eyes were opened up pretty quick and I realized that every day what your weakest link in the system is, changes. I am glad that we moved somewhere where I can have a year round garden but limited storage capabilities for stocking in lots of stuff.
I am trying to learn how to drink things at room temperature lol I'm a princess, really