The death of Robert Novak has prompted an outpouring of emotions- contempt and hatred bundled with regret and remorse. I know little of his work and life, almost nothing concerning his relationships with the people around him, yet the ferociousness with which he is remembered gives me pause.
Disclosing secrets curries little favor from those whose hidden truths are revealed; but one would suppose that enlightening the public might prove commendable, especially in this era of concealment. In the end, however, this "Prince of Darkness" seems to have provided less illumination than incineration; fully comfortable with the role of fire-starter if it allowed him to be visible in the glow of the resulting pyre.
Sometimes the wont for self deception arises from more noble sentiments- the search for truth give birth to the striving for self aggrandizement; as the messenger seeks to become more important than the the missive he carries. As one climbs atop a pedestal, it becomes easier to mistake detachment for objectivity; until indifference slides into disregard, distaste and finally disgust.
The mere existence of opposition implies wickedness, and those holding clashing viewpoints transform into demons; denizens the nether regions fit only for the fire of indignation and abuse. An inability to acknowledge the limits of one's own intelligence often comes with a penchant towards ascribing ignorance to the minds of others; creating an impediment to both listening and learning, and a reinforcement of smug self righteousness.
If the Requiem played for one's death is an echo of such dismal sounds, perhaps such a passing is better served by silence.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Monday, July 6, 2009
fear coup
Fear can serve a useful purpose when it warns of actual danger, and prompts us to take action to alleviate the threat. The problem with much of the dread in this current circumstance is that it is manufactured solely to facilitate interpersonal manipulation.
It's much easier to push someone around when they are off balance, and the fear of imperfection leaves everyone wanting greater stability- something that proves most profitable to the shills and their masters.
Being heavy or trans or old or different isn't inherently dangerous, but the perception that these characteristics warrant abhorrence prompts not only disdain but sanctified violence; for although no one can fully attain the ever shifting standards of beauty and style, everyone can inflict pain on those who fail- if for no other reason than to defect attention from their own shortcomings. Instead of being recognized as craven behavior, public denouncement of non-conformity is lauded for affirming social values, even as it diminishes and destroy the society it purports to cherish.
When fear becomes continuous, it loses its value; the constant alarm tends to be ignored, even when the threat is real. With the inability to distinguish between clear and present danger and contrived dread, comes a lust for the one element that is seen to provide mastery of the situation : power. Perhaps control over one's self is unattainable, but with enough money, fame, violence, etc., order (no matter how dismal) may maintained by controlling others.
The problem, however, is that power creates its own fear- fear of its loss, fear of greater power- which demands ever more power to control. This path leads down into the mire of terror; where all the conformity and power imaginable aren't enough to prevent being taken over and pulled under by fear.
It's much easier to push someone around when they are off balance, and the fear of imperfection leaves everyone wanting greater stability- something that proves most profitable to the shills and their masters.
Being heavy or trans or old or different isn't inherently dangerous, but the perception that these characteristics warrant abhorrence prompts not only disdain but sanctified violence; for although no one can fully attain the ever shifting standards of beauty and style, everyone can inflict pain on those who fail- if for no other reason than to defect attention from their own shortcomings. Instead of being recognized as craven behavior, public denouncement of non-conformity is lauded for affirming social values, even as it diminishes and destroy the society it purports to cherish.
When fear becomes continuous, it loses its value; the constant alarm tends to be ignored, even when the threat is real. With the inability to distinguish between clear and present danger and contrived dread, comes a lust for the one element that is seen to provide mastery of the situation : power. Perhaps control over one's self is unattainable, but with enough money, fame, violence, etc., order (no matter how dismal) may maintained by controlling others.
The problem, however, is that power creates its own fear- fear of its loss, fear of greater power- which demands ever more power to control. This path leads down into the mire of terror; where all the conformity and power imaginable aren't enough to prevent being taken over and pulled under by fear.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Mutually Assured Destruction
To shape unique individuals into interchangeable components requires a willingness and desire to amputate all forms of meaningful differentiation.
The power holders delegate this function through social norms to assure that groups enforce strict compliance by means of mental, emotional, and physical violence.
People must be taught to regard their most basic reality- their intrinsic sense of self- as a criminal perversity; deserving both abhorrence and punitive measures. Self hatred that springs from the recognition of human distinctiveness creates powerful tools in the hands of the unscrupulous; a truncheon to beat down diversity, and a blade to excise confidence in one's ability to create a viable personality.
Thus, personal validity becomes linked to conformity; and the willingness to destroy uniqueness in others. One can't have an identity , but one can prevent others from having theirs. The mutual destruction assures that no one survives; only the imitations of life are left to fill the societal slots.
Existence at the price of reality; a MADness controlled by insanity of power.
The power holders delegate this function through social norms to assure that groups enforce strict compliance by means of mental, emotional, and physical violence.
People must be taught to regard their most basic reality- their intrinsic sense of self- as a criminal perversity; deserving both abhorrence and punitive measures. Self hatred that springs from the recognition of human distinctiveness creates powerful tools in the hands of the unscrupulous; a truncheon to beat down diversity, and a blade to excise confidence in one's ability to create a viable personality.
Thus, personal validity becomes linked to conformity; and the willingness to destroy uniqueness in others. One can't have an identity , but one can prevent others from having theirs. The mutual destruction assures that no one survives; only the imitations of life are left to fill the societal slots.
Existence at the price of reality; a MADness controlled by insanity of power.
Monday, February 2, 2009
disgusting
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=you-disgust-me-bad-behavior
"Regardless of how they may explicitly justify their beliefs on the subject, most people who believe that homosexuality is wrong also experience disgust at the thought of gay sex. Much of this work suggests it is the gut-level feeling of disgust that leads homophobes to reason that the behavior is immoral, not the other way around. In other words, “that which disgusts me must be wrong” rather than “it is wrong, therefore I should be disgusted.”
-----------------------------------
"What had been in his far-off youth a merely aesthetic repugnance to realities that were crude or vulgar, had deepened and darkened, year after year, into a fixed refusal of everything that was in any degree other than himself."
--C.S. Lewis
-------------------------------
Thus, through pride, ignorance, and intolerance, arises the notion that personal bigotry and hatred is sanctioned by divine law. Disgust is not the litmus test for sin; it may be reassuring to believe such, but that assumption is merely a convenience of hubris. Repugnance should not lead to abhorrence, especially when it concerns other people, lest contempt be indulged for individual satisfaction; and lives be damaged or ruined.
One of the primary functions of love remains its ability to bridge the gulfs between unique entities; the power to find worthy attributes in even the most dissimilar worldviews and cherish them. Worse still, when the omnipotent power is invoked as justification for worldly revulsion, it unburdens the conscience from the responsibility to treat each other with compassion and charity. Loathing becomes a duty; a mandate that frees up the destructive powers of condemnation and vengeance to annihilate perceived adversaries. This abrogation of moral obligation proves pernicious for both the accuser and the accused; fostering derision on both sides, and leading to violence.
The need to evaluate and govern one's own behaviors can not be taken as license to castigate others for perceived differences; and certainly not as justification for destroying those whose paths vary from our own. Personal prejudice can be effectively mitigated by acknowledging bias and striving to learn from everyone.
There is little more disgusting than a closed heart and mind that opens only to hatred.
"Regardless of how they may explicitly justify their beliefs on the subject, most people who believe that homosexuality is wrong also experience disgust at the thought of gay sex. Much of this work suggests it is the gut-level feeling of disgust that leads homophobes to reason that the behavior is immoral, not the other way around. In other words, “that which disgusts me must be wrong” rather than “it is wrong, therefore I should be disgusted.”
-----------------------------------
"What had been in his far-off youth a merely aesthetic repugnance to realities that were crude or vulgar, had deepened and darkened, year after year, into a fixed refusal of everything that was in any degree other than himself."
--C.S. Lewis
-------------------------------
Thus, through pride, ignorance, and intolerance, arises the notion that personal bigotry and hatred is sanctioned by divine law. Disgust is not the litmus test for sin; it may be reassuring to believe such, but that assumption is merely a convenience of hubris. Repugnance should not lead to abhorrence, especially when it concerns other people, lest contempt be indulged for individual satisfaction; and lives be damaged or ruined.
One of the primary functions of love remains its ability to bridge the gulfs between unique entities; the power to find worthy attributes in even the most dissimilar worldviews and cherish them. Worse still, when the omnipotent power is invoked as justification for worldly revulsion, it unburdens the conscience from the responsibility to treat each other with compassion and charity. Loathing becomes a duty; a mandate that frees up the destructive powers of condemnation and vengeance to annihilate perceived adversaries. This abrogation of moral obligation proves pernicious for both the accuser and the accused; fostering derision on both sides, and leading to violence.
The need to evaluate and govern one's own behaviors can not be taken as license to castigate others for perceived differences; and certainly not as justification for destroying those whose paths vary from our own. Personal prejudice can be effectively mitigated by acknowledging bias and striving to learn from everyone.
There is little more disgusting than a closed heart and mind that opens only to hatred.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
If you're mortal and you know it...
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=fear-death-and-politics
SOLOMON: A large body of evidence shows that momentarily making death salient, typically by asking people to think about themselves dying, intensifies people’s strivings to protect and bolster aspects of their worldviews, and to bolster their self-esteem. The most common finding is that MS increases positive reactions to those who share cherished aspects of one’s cultural worldview, and negative reactions toward those who violate cherished cultural values or are merely different.
------------------------------------------
Thus, invoking the fear of death can pander to people's bigotry, and arouse their hatred of the socially variant. This strategy has proved profitable for many groups; especially the reactionary religious ones. Further, by invoking the "death of culture" concept, this fear can be exploited even more adroitly.
By threatening the demise of concepts deemed irreplaceable to an individual's continued existence, the triggering of abhorrence occurs, and can be channeled into useful reservoirs of repugnance. Individuals that disagree with a cherished belief become life-threatening attackers; for which violence in kind is the only proper response.
Thus, the left-leaning morph into terrorist loving madmen; the gender variant mutate into horrific child molesters; and the poor distort into capitalistic crushing parasites; all inhuman creatures bent on cultural annihilation and requiring extermination.
Meanwhile, those espousing beloved viewpoints are canonized; their words and deeds a saintly inspiration by which to fashion life and livelihood. Absolved from the constraints of human ignorance and bias, the chosen ones don the mantel of omniscience; and thus are freed from the shackles of empathy or mercy.
A god adored becomes a comfort for mortals... and those aspiring to eternity through the elimination of the abominated adversaries.
SOLOMON: A large body of evidence shows that momentarily making death salient, typically by asking people to think about themselves dying, intensifies people’s strivings to protect and bolster aspects of their worldviews, and to bolster their self-esteem. The most common finding is that MS increases positive reactions to those who share cherished aspects of one’s cultural worldview, and negative reactions toward those who violate cherished cultural values or are merely different.
------------------------------------------
Thus, invoking the fear of death can pander to people's bigotry, and arouse their hatred of the socially variant. This strategy has proved profitable for many groups; especially the reactionary religious ones. Further, by invoking the "death of culture" concept, this fear can be exploited even more adroitly.
By threatening the demise of concepts deemed irreplaceable to an individual's continued existence, the triggering of abhorrence occurs, and can be channeled into useful reservoirs of repugnance. Individuals that disagree with a cherished belief become life-threatening attackers; for which violence in kind is the only proper response.
Thus, the left-leaning morph into terrorist loving madmen; the gender variant mutate into horrific child molesters; and the poor distort into capitalistic crushing parasites; all inhuman creatures bent on cultural annihilation and requiring extermination.
Meanwhile, those espousing beloved viewpoints are canonized; their words and deeds a saintly inspiration by which to fashion life and livelihood. Absolved from the constraints of human ignorance and bias, the chosen ones don the mantel of omniscience; and thus are freed from the shackles of empathy or mercy.
A god adored becomes a comfort for mortals... and those aspiring to eternity through the elimination of the abominated adversaries.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
three r's
http://www.slate.com/id/2202303/
You could say our lives as social beings are ruled by the three R's: respect—the sense that proper deference has been paid to our status, reputation—the carefully maintained perception of our qualities, and reciprocity—the belief that our actions are responded to fairly.
---------------------------------
Indeed, these principles of education are the most prized within the academy of society; and inculcating them our most sacred task. Without due respect, there can be no self-esteem. Without a proper reputation, one's standing in the community is compromised. Without proportionate reciprocity, public intercourse becomes unbalanced and dysfunctional.
Managing these aspects of our lives becomes of paramount importance; calling us to expend all energy necessary to insure that our persona is properly cultivated and cherished by all pertinent people. Impressing others with our prominence should occupy a central position in our daily lives; insuring a stable and predictable pattern of interactions.
To achieve this worthy goal, both the powers of persuasion and coercion are vital, and need to be applied in copious portions to the festering sores of misperception that exist in the minds of others. Only when the infection of ignorance have been salved into submission can our proper station be restored and maintained.
This education needs to be continuing, for without constant reapplication; chances of a recurrence of reality are far too common; imposing the specter of infection and its insidious consequences.
You could say our lives as social beings are ruled by the three R's: respect—the sense that proper deference has been paid to our status, reputation—the carefully maintained perception of our qualities, and reciprocity—the belief that our actions are responded to fairly.
---------------------------------
Indeed, these principles of education are the most prized within the academy of society; and inculcating them our most sacred task. Without due respect, there can be no self-esteem. Without a proper reputation, one's standing in the community is compromised. Without proportionate reciprocity, public intercourse becomes unbalanced and dysfunctional.
Managing these aspects of our lives becomes of paramount importance; calling us to expend all energy necessary to insure that our persona is properly cultivated and cherished by all pertinent people. Impressing others with our prominence should occupy a central position in our daily lives; insuring a stable and predictable pattern of interactions.
To achieve this worthy goal, both the powers of persuasion and coercion are vital, and need to be applied in copious portions to the festering sores of misperception that exist in the minds of others. Only when the infection of ignorance have been salved into submission can our proper station be restored and maintained.
This education needs to be continuing, for without constant reapplication; chances of a recurrence of reality are far too common; imposing the specter of infection and its insidious consequences.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
hollowed be thy name
One of the most delightful procedures is the evisceration of faith through religion itself. Where virtues might be found to flourish, the application of self-righteous pride and ignorance allow individuals to forgo the tiresome burdens of charity, hope, and devotion; freeing them to tote whatever orthodoxy rides most easily.
By substituting the image of holiness for its reality, and focusing all attention and adoration towards such a graven image; there remains precious little energy allotted to the actual work of faith. Thus, the ostentatious display of pseudo-piety affords its devotees sanctimonious smugness without any corresponding responsibility; a perfect recipe for a feast of indulgent hatred.
Secure within the shell of conviction, belief in anything other than the justification of self seems remote, and one finds little danger in evoking whichever deity best serves that purpose- hollowed be thy name, wherever thou art.
By substituting the image of holiness for its reality, and focusing all attention and adoration towards such a graven image; there remains precious little energy allotted to the actual work of faith. Thus, the ostentatious display of pseudo-piety affords its devotees sanctimonious smugness without any corresponding responsibility; a perfect recipe for a feast of indulgent hatred.
Secure within the shell of conviction, belief in anything other than the justification of self seems remote, and one finds little danger in evoking whichever deity best serves that purpose- hollowed be thy name, wherever thou art.
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