A somber realization

[zanne]

This morning, as I watched C-Span and listened to Republican callers, I realized that for the first time in over five years, I didn't feel anger. Instead, a deep sadness filled me. Over the years since Bush's election, I've called political enemies "heartless", "immoral", "insane", etc. But, deep down, I didn't really mean it. I mean, I know alot of conservatives and most of them seemed to be really good people underneath it all. It seems that I can longer deny what I've always feared--that the goodness that we rely on in people isn't really there. (Or maybe it's just there toward certain people). I'm no kid and I've seen alot in my lifetime, but nothing has ever caused me this kind of deep, settled-in sadness. Could this be one of the seven stages of mourning, or am I having a midlife epiphany? Could someone out there please explain this to me?

[Tace]

1. I Donno -- But I Feel The Same Way

I'm reminded of Mark Twain, who became very bitter as an old man.

[mwb970]

2. This is just the way they are.

I can honestly say I do not have a single Republican or conservative in my life right now. Every person I know and work with, as well as my entire family, is 100% opposed to Bush. So maybe I'm in my own kind of "bubble". But when I hear these C-SPAN callers, or the RW wackos that call the Stephanie Miller show, it makes me deeply sad, just as you describe.

[SofaKingLiberal]

3. You are lucky not to have freepers in your family, there are

stories I don't even want to share on here.

[sickinohio]

7. I hear you on that one.

I have some stories to tell also. My number one starts with my daughter whom I love very much, but will NEVER even begin to understand her having ended up voting for bu$hco. I'll just leave it at that.

:cry:

[SammyWinstonJack]

11. I have two in my immediate family but I don't have contact with them.

I can't do it. Everyone else detests Jr.

[MadeinOhio]

4. I pity their pithy racism....And I wonder if they will de-program....

...Themselves. For the good of everyone........

[Z_I_Peevey]

5. Just this week I finished re-reading

"The Sociopath Next Door." The author lists 13 rules for dealing for sociopaths. The first is (paraphrased) ACCEPT that some people just have no consciences.

I have had to learn this lesson firsthand in my personal life, and I can tell you, it is the most difficult thing I've ever done.

And yes, the sadness seems to be the last stage of acceptance.

[Qibing Zero]

6. There's good and bad.

The problem is that they are just so closed minded and blind to the world around them. That doesn't bother them either, they like it that way. I've gotten past the point where I can blame individuals for the inner workings, though. As much as people piss me off at times, I refuse to do it. Now the ones with motive, they need to pay. ;)

The conclusion I've come to recently is that it's going to take a complete revolution - both political and social - to restore some kind of humanity in people. Let's not be naive about it either, the democratic party isn't going to lead it.

Now to just figure out how to get anything done in this day and age without money. =/

[marcus_b]

8. Human can sway either way.

We all have it in us to be indifferent, ignorant, selfish hate-mongers, or to be caring, compassionate, social peace-niks.

It's a matter of what we bring out, or rather: what is brought out of us, by education, circumstances, etc. For example, something as simple as touching, hugging, kissing your baby child can make a difference later on.

There have been many deliberate campaigns in the last decades, by the political and corporate elite, to destroy what's social in us, and to build up selfish, competitive and isolationist strains. The corporations have pumped, and still pump, billions and billions of dollars into campaigns to further that goal.

What is surprising then is not that this behavior exists, but that it is not totally prevalent among the general public, which still prefers universal health care over tough love, etc.

The power and domination we currently wittness is built on thin ice, and you can do a lot in furthering its own destruction, by activism.

[Armstead]

12. Great answer

I ws going to say something similar, but you beat me to it.

We people are complicated, and can't be summed up by saying someone is all food or all bad (with some excceptions).

Society and politics and economics ought to be bringing out the best in people. However, we've allowed the side that brings out the worst to take supremacy. However that can be changed.

[PATRICK]

9. They flooding callers in for spin

and some inappropriate interviewees like WSJ types bring their pals and their skewed points to the screen. AND they stop the pro and anti-Bush phone lines. These people are far gone and deranged for the lies they have had to swallow before this.

This is a part of the human race you can only comfort yourself in knowing they were kooks, jerks or on the take. And they will not survive the millennium as a type. And the rest of us will not survive a shorter span if we let them elbow their way to responsible positions of power.

The despair one might feel as an idealist now was common currency when weapons and barons ruled by might with no shred of democracy and little free communication and little education. What shames us now is that we cannot just shrug and endure. Because today we have a chance to put down inappropriate leadership. Because if we don't all or most of us will simply die, and miserably.

The Bible splits them symbolically into the third taken and third damned. I think it is more like 20% or less depending on how much the social infection spreads among the impressionable.

A human that cannot think truthfully, feel compassionately, act justly, use foresight, join cooperatively is what? Right now it is POTUS. In the future that had better be well nigh impossible ever to happen again. We are not so far out of the past that this situation can be easily resolved or that Utopia is right around the corner(in Utopia, the humans in essence were far from perfect, their society was ordered to take that into account). Damn all myths that keep our eyes closed, our hearts warm and gushy over nothing, our minds blinded. The myth I reach for is the future. If we work hard enough it might be there and we might even live to greet it- or our children or grandchildren.

The deeper these imperfect people corrupted by 'success" get, the more alienated from humanity they become. They simply cannot be tolerated as an 'alternative" or option or position. Death and lies is not one side of the argument, it is a means to hold life captive.

We've always had ultimate villainy and imperfect liberals. What we are letting slip through our fingers today is hope for our world when all that past bad behavior is simply too dangerous to tolerate, on a simple par with terrorism, tyranny or any other vice or technique that signals the presence of a bent being.

And the institutional careerists and leaders who are not that evil are shamefully incompetent or weak or bent to self preservation and must be replaced with the people we need for all children to have a chance. There is shame and sadness plenty to go around. What stirs me is the growing bonds of something better growing like grass through the concrete of a ridiculous and commonly believed falsehood.

All decent Americans are now become citizens of Baghdad and the third world. Which means now the arrogant bastards are universally and completely outnumbered, and if tolerated as human beings, not to be suffered to lead or force lies down our throats.

[zanne]

10. That's alot to think about, PATRICK

Thank you for that. I have to print out this thread because there has to be something in here that will make me feel better. There has to be.

[marions ghost]

13. IMO it's time to accept a hard reality zanne

that's what the sadness is telling you. Time to let go of a long held ideal--ie. that people "are good people underneath" while they consistently exhibit ruthless and selfish behavior. You can forgive them somewhat for being fearful and brainwashed by others, but there is no getting past the fact that they are still dangerous, negative, aggressive--definitely not nice--especially when they work together and support each others' attitudes. And even more than these garden variety snakes I fear the Fat Cats in positions of power who are NOT calling up C-Span and spewing bile...I'm talking about those who are working feverishly behind the scenes on much larger projects of domination and exploitation.

Letting go always involves a kind of grieving--in this case you will be grieving a loss of optimism and faith. But I don't think it's all negative once you get through the worst of these feelings of loss. Your heart will eventually have to accept what your head is telling you--ie.that some people are Really Bad and they will not change. However you can develop a positive response to this realization that makes sense to you. There are many ways to do that, but it requires a commitment to overcoming that is not about denial but about creative solutions.

I have come to this same place in my personal life over the last few years having observed far too much exploitation of others by people I had no reason not to trust and admire --until they showed their true colors. Once you see the truth of this kind of manipulation you realize how it pervades and undermines society and puts people like the Bushbots in power. Easy to feel depressed and powerless in the face of it. But don't be beaten down. It is necessary to fight the victim mentality with everything you've got. Don't let this sadness make you paralyzed. One good thing about going through this is that it puts you in a better position to weather the social and political storms we are facing now. It's possible to become more and more clear about what is acceptable and what isn't in our society. Make no mistake, we are fighting for the heart and soul of this country. The American People have been used and abused by our own government and corporate sector, and we must no longer give the vultures or their deluded followers an inch.

You are realizing how hard the job really is.