On Thu, Oct 1, 2020, 7:09 PM Zenaan Harkness <[email protected]> wrote:
> Many in the West are infantile in their often consumeristic and > essentially narcissistic self centered thinking/ doing/ believing/ living. > > This is a fundamental problem. > > Perhaps we can riff on "we don't control our lives" to something like > "many people, infantile consumers, do not realise that they do not control > their lives". > > This too is a problem. > > A favourite line below: "The word ‘prudence’ is not trending very high in > the public’s vernacular these days". > I spent 6 years resisting anti-prudence mind control after Occupy, lost the battle, am in contact with another who experienced this, and have seen it spread to others further. > > > Penalizing Prudence > By > Cognitive Dissonance > > 2020-10-01 - 15:17 > > https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2020-10-01/penalizing-prudence > > “Economy, prudence, and a simple life are the sure masters of need, > and > will often accomplish that which, their opposites, with a fortune at > hand, will fail to do.” – Clara Barton > > “Affairs are easier of entrance than of exit; and it is but common > prudence to see our way out before we venture in.” – Aesop > > One of my conceits, of which there are many, is the belief that because > I have entered the third trimester of my life, I am now in possession of > great volumes of wisdom and perspective. Thankfully Mrs. Cog is always > nearby to efficiently and surgically remove any such thoughts of grandeur > and omnipotence. That said, at some point during the flight of life, even > birds of prey eventually turn their thoughts to the comfort of a nearby > nest rather than their next fearless fight. > > Even the most reckless among us begins elevating to greater importance > the preservation of resources rather than mindless squandering, especially > when we are closer to the end than the beginning. This is a good thing, by > the way. It adds balance to the socioeconomic system, both personally and > collectively, as well as countering the self-destructive tendencies of > those obsessed with endless consumption. > > There’s a reason we’re no longer referred to as ‘citizens’ in > mainstream media or political speech, but rather the more > personal-responsibility-evading ‘consumer’. If given even a minimum of > thought, one quickly realizes this subtly propagandized term (consumer) is > a significant, if not the only, component of the obvious agenda to > infantilize the US (and global) population. > > Like the one year old who eats, sleeps, plays, defecates, eats, sleeps, > plays……with no personal responsibility other than to be self-indulgent and > consume food and attention, we are being reduced (distilled down might be a > better term) to our most base impulses. I suspect most people, if told this > to their face, would not react well to my observation, assuming instead I > was being critical of them personally. > > Like mama always said…if the shoe fits, wear it. > > The word ‘prudence’ is not trending very high in the public’s > vernacular these days, at least not until recently and still only by a few. > The massively disruptive socioeconomic changes thrust upon the population > in the name of saving the world from the COVID boogie monster reminds me of > a famous quote from the Vietnam War. > > "We had to destroy the village in order to save it." – Peter Arnett, > New Zealand-born journalist, quoting an unnamed Major during the Battle of > Bến Tre. > > I’m not exactly the bastion of fiscal, emotional and professional > prudence. Not by a long shot. If anything, over the last seven years Mrs. > Cog and I have ramped up our spending when cash flow permitted in order to > improve, expand and maintain our little homestead up here on the mountain. > While we do indulge on occasion, our work is our play and we rarely spend > frivolously on consumer treats. > > Except, of course, when we do. > > Overall, our focus has been squarely centered on sustainability, in > essence the exact opposite of consumerism just for the sake of consumption. > A prudent person considers the exit long before entering, knowing full well > in advance (or at least making an honest effort to do so) what is, and is > not, within their control. A mindless consumer thinks little of the exit, > assuming it will always be there simply because it has always been there in > the past. The very act of mindless obsessive consumption precludes any > probing deliberation and thought. > > This is infantile thinking at its most basic, putting any naval gazing > toddler to shame with our own audacity and hypocrisy. Today’s ‘adult’ is > little more than an overgrown child with a credit card and an oversized > sense of righteous entitlement. > > While we all love to point to this or that ‘authority’ as the entity > responsible for our own self debasement (a typical infantile response) it > takes two to tango. Just because we can purchase something doesn’t mean we > should. Somewhere along the line “We the People” lost the ability to > understand the difference between needs and wants. Or more accurately, we > lost the desire to understand. > > Prudence and thrift were, not so long ago, considered admirable traits. > Cultural phrases such as “A penny saved is a penny earned” or “A stitch in > time saves nine” demonstrated the value assigned to conservative thought > and practice. The viral spread of consumerism over the last several > decades, turning exponential since social media exploded onto the scene, > has branded conservatism (criminally conflated with the Republican > political party, which long ago abandoned its core conservative roots) > persona non grata in society. > > The cultural, political and financial pressure to disregard prudence > and thrift, essentially abandoning time-tested practices by the side of the > road, endlessly bombards us via every glowing screen we own or encounter. > Today’s freshly minted crop of children have never been introduced to > conservative thinking and practices unless their parents and guardians > deliberating and consistently pushed against the overwhelming tide of > profligate squandering promoted by everyone everywhere all the time. > > It is now considered a matter of national security that “We the People” > (individuals, corporations and governments alike) continue our spendthrift > ways, less the economy crater and the depression boogieman emerge from > under the bed. In a finite world, infinite expansion and consumption lead > to only one exit. > > National (global) bankruptcy and social disaster. > > As anyone (or any corporation for that matter) who has gone bankrupt > can attest, one simply cannot spend themselves out of imminent bankruptcy. > And yet this is precisely what we as a nation and as individuals are > confidently told can, and will, occur from various conflicted and corrupted > authorities and entities. A perfect example is Modern Monetary Theory or > MMT, just the latest rationalization for unrestrained spending at all > levels well beyond our means. > https://www.investopedia.com/modern-monetary-theory-mmt-4588060 > > Sadly, tragically, we believe what we want to hear and there is no > shortage of con artists, propagandists and politicians who will leverage > our collective denial for their own personal benefit. > NEVER MISS THE NEWS THAT MATTERS MOST > > ZEROHEDGE DIRECTLY TO YOUR INBOX > > Receive a daily recap featuring a curated list of must-read stories. > > It is said that any government can do pretty much whatever it wants for > as long as it can shield the population from the consequences of its > actions. The longer the shield holds, the harder the eventual fall. At some > point, when the general population is mostly dependent upon the government > for basic services, distribution, protection and order, those most > vulnerable to personal disaster will defend and support the very entity > that is destroying them. > > While reading about historical events that led to individual and > collective disaster, I often wondered how and why they didn’t see it > coming. From my historically distant and disinterested point of view, it’s > obvious to me what was rapidly approaching for those who would soon be > pancaked between a rock and a hard place. > > I think I understand now. Life experienced from within the boiling stew > pot is not the same when viewed from an external perspective. Our tendency > to rationalize and justify even the most insane conditions is beyond > logical explanation. This psychological pathology, the so-called human > condition, is precisely why while history doesn’t repeat, it most certainly > rhymes. > > Welcome to the insane asylum. >
