So, you think it's wrong for politicians to talk about what they think is wrong, and that's what you are against.
TurquoiseB wrote: > I've done this rap before, and people were bored > by it then, too. :-) But since, given Jung's proj- > ection theory, the person I'm preaching to is > probably myself, I'm going to give myself a good > talking to anyway. Lord knows I need it. :-) > > It's about this notion that there are things *wrong* > with the world, and that many of them need to be > changed. Absolutely *nothing* wrong with this; I > tend to resonate with and identify with folks like > Gandhi who devoted their lives *to* correcting a > few of the things about the world that they thought > were wrong. > > But I tend to identify with the guys *like* Gandhi, > who presented new ideas of what is *right*, and > didn't spend all their time (and waste all their > energy) focusing on the things that are wrong. > > And it's all about Judo. I studied it for a time > when I was young, and even got fairly good at it. > And one of the things you learn from Judo is that > when you're in a match with someone, what you *long* > for is an opponent who spends all of his time and > his energy focused on being *against* you. They're > the easiest to beat. > > Why? Because they're off balance. All of their > attention is focused on aggressive moves, moves > *against* the opponent. And that, almost by defi- > nition, throws them off balance. They shove at you, > trying to throw you to the mat, and all you have to > do is step out of the way and stick your foot out > and *they* are the ones on the mat. > > That's how I view politics and the world of social > change. A lot of politicians (and armchair politic- > ians) spend most, if not all, of their time talking > about what's *wrong* with the world, or with the > current system, or with the people who are running > it. Whenever I meet one of these people, I tend to > say to them, "Yeah, I get that. You're against this > and this and this and that. Good on you. Now, what > are you *for*?" > > The answer is usually stony silence. > > They've never even thought about it. > > And that's why so many revolutions and movements for > social change fail. They're only *against*. They don't > know what they're *for*. And so they are in exactly > the same position, IMO, as the Judoka who is constantly > pushing against the opponent trying to throw him, and > in reality is throwing himself off balance and putting > himself in a weak position. > > What happens with revolutions? Historically, the worst > thing that could ever happen to them is that they > succeed. Almost every one that *has* succeeded has > then imploded on itself. The fiery, passionate rebels > focus for years on getting rid of the Bad Guys in power, > and finally succeed. After a few purges, they get rid > of every one of them. And then they look around and > think, "What next?" And, because they've never given > any *thought* to what comes next, they start looking > around for a new enemy, someone else to be *against*. > Most often, historically, that is members of their > own revolution, who suddenly become the "new enemy," > and have to be purged. > > That's why I write off any politician who is only > *against* things, and can never bring himself to talk > about any of the things he's *for*. He's weak, and > off balance, and very possibly doesn't even *know* > what he's for. He's never had to. The voting public > are such suckers for righteous anger and blame that > they'll vote him into office just on the basis of > what he's *against*. But not me. I'm waiting for a > politician who is willing to take a stand and tell > us what he's *for*. Because if he wins, he might just > have some notion of what to do once he's in office. > The politicians who are only *against* won't have > a clue. That's why things never change. The newly- > elected "anti" politicians just become the next > generation of Bad Guys. > > I sorta feel the same way about criticisms of spirit- > ual practice and religion. These things are easy > targets; much of the world's misery has been caused > by them, and much of it still is. But as noble as it > is on one level to be *against* some of the lesser > practices and beliefs one sees in religions and > spiritual traditions -- and as EASY as it is to take > that approach and fall into the rut of Flaccid Mind > Syndrome and rail against them -- I'm lookin' for > the individuals who can suggest a different approach, > one that might work better. Those guys and gals might > just have a clue, because they've put some thought > into what they're *for*. The ones who are only > *against* -- give me a break. Flaccid minds the > lot of them. > > So, with the political season upon us in America > and everyone and their dog talking about what's wrong > with the world, I'm waiting for someone who is some- > what more balanced and is willing to tell us what > they think might be more right. > > And in the realm of criticizing religion, I'm equally > unimpressed with the Professional Atheists who rail > against religion and the ex spiritual junkies who > are willing to talk, talk, talk our ears off about > everything that's so wrong with things as they are. > I'm waiting for someone who is willing to go out on > a limb and suggest a few things that they think are > right. > > Maybe, if I keep preaching to myself long enough, I'll > be one of them. Maybe not. Maybe I'll sink back into > Flaccid Mind Syndrome myself, and just wave around a > limp dick while convincing myself it's a hardon. I > hope not, but it's a possibility. It's just a possibility > I don't relish, so I'm trying to put more thought these > days into the things I'm *for* than the things I'm > *against*. It's much more difficult. I start thinking > about something that might work better than the current > ideas, and then I see problems with *it*, too, and I'm > right back to the drawing board, with nothing positive > to suggest. > > But ya gotta keep trying, because if you succeed in > thinking up some new ideas, they might actually change > the world. For a while, anyway. Gandhi did, for a while. > May there be more like him, and may I someday be one > of them. >
