In this struggle, Dan, there are two specific groups who align themselves with the Powers That Be, both are comfortable and “invested” in the status quo. You have well-described the one group, those who wish to steer understanding AWAY from the surveillance, and then there is that group, equally “on board”, with the current administration’s tactics; they are the ones who say either, “If you’ve don nothing wrong …” etc. or, “We don’t really care, this has been going on forever, it’s no big deal, and we trust our leaders to tell us the truth and protect us from those who hate us.” Both groups are also “okay” with the use of drones, and a foreign policy of military conquest even to the level of “scorched earth” and the use of the nastiest of weapons “because” America is the greatest and best nation ever, doing no wrong and bringing peace, freedom, and prosperity to the huddled masses… which happens to be exceedingly (even exhuberantly!) good for “business”. Dick Cheney, for example, could be counted among that latter group … as might others …

DW

Time has a way of revealing the truth about human beings.

The Snowden revelations, and others which have attended it, are permitting us all to see precisely which side of a certain “divide” that people are choosing to place themselves on.

On the one side are the Friedmans, on the other, those who stand for justice, reason, and humanity.

It is quite amazing to see how many people, everywhere, are revealing their inner Friedmans.

Let us not forget who they are, nor what they have, often quite nastily, chosen to support and “stand” for.

Neither let us forget those who have stood shoulder to shoulder beside us, for, among all of them, we find ourselves in the midst of the most honest, most able, and most courageous of friends.

Namaste

DW

Aye, guiltybystander, ’tis the environmental issues which are the most urgent and our petulant hubris around those issues may well kill us off if we don’t simply go bunker-busting bonkers …

However, if the world wanted plastic, then we’ve already fulfilled our greater destiny …

And I confess, knowing that the earth will abide, quite happily, without us … is a fully acceptable understanding. I’d certainly “like” human beings to have the opportunity of life in future, yet, as you suggest, neither of us will likely be around to see the worst OR the best of “it”, so it might be nothing but selfish silliness for me to wish life on others …

;~DW

You know, I miss George Carlin.

When he would say he enjoyed watching things fall apart, I have always considered that he meant that most ironically, hoping to spark some wee outrage and prick of conscience in those who laughed at the bare-ass truth he sublimely made obvious.

The “Big Club” that we ain’t in … is doing its mighty damned “best” to fuck up its own nest, and succeeding … without the vaguest clue that when they “win” everything, then they will have nothing, for, if they wish to survive, then THEY, each of them, will have to WORK, hard, to do so. Perhaps they envision sitting on their verandas, stiff drink in hand, as they watch the world crumble about them, sniffing, nose high in the air, at distant lamentations of despair, little realizing that inch by inch, second by second, the moment of their own deliverance into the maw draws ever nearer …

Human beings are social animals, the species could not have gotten so “far” as it has were that not so and the whole function of the astute elite has been to destroy the social ties and binds among human beings, communities had to be destroyed, call intent or neglect, trust among people had to be broken, that the many could be set against each other … I’m certain you know, guiltybystander, the whole, sordid tale?

We call ourselves Homo Sapien, “Intelligent Man” and pride ourseleves on being the fruit and whole purpose of evolution or, alternatively, “God’s chosen” …

Yes, ugly it shall be, for a while, yet such ugliness cannot, apparently, be avoided for we have permitted a callous few to run rough-shod over reason, truth, and humanity.

Being less pessimistic than you, and considering that some human societies HAVE come to grips with circumstances very roughly equivalent to what we now face, and chose to view their cosmology, their view of being and existence, as being in need of change, if they were to survive and managed, intentionally and deliberately, to change their understanding to embrace a larger holistic reality.

Can this nation, this society manage to do that?

Only if individuals may, in sufficient numbers, come to realize the dire necessity of so doing.

Now, you might ask, how may I possibly claim any optimism?

It comes down, simply, to this: I have spent some years going around old sol, this being my sixty-sixth such voyage, and for somewhat more than fifty of those journeys, I have been concerned with precisely what we are discussing today.

Do you know what has changed over that time?

The number of people engaged in the conversation … indeed, more human beings join the conversation every single day.

It just take time and the opportunity of learning.

Have we enough time, curiosity, and imagination?

I guess that will have to up to each of us, but as my friend Richard, “Southern Dragon”, as he was known here, always left us with the magic words: “Never. Give. Up.”

And, guess what guiltybystander?

You’ve NOT given up, none of us has …else we would not be here, spending time and effort, sharing care and concern.

If that is not a very excellent beginning, then I cannot imagine what would be.

Namaste

DW

Consider, guiltybystander, that civil society IS going to collapse simply from the weight of deliberate intent. We can no longer manufacture what we NEED in this nation, it has been “outsourced” and the new “trade agreements” cement the power of the corporate class over much of the world.

Our “leaders” have sold us out.

Whether we much like it or not, “the people” of this nation and many, many other nations are going down …

We shall have NO choice but to pick up the pieces and begin anew, unless, of course, The Empire (meaning “us”), in its death throes creates such havoc everywhere else as to take down the human species.

We are NOT all “equally” to blame for the current state of affairs, as you point out most eloquently, yet all of us are going to pay for the excesses of the few … until we have had, collectively, enough!

Either we been to plan, now, to rebuild a civil, sustainable and humane society, based upon foundational principles upon which we ALL agree, or else the demagogues will have a field day that begins with a Golden Dawn.

Things need not become violent … except for the violence of the “astute”.

Violence begets violence.

And part of rational foundational principle is to intentionally, and clearly, forsake organized mayhem.

I do not suggest this will be easy, but IF we are to survive, and even thrive, then we shall have to insist upon conscience and humanity in all things, require it in all transactions, and within all relationships.

Difficult? Yes.

Impossible? We shall either have to dare to find out or accept and embrace the alternative to life.

It is as simple as that.

Money is not all that matters, life is what matters.

Life is what this planet and our existence is about.

Consider the alternative.

To be or not to be … that is now THE question facing our species.

And we all get to choose, each and every one of us.

Have we had enough … or do we wish to see tomorrow?

DW

Hmmm …

Will any members of Congress ask any serious questions about the “revelations” of late?

Or, will they effectively deflect and diminish the concerns those revelations have raised, and go all soft-ball, simpering at the great honor bestowed upon them by this august general’s battle ribbon presence?

Ah yes, “a kangaroo court with a rubber stamp” … boing! boing !boing!

Hop along with us now, as blind justice is mocked, violated, and thrown in a heap, we’ve got lots of money to make and “security” to keep.

DW

Google, Microsoft, et al. have betrayed the public trust.

Karma is a bitch.

However, democracy is worth far more than all of the political class, which includes the “media”, and all of the corporate class combined …

Let us see what cute dances (or repressions) these elite, ruling class members now engage, tiptoeing through the landscape they have devastated with careless, reckless, and intentional abandon.

The ruling class has pissed on every essential principle that matters to civil society … and they had no intention of cleaning up the mess, simply moving on to their next victim or “windfall”.

It isn’t only the bankers who have “built” their just “standing” befotre the rest of us … let them now contemplate what it will feel like when the bottom drops out.

Heretofore, every single one of these “astute” beings figured that only the “little” people would suffer any consequence.

And you know what?

It doesn’t even matter if the majority of the “little” people fully grasp what is occurring because the weight of the elite’s long-term hubris is about to begin crashing down on them … all by itself.

The “rehabilitation” will be most interesting to behold.

DW