"I, (insert your name), have been fed a tissue of lies. My country is not the greatest country in the history of the world but is instead a class-riddled, militaristic, faith-crazed, right-wing rogue nation.
I am not a member of an elite group of people but merely a citizen of a mediocre, violence-loving nation, one with only five percent of the world’s population, a nation which is filled with corruption and greed and racism and inequality.
I would like to apologize to the world for the wars and killing and destruction my imperialist nation has engaged in over decades and for the rapacious economic exploitation it has carried out across the world, exploitation which has not only brought hunger and starvation and suffering to many but has seriously damaged our planet.
Please forgive me and my country! Hopefully, following the interminable election and with the help of other countries, we can resolve our glaring deficiencies and do better, perhaps even become selfless peace-seekers and responsible world citizens."
Yes indeed,
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Given the lack of response to this post, Swan, I suspect that most Americans find it difficult to accept that indeed they are heavily indoctrinated.
Cheers.
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Confession.
Forgive me, Father, for I ve sinned.
I have came into existence, uninvited, and without being asked for approval.
I haven t had enough brains to abort myself before grasping for the first breath of filthy hospital air.
I then been strangled not by umibilical cords, unfortunately, but by concentric circles of indoctrination, from the minute I could understand how to pee in my pot.
I have grown up, unaware and complacent, as if the whole Univesre should have cared I existed. I have been brainwashed to believe it does, and then had a real contact and felt the underbelt blow of reality, who does not give a shit.
I became productive, and reproductive as well, bringing my own contribution to this uncouscious inertia that governs anything that surrounds me. And then I looked around whom to blame for the deep feeling of insatisfaction, which I ve tried so hard to deny in the first place, and to conceal at all costs, from me, and but more important, from others.
There is nothing in me that is genuine any longer. There is a code of conduct in anything, society, workplace and family rules.. I am bind to live in a cage of my own self denied and neglected incapacity to find a meaningful purpose for my miserable existence. So I keep punching the card, and continue to boost my self esteem with the opinionated nature which I sponsored in order to cover the void.
I am a nobody, even a puppet has more honesty than I do, in it s fixity or move generated by others. At least she does know who is governing her.
So i m bitter, and sad, and don t want to admit it.
But I am good at placing the blame there where is farther from me and from the truth. I like to believe it all starts with and ends with me… but I take advantage of diverting the subject when my honesty is put to the test. So here i am , in a burst of admittance.
I am an just excrement of a shitty existence. And I smell of my own incapacity to be ALIVE and WELL in a SANE WORLD WHICH I AM UNABLE TO CONTRIBUTE CREATING.
Adina
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David,
I did not respond for the very reason you noted. America and Americans have many faults. However, I do not think America is rotten in every way with no virtues. I do not think Americans are either. I do not see any nation that is without significant and mutliple faults. I don’t see any peoples that are without significant faults – except maybe some miniscule nomadic tribe in South America.
I don’t see any point in bickering with you over and over and over on the topic. That would imply that I do not respect your right to have your views. I do respect your right and I appreciate that you and I have found a way to agree to disagree in a civil manner.
Also, I respect your point of view even though I’m a Christian, even though I’m American, even though I prefer a Republic over a pure democracy or an autocracy, even though I prefer a semi-capitalist system, and even though in the minds of some/many that visit here I’m uneducated, militaristic, racist, and gullible.
I understand that you elect to focus on the U.S. though there are other nations heavily impacting the world like China, Russia, and the nations of OPEC – not one democracy or republic in that list – where the freedom of the people ebbs and flows with the desires of the leaders (autocrats and kings) – at least we limit our autocrats and kings to 8 years in office… I understand that you also elect to ignore the European Union, Australia, and India – democracies certainly, but far from perfect, major and close military allies of the U.S., and business partners with America.
Further, I understand that you elect to ignore any good attributes of America, again, your choice. I understand that often times the data and veiws presented at this blog (not necessarily yours) are often taken out of context and often multiplied by orders of magnitude.
So, what is the point of me disagreeing with you all the time. I like to see your point of view. And, when you present FACTS I check ‘em out, analyze them, share them at other blogs to vet them, and then I come to my own conclusions.
Keep on brother… just don’t always expect a reply from me unless you ask for one.
Q
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Beautifully put David. Also Adina. It does change us, even if slowly, over time, to put these thoughts into words and then once out in the light of day, we can appraoch our own “reality” with the eyes of a third party observing this reality that is usually so easy to take for granted. It seems diignified to try and change things now. While things are still comfortable. Than to wait for catastrophe to hit.
I love the sqirrels and birds in my yard because they always exist in the present moment. Every once in a while -I check in and share the moment in silence, usually accompanied by a smile and laughter. They too get caught up in their social dynamics. I thought about them because they are busy now preparing for the winter and potential disaster and starvation. I don’t worry about them though, because I see them all day long digging and storing their nuts for when the bad times hit.
-grace-
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Adina, your thoughts are beautifully expressed as always!
Oh, to live in a sane world, one where caring and love and compassion and selflessness reigned. Humans will never achieve it!
Q, you have made much progress. You have moved from a position of thinking that America had few faults to one where you can accept it has some faults though you continue to downplay them.
Please consider the fact that, in the main, Germans prior to WW2 all thought that the path that Hitler was taking them on was right and proper. Of course it wasn’t but that counted for nothing. They followed Hitler to hell.
Q, humans are easily led. Look at religion. Often they adopt the ideas of others then believe they are their own ideas. My quarrel is not with average Americans but those who lead and shape America. Hypocritically, they claim they’re standing for freedom and democracy and human rights while they engage in endless war and killing and imperialism!
Grace, thank you for your kind comment. Your observation about the squirrels seems rather prophetic!
Cheers.
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Hello David,
I check in here most every day. As you know, I most always concur with your views. Gasp! And I’m an American-the horror! I don’t often comment, but I always read.
I am worried, disgusted, and angry about so much that goes on in my name. I also trudge onward, doing what I can to raise caring, intelligent humans. Sometimes it all feels futile, no doubt about that.
Take care.
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Annie, in the three years that I’ve been running a blog the main group of people who contribute to it are Americans, decent, aware, informed, caring Americans.
Obviously there are other Americans, a majority in fact, who do not share these values but, instead, fall for the false promises of their political and corporate and religious leaders, believe whatever they say, applaud them.
I really feel for people like you, feel your pain, your frustration. But any hope that America has rests with people like you.
Be strong. Do what you can to influence your countrymen and women, make them see that currently, America is on a road to nowhere.
No one can ask for more!
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Thank you David, i cherish the thought that you enjoy my literary
inner thoughts sharing.. I really do.
Makes me feel a little less sad.
These days I despair.
I read also that more and more people despair too..
i wish they didn t .
I wish I d believe there is only something wrong with me….
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David,
your morning manifestation is certainly full of truisms. In order to get beyond our fallacies and ugliness, we can’t focus on our few virtues as a nation. Yes, there are some, but they are difficult to consider when resting behind so much crap.
I don’t think that many Usonians are aware of their nation’s military march over the past century. It’s been documented that in the past 100+ years, we’ve been at peace for maybe two years. It is a pathetic record that should evoke shame in the public. While a lot of it has been clandestine and absent from the media, that doesn’t equate to not existing.
Anyway, thanks for your contribution and sharing your perspective and life experiences with the readers.
Best to you.
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Thanks for calling by, Ramsefall. Two years of peace out of a hundred is not a good look for a country that claims to want peace!
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