The below site is one of the larger "white-pride" hate-group watering holes that I have been monitering for a few weeks. A short peek inside will give the morbidly curious a glimpse at just how skewed and absurd their fascist white-pride ideology is. They tout their ideas as philosophical, when all they do is wallow in wanna-be tautological postulates and further attmept, ATTEMPT, to justify their mental inferiority and feel good about their hatred.
These are the ones who need to be recognized.
www.stormfront.org
In short, KNOW YOUR ENEMY. These people will be the stormtroopers and shock-troopers that will give their lives willingly for a police-state, and kill for the destruction of our ideals, as long as it claims to be in the name of an ethnically pure and "untainted" world.
These are the ones we need to watch for. these will be the nameless robots who work day-in, day-out to destroy us. They hold Anarchists in equal contempt with the other HUMANS that they deem inferior. Well, in short,
fuck them.
Those "White Nationalists," those neo-fascists who are trying so hard to undermine what freedom stands for, those are the ones who will be our immediate enemy. The fatter cats, the imperial devils in their suits and ties, will use them as the pawns to destroy us.
In short, follow your leader, and stick a gun in your mouth while saluting the Fuhrer one last time.
I digress--
Do what you will with the site. By all means spam it, send some malicious code, or better yet, prove the bastards wrong. I can't read anything on the site for more than five minutes without becoming wracked with anger, and I think you'll understand what I mean if you have a look for yourself. Know that these animals are out there, and that they're hunting for our freedom too.
FREEDOM AND EQUALITY
Wrench
Friday, December 26, 2008
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Mutual Aid Today
I live in a rural Pennsylvania area. The times that I can escape the web of evangelism, bigotry and intolerance that run rampant here, I treasure. But, there are a group of people that I do admire, and look up to with a great amount of respect. These people are the local Amish families that make up a good population of my county.
I've talked to many Amish people on a regular basis, beacause they frequent the whole-sale grocery store that I work at. The stereotype that they are all thick-headed, heavy-handed brow-beaters is, simply put, completely false. Many of the farmers I talk to have engaged me with thought-provoking religious conversations (not debates), and I am always intrigued by just how much knowledge they have. One man in particular is a master craftsman, who uses not only simple tools (he whittles, carves, etc.) but also has a mastery over machines. Though I wont name him here on the internet out of respect for his religious views, he is, in my opinion, a brilliant man. He can run an electric lathe, a thresher, and a steel-grinder and punch to make silverware and bowls. He makes his own chairs and furniture with an ancient scroll saw and sand-belt. Yes, the tools he uses are electric, but in today's world, the necessity has finally taken over the stigma that the Amish have had for such devices for so long (and I am happy about this).
Besides usually having a great amount of knowledge and experience using tools and laboring, the Amish are the most ardent and dedicated to helping each other out. They practice a form of Mutual Aide that I honestly have not seen in use anywhere else in the world. For this, I admire them even more.
A local barn burned down, and the Amish family saved there house, but lost many dairy cows and bulls to the blaze. Not a day after, the rest of the community, some people even that lived forty miles south, showed up, bearing gifts and ready to rebuild the barn. Due to their impeccable ability as workmen, the barn was rebuilt in nine days. The family received food in barrels (traditional PA Dutch, of course!), and when the families departed, they had left them enough money to buy back the majority of the cows lost.
This story was recounted to me by my friend, and he has told me of many such instances. The promptness and dedication that the entire Amish community takes in helping each other is awe-inspiring. They are the template for what a society built on mutual aide could be like. I admit, their own religion keeps them down, and subjugates them with its stifling of creativity, but looking at the whole picture, those people amaze me.
If everyone had a little shred of the Amish work ethic and loyalty to one another, this world would be a much better place.
Wrench
I've talked to many Amish people on a regular basis, beacause they frequent the whole-sale grocery store that I work at. The stereotype that they are all thick-headed, heavy-handed brow-beaters is, simply put, completely false. Many of the farmers I talk to have engaged me with thought-provoking religious conversations (not debates), and I am always intrigued by just how much knowledge they have. One man in particular is a master craftsman, who uses not only simple tools (he whittles, carves, etc.) but also has a mastery over machines. Though I wont name him here on the internet out of respect for his religious views, he is, in my opinion, a brilliant man. He can run an electric lathe, a thresher, and a steel-grinder and punch to make silverware and bowls. He makes his own chairs and furniture with an ancient scroll saw and sand-belt. Yes, the tools he uses are electric, but in today's world, the necessity has finally taken over the stigma that the Amish have had for such devices for so long (and I am happy about this).
Besides usually having a great amount of knowledge and experience using tools and laboring, the Amish are the most ardent and dedicated to helping each other out. They practice a form of Mutual Aide that I honestly have not seen in use anywhere else in the world. For this, I admire them even more.
A local barn burned down, and the Amish family saved there house, but lost many dairy cows and bulls to the blaze. Not a day after, the rest of the community, some people even that lived forty miles south, showed up, bearing gifts and ready to rebuild the barn. Due to their impeccable ability as workmen, the barn was rebuilt in nine days. The family received food in barrels (traditional PA Dutch, of course!), and when the families departed, they had left them enough money to buy back the majority of the cows lost.
This story was recounted to me by my friend, and he has told me of many such instances. The promptness and dedication that the entire Amish community takes in helping each other is awe-inspiring. They are the template for what a society built on mutual aide could be like. I admit, their own religion keeps them down, and subjugates them with its stifling of creativity, but looking at the whole picture, those people amaze me.
If everyone had a little shred of the Amish work ethic and loyalty to one another, this world would be a much better place.
Wrench
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Fight
Ideas for those who wish to participate in a little Direct Action....
1) Paint Bulbs-- Pick your favorite store (Wal-Mart, Kentucky Fried Chicken, or even, dare I say it, the local Police Station?!) and "redecorate" it with these compact little devices. To create, take a light-bulb and carefully, with a knife or some other implement, chip away the black part on the bottom. Then, with a pair of needle-nosed pliers remove the filament. Now, you should basically have a glass container, and that's what you want. Fill with paint (Red? Black?) and cap with a little square of duct tape. Throw at whatever you want. Splatters nicely and if you fill it with quick dry model paint or the like (I'm talking permanent here) it's a sonofabitch to get off.
2)Robin Hood Crime-- Go to the local grocery store and steal food. Donate these foods (canned, etc.) to local charities, or better yet, avoid the corporate channel and give it to some people in need in person. Do the same with jackets, blankets and socks. You can make off with a lot of socks from Wal-Mart if you know how to do it. Wear a jacket and slip a bag under the armpit, then walk out. They have no anti-theft strip. Believe me, if you've ever talked to a homeless person, they'll tell you what a godsend socks are.
3)Artistic Vandalism-- This is common sense. Take your favorite quote (Anarchy is Order, etc.) and plaster it everywhere. Use spray-bottles, carve it into cheap plastic and mirrors, scrawl with felt-tip pens, etc. Visit www. crimethinc.com for some very provocative and informational stickers that you can throw up everywhere. These little thought-bombs do a lot of good in getting the message out, check the site, it's really great.
4)Free Information-- Print off a sheaf of your favorite pamphlets and stick them all over. Good spots are the courthouse, local library, local bulletin boards, etc. Or, you could be very bold and put an info box on some "public" property. Take a mailbox or some receptacle and fill it with your chosen leaflets. Stick this on the aforementioned "public" property, maybe with a sign advertising Free Info. when it gets ripped down, put another one back up.
5)Start a Collective-- Find some people that have similar interests. Advertise an, "Alternative Politics Study Group" etc, and see how many people reply via email. Talk to people. Find out how many other Pirates there are in your town, you might be surprised!! Leave that same email on the pamphlets that you plant around town. You might be surprised how many responses you get. Hit up College hangouts if you are that age. If not, talk to people that congregate at work, school, etc.
If things get rolling, meet a few times a month and just talk at first. Get a feel for how the "group members," read individuals, feel about politics etc. Then, after a couple meetings, see if they would like to participate in some Direct Action. It doesn't have to be heavy, it can be something as simple as some Direct Charity. Regardless of how deep your action goes, you're making a difference, and now you have some allies. You'll likely make some good friends through this, don't forget about that! Encourage group members to share personal skills with the rest of the group so you can all benefit from them. Encourage learning, and HAVE FUN.
More later maybe. I take no responsibility for what anyone does with this info, just......uh....food for thought?
Wrench
1) Paint Bulbs-- Pick your favorite store (Wal-Mart, Kentucky Fried Chicken, or even, dare I say it, the local Police Station?!) and "redecorate" it with these compact little devices. To create, take a light-bulb and carefully, with a knife or some other implement, chip away the black part on the bottom. Then, with a pair of needle-nosed pliers remove the filament. Now, you should basically have a glass container, and that's what you want. Fill with paint (Red? Black?) and cap with a little square of duct tape. Throw at whatever you want. Splatters nicely and if you fill it with quick dry model paint or the like (I'm talking permanent here) it's a sonofabitch to get off.
2)Robin Hood Crime-- Go to the local grocery store and steal food. Donate these foods (canned, etc.) to local charities, or better yet, avoid the corporate channel and give it to some people in need in person. Do the same with jackets, blankets and socks. You can make off with a lot of socks from Wal-Mart if you know how to do it. Wear a jacket and slip a bag under the armpit, then walk out. They have no anti-theft strip. Believe me, if you've ever talked to a homeless person, they'll tell you what a godsend socks are.
3)Artistic Vandalism-- This is common sense. Take your favorite quote (Anarchy is Order, etc.) and plaster it everywhere. Use spray-bottles, carve it into cheap plastic and mirrors, scrawl with felt-tip pens, etc. Visit www. crimethinc.com for some very provocative and informational stickers that you can throw up everywhere. These little thought-bombs do a lot of good in getting the message out, check the site, it's really great.
4)Free Information-- Print off a sheaf of your favorite pamphlets and stick them all over. Good spots are the courthouse, local library, local bulletin boards, etc. Or, you could be very bold and put an info box on some "public" property. Take a mailbox or some receptacle and fill it with your chosen leaflets. Stick this on the aforementioned "public" property, maybe with a sign advertising Free Info. when it gets ripped down, put another one back up.
5)Start a Collective-- Find some people that have similar interests. Advertise an, "Alternative Politics Study Group" etc, and see how many people reply via email. Talk to people. Find out how many other Pirates there are in your town, you might be surprised!! Leave that same email on the pamphlets that you plant around town. You might be surprised how many responses you get. Hit up College hangouts if you are that age. If not, talk to people that congregate at work, school, etc.
If things get rolling, meet a few times a month and just talk at first. Get a feel for how the "group members," read individuals, feel about politics etc. Then, after a couple meetings, see if they would like to participate in some Direct Action. It doesn't have to be heavy, it can be something as simple as some Direct Charity. Regardless of how deep your action goes, you're making a difference, and now you have some allies. You'll likely make some good friends through this, don't forget about that! Encourage group members to share personal skills with the rest of the group so you can all benefit from them. Encourage learning, and HAVE FUN.
More later maybe. I take no responsibility for what anyone does with this info, just......uh....food for thought?
Wrench
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Chicago Republic Windows and Doors Strike
I lay in my bed, sick as a dog from a "gastrointestinal virus" (which means the doctors couldn't name what was really wrong with me, and I am vomiting so hard it comes out of my nose...) but CNN has some good news for me...
So the people employed at this Republic Windows and Doors plant in Chicago were given three days notice that they were out of work, and that it wasn't a layoff, it was permanent. The Union that the employees had joined for protection mobilized into action...
Basically, they couldn't go on strike--they were out of work anyway!! So, they occupied the factory in shifts, 250 former employees, and vowed not to move until they got severance and vacation pay. A group outside the factory (that is, not the ones inside sitting in) protested outside, spreading leaflets and waving signs, letting the public know just how they were being treated.
So, first off....
I am elated that the workers here are taking matters into their own hands. Too many people are happy to just be a cog in a machine. They either don't care about their rights, or are too uninformed to even know that they HAVE any, and that's a sad but true case in many workplaces.
WELL DONE to the workers and the local Union Heads--you managed to not get tangled in all of the usual bullshit that can make Labor Unions fail (Decay from within, position-power-plays, etc.) and you did what needed to be done, you protected the veigns and arteries of this country, the workers. And you did it well.
NOW--
Why the hell were the workers not given the 60-day notice that any other company would have given them? What if they hadn't been unionized? What if the people had not taken that precaution, and were thus left without any protection from this treatment?? These people's lives would've been in shambles as a result of this fucking three day notice..... It actually makes me physically angry to think of the repercussions that those families would have had to endure after this three-day notice.
In closing, it's a WIN for the unions, and a WIN for the PROLETARIAT that keeps our country chugging along, the steel worker, the fiber-glass cutter, the carpenter, those people who get their hands dirty and provide us with so many of the goods we take for granted. More people need to fight for them, and when big corporations try to pull this garbage again, we need to take note, and fight with them for their rates.
And for the record, Blagojevich is a moron................
Wrench
So the people employed at this Republic Windows and Doors plant in Chicago were given three days notice that they were out of work, and that it wasn't a layoff, it was permanent. The Union that the employees had joined for protection mobilized into action...
Basically, they couldn't go on strike--they were out of work anyway!! So, they occupied the factory in shifts, 250 former employees, and vowed not to move until they got severance and vacation pay. A group outside the factory (that is, not the ones inside sitting in) protested outside, spreading leaflets and waving signs, letting the public know just how they were being treated.
So, first off....
I am elated that the workers here are taking matters into their own hands. Too many people are happy to just be a cog in a machine. They either don't care about their rights, or are too uninformed to even know that they HAVE any, and that's a sad but true case in many workplaces.
WELL DONE to the workers and the local Union Heads--you managed to not get tangled in all of the usual bullshit that can make Labor Unions fail (Decay from within, position-power-plays, etc.) and you did what needed to be done, you protected the veigns and arteries of this country, the workers. And you did it well.
NOW--
Why the hell were the workers not given the 60-day notice that any other company would have given them? What if they hadn't been unionized? What if the people had not taken that precaution, and were thus left without any protection from this treatment?? These people's lives would've been in shambles as a result of this fucking three day notice..... It actually makes me physically angry to think of the repercussions that those families would have had to endure after this three-day notice.
In closing, it's a WIN for the unions, and a WIN for the PROLETARIAT that keeps our country chugging along, the steel worker, the fiber-glass cutter, the carpenter, those people who get their hands dirty and provide us with so many of the goods we take for granted. More people need to fight for them, and when big corporations try to pull this garbage again, we need to take note, and fight with them for their rates.
And for the record, Blagojevich is a moron................
Wrench
Monday, December 1, 2008
Mumbai
I wake and find another reason to lose faith in the capabilities of the human race to solve problems without violence.
The events in Mumbai are revolting. This terrorism cannot be justified as patriotism, because the ends it fulfills are not only unclear, but moreso, almost nonexistent. A statement being made? Yes. But it is written in blood and despair, not ink.
183 dead so far. More than 200 wounded and for what? I still have yet to see the goal or message that these fools were trying to get across. Wanton violence and death, so many children now orphaned in the most literal sense. And no one even knows WHAT YOU WERE TRYING TO SAY.
Peace be with those who have lost so much in India. You are victims of a mutated and insane ideology that glorifies and worships hate, upheld by the mentally unfit. This ideology is religion.
My thoughts most truly go out to all of you.
The events in Mumbai are revolting. This terrorism cannot be justified as patriotism, because the ends it fulfills are not only unclear, but moreso, almost nonexistent. A statement being made? Yes. But it is written in blood and despair, not ink.
183 dead so far. More than 200 wounded and for what? I still have yet to see the goal or message that these fools were trying to get across. Wanton violence and death, so many children now orphaned in the most literal sense. And no one even knows WHAT YOU WERE TRYING TO SAY.
Peace be with those who have lost so much in India. You are victims of a mutated and insane ideology that glorifies and worships hate, upheld by the mentally unfit. This ideology is religion.
My thoughts most truly go out to all of you.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Your Job, Your Battlefield
Don't let people ever take advantage of you. At your place of employment, this type of thing happens all the time--you are always being used, by the Assistant Manager, the Store Manager, the District Manager, the head boss, etc. etc.
To most bosses (and this is one of the sharpened, venom-soaked fangs of capitalism) you are not a person. You are merely another tool, like the cash-register you ring people up at, or the factory switchboard you watch over. Most bosses will outwardly appear like they care about you as a person, but in truth, most have major ego problems, getting their rocks off by greedily holding on to the kernel of power that they were given by some smarmy corporate piece of trash.
Yeah, that plastic name-badge and title make you a better person than me, Mr. Manager.
That whole "office politics" bullshit just makes me sick. The idea that you have to stand and take the fact that people talk behind your back and are a detriment to your work because of personal grudges etc. is ridiculous. Whatever your problems are with me, don't abuse the position you were given to mess with me. In the long run, you're coveting a title given to you only to further ingrain the hierarchy of the workplace into your mindset. With your promotion to manager, you are not more "free" than the cashier. In fact, you are only chained down further, because you are accepting your new role, and this new role will only open you up to further subjugation from the higher-ups. the further you climb the "corporate ladder," the stronger your chains become.
This is Marxian but meaningful;
Until the proletariat is recognized as an individual, he will merely work linearly, like a tool.
People are not tools, people are people. How many Assistant Managers forget this and treat their underlings like slaves? How many people are dissatisfied with their place of employment mostly because of the way they are treated, like disposables?
I'm guessing its more people than just me....
We are not tools. Don't ever forget this, no matter how hard the machine trys to impress the idea upon you.
To most bosses (and this is one of the sharpened, venom-soaked fangs of capitalism) you are not a person. You are merely another tool, like the cash-register you ring people up at, or the factory switchboard you watch over. Most bosses will outwardly appear like they care about you as a person, but in truth, most have major ego problems, getting their rocks off by greedily holding on to the kernel of power that they were given by some smarmy corporate piece of trash.
Yeah, that plastic name-badge and title make you a better person than me, Mr. Manager.
That whole "office politics" bullshit just makes me sick. The idea that you have to stand and take the fact that people talk behind your back and are a detriment to your work because of personal grudges etc. is ridiculous. Whatever your problems are with me, don't abuse the position you were given to mess with me. In the long run, you're coveting a title given to you only to further ingrain the hierarchy of the workplace into your mindset. With your promotion to manager, you are not more "free" than the cashier. In fact, you are only chained down further, because you are accepting your new role, and this new role will only open you up to further subjugation from the higher-ups. the further you climb the "corporate ladder," the stronger your chains become.
This is Marxian but meaningful;
Until the proletariat is recognized as an individual, he will merely work linearly, like a tool.
People are not tools, people are people. How many Assistant Managers forget this and treat their underlings like slaves? How many people are dissatisfied with their place of employment mostly because of the way they are treated, like disposables?
I'm guessing its more people than just me....
We are not tools. Don't ever forget this, no matter how hard the machine trys to impress the idea upon you.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Piracy Today
Somewhere (probably CNN or MSNBC), I caught wind of what has been happening on the coastal seas of Western and Southern Africa lately. Pirates armed with machine guns and riding speed-boats have been forcibly commandeering everything from fishing boats to oil-tankers, taking the goods and then holding the crew for ransom.
One band of Pirates stole over a million gallons of Saudi-Arabian sweet, crude oil. Another band (possibly associated with the other ones??) made off into the jungle with seven military tanks.
Because Africa is in such despicable condition (infighting, tin-horn dictators, genocide, racism, etc. etc.) I could almost justify and at least sympathize if these pirates were robbing food-freighters or making off with raw materials so that they might construct buildings to live in, not shacks made of corrugated steel. But, this is not the case. I KNOW that everything being stolen off these boats is going to feed another war-machine, another dictator, or another "revolutionary" war. That is what is most disheartening. The same thing goes for the money accrued from the ransoms--it will buy missiles, bullets and guns, not anything useful for the increase of the standard of living.
Africa is in need of help from those of us who have so much, regardless of where we live. We forget the continual plight of a people literally ravaged by constant violence. They need food, medicine and education.
I constantly ask myself why we spend billions and billions of dollars monthly trying to militantly democratize Iraq, when this money could feed the hungry in Africa, or go to building a local hospital (or at least go to help feeding the poor and destitute in our own country!).
Piracy is extreme, but I stand by the fact that:
Reacting abnormally to abnormal situations is normal.
I think that the situation in Africa is completely abnormal, and things like piracy and genocide, while terrifying, can only be expected in a nation, a literal world, that everyone seems to forget about.
It is a very depressing reality.
One band of Pirates stole over a million gallons of Saudi-Arabian sweet, crude oil. Another band (possibly associated with the other ones??) made off into the jungle with seven military tanks.
Because Africa is in such despicable condition (infighting, tin-horn dictators, genocide, racism, etc. etc.) I could almost justify and at least sympathize if these pirates were robbing food-freighters or making off with raw materials so that they might construct buildings to live in, not shacks made of corrugated steel. But, this is not the case. I KNOW that everything being stolen off these boats is going to feed another war-machine, another dictator, or another "revolutionary" war. That is what is most disheartening. The same thing goes for the money accrued from the ransoms--it will buy missiles, bullets and guns, not anything useful for the increase of the standard of living.
Africa is in need of help from those of us who have so much, regardless of where we live. We forget the continual plight of a people literally ravaged by constant violence. They need food, medicine and education.
I constantly ask myself why we spend billions and billions of dollars monthly trying to militantly democratize Iraq, when this money could feed the hungry in Africa, or go to building a local hospital (or at least go to help feeding the poor and destitute in our own country!).
Piracy is extreme, but I stand by the fact that:
Reacting abnormally to abnormal situations is normal.
I think that the situation in Africa is completely abnormal, and things like piracy and genocide, while terrifying, can only be expected in a nation, a literal world, that everyone seems to forget about.
It is a very depressing reality.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
I Don't Know
I don't know what to write about tonight. I am a little grumpy and very lethargic, and my mind seems slowed down, like the gears that usually spin up there are trying to mesh through honey or something...
Whatever, that's a strange analogy but....
I sometimes have such an outpouring of ideas and thought and creativity that I can barely contain, and I feel the need to write some of it down, in case it might be useful for reflection or introspection. A big part of my reason for starting this blog was simply self-fulfilling--I get to keep my ideas in order in a more structured, less personal diary. After that fact, if anyone can glean anything useful from my posts, great. I'd love to hear from you!
But, as to the point of this post (there really isn't one), sometimes I get caught in a creative quicksand, getting slowed down and burnt-out. Thankfully, one of my better characteristics is the fact that I usually spring out of these lulls quickly. Rest assured though, when I'm going through them they can suck.
So, to anyone out there in cyberspace who may or may not have glanced over these pages on this little blog, gimme a day or three to organize some of my thoughts. Some new topics I would like to get to sooner rather than later include:
And much more! I'll stop being lazy soon enough, and get something put out there, because creation is the most divine thing that I have ever experienced or witnessed, and I ahve a profound respect for it.
--Wrench--
Whatever, that's a strange analogy but....
I sometimes have such an outpouring of ideas and thought and creativity that I can barely contain, and I feel the need to write some of it down, in case it might be useful for reflection or introspection. A big part of my reason for starting this blog was simply self-fulfilling--I get to keep my ideas in order in a more structured, less personal diary. After that fact, if anyone can glean anything useful from my posts, great. I'd love to hear from you!
But, as to the point of this post (there really isn't one), sometimes I get caught in a creative quicksand, getting slowed down and burnt-out. Thankfully, one of my better characteristics is the fact that I usually spring out of these lulls quickly. Rest assured though, when I'm going through them they can suck.
So, to anyone out there in cyberspace who may or may not have glanced over these pages on this little blog, gimme a day or three to organize some of my thoughts. Some new topics I would like to get to sooner rather than later include:
- The Somalian Pirates
- Obama and What he Means to the Anarchist
- The Importance of Thinking
- Censorship
- Gun Control
- How Crime is Economically Preventable
And much more! I'll stop being lazy soon enough, and get something put out there, because creation is the most divine thing that I have ever experienced or witnessed, and I ahve a profound respect for it.
--Wrench--
Finding Meaning in my Shoes
Worn and torn, what once was so white,
Ragged now, they seem to spite me.
Fraying Doc Martens and sole-less Nikes,
The chords that bind them twist like lightning.
Those venerable boots, worn with time,
Tell a story much akin to mine.
Once unblemished and factory new,
They now define me,
My good old shoes.
?
Ragged now, they seem to spite me.
Fraying Doc Martens and sole-less Nikes,
The chords that bind them twist like lightning.
Those venerable boots, worn with time,
Tell a story much akin to mine.
Once unblemished and factory new,
They now define me,
My good old shoes.
?
Monday, November 17, 2008
Some things on Religion and other Thoughts
In this time of religious infighting and external "spiritual conflict," I have a hard time picking my favorite bed-time story to make me feel better about myself.
All joking aside, though, I am not an Atheist. In fact, philosophically, I view the Atheistic viewpoint to be fallacious. This is due to the fact that things in the world are not objective, but in fact far more subjective, and atheism is one side of people adhering to all-or-nothing ideas of things. Things in the world are not bivalent but multivalent. Remember always that there is an infinite space between 0 and 1. Things in the real world are not nearly as concise as symbolic logic and binary systems would make them appear. Philosophers can (and probably will) obsess over ultimate truths, and try to define them or ascribe properties to them for a long time to come, and this is OK. It is a noble endeavor, and I would never try to suppress the thinker that would want to examine their possibility. However, I believe that things are never as simple as black and white, or 0 and 1 (at least none that I have seen). Because of this, I reject both the ideas of Atheism and Fundamentalist/Evangelical Religion (not limited to Christianity, keep in mind). In short:
There is nothing more annoying than someone who will never concede that they MIGHT be wrong.
Because I believe that absolutes don't exist, I must reject both extremes of the spiritual scale. The Secular and Religious must come together and cooperate. Working together, I believe that they might create some better hypotheses than, "God made all and rules over men," or, "Our universe is the result of a cosmic fart, all chance and no grace."
But, I digress--
The point of this post was to talk about religion, and why some religious teachings and "mythologies" seem to be repressed simply because of their simplicity or (what we deem) their "fantastical" nature. My point is:
Why are Jainism and Druidism and Paganism seen as fanciful concepts, when we believe ourselves that the most powerful, omnipotent, omnipresent being ever would routinely talk to people in the Old Testament?
Why is praying to nature "crazier" than believing a mortal man was the son of God, the most powerful being we could even fathom?
And, to put it bluntly, why the hell do we discriminate about it...
Ok, the fact is, I don't know for sure, and neither do you. You can't know for sure that there is something else out there. You can't tell me with certainty that God exists or doesn't. And I can't tell you that. We are all professing beliefs, and we are all pushing opinions.
That's nothing to kill or be killed over.
All joking aside, though, I am not an Atheist. In fact, philosophically, I view the Atheistic viewpoint to be fallacious. This is due to the fact that things in the world are not objective, but in fact far more subjective, and atheism is one side of people adhering to all-or-nothing ideas of things. Things in the world are not bivalent but multivalent. Remember always that there is an infinite space between 0 and 1. Things in the real world are not nearly as concise as symbolic logic and binary systems would make them appear. Philosophers can (and probably will) obsess over ultimate truths, and try to define them or ascribe properties to them for a long time to come, and this is OK. It is a noble endeavor, and I would never try to suppress the thinker that would want to examine their possibility. However, I believe that things are never as simple as black and white, or 0 and 1 (at least none that I have seen). Because of this, I reject both the ideas of Atheism and Fundamentalist/Evangelical Religion (not limited to Christianity, keep in mind). In short:
There is nothing more annoying than someone who will never concede that they MIGHT be wrong.
Because I believe that absolutes don't exist, I must reject both extremes of the spiritual scale. The Secular and Religious must come together and cooperate. Working together, I believe that they might create some better hypotheses than, "God made all and rules over men," or, "Our universe is the result of a cosmic fart, all chance and no grace."
But, I digress--
The point of this post was to talk about religion, and why some religious teachings and "mythologies" seem to be repressed simply because of their simplicity or (what we deem) their "fantastical" nature. My point is:
Why are Jainism and Druidism and Paganism seen as fanciful concepts, when we believe ourselves that the most powerful, omnipotent, omnipresent being ever would routinely talk to people in the Old Testament?
Why is praying to nature "crazier" than believing a mortal man was the son of God, the most powerful being we could even fathom?
And, to put it bluntly, why the hell do we discriminate about it...
Ok, the fact is, I don't know for sure, and neither do you. You can't know for sure that there is something else out there. You can't tell me with certainty that God exists or doesn't. And I can't tell you that. We are all professing beliefs, and we are all pushing opinions.
That's nothing to kill or be killed over.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Authority
I profess the belief that authority is responsible for most of the social problems in the world today. My definition of authority is, "The coercion by force or threat of people who could otherwise make their own decisions regarding their lives." This coercion can be direct or indirect, and can be readily seen or masked under subterfuge.
One place where coercive "authority" can be plainly seen is in the dictatorial regimes dotting Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America. The people there are subjugated to the ruler's will (often forcibly) at all times. Dissent is crushed under a military boot-heel whenever it rears its head, and freedom of speech is at best a false dream. The people are forced to labor for their overlord, who in turn uses this labor to grow even more powerful. The fruits of the common worker's labor are often automatic rifles, bombs and missiles, never the food, medicine, and education that they would need to loosen the grip of their masters and free themselves.
But, authority does not just reside in other continents--it is easy to see in the United States as well. A country founded by those who disdained any authority (Who we would today label as radical leftist Anarchists and Libertarians) has evolved into a State that mongers repression of the self and a lack of the freedoms that men died for in droves two-and-a-half centuries ago.
The gap between the poor and the rich continues to grow, with the "middle class" scrambling to regain a grip where they now reside. They desperately resist being sucked down into the "Lower Class" but it becomes more of a reality every day.
The class system (being labelled as "lower, middle" etc.) is an acid that dissolves away personal worth, making people believe that they are worth less than they are. People become inhuman, they become meat graded on its ability to feed the slavering jaws of politicians and businessmen. The laborers become nothing but another piece of machinery (See Marx), to be used and abused by the Capitalists who, in their greed, refuse to recognize workers as human. This class system was an invention of the Capitalists to keep the common man under his thumb. This devaluing of the self is one potent weapon that the corporations and government use to make us assume that there is nothing better in the world for us than laboring for them.
The rights that were once deemed absolute now can be dismissed with political misdirection and red-herring arguments. Freedom of Speech is limited in the respect that I have to adhere to certain rules when writing. NO HUMAN CAN REACH THE LIMITS OF HIS/HER ABILITY WHILE CHAINED TO THE GROUND. The adherences of convention, the ideas of obscenity and heresy are all inventions of those who would rather have people not express themselves to a fuller extent. Freedom of the Press is trampled with the amount of political manipulation that seeps into the media, warping what we need to know--FACTS. HUMANS CAN NOT BE EXPECTED TO MAKE A DEMOCRACY WORK WITHOUT UNBIASED INFORMATION THAT DETAILS THE FACTS OF CURRENT EVENTS. Freedom of Religion is sleighted when the Muslim endures torment among Americans, when the Jew is reviled by the ignorant, when the atheist is shunned by the believers. YOU CANNOT MANDATE PEOPLE TO BELIEVE OR DISBELIEVE.
The idea behind "rights" is that we are meant to believe that we were given them. We were not. We were born as humans , born out of the control of authority, and though we were indoctrinated into it early, we were never given rights, never granted them.
We were born with freedom, though some may have forgotten it.
One place where coercive "authority" can be plainly seen is in the dictatorial regimes dotting Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America. The people there are subjugated to the ruler's will (often forcibly) at all times. Dissent is crushed under a military boot-heel whenever it rears its head, and freedom of speech is at best a false dream. The people are forced to labor for their overlord, who in turn uses this labor to grow even more powerful. The fruits of the common worker's labor are often automatic rifles, bombs and missiles, never the food, medicine, and education that they would need to loosen the grip of their masters and free themselves.
But, authority does not just reside in other continents--it is easy to see in the United States as well. A country founded by those who disdained any authority (Who we would today label as radical leftist Anarchists and Libertarians) has evolved into a State that mongers repression of the self and a lack of the freedoms that men died for in droves two-and-a-half centuries ago.
The gap between the poor and the rich continues to grow, with the "middle class" scrambling to regain a grip where they now reside. They desperately resist being sucked down into the "Lower Class" but it becomes more of a reality every day.
The class system (being labelled as "lower, middle" etc.) is an acid that dissolves away personal worth, making people believe that they are worth less than they are. People become inhuman, they become meat graded on its ability to feed the slavering jaws of politicians and businessmen. The laborers become nothing but another piece of machinery (See Marx), to be used and abused by the Capitalists who, in their greed, refuse to recognize workers as human. This class system was an invention of the Capitalists to keep the common man under his thumb. This devaluing of the self is one potent weapon that the corporations and government use to make us assume that there is nothing better in the world for us than laboring for them.
The rights that were once deemed absolute now can be dismissed with political misdirection and red-herring arguments. Freedom of Speech is limited in the respect that I have to adhere to certain rules when writing. NO HUMAN CAN REACH THE LIMITS OF HIS/HER ABILITY WHILE CHAINED TO THE GROUND. The adherences of convention, the ideas of obscenity and heresy are all inventions of those who would rather have people not express themselves to a fuller extent. Freedom of the Press is trampled with the amount of political manipulation that seeps into the media, warping what we need to know--FACTS. HUMANS CAN NOT BE EXPECTED TO MAKE A DEMOCRACY WORK WITHOUT UNBIASED INFORMATION THAT DETAILS THE FACTS OF CURRENT EVENTS. Freedom of Religion is sleighted when the Muslim endures torment among Americans, when the Jew is reviled by the ignorant, when the atheist is shunned by the believers. YOU CANNOT MANDATE PEOPLE TO BELIEVE OR DISBELIEVE.
The idea behind "rights" is that we are meant to believe that we were given them. We were not. We were born as humans , born out of the control of authority, and though we were indoctrinated into it early, we were never given rights, never granted them.
We were born with freedom, though some may have forgotten it.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
First Post
This is my first post on this blog. I had the idea for a long time to get something put together like this, but it remained dormant until I actually willed myself to do it.
In here you will find pretty much anything on my mind. I am prone to introspection and over-analyzing things, so know that before you begin reading...
Discussion is the pinnacle of human intelligence. I love to talk and debate with people. Please don't hesitate to say whatever you want to say. I find that even when meeting people that are polar-opposites of me in my thinking, I can always find at least a grain of new knowledge in every discussion, and that's why I indulge in it so often!
--Wrench
In here you will find pretty much anything on my mind. I am prone to introspection and over-analyzing things, so know that before you begin reading...
Discussion is the pinnacle of human intelligence. I love to talk and debate with people. Please don't hesitate to say whatever you want to say. I find that even when meeting people that are polar-opposites of me in my thinking, I can always find at least a grain of new knowledge in every discussion, and that's why I indulge in it so often!
--Wrench
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