 Originally Posted by 3FLryan
I don't think I ever argued any point but the one I made in that post, which is saying something like "the republican party is more steadfast and down to earth" is propagandist and un-substantive. You said "down to earth" means "hard headed," or "pragmatic," or whatever. This implies that democrats are not as pragmatic or hard-headed, which implies that they are willy-nilly flip-floppers who don't think problems through in a practicle way. I don't care if this is what a party wants to be called, that's just because the language of politics IS very often propaganda, because each party wants to play on emotions to get votes. That is why I say, "don't use vaguely positive adjetives to describe parties (i.e. hard-headed)." You might as well call them "good," it does just about the same thing. Each party has a system of beliefs that they follow, and each party believes their philosophy to be better. So each party thinks they are more "pragmatic and hard-headed." You don't hear democrats sitting around saying, "Damn, the things that we believe in just aren't as practicle as republicans! If only we thought things through!" Why? Because that language is propaganda, meant to form positive or negative associations based on emotions and not logic!
It's fine if you want to call republicans "more down to earth," and it's fine if the republican party wants to call itself that, I'm well versed in political language and I know how the republican party wants to be known. All I wanted to point out is that doesn't really mean anything outside of trying to get some votes, because it says nothing about their actual beliefs.[/b]
I think the main issue can apply to both to the above, 3FLryan,s statement and also 'Conforming Non-Conformist'.
Education :!:
Heaven forbid we have a language that has many synonyms. Many complain that our language is flawed for this reason, hard to learn. Well yes, maybe it is. I however feel that because we have sooo many emotions all these metaphors, synonyms, acronyms and what have you allow us to really pin point down to a great degree what EXACTLY we want to portray. So to say the language is propaganda is not so. It is used as such but it does not mean it cannot have substances.
I understand your point. Politicians use this unfortunately as a tool. This is why educating yourself not only to the political processes of a nation is so important but furthermore navigating your way through this world.
 Originally Posted by 3FLryan
Ok , after writing this i realized that it was a bit lengthly response to yours. Please do not look at it as a rebuttal or attack on your ideas or your previous comment, this is not how i wrote it. As i was writing it i found that a few more ideas have opened up in my mind and i would like to contemplate them further. Actually any input you may have may prove to be valuable...
"What do you stand for? what would you propose?"
I am no expert in political activity, although i do follow the mindset at times and the human decisions that lead to political mistakes. By not voting or destroying a ballot would alleviate the owness of responsibility for those mistakes. {" For being in a position to know and nevertheless shunning that knowledge creates direct consequences for the result"} The conditioning of humans and citizens of a particular nation to react in certain calculated ways and to be more influenced by their governments than their own thoughts and actions is a necessity of any governing force. This is where i get the 'illusion' aspect of politics.
Saying this, I am more into human behaviour and the future (extrapolated) consequences of those actions resulting from an imposition upon a nation by a governing force. Today, people are not fit to govern themselves, they have given up their self-reliance and political clout to the few who make decisions easier for them, so eventually they do not have to decide at all. (this is evident in the last election whether some belive that it was rigged or not..i don't care to see it as a real election or a deceptive one)
For me Democrat and Republican have always been an illusion of two competing forces, presented to the public as democracy, that use each other to influence and instill their own terms and collusions on those who 'vote' for them. Wether you vote donkey or elephant does not matter as long as at the time of voting there is a large degree of public acceptance. When there is a split, it makes it much easier for a nation to go to war and further imprison their own people with more laws, regulations, and amendments that make them 'safer'.
Without going too far into policy, if a nation is split in decision of who they want their leader to be and just over half get their way, the other less than half is the one that becomes beat down by the media as those who made the 'wrong' choice. Like the human condition, even a large mass of minorities cannot stand up against a few in power when the decision based on their own Constitution (the supreme law) is made. That would just be un-constuitutional and non- american (maybe even anti- american).
As for what i would propose. A beginning. A push away from general education and into something that challenges a nation to think. For me this is where i believe it can start. A subdued nation of Armchair quaterbacks who know very little about a lot and a lot about very little cannot make the proper rational choice for themselves and country. To me, the governing forces depend upon stupidity of a nation to choose "A" or "B", don't dig any further, don't look too long or hard.
So i guess my issue goes beyond politics and the system in place to the comprising supports that hold up that system and cause its people to exist wanting easy answers and simple choices. Going back to illusions, the choices that they make have been soo boiled down that rational thought about those choices lead them to vote for the sake of voting. "because if i don't vote i cannot complain".
I do not have easy answers for a new political system. This is a task that i do not believe can be decided by one person, it would be a Dictatorship. But what i do believe in is a nation that may one day have the want to be intellectual and gain as much knowledge about the many contributing forces to their world. Maybe from then on a new system can come about through asking questions and not just accepting things until they can think otherwise.[/b]
NO! It is not meant to be decided by one person. That is the whole point. That is why a person needs to look beyond themselves and realize a vote counts. Our government is meant to represent the people, That is why I said, Freedom only arises when you use it.
I also said that ignorant people should not vote. But this is in line with my main point. Education. We (the people) are allowing politicians to ride over us. People make a choice to not participate. It is a choice.
I look back at 1994 or 95?? When A "throw them all out" attitude shook up both political parties. This shows that people can have an influence but choose not to use this valuable right we have as a free citizen.
You cannot avoid politics. You still have to pay taxes, abide by the rules that are put in place. So why not participate?
I could not agree with you more about the two sides. As I mentioned earlier as well---Voter reform. ~ third parties, mandates on a parties funds, something. I don't know the answer for a lot of the problems. There are many.
People underestimate the legitimate role that local politics has. Each state has different reforms and in addition have a big influence on the greater whole. Not to mention your own way of life in your community.
Furthermore many local politicians may eventually use this as a stepping stone to get into the larger political agenda. In return your education is already beginning to pay off.
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