Americans All Have 1 Thing In Common

That single thing is we are all different. It's why the 2 party system is failing us so badly by dragging everyone to polar opposites for political gain. Is that really who We The People are?; 2 different viewpoints and a 3rd that can never get elected? No way, we're too independent too idiosyncratic to allow ourselves to be pigeonholed by the Red and Blue divide. America was founded on the principle that because we are all unique the best system is to allow everyone to be themselves so long as they hurt no one else intentionally. It got us through over 200 years as a nation and is all threatened as we've seen our rights and society dissolving by the week.

The individual is being lost just as how robots replace human workers we wonder what use we are? We no longer seem to matter or have the power to make anything happen. We are becoming passive observers and joiners, it's encouraged by the model for social media. I mention the single thing we have in common because it is what we all need to reclaim; our lives and our sacred and practical reasons to be alive; our own true identities - not some group affiliation.

We belong to our selves, to the planet and ultimately to each other. Our cultures and countries are worth preserving so we can build upon the ground won by our ancestors. We have inherited a world of abundance, convenience and safety thanks to their efforts but it is not without it's pitfalls and problems. We can still overcome this malaise upon the planet. We just have to reclaim our lives, our freedoms and destinies by working together. The more we can do without government or corporations the better off we will be.

I believe we are all going to be tested within a year and I hope everyone has a network of people. We're going to need each other but being able to rely on ourselves is the first step. I know this was a ramble but I hope the gist wasn't lost.

Well said.

a reply to: Asktheanimals

a reply to: asktheanimals

The two party system is the only thing you're expected to have faith in to meet all of your ends as Americans .

It's supposed to be the same in Europe. But people have learned to question it .

Are there really two opposing factions ? It doesn't look that way anymore. It didn't before Trump , it wasnt for getting on 50 years , and now even with him still around fuelling deep opinion divides , it still doesn't.

They have a whole lot to cover up between them , don't they ? It's very ipoortant to them that they do. The most important . Especially since modern info technologies now , allow anyone to create critical and source referenced accounts of the past .

Theres a great danger in that being exposed. And it would , should it become widely accepted that the extensive fraudulent collusion between parties , mean a total dissolving of trust in the system across a whole nation.

If it came proven , those that allowed thar would have fkd it up for every double dealing fraudster that has been in politics , for good.
That's why you don't do that # in the first place. Or you'll spend the rest of your days worrying about being discovered and then lynched or similar. They fear it most of all.
Wish em well.

Some advice you come back to in life and reminds you you'd already heard it and conceived the concept .
Where the revelation says , let the liars the whoremongers the murderers , the other evil snips in the world carry on still. Because they are not coming to where we are going.

Sometimes when you run across things and people that cause you disgust and to hate them and to wish to fight and destroy them , you need to remember those advices , those places where you'd reached to before. You don't want to be sentenced for killing a known brutal rapist , for example.

Just offer him his damnation from life instead and walk away. It's good advice , hold and keep your calm.
Keep the faith in innocence , and damnation .

Ideas of being trodden down or depressed by the state of the world won't do , or theyll have won. . Expect to pour ridicule upon stupid peopleinstead . Oh dear you idiots are going to get found out one day . Be sure , those sins , they'll find you out .

And this popular idea of " us " all coming together in some way . It's not actually really feasible as a proposition , its wishful and directionless thinking sorry to say it . I guess the French do that sometimes , they all go out and remind Macron they hate him , and then go home . Other than that kind of thing there's no real " us " anyway. There's who we come across in life , and there's enough to deal with in that.

Grand solutions I don't think there are many either. Governments and corporations , and politics itself as we know are already irrelevant. It is central banks that decide the important things now . That's not necessarily such a bad thing but with so much power concentrated that way could eventually be a total disaster for humanity too . The world has moved on at least, and at least rich or powerful people need a stable environment in which to enjoy and preserve their riches and power. And I agree we have our individualities in common and we should do own things looking after ourselves.

I always wonder why almost everyone gets the two party system wrong. It is built into the American government but it has nothing to do with political parties such as Democrats and Republicans.

The two parties are the House of Representatives and the Senate. The political parties have twisted the meaning and fooled most of the people into thinking otherwise.

One party is more representative of the common people, the House, and the other more about the more affluent people, the Senate.

This is why one is based on a states population and the other is not.

And yes, diversity is our strength but not the diversify that the political parties have been forcing on us for many years now.

a reply to: Asktheanimals


Ummm...sooo...

Our commonality...is our diversity...?


Seems counterintuitive...


I would surmise that our commonality...is our territorial...lactating...mammalian natures...

Which certainly defines our penchant for confrontation...hostility...and warfare...

These are not inconsistent with our behavioral group dynamics...and certainly reflect the entirety of human civilizations...especially exemplified by current events...


Perhaps we'd be better served by accepting our inherent natures...than striving for something that is just not in our nature to accomplish...or attain...




YouSir

And the reality is that it's not even a true two-parth system any more. Hasn't been for years. The "two parties" are just two sides of same dirty coin.

The analogy I've often used is that we're given the choice between riding in a blue car or a red car. The blue car will drive twoard a solid concrete wall at 200mpg. The red car will only do 175 and will take a somewhat longer route, but will crash into the same wall.

If your choices are to ride in the blue car or the red car, which should you choose? Ideally, you'd want to ride in neither, manage to crash both cars into one another, and just walk.

But pjeople are lazy and nobody wants to walk, so most everyone just climbs aboard.

a reply to: YouSir

Our strongest commonality is our will to survive. And the will to survive must acknowledge that we are a diverse community (not just in the US but globally). Survival and diversity must coexist, hence we must build on the diversity and allow it to be a building block of survivability.

Nature proves this. Monoculture leads to the death of a species. Think of the Gros Michel banana debacle (do your research if you don't know). The same threat hangs over the Cavendish today.

Ignorance and selfishness leads to shunning diversity and producing a monoculture. At the same time, there have to be common touchstones that allow geo-politically connected diverse groups to share a cultural commonality, and this requires dialog and respect. Sadly, those two things - dialog and respecte - seem to be beyond the ability of many people to achieve today.

a reply to: Asktheanimals

You aren't focusing on the right things. It all begins with local politics which is where your focus should be. Make sure your local politicians, then your state politicians are representing YOU - hold them accountable TO YOU. After that, worry about Federal representation.

There's not much you can do at the Fed level which is why the U.S. Constitution favors individuals first, then States over Federal.

a reply to: Iamonlyhuman

You're absolutely right, we must work locally where we can have some effect. My point is people seem more disconnected from the process than ever, going out to vote every few years being their idea of "participation". 30 years ago my wife and I noticed a lack of invertebrate life in a local creek. With dedicated investigation, letter writing, calling agencies etc my wife managed to force our town to spend over $20 million to fix combined sewer overflows that polluted the creek. She did that entirely on her own time and dime and there are now multiple nature trails and a much cleaner creek that supports abundant wildlife. Fact was we had the 2nd oldest water system in the entire country and it was overdue for replacement.

Yes, we can make things happen but we have to think and act locally. The Fed has accumulated far too much power to itself.

originally posted by: YouSir
a reply to: Asktheanimals


Ummm...sooo...

Our commonality...is our diversity...?


Seems counterintuitive...

YouSir

You nailed it as you often do. The ability to embrace counterintuitive ideas is the hallmark of rational thinking and precisely the starting point for any real changes we feel we need to make.

a reply to: Iamonlyhuman

You're right. Melding our diversty into a common current is nearly impossible at a national level. It requires knowing your neighbor, learning to appreciate how they differ from one as well as how our commonalities give us cohesion. If we can't dothat locally, it will colapse at a national level.

And I fear that we, as a culture, are no longer capable of doing that locally.

a reply to: incoserv

Your comparison to monocultures is very incisive, cutting to the core of human issues today. The same could be said of superbugs resistant to antibiotics, various insects ruining our forests and crops or even the choices we have as consumers thanks to corporate influence. Every system and form of life needs that variation to ensure it's own chances of survival. We are headed towards social suicide the ways things have been going.

originally posted by: incoserv
a reply to: YouSir

Our strongest commonality is our will to survive.

Ummm...perhaps it's only our will to survive...at the expense of any other that might encroach on whatever you claim as...yours...

Be that family...tribe...or accumulations...

It's not good enough to make a statement such as you did and not follow through on it's...conclusive realism...

Often...survival...is dependent upon the non-survival of other persons or species...


So...survival is not universally inclusive...but certainly universally common...with it's accompanying expense...



YouSir

originally posted by: Asktheanimals

originally posted by: YouSir
a reply to: Asktheanimals


Ummm...sooo...

Our commonality...is our diversity...?


Seems counterintuitive...

YouSir

The ability to embrace counterintuitive ideas is the hallmark of rational thinking and precisely the starting point for any real changes we feel we need to make.

Ummm...see...this is the part of ATS that I truly love...Where point and counterpoint share equality...and perhaps experience quasi evolutionary cohesion...perhaps...

I would honestly however...question if there are any changes that we might have any real impact on altering...or modifying...
Best exemplified by the very system you described in your OP...and more succinctly by the reality of the hidden hands that actually control this charade we call politics and the political process...

Then again...perhaps I'm too jaded...too steeped in conspiratorial consideration and a penchant to ponder the human condition...and my own role within the construct...

In the studied grasp of enough time...perhaps we might actually get to witness a truthful evolution of that human condition...an enlightenment that becomes the core...and not just a skin-deep claim of said...

I haven't personally perceived any yet...but perhaps it lies just around the corner...further up the path...



YouSir

a reply to: YouSir
It didn't matter if it was Buddha or Napoleon or Ramses. Who they were came to change the world. What I'm saying is it starts with that one person. Confidence in their sense of self and the development of innate talents is their source of strength. You sir have a sharp mind and wit along with a depth I'm sure hides many hidden talents. The better the meal the longer it usually takes to prepare and our lives are similar. It usually takes decades of maturing in all areas to fully develop to our maximum potential.

originally posted by: beyondknowledge
I always wonder why almost everyone gets the two party system wrong. It is built into the American government but it has nothing to do with political parties such as Democrats and Republicans.

As you should know ? That's pure horse manure .
on the separation of powers

The US runs a tripartite constitution like other historic democracies . There's three involved , and you didn't mention the white house .
or Do some reading