The Mean World Syndrome

reply to post by Skyfloating


...definitely easier to stay on the porch. But, if you want that baby and future generations to have the same opportunities as you or a better world than what we have now, you will have to get off of that porch sometime.

As any Taoist will tell you, the miracle is in the moment. Small things are huge. The porch is nice. But, as you look ever outward from yourself (the porch) the picture can often get uglier and scarier, sometimes it's the other way around - as you look more inward the reality is may be scarier.

Regardless - one has to LOOK. To see things as they really are and affect the world in the most positive way possible. Sometimes that means staying on the porch, sometimes it means burning the porch down.

[edit on 5/12/07 by kosmicjack]

It is good to note the beauty and the good in life. Wholesome and healthy for the inner person.

The key is balance. The world has both, in abundance. To remain sane, we cannot focus on just one or the other, for either to exclusion, is a distorted view of reality.

reply to post by NGC2736


So true, it is only possible to really see and appreciate the beauty and goodness in life because it is such a contrast to the ugliness and evil.

This reminds me that I have been going to post for some time about something in this vein but haven't fully gathered my thoughts on it yet.

I think we've become a society that has lost our ability to trust. We're cynical. We learned the lesson perhaps too well, and now, no longer have the ability to admire others, to look up to them, to respect people. Somewhere along the line, our leaders, from parents to presidents, have let us down and while perhaps it is a good thing to leave naivity behind, I think we've gone down the path too far leading us to a society that feels we have the right to know every single thing about someone, it's turned us into a society of gossips and drama queens.

We're so cynical that we no longer consider the opinions and feelings of others. We simply have no respect nor trust for each other.

In some ways this makes this entire forum useless. We have thousands of soliloquies and no true debate and conversation, each side convinced that they are right, and only hearing the pieces of facts that fit their opinions and views, and ignoring the rest. There is no learning, no exchange of ideas, only circular topics, again and again, around and around, never gaining ground.

reply to post by Jadette


yes, yes. some of it is very much so.

I imagine some trusting soul on the other end of the line. you only see his/her screenname, but he is human nevertheless. this human happens to have dedicated his entire life to a specific belief system which he/she trusts in. his/her fingers carefully but hopefully type some words presenting that belief-system.

and in comes some bully responding: "your belief has to be wiped out. you are stupid, wrong and evil!"

if you look at it this way its not only cynisism and distrust but insanity to treat other humans this way.

reply to post by Jadette


Oh, I change my mind fairly often. New facts and perspectives do that. I find my time here well spent, and very informative.

Originally posted by Jadette
In some ways this makes this entire forum useless. We have thousands of soliloquies and no true debate and conversation, each side convinced that they are right, and only hearing the pieces of facts that fit their opinions and views, and ignoring the rest. There is no learning, no exchange of ideas, only circular topics, again and again, around and around, never gaining ground.

So true! I say whoever wants to avoid this and actually start learning have a go at Wikipedia's list of cognitive biases. Learning psychology isn't about figuring out how to influence others -- it's about figuring out one's own self.

Originally posted by Beachcoma

So true! I say whoever wants to avoid this and actually start learning have a go at Wikipedia's list of cognitive biases. Learning psychology isn't about figuring out how to influence others -- it's about figuring out one's own self.

Actually, that's part of what my post was going to be about. I was inspired by some of the things I had been reading lately (my husband is a behavioral psychologist), and some of the things I have observed here and other places.

Originally posted by NGC2736
reply to post by Jadette

 

Oh, I change my mind fairly often. New facts and perspectives do that. I find my time here well spent, and very informative.

Yeah, it's only a generalization, which I realise means that there are plenty of exceptions - and I do see them all the time. I think if it were wholely elsewise, I wouldn't be here, nor anywhere. I prize the moments when I learn something, or find my opinion expanding.

reply to post by Beachcoma


Those cognitive bias definitions should be mandatory reading before even being allowed to sign up for ATS

We´ve all been guilty of them at one time or another. But not even KNOWING basic communication and psychology makes discussion more difficult than it would have to be.

I was watching CNN when a program came on asking the question, "Is your neighbor a terrorist?". I thought to myself that after 9/11, was this a good idea to make people even more scared. Being scared of your own neighbor??!!! I then realized the media would like nothing more then to have you scared and distrustful of everyone and that would include your neighbor. I turned my cable off. I see it as nothing more then propaganda and brainwashing on a mass scale. If every car accident was reported during a single day in America people would be freaking out and afraid to drive. The world is scary but TV is a force multiplier making things look all gloom and doom.

reply to post by cloakndagger


yes, a force multiplier. a magnifying glass meant to keep the populace in constant distraction, fear and anger...and ultimately docile.

But its not only CNN...its surprising how reflective even ATS is of mass-media. People are so used to it, that they give the threads with the most blood, guts, doom n gloom in them the most replies. We just love our "action".

reply to post by Skyfloating


Sex runs a close second. You're not against that are you?

Really, balance is a personal choice, and one any true thinking person remains aware of. Only Chicken Littles think the sky is falling with every raindrop, and only Simple Simons refuse to see the evil in the world and make an effort to change it.

reply to post by NGC2736


Chicken Littles and Simple Simons....point well made


Sex...indeed. Love it. Wonder why its a topic never covered on ATS?

reply to post by Skyfloating


Too many expert opinions?

Having to cite the Kuma Sutra?

Embarrassing the mods?

Beats me. I think we need Dr. Ruth to come on board.

The lights go out in Rome

Originally posted by Skyfloating
The interesting addition you make to this thread is in emphasizing the difference between LOCAL news and global news.

It seems to be our habit to see more evil and badness somewhere far away or in foreign countries.

Yes, because the farther away it is, the bigger it has to be as a story to make the media. And in the news business, bigger usually mans badder.

To the Honourable Member for Atlanta: how often have these urban horrors you list here actually affected your own life - not your state of mind, your life and those of your near and dear ones? And why do you think a world that is transformed out of recognition from the one in which you grew up is automatically worse? Couldn't it just be different?

Skyfloating, if you want another pleasant surprise about Iran, try eating some of the food. The Iranians have one of the most delicate and sophisticated cuisines in the world.

"You've got to admit it's getting better, getting better all the time"

And I think ATS is part of the getting betterness...information for the masses, by the masses!

reply to post by Astyanax

rampant deforestation and un-checked sprawl, severe drought, illegal immigration, smog and excessive waste of fuel caused by a million SUV's, out-of-control consumerism

Everyday. However, I am not so ungrateful as to realize I could have it much worse...but I have always been one to maximize potential and make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. It's not enough for me to recognize that something or another might need improvement or could be so much better if only... - I am driven to try to actually do it. I cannot rest as long as I know I could possiblyt help someone or stop an injustice. I would say I am exactly like the pea under the princess's mattress - no one will have any peace until there is improvement. I won't smile and wave just because my lot is happy and comfortable, it is far less enjoyable as long as others can't experience the same.

Curiosity & Awareness Driven vs. Hate-Driven

Despite the heaviness of mood sometimes encountered here, I come to ATS because there is a high level of awareness of life`s and worlds events. So much so that everything and anything is examined without Taboo.

This place is also an exercise to learn to discern between curiosity & awareness driven content and hate/fear driven content. How many threads are there that were only made to prove oneself right and prove a specific group of people wrong? And how many threads are there that exist for honest inquiry and learning? Its probably 50-50.