Why Do People Defend Unjust, Inept, and Corrupt Systems?

reply to post by monkofmimir


"normal" is what you desire it to be my friend

Actually I ask myself the same question everytime I post a ufo&alien video clip from YouTube and 80% of the posters call hoax or misidentifcation.

I ask myself the same question when Yahoo posts about "Operation Fast and Furious with Eric Holder" and it JUST HAPPENS comments become disabled.

Or when someone posts a really stupid video on YouTube and then disables comments so that you can't express how awful you feel about it.

Or why celebrities and gossip get front page news? Or why the stock market is the ONLY WAY to achieve progress? Or why senate hearings include "I don't recall 99% of the time". Or when someone asks fema about DUMBS they tell you "that is classified" and why is it classified "I can't answer that".

We have rulers and the ruled. What can be done alone???

reply to post by Maxmars


I'd say it's because people are used to it, especially the older folks. Since they've been living in this system their whole lives, it's the only thing they know. When people point out the corruption and all of the problems with it, like the wars we're fighting and the drug war to name a few, they can't help but defend those things, because they're conditioned to think this system is flawless since they're a part of it. Challenging the system that they've not only been a part of but helped to create through voting brings out feelings of insecurity or something like that.

I probably could have explained that a lot better, but I'm sure you guys can understand what I'm trying to say.

reply to post by Maxmars


But it is going to change, it may take what it took in pre- world war two Germany to get these morons to realize and finally fight back, or it may take a miracle. Another movement would be good, since TP and OWS hasn't done a darn bit of changing it. When people finally see they're nothing but serfs, when they are starving to death, when they are unable to live and have nothing else to lose, even the idiots defending the assinine system will finally rebel against it.

Originally posted by TupacShakur
reply to post by Maxmars

 

I'd say it's because people are used to it, especially the older folks. Since they've been living in this system their whole lives, it's the only thing they know. When people point out the corruption and all of the problems with it, like the wars we're fighting and the drug war to name a few, they can't help but defend those things, because they're conditioned to think this system is flawless since they're a part of it. Challenging the system that they've not only been a part of but helped to create through voting brings out feelings of insecurity or something like that.

I probably could have explained that a lot better, but I'm sure you guys can understand what I'm trying to say.

excellent post , xenophobic behaviour comes into mind , applied to ideas and concepts .
an "unreasonable" fear of the "foreign" . now how is we gonna get that "un" away from the "reasonable" ??

Originally posted by TupacShakur
reply to post by Maxmars

 

I'd say it's because people are used to it, especially the older folks. Since they've been living in this system their whole lives, it's the only thing they know. When people point out the corruption and all of the problems with it, like the wars we're fighting and the drug war to name a few, they can't help but defend those things, because they're conditioned to think this system is flawless since they're a part of it. Challenging the system that they've not only been a part of but helped to create through voting brings out feelings of insecurity or something like that.

I probably could have explained that a lot better, but I'm sure you guys can understand what I'm trying to say.

I'm not totally sure thats the case. We've been indoctrinated within this system just as much as the "older folks" have. The "older folks" had their own criticisms of the systems in which they belonged. The thing that perhaps the older folks are more used to is the 'System Threat' part, as they've not lived in a place where either communists or terrorists are threatening the state in which they belong. I would say it is more across the board when it comes to age, both young and old can be blind to the problems.

reply to post by Tea4One


True, there's definitely more too it than the things I pointed out. Still, I think that's definitely a part of it. And I don't think it's deniable that younger people can call out the system and point out flaws and things that are morally wrong with it much easier than older people tend to do. That doesn't mean they're all a bunch of brainwashed idiots, but they just tend to side with the establishment and the status quo more often than the youth.

reply to post by TupacShakur


Thats just it... younger people are picking out NEW flaws... IE bigger gov, look at the younger generation protesting for no reason right now.

Originally posted by TupacShakur
reply to post by Tea4One

 

True, there's definitely more too it than the things I pointed out. Still, I think that's definitely a part of it. And I don't think it's deniable that younger people can call out the system and point out flaws and things that are morally wrong with it much easier than older people tend to do. That doesn't mean they're all a bunch of brainwashed idiots, but they just tend to side with the establishment and the status quo more often than the youth.

I can see where you're coming from, I just don't believe age has that much to do with it. Perhaps its not the getting used to it thing you're stating, I think it'd be more likely a defeatist attitude older persons may get. After all, if you eventually feel you can not change a system after trying, you'd probably give up and concentrate on other things. I think this would be rare though.

I really don't know, but I suspect it has to do with high levels of distrust of fellow citizens - inability by the masses to love strangers. As if everyone is different and a threat (divide and conquer?) and the 'authority' is the trusted gaurdian of all.

I dunno.
Personally I try to look at the world like this "Everyone wants to be a good person." "Everyone WANTS to do a good job"

Now, I know that not everyone does. People go astray. SO DO I.

Originally posted by EarthCitizen07
Actually I ask myself the same question everytime I post a ufo&alien video clip from YouTube and 80% of the posters call hoax or misidentifcation.

I ask myself the same question when Yahoo posts about "Operation Fast and Furious with Eric Holder" and it JUST HAPPENS comments become disabled.

Or when someone posts a really stupid video on YouTube and then disables comments so that you can't express how awful you feel about it.

Or why celebrities and gossip get front page news? Or why the stock market is the ONLY WAY to achieve progress? Or why senate hearings include "I don't recall 99% of the time". Or when someone asks fema about DUMBS they tell you "that is classified" and why is it classified "I can't answer that".

We have rulers and the ruled. What can be done alone???

Your third and fourth paragraph speak volumes. Very often those w/TPTB don't like comment's or worse stamp it under some national security edict because it HAS NOTHING TO DO w/NS. Labeling something "National Security" is used way to much to hide corrupt, illegal or just plain stupid behavior. When this becomes pattern or worse, policy, it encourages people to divulge (aka-wikileaks) what may be REAL NS issues, and communications. The problems with that are legion, among them diplomatic communique's need to be confidential. Or who is going to trust ANYTHING said by State or any other agency when you DO NEED to keep some things secret. When I see operation plans or diplomatic chatter released it makes me crazy, because along w/being unable to communicate quietly in diplomatic areas, you can by revealing any operation plan or method, get people killed.

As for "putting up" w/a corrupt, and stupid in the case of some people it seems elected in the 2010 bunch, the first step is become informed as to just what some of these clowns qualifications, background and ideology are, and more important, do they know s*** about issues? Herman Cain good example when it came to foreign policy, and the rest, Cain included, w/ the exception of Huntsman and Paul on the GOP side, don't have one brain among them. Oh yeah Gingrich is reasonably bright but can you say "corrupt, bought and sold" God knows how many times. Ad to it those who change their policy positions more frequently then I change my shorts (daily by the way...) Insane and infuriating.

And I know a lot of you hate Obama. Believe me there are many issues I don't agree w/him on. And I really wish he would be more aggressive in dealing w/the right wing nut cases, clowns, and political understudies. But at least the man has a brain. I don't want an idiot or fanatic in the White House. I do like Paul and Huntsman but doubt they have much of a chance...

reply to post by Maxmars


Excellent question. My answer is people tend to be afraid of change even when that change have an overwhelming possibility of being beneficial to them. They would rather rough it out to stay in a loveless demoralizing marriage or prop up a dysfunctional government than to face voluntary change.

To reiterate my point that this question has been answered in the past.

accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

Declaration of Independence

Perhaps one day, more Americans will wake up and pay attention to history, so thus they do not repeat it...

History what's that? Is that like social studies er sumting?

Thomas Jefferson was one smart man. All of them were actually because they pretty much covered all bases (sorry for the baseball cliche).

reply to post by Chewingonmushrooms


Thank you, if it was not for the occasional member, such as yourself, I would swear I have been talking to a wall these past 7 wait 8 years.



Maybe, just maybe one day more people will wake up and realize that some of us on this here website, are really trying to point others in the right direction.

Guess its true what they say, you may lead a horse to water, but you cant make it drink. Well dang dab it, one can always salt his frigging oats!

I was just following orders

I would liken it to a prostitute protecting their pimp or a crazy version of Stockholm syndrome. People start identifying with their captors and before you know it they behave like the beaten housewife crying when the cops come to take him away. I see it as perfect double think where we know what the problem is and where it stems from but the ultimate fear of the unknown (what might rise from this societies ashes) is too much for the average lemming to comprehend or even begin thinking of for how it might threaten their current beliefs.

Most will go with the devil they know over the one they don't, I say how about no devils this time round please?

Originally posted by Fractured.Facade
Just like the majority on ATS, people often go (with little resistance) with popular opinion.

Popular public opinion is nearly always more attractive than actually having to think, research, analyze and rationalize and form an independent position on a multitude of issues.... And since popular public opinion is so easily manipulated in these times, people can be led to defending the "unjust, inept. and corrupt systems"

In these times of "social interactive media" and social networks the vast majority of people are no longer individuals, they are (like it or not) part of a group of "like minded" people.... Because of this, people are easily manipulated, and can be led like herds of sheep to support virtually anything.

Thank you.

Its like I said before, if men are sheep to be led, and they "wake up", are their eyes really open if they dump one shepards direction for another? Probably not. Idiots gather on the internet and act as if they know something someone else doesnt, as if google or words in books have escaped everyone else. as if common sense has discriminated against everyone but them. When you look closely though, at these "enlightened ones" they are just parroting some other "awakened individual" and alienating anyone who wont jump on the bandwagon.

Its actually just annoying to hear the words "wake up" and being linked to alex jones, ike or youtube videos then being dismissed because you refuse to join the cluster f***ed agendas of the mentally ill and socially retarded.

Great Post,

Even on ATS the majority are easily led. Why? Understand that and you can rule the world, yet what you realize is that all you rule is sheep.

It's because people believe this is the way life is because it's all they've ever known, so therefore it gets hard to accept everything you believe to be true is a lie.