The precautionary principle

Ever since 9/11 this principle has ruled our world. It's the idea of imagining the worst possibility for a given scenario, event, what have you and preparing for it as best you can, or taking action against it even when you aren't sure. Better safe than sorry!

It's transformed the western world, a world of nihilism and self-indulgence now fears everything, any idea, any religion, any notion can be a massive threat to the present. It's the whole reasoning for pushing the global warming agenda so much. It's to make you believe that we should be acting right now, even though we have no idea what global warming really leads too, and it's all shrouded in speculation.

I don't want to say that global warming isn't real - I think that it is real, but the notion that the planet is #ed because of it's getting warmer is straight up retarded. Just like the notion that the al-qaeda was a deadly organization with sleeper-cells ready to activate in 60 countries around the world. It's all merely fantasy, that spawned from neo-conservatism. Who want(ed) to realign American values to purity and morality; either by aligning us with a higher power or getting us to feel like we are in a battle of good vs evil (us vs them).

I don't want to talk about the specifics of Al-qaeda or 9/11 too much; but I will say that anti-American jihadists did commit 9/11; however it was the actions of a few, funded by Usama Bin Laden that lead to the whole ordeal that shapes our lives today; the fear that was generated by all the absurdity in the news. It made us feel like we needed to be protected, that we needed to be coddled and sheltered from harsh forces that may even be among us at this very moment.

This fear seems to shape individuals; they seem to have become very paranoid about people who disagree with them. The truth is that there is no truth, you create truth and share it with others, then the others have the choice to disregard it or put stock in it. Either way it is only true to those who believe it. The rest of the world will be as oblivious as ever to your truth. So now I want to talk about gun control; as it's a big topic at the moment in America; as the politicians keep trying to remind you to be fearful of your fellow man, everyone throwing the blame at everyone and everything; but who really stands to profit from gun control?

In the minds of the politicians it is you - it is the precautionary principle at work. How do you stop seemingly normal law abiding citizens from going on killing sprees? You disarm them. However the imagination of politics is very boxed in; they tend to find something that is currently working favorably and ride it to into the ground. So you're seeing the turning point - where Americans are starting to realize they have to take responsibility for themselves and make choices instead of relying on politicians to protect them. Why is this happening all of a sudden? Is it the fear turning to anger or rage?

Is it the neo-conservative right-wing silently pulling strings on the internet - guiding us towards supposed morality by turning the old good vs evil paradigm directly against its own government? Or do people truly care about their inanimate personality void guns so much? I want to believe it's to protect yourself from supposed tyranny, but America has had tyrannical government for quite a while now. Is it only when you are backed into an absolute corner that you will fight back?

If that were the case I can't imagine all this controversy from proposed plans to remove guns, which has been denied in a lot of states - instead all of a sudden there's talk of revolution. But there seems to be no ideas driving this revolution. So I ask you, good Americans, what is your plan? Do you know? Do you have any idea what you're doing, or even what you would do? In this age of the selfish self I find it truly hard to believe that compassion stems from the ability to pull a trigger to shape reality - a gun does not make you a protector. A plan, an idea, a vision, technology shape reality. Guns just enable severe violence. As an outsider it looks like the sheep are being pulled by strings; it looks like they don't know why they need guns, except because they can enable the ability to do good.

Which is true. However, that is the polices job today. Even though the police are useless; I just don't see the supposed militia being any better - what makes you the decider of who lives and dies, who is served your brnad of justice and who is spared? Defending your rights is all good and well, but I have started to wonder about the driving motives behind all of this. Particularly the illuminati side - it all seems to be a guide back into the neo-conservatism paradigm; the belief in a higher power, and the belief that there is evil. The "illuminati" seem to be ramping up the symbolism - what does the symbolism even mean?

In Ke$ha die young video it seems to be closely related to anti-jesus no matter what way you want to perceive it. The upside down crosses, tarot, pentagrams. It all seems like a cruel joke. Is it really the elite communicating like some believe? Or is it just part of a propaganda system we don't quite understand the purpose of? My speculation is the whole thing is being churned out particularly intensively at the moment in an attempt to spawn a larger counter-culture; more Christianity, a return to our morality.

So do gun supporters see themselves as moral and good? I believe your answer lies in that precedent.

America has always operated on fear, from the fear of being ruled by a King to the Red Scare to the Cold War. We are always afraid of something.

And the gun debated started the day they put the second amendment into the constitution. Today is no different than the last 200 + years.

It only seems that way because you are living in this day. Had you lived back then you would consider that time far worse.

Originally posted by Spookycolt
America has always operated on fear, from the fear of being ruled by a King to the Red Scare to the Cold War. We are always afraid of something.

And the gun debated started the day they put the second amendment into the constitution. Today is no different than the last 200 + years.

It only seems that way because you are living in this day. Had you lived back then you would consider that time far worse.

The red scare was created by neo-conservatives. They are responsible for a lot of embellishment of outside threats. I can't speak about the King. And I can't really speak about the cold war either; I don't know what forces were at work at the time. But I'm certainly interested in finding out why - politics at one time were about a vision - or appealing to the people desires, perhaps it's because they hadn't realized the true potential of fear - to create the need for protection.

Politics in America have never ever been about a vision. Its always been corrupt.

Ask yourself why the framers, most of them, got extremely wealthy after they wrote the thing. It was because their business was now operated according to a set federal mandate instead of State by State where many of the rules were not advantageous to them.

They were not even sent to Philly to write a Constitution, they took it upon themselves to create that document.

reply to post by Spookycolt


You have to ask yourself if that's really true - has politics been void of vision? The precautionary principle implies at least vision to imagine the worst.

Take a look at Bill Clinton - he designed his campaign and policies around focus groups and what they had told him. And Clinton believed that he was onto something - that he would reshape the world in the eyes of the people.

Clinton got to learn the hypocrisy of humanity firsthand. They'll say they don't care about something, until it inconveniences them, suddenly its the biggest deal ever. Not to mention by the time he was in office there was a pretty hefty debt - the fed wasn't too interested in letting Clinton spend on whatever the people wanted. I'm sure there's visions of what could be on both sides; although I haven't really looked at political campaigns/strategies all too closely.

And how many people did Clinton pardon on his last day of office?

He broke a record you know.

Yep, man of vision right there.

Originally posted by Spookycolt
And how many people did Clinton pardon on his last day of office?

He broke a record you know.

Yep, man of vision right there.

You'll have to explain that to me, I am unaware of what you're talking about.

Clinton pardoned hundreds of people on his last day in office for reasons we don't know.

We do know that one man sentenced to life in prison had saved Clinton from drowning in college. He got a pardon.

This man was no more than any other man is. He had no vision.

reply to post by Spookycolt


Interesting but it doesn't seem very poignant. I mean, what's so bad about pardoning a life saver? If it were up to me - no man would be in the soul crushing prison, but obviously lots would disagree with me.

You're basically just speculating that it was bad cause all politicians are evil.

And just to be clear - I'm not saying Bill Clinton is a hero, or more than any other man. I'm saying that vision exists, men have dreams. The dream has been lost to precaution and the illusion of safety.

A man broke a law and was pardoned simply because the President owes him.

If you don't see the problem with that I don't know what to tell you.

Originally posted by Spookycolt
A man broke a law and was pardoned simply because the President owes him.

If you don't see the problem with that I don't know what to tell you.

I just saw a thread on here the other day about prisoners who saved a boy or two and people were suggesting the royal pardon. I fail to see how this is any different. The curse of subjectivity.

Its not any different but it is wrong.

Do you not see that?

Originally posted by Spookycolt
Its not any different but it is wrong.

Do you not see that?

I can see why you think it is wrong.

Fair enough then my friend.

By the way, Bush did it also.

reply to post by Spookycolt


Glad we can come to mutual disagreement. I googled, and had a quick gander at some of those pardoned, and if I were a judge, a lot of them probably would have never gone to prison. I think you might want to consider what most people on the internet could easily be considered criminals for - piracy is illegal, and punishable with a jail sentence.

Granted, maybe he had reasons for some of them.

But don't dismiss the fact that a few of them had no reason to be pardoned.

reply to post by Spookycolt


I don't doubt that - perhaps a lot of them are personally motivated and have nothing to do with the convicted crime.

But I think we should all keep in mind that rigidity that is the system - the ways it has always failed, and the types of justice we really want dispensed in our names. Especially when you're on a website that may soon be considered a terrorist threat.

reply to post by thoughtfuldeliquent

Flag+Star because I agree

Next thing we will be fearing is fear itself, live in fear 24/7 and you'll relinquish almost anything to those claiming they can protect you or save you.

How's this quote from an ancient Roman General. I think you'll appreciate it.

Beware the leader who bangs the drums of war in order to whip the citizenry into a patriotic fervor, for patriotism is indeed a double-edged sword. It both emboldens the blood, just as it narrows the mind. And when the drums of war have reached a fever pitch and the blood boils with hate and the mind has closed, the leader will have no need in seizing the rights of the citizenry. Rather, the citizenry, infused with fear and blinded by patriotism, will offer up all of their rights unto the leader and gladly so. How do I know? For this is what I have done. And I am Caesar.

It is a very slippery slope we're heading down...