"Requiem for the American Dream"

[Morpheus]

I'm posting this in hope that some will actually watch it in its entirety, and then those who do might allow it to spark an "intelligent" discussion. For me this was little more than a review and summary of years of study; but, to some it may open a window on what was, and is, behind societal shifts that have occurred over the past several decades. Why is education failing? It's by design, since for centuries the wealthy, ruling class has understood that minimizing education of the general populace makes them for compliant. Why have we become a "consumer society"? Because as long as the general population is fixated on trinkets they will be distracted from more important issues. Why has wealth migrated to the upper 0.1%? Because wealth buys politicians who write tax and fiscal policy; and as policy shifts tax burden to the lower and middle classes from the wealthy, it give the wealthy even greater influence over the policy-makers, creating a vicious cycle creating wealth redistribution from the poorer to the rich.

This video is also available on Netflix if that would allow for more comfortable viewing.

This video barely scratches the surface, but maybe the ensuing discussion might lead to a broader understanding of how business and government have joined together to minimize democracy for their own gain.

 

[ok doser]

i've noticed in school that those students who stay focused on the coursework and put away their smartphones and don't spend study time watching youtube clips tend to be more successful

i suspect that this is also true once they enter the job market

 

[Morpheus]

i've noticed in school that those students who stay focused on the coursework and put away their smartphones and don't spend study time watching youtube clips tend to be more successful

i suspect that this is also true once they enter the job market

This isn't a "youtube clip" per se; it is a documentary that just happens to be, at least temporarily, posted to youtube. "Ignoring" only leads to "ignorance".

 

[rocketman]

This isn't a "youtube clip" per se; it is a documentary that just happens to be, at least temporarily, posted to youtube. "Ignoring" only leads to "ignorance".

You mean ignoring the socialist/social justice worldview? Rejecting an ideology or opposing worldview is not ignorance it is a choice many, including myself reject with full knowledge of what they are rejecting. This documentary is no different than one I could post in direct opposition, the difference is choice of worldview and nothing makes yours more correct than mine but, your opinion....simple as that.

 

[The Berean]

That's a really long video. I'll watch when I have some time. I'll just add that in almost all major civilizations in human history a small wealthy and educated elite always were in power running their respective societies. It doesn't matter the type of political system (tribal, feudal, democratic, dictatorship, etc). It doesn't matter if they are "liberal" or "conservative", etc. For me it doesn't matter how much wealth and power the elite acquire. People mistakenly focus too much time and effort on trying to "fight the power". They will always lose that battle unless they take power themselves and became that which they despise. As a Christian man I am in this world but not of this world. My rewards are not in this world but in God's kingdom. God specifically told us who really is in charge of this world. And it's not the Rothschild family, the Bilderberg group, the international Jewish bankers, the Free Masons, Carlos Slim, George Soros, the Koch brothers, etc.

Ephesians 6:10-12
¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. ¹¹ Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. ¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

The world is dark becasue of mankind's sin. Simple as that. No "perfect" utopian society can ever change that fact. God has me here on Earth for His purpose and it is my duty and desire to do His will not matter how rich and power the elites are.

Romans 8:36-38
³⁶ Just as it is written,


“For Your sake we are being put to death all day long;
We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

³⁷ But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹ nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

i've noticed in school that those students who stay focused on the coursework and put away their smartphones and don't spend study time watching youtube clips tend to be more successful

i suspect that this is also true once they enter the job market

To some they can never accept this fact. My father had a second grade education. My mother dropped out after the eighth grade. My father came to America as a 17 year old Bracero to work the fields in CA. My parents worked hard to provide for their children. They emphasized education always. I have three engineering degrees and have a six figure salary. One brother of mine has a master's degree and makes close to 200K a year. Another brother is a Sheriff's officer. Several family members from my dad's side (mostly aunts and uncles) immigrated from Mexico in the 1970's. Counting my immediate family and my cousins and nieces, all first generation Americans, we have earned a combined 15 college degrees mostly in engineering/science but one has a degree in business/fashion and another one studied education. One of the family members with a degree is planning to go back to school to get a master's degree in biomedical engineering. Two other younger family memebers are in school. One is working towards a degree in aerospace engineering and the other in International Relations. So if the "American Dream" is dead how is this possible? And we are jsut one family. There are literally thousands of families across America who have accomplished even more.

 

[Morpheus]

You mean ignoring the socialist/social justice worldview? Rejecting an ideology or opposing worldview is not ignorance it is a choice many, including myself reject with full knowledge of what they are rejecting. This documentary is no different than one I could post in direct opposition, the difference is choice of worldview and nothing makes yours more correct than mine but, your opinion....simple as that.

If you didn't watch it you really have no idea what it is about; therefore, ignoring only leads to ignorance. Ignore is the root word of ignorance. I know that concept is difficult for some. Learning means educating oneself on as many aspects of a subject as possible, then searching for the truth in it all. Accepting one perspective at face value, and ignoring any alternative perspectives, is the essence of ignorance. Ignorance is not the same as stupidity. Stupidity implies a lack of capacity; but even a genius can be ignorant.

 

[Morpheus]

That's a really long video. I'll watch when I have some time...

I really don't know your age, but having been born in the early '50s, and having grown up with 1st-hand stories from as early as the 1870s, I have a somewhat long view about recent history. And yes, I realize that there is nothing new under the sun, but that is the whole point. Just because we vocalize democracy doesn't mean that there aren't powerful people who are striving every day to diminish and destroy it. And to be completely honest, capitalism and democracy are not really compatible. The governmental system of democracy was originally designed centuries ago to maximize egalitarianism for a population, while the economic system of capitalism was designed to maximize individuality at the expense of others, and the engine that drives it is greed. Having said that, we do not actually have a capitalistic society in the U.S. any longer; nor do we really have a democracy (more of an oligarchy). In capitalism banks and businesses that fail actually fail, but here if they are big enough they are bailed out by taxpayers. But if individuals fail those same businesses cry out about the nanny state if there are programs to help them through it, totally ignoring that they are the biggest recipients of benefits from that same nanny state.

As I put it earlier, the video only scratches the surface. In a deeper discussion we could talk about how the super-rich actually attempted a coup in the 30s, but it was stopped by the general they approached to lead it. Or we could get into how most of the wars, skirmishes and interventions over the past 100 years were started to protect the profits of private U.S. business interests. I have collected a rather extensive library on these matters. But then most people still think that our elections actually mean that we have some real control over government.

 

[TomO]

If you didn't watch it you really have no idea what it is about; therefore, ignoring only leads to ignorance. Ignore is the root word of ignorance. I know that concept is difficult for some. Learning means educating oneself on as many aspects of a subject as possible, then searching for the truth in it all. Accepting one perspective at face value, and ignoring any alternative perspectives, is the essence of ignorance. Ignorance is not the same as stupidity. Stupidity implies a lack of capacity; but even a genius can be ignorant.

Ignorance: The only true form of social equality. lain:

 

[TomO]

But then most people still think that our elections actually mean that we have some real control over government.

View attachment 24208

 

[ok doser]

This isn't a "youtube clip" per se; it is a documentary that just happens to be, at least temporarily, posted to youtube. "Ignoring" only leads to "ignorance".

i am happy to be ignorant of your silly nonsense

i suspect my professors will also be glad that I focused on my studies instead of wringing my hands about how unfair things seem to liberal retards

 

[Morpheus]

i am happy to be ignorant of your silly nonsense

i suspect my professors will also be glad that I focused on my studies instead of wringing my hands about how unfair things seem to liberal retards

Everyone has a talent of which they can boast. Good to see you found yours.

 

[ok doser]

Everyone has a talent of which they can boast. Good to see you found yours.

i have a strong suspicion that you, dopey ol' mopey, are ignorant of much that I've been studying these past few years


but i suspect you're too mired in your liberal rut to ever break free :chuckle:

 

[quip]

i am happy to be ignorant of your silly nonsense

Then how do you know it's silly nonsense?

Satiated ignorance precedes ignore-ance. :doh:

 

[PureX]

You mean ignoring the socialist/social justice worldview? Rejecting an ideology or opposing worldview is not ignorance it is a choice many, including myself reject with full knowledge of what they are rejecting. This documentary is no different than one I could post in direct opposition, the difference is choice of worldview and nothing makes yours more correct than mine but, your opinion....simple as that.

That isn't true at all.

The issue here is not one of social opinion, but of socio-economic functionality. The more the wealth piles up in the hands of a very few people, the less wealth there will be in the hands of everyone else. And since wealth is now a direct prerequisite for both survival and opportunity, the loss of wealth in the hands of so many means the loss of both life and opportunity for those many. And that is the basic definition of total social collapse. It is the definition of socio-economic failure.

The fact that you hate humanity in general and want to see people driven into poverty and death by the greed and corruption of a few doesn't alter the fact that what you want to see is the collapse of our society, and the failure of our socio-economic system.

Economic disparity in a society where everything is based on money is not an indicator of economic collapse, IT IS THE ECONOMY COLLAPSE. It is the embodiment of a failed society.

 

[ok doser]

Then how do you know it's silly nonsense?

i've known mopey for more than ten years


most everything he posts is silly nonsense


he and purex are two peas in the same pod

 

[shagster01]

Why have we become a "consumer society"? Because as long as the general population is fixated on trinkets they will be distracted from more important issues.

I have not watched the entire video yet, but what do you mean by "become?" As I've understood, humans have been fixated on trinkets as far as we have history to look back on. I'm not so sure it's calculated by the ruling class as much as it's just them profiting off human nature. And why do they want to profit off of us? Why, to get trinkets of their own, of course.

I don't think they are distracting us to distract themselves. It's just human nature.

 

[annabenedetti]

I'm posting this in hope that some will actually watch it in its entirety

I got a chance to watch it today. I don't have wifi where I'm living, so I had to wait until I could get somewhere where I could settle in for the duration.

It was very good, thank you so much for posting it.

Some of what resonated:

An important part of the "American Dream" was the idea of class mobility, which is no longer possible the way it was in the past.
The cycle of Wealth => Elections => Power => Legislation => Wealth
The idea that the U.S. system was designed so that power resided in the hands of the wealthy (writings of James Madison).

The 10 principles of concentration of power:
Reduce democracy
Shape ideology
Redesign the economy
Shift the burden
Attack solidarity
Engineer elections
Keep the rabble in line
Manufacture consent
Marginalize the population

I know some will come along and say about many of those principles that it's exactly what the liberals are doing/have done, but he gives many examples of conservative power and control maneuvers as well as coming down on liberals in a few instances as well.

Fabricating consumers... the idea of consumerism as a power move to pacify, entertain, and distract - it's an old principle, but it's an effective one.
Pointing out that the U.S. has a long and violent labor history unlike other comparable societies, and why that is.
The double standard of corporations being "too big to fail" and individuals expected to "let the market system prevail."
The empty pretext of lower taxes on the wealthy being a catalyst for jobs (and no taxes paid at all by corporations), which shifts the burden to the rest of the population and the difference in the percentage of taxes once paid by the wealthy and what they pay now.
The role of financial institutions now as compared to then combined with the offshoring of production which puts workers in global competition (I can't remember the quote or who said it but it was damning).

That's some of it, sorry it's kind of disjointed.

 

[fzappa13]

Ignorance: The only true form of social equality. lain:

Ouch.



Can I quote you?

 

[fzappa13]

I got a chance to watch it today. I don't have wifi where I'm living, so I had to wait until I could get somewhere where I could settle in for the duration.

It was very good, thank you so much for posting it.

Some of what resonated:

An important part of the "American Dream" was the idea of class mobility, which is no longer possible the way it was in the past.
The cycle of Wealth => Elections => Power => Legislation => Wealth
The idea that the U.S. system was designed so that power resided in the hands of the wealthy (writings of James Madison).

The 10 principles of concentration of power:
Reduce democracy
Shape ideology
Redesign the economy
Shift the burden
Attack solidarity
Engineer elections
Keep the rabble in line
Manufacture consent
Marginalize the population

I know some will come along and say about many of those principles that it's exactly what the liberals are doing/have done, but he gives many examples of conservative power and control maneuvers as well as coming down on liberals in a few instances as well.

Fabricating consumers... the idea of consumerism as a power move to pacify, entertain, and distract - it's an old principle, but it's an effective one.
Pointing out that the U.S. has a long and violent labor history unlike other comparable societies, and why that is.
The double standard of corporations being "too big to fail" and individuals expected to "let the market system prevail."
The empty pretext of lower taxes on the wealthy being a catalyst for jobs (and no taxes paid at all by corporations), which shifts the burden to the rest of the population and the difference in the percentage of taxes once paid by the wealthy and what they pay now.
The role of financial institutions now as compared to then combined with the offshoring of production which puts workers in global competition (I can't remember the quote or who said it but it was damning).

That's some of it, sorry it's kind of disjointed.

My dearly departed father had a philosophy that he codified in a number of what he called "cosmic laws", one of which posited, "Consumerism consumes consumers".

 

[PureX]

My dearly departed father had a philosophy that he codified in a number of what he called "cosmic laws", one of which posited, "Consumerism consumes consumers".

My friend Jay was even more efficient. His quote was, "possessions possess".