nanojath's Journal: Why the hell do I bother?

You know, almost every time I go off on one of my tirades about our critically imbalanced, for-hire "democratic" system of government in the USA I get modded way up (most recent example - http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=60787&cid=5730858) indicating that a lot of people feel the same way. But so what? I mean, how many people would even bother to go to the laughable work of pasting the above link in to check the actual comment this journal refers to? We are the society of the ultra lazy, or perhaps just terminally pragmatic, and we won't lift a finger unless the payoff is either guaranteed or, if uncertain, ridiculously large. I can go off all I want about how the political system is a ponzi scheme, where the house, representing the status quo, always wins in the end. But start a discussion about gun control, abortion or global warming and you will get your basic jingo canned responses. Left right left right. Why not give up? Why not go mad?

Our lives are too good

[GuyMannDude]

Hi nanojath:

I've been thinking about this same issue a lot lately. I'm starting to think that the problem is that we've got things too good here in the Western world. Sure, our political system may be a joke. Sure, our elected leaders may have no fear in passing blatantly unconstitutional laws like Patriot II. But at the end of the day, each of us still enjoys a good meal in a warm house or apartment. We tuck ourselves in at night without fear of having our domicile ransacked or our bodies violated b

Re:Our lives are too good

[Safety Cap]

I argue that only when things have gotten SO bad that there is a clear and present danger to us will we act. But until we fear for our personal safety (or the safety of our loved ones) I doubt any of us are going to be sufficiently motivated to do anything other than bitch on slashdot. I'm sorry to be such a pessimist but I think realistically we've just got things too damn good right now.

I agree -- until things get soo bad that it is like the Jewish Ghettos in Nazi Germany, people won't do jack or shit..

What exactly do you expect?

[DohDamit]

Great- you railed against money and power. Welcome to the Marxist tradition. This is not a new idea to the world, although personal revelations are not out of the question. You complained that it costs too much money to run an effective state level or federal level political campaign. True, this does limit the field. Then, you get angry at those with money who actually run. This doesn't make sense. Yes, those who run are those with the money to do so. You don't propose any fair methods to open the f