4 p. More about the CULTURE OF SILENCE. It is real.
People give no-constructive-energy toward repairing our damaged society. They must believe either that it has no value, or that it is so tough it will never be destroyed. Do you really believe that?
[Perhaps the 3 monkeys would be a good image, but I didn’t use it because it feels too old, like I already know that.]
There is a definition of it in the dictionary: “A conspiracy of silence, or culture of silence, describes the behavior of a group of people that by unspoken consensus does not mention, discuss, or acknowledge given subjects. The practice may be motivated by positive interest in group-solidarity, or by negative impulses such as fear of political repercussion or social ostracism.”
If you are not talking, the ideas behind that topic do not develop for you. So you may not know what to say? You don't even know what to think.
My disposition might be to charge in and explain the most radical factors first. But let's go slowly and investigate where all this could be coming from. I'll sketch a few possibilities, and then look to see what might be their likelihood.
First let's say that there are many things that we do talk about, a lot. That is the Conventional Wisdom that is promulgated through the main stream media. Back in post 3 p. I noted that many, or most of these are simple dichotomies. There is the C.W. being spoken which is the correct position, and then everything else, which is so far off as not to be worth talking about.
In other words, one side of certain arguments is being promoted, and all opposition, (not even opposition, but just the desire to see what facts led up to this position), are being dismissed or even suppressed. If somebody is suppressing something, they must have the power to do it. So why are these "powers" telling us what to do and think in such a hardline manner, and who are they?
✓They must truly believe something.
✓Some of their future programs may depend upon it.
✓Time is of the essence, and we have to move quickly on this.
✓If we can just get this one thing “in”, then the future will be smooth sailing. Or is this just the first step in a long draconian process down the slippery slope?
✓They may not have any convincing counter arguments to informed alternatives, so better get this into practice right away.
✓The arguments that they do have are so much counter to how they actually operate, that there's no credibility.
What are these topics that are so red hot?
1. First and foremost is the Religion of Good and Evil. WE HAVE ENEMIES. Who are they? Everyone that has any sovereignty and the power to back it up. We must prepare for a war of military force on all four corners of the globe, no matter what the costs. There will be a new military draft.
2. The second is that we must have Secrecy to fulfil the above war plans. Thousands of terabytes are classified, and the more the better, (50 million documents each year). We have covert relationships all over the globe, and a secret police state in our midst at home.
3. Another most important one is our Ideology. In matters of capitalism, socialism or communism, there is no sense talking. Private ownership of anything of value in the commons is a fact of life, or it soon will be. Anything that happens in our country must yield a profit to someone. Even the national debt is a largesse for those who hold the bonds, currently yielding more than the total pension payments for social security.
4. Another is the sureness that Prosperity is connected to our "Freedoms and Democracy". No mention that we were the last man standing after two world wars, and the rest of world's productive capacity had been flattened.
5. Another is “Diversity”, which is a code word for limited borders. In the right measure, diversity could have some benefits, but it also has the risks of destroying cultural integrity. Maybe culture integrity is not that important, especially if you can dictate what everyone must think and must do? A diverse society is not proven any better than a single ethnicity, however if you already have diversity, and if you are bringing on more, you have to make do with it. In the study of 25 ancient civilizations during 4,000 years, migration killed most or all of them. Our kind of diversity will change the face of the nation. THAT MUST BE THE DESIRED RESULT.
6. Another is Racism. Racist tenancies have been out of balance in America, (since the founders), and now it all needs to be reversed. There is reliance on quotas, affirmative action, and apportionment in education and hiring. (I can't give any solutions in a single paragraph nor in one essay.)
7. Another may be Global Warming and the environment. Nobody denies warming is happening. (The derogative of “climate-denier” is a gross fiction.) Opponents want to know what part is from natural causes. The two factions are those that will have to modify their existing pollution at great expense, and the others who will make a fortune on $ Trillions of new business. Warming is for sure happening, so some research should be done on how to live with it.
8. Others are Epidemics and health, (Vax); Education mandates and government control; Eschatological and the anti-system, (those who work to destroy the world, so that they can "RAPTURE"). Writing to assassinate a political leader or a billionaire is hate-speech, but rambling about the end-times, (killing everyone and everything), is not hate speech. It is religious freedom. Only thing is: those are the people that work for the Secretary of State.
We are definitely not allowed to talk freely about these 8 things, nor to surmise on the possible connections between these topics. For instance, 1. - 3. - 4. might be in some way related, or foundational. Heaven Forbid.
There will be a lot to say about each one of these areas, but it will take this one post about the “culture of silence” in too many directions. That's why I numbered them, to talk about them later in the comments or on new posts.
So, for all these things, if you can't talk, there is no way to develop anything further. What is there left to talk about, just be silent? And what is the importance of my little voice anyway? Some big "group" ought to do something about it. “I feel that people I meet are so divisive, that I don't want to join any of those groups” (if they exist). What is even the point of researching them? If they hurt my feelings I am not going to participate. I'll just wait and see, sit home and grumble with my one friend, as always.
With considering or not-considering these topics, let's talk more about the methods. All methods stem from various levels of "social pressure", depending on how many true believers you can muster.
What you said in 13 wnt. about "Railroading" may be very apropos. It’s the driving of all arguments down a single track, while ignoring or dismissing all other ways of looking at it.
We can go to Abraham Maslow's proposal of basic human needs that compel satisfaction. Survival, food, water, clothing, physical and psychological safety, security, employment, love, belonging, friendship, family, sex, and self-esteem, approval and respect from others.
If someone has the power to satisfy, or thwart the satisfaction of some of these fundamental needs, they will do it, and they will feel good about what they are doing. You will live for these payoffs, and most likely you will do what you are told. Today it is pursuing an egalitarian, collective utopia, and parroting diversity.
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The "railroading" might be a large cause the Culture of Silence. Who likes to be forced? Parts of the ideas might even have some merit, but not when they are forced down my throat. So, I WILL REFUSE TO PLAY. I will say nothing. By now, “No-Go Zones” are my enforced habit.
I would propose “Railroader” as a new term of vocabulary, for those who would be enemies of reason and democracy. They are the foundation of discontent with any public process.
Use the term often when you are confronted with chauvinistic people who know what is better for you, and who are willing to force feed their conclusions on you. You could say “chauvinistic railroader” if they are really getting on your nerves.
Why do people railroad? First, they have adopted something that is appealing to them. Sounds good, and even if there may be “side-effects” perhaps we have to endure them in order to get our greater goals established, and then the side-effects may disperse?
Railroading has both a power element and a time element to it. Let’s get to the implementation, and not waste time with what I already know.
Railroading has economic implications, in that certain programs are instigated by those who put their financing into the institution. Often these arguments are about social justice, which seems worthy, but when pushed too hard it will be surface-social-justice, and there will be a backlash, even if covert. People will follow up on their own decisions, while they may also overtly also resist what is forced on them.
Railroaders may have some good ideas. (Who is against equal rights or finding a greater potential than you thought you had, or limiting pollution, or the reduction of carbon dioxide waste)? The thing is, if the total system has to be watered down to achieve these things, if school has to cut out advanced-placement programs, if normal budget in the search for excellence has to be withdrawn and spent on remedial education, those who are able to excel will object.
Most Importantly:
There are huge conflicts of interest in the decision-making process. Somebody will charge $ billions to make their solar panels, and then in 20 years when they stop working, there will be 1,000's of sq. miles of these rotting structures, and no clean-up will occur. The clean-up will cost much more than the original installation, and there is nothing to do to eliminate this waste. Net savings to the nation will be a minus 400%. But somebody will build their family dynasty with $ Billions in their pocket today.
It is very likely to happen - WHY?
Because of the marketing success called: THE CULTURE OF SILENCE.
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We used to have the SILENT MAJORITY. True, the majority didn't say a thing. That didn't mean they were quite because the all agreed with what the political bosses were claiming and doing.
They likely didn't even read about it. On TV it was just said, "swallow this". ("In how many gulps" was the reply.) Just don't change my job and don't raise my taxes. FINISH! (Screw the rest of the world.)
I think that you could make the case that Americans are a Philistine people. Even the "good Christians" or those trying to live an honest life. About 3 - 4 years ago I was writing on another platform, and I even titled one blog "Is there a Peace Movement?" I made about 15 or 20 posts, but with very little reaction. Certainly no one suggested a movement nor said they were active in any. I found a couple small movements and posted, but again no reaction. BRAIN-DEAD.
We'll see who objects here. But this is the post "Culture of Silence", so?
Maybe someone will agree?
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With this many partners, we all have burning ideas that we would like to get out there. We have many-many posts "in the hopper" ready to publish.
I don't believe growing this site is dependent on how many posts we publish. Just the contrary, really there are already too many posts. What we need are people committed to break the Culture of Silence. They won't come by the "numbers". Just cruise some sites with lots of subscribers. The comments are sparse, not deeply thought out, or non-existent. People don't engage together to dig deeply into each other's ideas.
I don't pit it as a problem. It is the nature of western society and the nature of Substack. What I am saying might be provocative to a reader, but it is all above, in this post. The giant momentum of many millions of people can't "just" be reversed. Maybe never.
But I will continue to engage, where it seems to bear fruit.
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