Reading the article I was suddenly reminded of this comment I once saved : whip up outrage -> increase alienation and segregation -> build up resentment that leads to violence -> violence used as a whip.
Those who are in power know they can use the disenfranchised as their whip.
The article correctly identifies imo that it’s paramount we need to start thinking inclusive when it comes to setting up society.
Or like that quote, a society is measured how they treat their poorest.
The worst part is the outrage part is downright addictive. Trying to get people who are plugged into this loop to take a step back and consider others' perspective is like taking their favorite toy away
The problem is all-encompassing selfishness. I remember (being gen X), that they said that about my generation, but I've never seen anything like what I see now.
Pretending to act on someone's behalf while belittling them (a recent case being changing Lantio/Latina to latinX because virtue signalling), all the lies everywhere (look at this perfect sponsored life I live).
My city now sports nothing but black flags and stickers, or thin blue line flags. BLM were bullied from showing support publicly.
People would rather complain than help the homeless.
Home owners will screw over the rest of society to protect their 'investment'.
Businesses treat their employees worse than ever while paying them the lowest ever.
The rich oay nothing in taxes.
The list goes on and on.
The Internet isn't making people crazy.
People have been fucking crazy this just lets them have the aforementioned megaphone.
I can appreciate how daunting the challenge seems to get from what we see around us to the ideal we have in mind, but if its any consolation - this is the kindest the planet has ever been (which admittedly might not be saying much).
More people have access to transformative resources than has ever been the case.
All the ills around you were even worse in the past and its only the incremental efforts of the decent that have gotten us to these heights.
We haven't fallen from grace - we're rising out of the muck.
I think the record's fairly clear that things are (generally) trending up over the last couple hundred years on such diverse topics such as:
1) Access to education
2) Labor norms
3) Lifespan and infant mortality
4) Social justice
5) Depth and breadth of our understanding of subjects from physics to mathematics to philosophy to justice (setting aside that there's also plenty of navel gazing in these efforts)
These have made a dent, and there's plenty more to do.
I am pretty sure this is not the case. We have less wars than we ever had, and people aren’t dying by the millions anymore in the industrial Revolution of the 19th century.
So please elucidate where you think we are killing eachother at record rates, because I don’t think that is the case.
Less wars!= less killing. We have mass shootings, military coups, genocides, we fight over resources already. Murder rates in the use rose what 20% in 2020?
Need I go on? I'd ask instead what good do you think we humans are doing, and further if you believe it outweighs the bad?
You always hear about the bad. You never hear about all the good. In any case, it is never futile to make your slice of the world better. Volunteer, help, donate, all help to turn the ship around.
A friend of mine started small with a organisation and now helps tens of people a year with domestic issues. All people who might have been worse off, and perhaps start doing bad things.
Every one of our institutions is rotten to the core, none of it can be fixed as they all have evolved to protect themselves. Budgets are maxed to ensure more funding, education is terrible.
Truly, I'm down to get together with some people, buy an island, and start from scratch.
Putting bandaids on squirting arteries does nothing.
Those who are in power know they can use the disenfranchised as their whip.
The article correctly identifies imo that it’s paramount we need to start thinking inclusive when it comes to setting up society.
Or like that quote, a society is measured how they treat their poorest.