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I always find conspiracy theory fascinating. The narratives themselves, but also how politicized they are. Right Wing TFH's figure the Evil Elites are essentially leftist & leftist policies are of the devil. The left (more or less) figures Elites are conservative. So much disinfo
So much shadow projection going on. & Yet insofar as "Elitist" conspiracies may exist, I'd say political divides of left & right are merely tools of illusion for them; both puppets of the same greed, or whatever else it might be.
But the other side of it is that neither left nor right, in general, can see any value in the other--or any value in the *values* of the other. Neither sees any legitimacy in the other and I think that's exactly why the world is such a mess--bc you absolutely can't and won't...
...listen to people who appear evil, exploitive, irrational, or stupid to you. Instead we go, and push each other, further to the extremes--often playing into the confirmation biases & stereotypes of the other side's opinions.
...and so it becomes impossible to sort out the truth by discourse alone. Truth becomes a power struggle--a culture war, and then it's really about who can get the most leverage, by legal means, public opinion, or direct force. And that's no way to run a society that works...
...for everyone. Meanwhile, the oppressed stay oppressed or are oppressed more; and the privileged claim--and literally feel--as if they're also oppressed by the people they're oppressing. It's gaslighting on a civilizational scale.
And that's the really shitty part about it...
And that's the really shitty part about it...
...because most abusive people in the world have no real solid idea that they're abusive--and you can't tell them, because their narcissism prevents any non "ego-syntonic" information from reaching their consciousness. Just non-stop denial, power struggle, war. Nothing changes.
Except--the pain increases, the relationship--in this case the whole society, or civilization, breaks down, and sooner or later there's revolution (usually in some authoritarian direction or another), civil war, bloodshed of various types, or massive economic collapse.
How can we solve this. People need to be loved and listened to--but how do we do that liberates the downtrodden but also doesn't leave room for oppression or abuses to continue--but also allows for healing to occur that eliminates the abusers'/oppressors' insecure need to abuse?
God I wish I knew.
I know part of it, at least, means getting right with myself. Owning my own boundaries. Sticking up for what I believe in, standing firm for it but avoiding harm to anyone--giving no excuse for doubling down or retaliation.
I know part of it, at least, means getting right with myself. Owning my own boundaries. Sticking up for what I believe in, standing firm for it but avoiding harm to anyone--giving no excuse for doubling down or retaliation.
BC we know we can't browbeat each other out of bad beliefs or actions. It's a psychological fact--the more you argue with people, they more they harden into & fortify the very opinions you wish they would change. We can't make a harmonious world by trying to control each other.
But beyond that... hmm. Envisioning better possibilities, creating the best of them in reality, showing people more positive options--all preferable to resisting the old, angry, broken. Preferable when possible.
& just hope we have room to do that.
& just hope we have room to do that.
There are certainly times when that's not possible, and all you can do is defend yourself, by any means, and I can't fault anyone just trying to survive and have a secure place in this world.
But that's really the crux of the issue isn't it? The harm seems to come when the few of us who face no real dangers at all, still feel like survival is at stake, and must make war on any and all who feels like a competitor. It's very strange, honestly.
But whatever ppl think they can lose, they always imagine the neighbour they can't understand is out to take it from them. And absolutely there are bad people out there--but far fewer of them than most of us imagine. And certainly not simply bc of our obvious identity differences
...End of Thread
