I do care about what the perpetrators of this horrorshow are thinking, what their motivations are, and how the system works that installs them into their positions. Why do I care? Because I want it to stop, in our time and for all time. I care because the default assumption that they are just evil is a non-explanation that short-circuits…
I do care about what the perpetrators of this horrorshow are thinking, what their motivations are, and how the system works that installs them into their positions. Why do I care? Because I want it to stop, in our time and for all time. I care because the default assumption that they are just evil is a non-explanation that short-circuits broader understanding of causes. The better we understand the enemy, the more effective we will be in the sruggle.
I am so glad to see you here, Charles!! What an honor.
I have a long-standing consideration about systems, I think that systems are a fancy modern word for collective habits. I think it's a bit of a tricky word because when we say "systems," there is an implication of an external, almost mechanical force that influences people. And when we say "collective habits," there is an implication of human agency, which I personally like better because I believe absolutely everything is alive and subjective, including collective organisms.
So on my end, I prefer to phrase it in terms of agency. As far as motives, I think that the situation is rather humbling. We can observe other people's actions (or at least some actions), and we can observe what they say and then decide what they mean by that and whether they are sincere at all... but knowing true motives is a more ambitious goal especially given that motives vary from one member of any group to another and probably from day to day for the same person.
When I say that I don't care I mean that for practical purposes, right now, the situation is so dangerous that regardless of whether the motive of the "trend setters" is "trying to help" or pure love of domination, or anything in-between, the immediate and most important task is to protect ourselves. I think that the task of protecting ourselves needs to be tacked together, which is why many philosophical differences of this nature can be set aside as long as the goal of defending dignity and freedom is shared.
It is very easy to write a "War and Peace" about this.. :)
I do care about what the perpetrators of this horrorshow are thinking, what their motivations are, and how the system works that installs them into their positions. Why do I care? Because I want it to stop, in our time and for all time. I care because the default assumption that they are just evil is a non-explanation that short-circuits broader understanding of causes. The better we understand the enemy, the more effective we will be in the sruggle.
I am so glad to see you here, Charles!! What an honor.
I have a long-standing consideration about systems, I think that systems are a fancy modern word for collective habits. I think it's a bit of a tricky word because when we say "systems," there is an implication of an external, almost mechanical force that influences people. And when we say "collective habits," there is an implication of human agency, which I personally like better because I believe absolutely everything is alive and subjective, including collective organisms.
So on my end, I prefer to phrase it in terms of agency. As far as motives, I think that the situation is rather humbling. We can observe other people's actions (or at least some actions), and we can observe what they say and then decide what they mean by that and whether they are sincere at all... but knowing true motives is a more ambitious goal especially given that motives vary from one member of any group to another and probably from day to day for the same person.
When I say that I don't care I mean that for practical purposes, right now, the situation is so dangerous that regardless of whether the motive of the "trend setters" is "trying to help" or pure love of domination, or anything in-between, the immediate and most important task is to protect ourselves. I think that the task of protecting ourselves needs to be tacked together, which is why many philosophical differences of this nature can be set aside as long as the goal of defending dignity and freedom is shared.
It is very easy to write a "War and Peace" about this.. :)