Comments on: Thanksgiving and Other Fine Mythologies http://www.gwytherinn.com/2007/11/22/thanksgiving-and-other-fine-mythologies/ It is no measure of health to be well adjusted in a profoundly sick society. - Jiddu Krishnamurti Wed, 07 Jan 2009 17:38:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Gwytherinn http://www.gwytherinn.com/2007/11/22/thanksgiving-and-other-fine-mythologies/#comment-13 Gwytherinn Mon, 26 Nov 2007 01:41:13 +0000 http://www.gwytherinn.com/?p=15#comment-13 I think I would argue with you that it's not so much foreign governments that fear their people, so much as it's their people who take a stand and do their best not to be silenced. Though perhaps I am getting at the same thing you are, but from a different direction. I recently saw footage of protests in Bolivia when the World Bank saw fit to privatize their water, all the way down to each drop of rain that fell. It's always awe inspiring to see people standing up to these monoliths. It would be nice if the same kind of political actions were taking place in the U.S. But then, I am a sheltered white girl who has never known true fear of her government. I completely agree with you that the general apathy and disconnect comes from a comfortable material culture. One of our out of control consumer culture's main purposes is to enhance and aid the construction of America's idyllic cultural narrative. It continually amazes me what is under the veneer and gloss when you take a closer look. I think I would argue with you that it’s not so much foreign governments that fear their people, so much as it’s their people who take a stand and do their best not to be silenced. Though perhaps I am getting at the same thing you are, but from a different direction. I recently saw footage of protests in Bolivia when the World Bank saw fit to privatize their water, all the way down to each drop of rain that fell. It’s always awe inspiring to see people standing up to these monoliths. It would be nice if the same kind of political actions were taking place in the U.S. But then, I am a sheltered white girl who has never known true fear of her government.

I completely agree with you that the general apathy and disconnect comes from a comfortable material culture. One of our out of control consumer culture’s main purposes is to enhance and aid the construction of America’s idyllic cultural narrative. It continually amazes me what is under the veneer and gloss when you take a closer look.

]]> By: jasonteknut http://www.gwytherinn.com/2007/11/22/thanksgiving-and-other-fine-mythologies/#comment-12 jasonteknut Sun, 25 Nov 2007 22:09:43 +0000 http://www.gwytherinn.com/?p=15#comment-12 The mythologies of our society, government, and culture are amplified when you visit other countries or have dialog with foreign individuals. Everyone here seems content to live a lie, however, because they are satisfied with the level of material comfort they have or have available to them. As soon as the US starts to infringe on the general benefit and happiness of the american people to a gernerally recognizable extent, I think people will be catalyzed to change the myth back to reality. What is particularly interesting is the extent to which foreign governments are afraid of their citizens. The U.S. was supposed to be a paramount example of a government for the people, by the people. Clearly, the aforementioned "people" are not the citizens in modern day; the citizens fear the government and have no power over what it does except through loose concepts of election. In France, the populace riots if there are social injustices, and the government listens. In our country, people are so afraid of the government and so disconnected from each other that no organized meaningful response to problems is ever affected. Who knows if this will change in our lifetime? I daresay that it will only change under world calamity. At the rate of mankind's raping of natural resources and environment, perhaps such calamities are closer at hand than we're prepared to accept! The mythologies of our society, government, and culture are amplified when you visit other countries or have dialog with foreign individuals. Everyone here seems content to live a lie, however, because they are satisfied with the level of material comfort they have or have available to them. As soon as the US starts to infringe on the general benefit and happiness of the american people to a gernerally recognizable extent, I think people will be catalyzed to change the myth back to reality.

What is particularly interesting is the extent to which foreign governments are afraid of their citizens. The U.S. was supposed to be a paramount example of a government for the people, by the people. Clearly, the aforementioned “people” are not the citizens in modern day; the citizens fear the government and have no power over what it does except through loose concepts of election. In France, the populace riots if there are social injustices, and the government listens. In our country, people are so afraid of the government and so disconnected from each other that no organized meaningful response to problems is ever affected.

Who knows if this will change in our lifetime? I daresay that it will only change under world calamity. At the rate of mankind’s raping of natural resources and environment, perhaps such calamities are closer at hand than we’re prepared to accept!

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