history

Snack food for Psychopaths

History repeats itself.

We do not listen, nor do we learn. Instead we mash a poisonous blend of sugary, ultra-processed products and empty entertainment down ourselves, and proudly do so, to feel nothing. And when we are duped again by an ever-growing proliferation of profiteers and politicians, who are poison themselves, we act surprised as if we have been doing the work it takes to understand. We demand pity for our stupidity and die never knowing we have lived.

History is spoon fed by fools and salesmen, and written by criminals. Half-truths abound; fraud reigns and lies are snack food for psychopaths. They are believed because we are apathetic, and we believe because to do so gives us the only sustenance we purport to know: money and the feeling of power, those sugary products devoid of nutrition. The walking dead leading the blind, mouths open in entitlement and expectation.

All the while wisemen watch from afar, doing nothing and shaking their heads in disbelief.

Looking Up

It is within the annals of history that we can learn the underlying issues of the day. The unforgivable sin of unwarranted opinions held true and unquestioned; the absolutism of religious fear, arrogance and stupidity. Human beings have beliefs about their world, yes, but to force upon the world those beliefs is a human failure, a frailty of mind.

To argue against Truth is to cut off the very branch we sit upon. To insist upon respect unearned is to disrespect any act, any thought worthy of being respectful. To rely upon rhetoric over rationality is to be a liar and a thief, and to hide behind the guise of honesty for the sake of profit is to undermine the civility of any society.

There are freedoms and there are limitations, and these are not set in stone but are not easily moved once set by the forces of nature. The only way, the only viable path is to recognize the failures and mistakes that we and our forefathers have made. We humans are proud and arrogant, but we are also curious if only we would allow ourselves that magical perspective of wonder and surprise.

As Plato showed us, we are shackled in a cave and watch as prancing shadows amuse us, numbing us to our slavery, the ignorance and easiness that those that would enslave us rely upon for their own power, being blind as they are and lacking any foresight. The sun is shining bright if we only look up once in a while.

The Importance of History

The history of humanity often reads like a continuous war, an unending barrage of violence and trepidation; even when things are good.  To make matters worse, much of historical human violence seems based on fear and greed rather than the battle against those very real villains that have existed and continue to exist today.

And it is difficult to remember that we have made progress;  things are better even though when one looks out the window of their mind they see the continued stupidity, the gargantuan greed, and blindness towards the true evils of the world.

Things are getting better; history shows us that it is.

The importance of history is not only to remind us not to repeat it, but also to teach us what we need to do in order to continually progress against the true villains of humanity: greed and ignorance towards all life on earth.

When we remember, just a few decades ago, how things were we can then say to ourselves that we have progressed even in the torrent of continued barricades.  It is difficult to do so, but we must, yes, we must keep the faith that we can do better and that there are those that will do better.

Things are getting better; history shows us that it is.