Conformity and Convenience ... The Exploitation of indolence

[Gordon J Torture]

I have been dicsussing certain issues with an old friend of mine, and we both seem to agree that "Everything is about convenience".

Convenience has become the central evil in the Universe. People don't recycle unless it's fed to them, people drive because it’s 'convenient'. People shop at wal-mart because it’s 'convenient', and people simply accept the bullshit that is handed down to them because it is "incovenient for them to search for anything better.

With an abundance of historical knowledge "readily available" and a so called adequate level of free education in our beloved country, why is it, that the majority of our people are allowing themselves to be lead like cattle through the ineffective, corrupt and flawed system we call "democracy"?

The answer: People sacrifice their dignity, their morals, their dreams, and even their friends in avoidance of the "inconvenience" potentially brought upon them by protest, critical thought, and uprising. Conveinience is "safe", and it is easier to choose the "safe path", that is handed down, rather than reaching up for something better.

It amazes me that so many people choose not to elevate themselves beyond the level of forced-fed cattle.

Some people seem to often refer to a quote from Winston Churchill which reads: "Democracy is the worst system ever invented, except for all the others".

What I personally find very distrubing here, is that people often seem to use the above quote as a reason to justify (perhaps subjectively), why it is apparently acceptable for us to be nothing more than force fed cattle instead of us to be looking for something better.

It is absolutely atrocious that the people who our version of "democracy" detriments the most, are the least likely to be reading this or anything similar. They are the most likely to not have the time to educate themselves using this abundance of "free information" that is now apparently available, and of their options in general. It is unlikely that many people will ever receive significant infulence from anything other than malevolent government propaganda.

What I greatly admire about many types of "activists" is that they are actually standing up for what they believe is right and actually doing things about what they believe is wrong, whereas many of us simply turn a blind eye, or manipulate ourselves into justifying whatever is "convienient" at the time. That is also why I greatly admire the ideas of Karl Marx.

This thread is not about hate of the current system, but about hope for the future. It is about opening our eyes to ideas for the future, and discussing potential ideas.

It is now time. It is time for us to start reaching together for something better. Whether we like it or not, an eventual uprising is inevitable. It is time to accept the idea that we can all live together in harmony, and it is time for all of us to reach for ways to achieve it.

 

[Cosmo]

Re: Conformity and Convenience ... The Exploitation of indol

Awesome topic!!

I recently watched a documentary on Stupidity ... apparently intelligence has been studied no end, but stupidity has never been fully addressed. The bottom line that I took away was that individually people can be extremely intelligent, but get them in crowds, sit them in front of a TV or appeal to their sense of humour and basically we're a nation (it was Canadian) of morons.

Interesting side note ... the word "idiot" comes from:

The word is derived from the Greek word <greek language>ιδιωτης, idiôtês, "a private citizen, individual", from ιδιος, idios, "private". In ancient Athens, an idiot was a person who declined to take part in public life, such as democratic city government. Since such activities were honorable and could directly affect all citizens, idiot was a term of derision.

So basically, an idiot was historically the unelected. I found that quite interesting.

I believe the underlying reason for the amount of stupidity in our culture is about convenience. We simply take the easiest path. I also believe a great deal of cruelty and harmful behaviour has the same roots. In his book "People of the Lie" Scott Peck talks about the "human evil" as being not purposeful, but thoughtless acts. It's our unthinking acts that often cause the greatest damage.

I'm interested in hearing what others think about the topic. I do agree with you, Gordon J ... convenience spawns a multitude of evils. We are a spoiled nation.

 

[no1important]

RE: Conformity and Conven

Convenience has become the central evil in the Universe. People don't recycle unless it's fed to them, people drive because it’s 'convenient'. People shop at wal-mart because it’s 'convenient', and people simply accept the bullshit that is handed down to them because it is "incovenient for them to search for anything better.

I believe the Feds should pass a law making everything you buy come packaged in recyclable material. There is no excuse not to recycle.

But that leads to the rest of your post about convenience, modern technology has made society very lazy. I can still remember the days the TV had no remote.

I see so many people drive 2 blocks to the store. You would think gas being 1.05 a litre people would have more initiave. The drive throughs are always packed, why not go to Safeway or Superstore instead and try cooking, yes cooking at home for a change.

Jeez I even see people driving 4 little old blocks to pick Blackberries????? Crazy and lazy. I pick two 4l pails and walk. No big deal.

Personally I do not own a vehicle as I find with all the costs related to it, not really a viable option. Waste of money to put it bluntly. But I do understand in other areas the transit service is not as good as it is here.Superstore, Safeway, Zellers, Liquor store are all within 10-30 minute walking distance for me. 2-4 bags is all I carry back max if I walk, but then I just go back to get more the next day or whenever.

Walking is not a bad thing contrary to popular belief. People who are addicted to vehicles should try it and see the scenery they are missing.

 

[Aitrus]

Re: Conformity and Convenience ... The Exploitation of indol

I've thought and written about this issue quite a bit.

Two factors are at play:

1. A culture of convenience.
2. The intrinsic value of work.

The problem with the culture of convenience is that it's natural end is people sitting in front of a television or computer completely immobilized and fed through test tubes. It has to have a limit somewhere or else that is our end goal. I doubt people want everything to be inconvenient, but we can't just wrecklessly pursue convenience because it leads to lethargy and waste.

Which leads to the flip side - the value of having to do work. There are associated benefits like pride, but there is also something more basic that comes from having to do work to get what you want.

I'm sure a lot of people would like to have an automatic-recylcing-teleporter that just magically recycled whatever you were finished with. But there is something about having to sort out your stuff, put it in bins, and take it to the curb on Wednesday morning that matters and makes it a valuable activity. I can't quite put my finger on it, but there is some value in doing work like that, some mental/spiritual benefit of accomplishment and tenacity.

The closest I can come to an analogy is cheating. Why do we frown upon cheating? It's a more convenient way to acheive the same ends as not-cheating, yet by and large we don't like it and don't accept it. To some extent this is about fair competition, but to some extent it is also because we want our accomplishments to be meaningful.

When I have to stand and wait for 15 minutes for the bus, I don't wish I had a car. I'm glad to be taking the bus and more than happy to wait for it to come because I see the value and purpose in walking to the bus stop and waiting for it rather than driving a car. It's not exactly work, but in a way its a form of work.

So somewhere there's a threshold, and I think we're well past it as a society, for a level of acceptable convenience. I don't think we all want to scavenge for food and search for shelter every day, that would be too inconvenient, but I don't think we need half the technology we have because it has associated negative effects on the human psyche and the human spirit.

 

[Gordon J Torture]

Re: Conformity and Convenience ... The Exploitation of indol

Well ... since ideas seem to be lacking around here, I will discuss some of mine.

I think the key is a much higher standard for free education. I have explained this and talked about this on here before many times, but recently I talked about it with an old friend (same one I mentioned above), and he feels the same way I do, only perhaps explains it a little better. This is what he said on the issue of free post secondary education:

" you know, about education, I totally agree with you.
i totally believe that as our education requirement
change to live a full and successful career, so should
our educational system. you know, in the 30's, high
school was free, but it wasn't needed. it was
massively optional, then in the 60's, they made it
mandatory as they realised that people could be fully
successful without it. Now, it is a bare minimum and
post-secondary is needed to have lots of options, but
what has fucked it is commercialization.
post-secondary has become a hub for businesses to get
subsidized student researchers, and for corporations
to sell their shit, and for administrators to make
hundreds of thousands of dollars. if it became free
and mandatory, this commercialization would be put
into question and torn down, so we have pharmaceutical
companies, pesticide companies, GMO companies, Coke
and Pepsi, and Nike all fighting ideas like that
because they make billions off of our current system.
it’s fucked.

actually, there's an organization called the CFS
(Canadian federation of students) and they fight for
fully accessible free post-secondary education."

Any comments?

 

[no1important]

RE: Conformity and Conven

You made some really good points. I think Post Secondary should be free and Corporations should stay out of Universities and Colleges. Your right they get "free" student researchers. Your also right about administrators making $100,000's off them, plus they more than likley make more from under the table deals.

It seems everything is becoming so commercialized these days. They are trying to stop or restrain it in the high and elementary schools but the problem is governments do not fund schools of all levels adequately. The schools need the money so they really are caught between a rock and a hard place.

The Federal and Provincial governments need to stop corperate tax breaks, increase their taxes and funnel the money to support education from Elementary schhols to University's.

I know I know, I can hear the right already, but hey, I know I am a crazed leftist.

 

[Aitrus]

RE: Conformity and Convenience ... The Exploitation of indol

If you think post-secondary education changes peoples attitudes about convenience or makes them more actively involved in decision making you should pick a random campus in Canada and talk to students there. You would be in for a shock. Almost everyone I know from university is as much of a materialist consumerist lethargic anti-citizen as those who did not go to post secondary.

 

[Karlin]

Re: Conformity and Convenience ... The Exploitation of indol

"Everything is about convenience".

Convenience has become the central evil in the Universe. People don't recycle unless it's fed to them, people drive because it’s 'convenient'. People shop at wal-mart because it’s 'convenient', and people simply accept the bullshit that is handed down to them because it is "incovenient for them to search for anything better.

Ya its weird - on the one hand, we are drilled about being willing to work hard, doing what it takes to succeed in this world , but then on the other hand we have earned the right to "leisure" time when everything gets easy.

Work like mad for 8 hrs., then relax. Thats the culture of capitalism. It isn't working out too great though, you outlined the problems.
It has created a disconnect with reality. We think that time off is time we can afford to ignore reality. Reality has been shoved in our faces all day long, now we want out.

Does Marx say anthing about leisure time?
I bet most people would prefer a world where we are working 16 hour days, but we love the work. I really think this can be done.

There will be jobs that nobody likes doing of course. Everybody could take turns with that stuff, and be a hero for that day. That way, the worst jobs get the highest praise. Wow.

But the best thing I've read all day is the ending of the initial post by Gordy Torture :

This thread is not about hate of the current system, but about hope for the future. It is about opening our eyes to ideas for the future, and discussing potential ideas.

It is now time. It is time for us to start reaching together for something better. Whether we like it or not, an eventual uprising is inevitable. It is time to accept the idea that we can all live together in harmony, and it is time for all of us to reach for ways to achieve it.

like the 60s, where we had such hopes, such lofty goals for peace and harmony, getting back to the garden. It was not all just fantasy, we could have the world we want.

Many people still carry that torch, I ran into one today while getting a haircut! She just blurted it out that we could be living a nice life like we thought we were going to get when we were young.

 

[manda]

Re: Conformity and Convenience ... The Exploitation of indol

Work hard for 8 hours and then relax 8O ...I wish,,,I work go to school and have three kids...My 'leisure time" (i.e when kids are in bed) are spent studing and cleaning house. this basic analysis is flawed karlin