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H2O Man

(73,333 posts)
Wed Apr 2, 2014, 11:00 AM Apr 2014

Rise


"We draw our strength from the very despair in which we have been forced to live. We shall endure." -- Cesar Chavez

A co-worker in grass roots social-political activism visited me tonight. She is a dedicated art teacher at an area high school; that school has gone from one of the best in central New York, and great place to work, to one where budget cuts and a new superintendent have taken a severe toll. The teachers union -- as well as those representing clerical staff and principals -- seem incapable of protecting the employees' rights. Fear has saturated the school environment, and the students are being denied the quality of education that they deserve.

I find “systems” fascinating. In social work, I tended to take a “family systems” approach. In social activism, I lean towards “community systems.” In things political, one must have a grasp of “bureaucratic systems.” Workplaces, especially in the corporate and/or government contexts, are also systems that have some general dynamics that employees and unions benefit from recognizing.

When a once healthy, well-functioning system rapidly transforms into an unhealthy, dysfunctional cluster, there tend to be a few variables at play. For example, if on a local level, republicans have taken control of political offices, and conservative economic cuts from the next higher level (state) are taking place, local government services will suffer. This includes everything from public health services to public education.

More, the synergism from multi-level conservative-republican entities creates an ethical vacuum, where “economic hit-persons” are hired to reduce staff and services offered. This can, by definition, not be accomplished with the intent of maintaining a positive work atmosphere – quite the opposite, it requires the planting of doubt, and the growth of anxiety and unhappiness among employees.

In order to atrophy any possible resistance to the new program, the new boss must create divisions among employees. In his 1973 classic, “The Anatomy of Human Destructiveness,” Erich Fromm describes how a “boss” with sociopathic personality traits – seemingly required for economic hit-persons – will manipulate those who work for them. This generally includes promoting a weak person who, while having some knowledge of the system, can be counted upon to treat others cruelly. Such a person must be obedient to “rules,” and have an under-developed sense of ethics.

Together, the “boss” and their side-kick will seek to destroy morale in the workplace. They will, for example, threaten to institute new rules that make the workplace toxic, in response to “problems” that involve a single individual. They will attempt to get rid of any individuals who may challenge their authority. And they will eliminate positions in an arbitrary manner, to increase the doubts and discomforts of the rest of the workforce.

Lying is their language, and deceit their tongue. Such a boss lacks the moral capacity to admit even the smallest of mistakes – although they attempt to manipulate by “admitting” they were wrong to trust so-and-so. They have an uncanny ability to view themselves as the “victims” whenever they are challenged on their sick behaviors.

The goal is to destroy any and all sense of community inside of the system, and to reduce it to Durkheim’s apathetic, disorganized dust of individuals. These individuals are encouraged to “look out for number one,” and discouraged from attempting to unite with others to promote common interests. The individual may initially resist the changes being made by the new boss; next, they will attempt to avoid being damaged by the changes; then, they begin to accommodate the changes in the workplace; soon, they accept the “new reality”; and soon, they become part of the system that is robbing them, and all around them, of their humanity and self-respect.

Who can do battle with this beast? When one considers its true nature, the scope can seem overwhelming: for this system has spread like a virus throughout our culture. There are fewer and fewer uncontaminated segments in the United States today. Unchecked, as the US becomes part of a feudal estate on a global scale, where the 1% lives in gated communities while dictating how many crumbs will be divided up among the peasant class, it threatens to become entrenched, beyond repair.

Quality public education is the enemy of this beast, for its primary goal is to teach citizenship in a democratic state. Private schools for the offspring of the 1% will perpetuate the ruling class’s ability to capitalize on the mis-educated masses. Local levels of government will increasingly be under the thumbs of the Koch brothers and their ilk. Public services will be reduced to the point where they serve to dull the senses of the tax-payers, like prescription drugs that numb the pain of having their very being stolen from them.

We see the effects already. People complain, in order to let off steam; yet complaining alone accomplishes nothing in terms of correcting injustice. Sub-groups of depressed people will gather together on weekends, and seek temporary relief from the meaninglessness of their lives by distracting themselves with bright lights, loud music, and group intoxication. They do not recognize that this is part of that system that has stolen control of their lives. Indeed, it is much easier to control a merry group of drunken fools, than a single sober individual unwilling to accept the loss of self-respect.

Unconscious people can only serve as cogs in the machine. But a single conscious person can wake others up. That conscious individual can help others to understand that the hero and the coward both feel the same fear; that while the coward is consumed and thus destroyed by this fear, the hero uses it to fuel their struggle. And that the same amount of fuel, or energy, is required to become empowered, as is required to surrender one’s power to the system.

The roads to surrender and defeat are easy to locate. They are all around us. The paths to lives worth living seem harder to identify. Yet we have examples, which include individuals such as Gandhi, King, and Chavez. More, and equally important, we have the examples of the larger, often nameless groups of people who joined their struggles. In every case, we find that the “leader” (for lack of better description) recognized that in order to do more, they had to become more. This does not translate into these individuals becoming more of the same thing, by adding more of the same qualities they already have. Rather, it is becoming more by internal evolution, by transforming themselves.

By transforming themselves, they spark a transformation within that group around them. The group begins to wake up to a higher level of consciousness. While there is no “one size fits all” solution to the problems individual groups are confronted with, an awake and aware group will always be able to identify options that are available to them – options that they were not able to see in their previous level of being. Also, they find the confidence required to attempt to actualize these options. They develop the faith in their ability to exercise control over their own lives.

When people access this potential within themselves, they no longer expect “leaders” to do for them that which only they can do for themselves. They no longer project the ability to “save” or protect themselves on some external being or force; instead, they become part of, and one with, that force. They learn to trust in the process, because they are an influential part of it.

Peace,
H2O Man
86 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Rise (Original Post) H2O Man Apr 2014 OP
0-9 H2O Man Apr 2014 #1
it's perfectly ok with me G_j Apr 2014 #2
Thank you, Friend GJ H2O Man Apr 2014 #6
our true strength G_j Apr 2014 #7
Right. H2O Man Apr 2014 #13
I know what you mean about sounding board nadinbrzezinski Apr 2014 #12
Even at times H2O Man Apr 2014 #22
You come from a philosophy that speaks of seven generations nadinbrzezinski Apr 2014 #34
I've long thought H2O Man Apr 2014 #52
Your posts do more to inspire people here than much of what passes for discussion lately sabrina 1 Apr 2014 #15
to uninspire and G_j Apr 2014 #19
Oh, thank you! H2O Man Apr 2014 #23
'truth is it's time to get a lot more impatient' sabrina 1 Apr 2014 #57
I'll kick it for you-- a great OP ismnotwasm Apr 2014 #8
Thank you. H2O Man Apr 2014 #24
i don't understand recommending a thread without kicking it....just me. spanone Apr 2014 #16
I support your self-kick, hunter Apr 2014 #31
If everyone focused on themselves and became self-empowered.... Avalux Apr 2014 #3
Right. H2O Man Apr 2014 #53
For some reason, this part jumped out at me BumRushDaShow Apr 2014 #4
Wasting time defending politicians, yes, that is a waste of time and energy. Far better to ignore sabrina 1 Apr 2014 #17
As a young man, H2O Man Apr 2014 #54
This... chervilant Apr 2014 #76
K&R nt Zorra Apr 2014 #5
We, each, as individuals, are the most powerful force in our lives. Octafish Apr 2014 #9
right on G_j Apr 2014 #20
Right! H2O Man Apr 2014 #58
All I will say is yes nadinbrzezinski Apr 2014 #10
K&R !! SalviaBlue Apr 2014 #11
Thank you! H2O Man Apr 2014 #59
KNR! This could be a college thesis. JaneyVee Apr 2014 #14
Yes, listening to negative messaging, such as 'we can't' among all the other admonistions we receive sabrina 1 Apr 2014 #18
These people inspire me...to keep on squeaking marions ghost Apr 2014 #21
Yes, me too. That was truly inspiring. I hope they keep it up and that more and more people will sabrina 1 Apr 2014 #41
Back in 1978 - '79, H2O Man Apr 2014 #60
I'm so glad I saw your post just now! scarletwoman Apr 2014 #25
It was reading people like H20Man that brought me to DU. Lately, scanning the OPs and comments here sabrina 1 Apr 2014 #40
+1,000 malaise Apr 2014 #46
"...like a ray of light..." BelgianMadCow Apr 2014 #43
I am very happy H2O Man Apr 2014 #61
Throughout all your years on DU, your posts have always come from a place of peace & beauty. scarletwoman Apr 2014 #66
Oh, that is H2O Man Apr 2014 #77
Thank you, H2O Man . . . markpkessinger Apr 2014 #26
Thank you. H2O Man Apr 2014 #78
Thank you sir! May I have another. TheKentuckian Apr 2014 #27
Thank you. H2O Man Apr 2014 #79
Awesome! Take it to em! TheKentuckian Apr 2014 #86
Your oustanding words have inspired me on a very discouraging day Little_Wing Apr 2014 #28
Thank you! H2O Man Apr 2014 #81
Kick. scarletwoman Apr 2014 #29
I love this OP. Thank you. Luminous Animal Apr 2014 #30
Thank you. H2O Man Apr 2014 #82
Kicking again - because I wish THIS post would rise to the top. (nt) scarletwoman Apr 2014 #32
HUGE K & R !!! - Thank You !!! WillyT Apr 2014 #33
Thank you! H2O Man Apr 2014 #83
Thank you! For a thoughtful and thought-provoking contribution... (nt) petronius Apr 2014 #35
Thanks! H2O Man Apr 2014 #84
Thank you. nt octoberlib Apr 2014 #36
Thanks! H2O Man Apr 2014 #85
K&R. I'll admit that sometimes, I'm just too damn lazy to even bullwinkle428 Apr 2014 #37
Recommended. NYC_SKP Apr 2014 #38
Oh, that's a wonderful quote! scarletwoman Apr 2014 #68
Lucky you! I'd love to have met him or attended a presentation. NYC_SKP Apr 2014 #71
Yes, the trim tab analogy is wonderful! scarletwoman Apr 2014 #72
Thank you for this inspiring post. nt Mojorabbit Apr 2014 #39
Logged in to rec BelgianMadCow Apr 2014 #42
this wonderful essay G_j Apr 2014 #44
A lovely thoughtful post malaise Apr 2014 #45
Plame threads flashback BelgianMadCow Apr 2014 #63
Yes indeed malaise Apr 2014 #65
Great Post/ essay Ichingcarpenter Apr 2014 #47
I especially appreciate your emphasizing marions ghost Apr 2014 #48
+1000. nt adirondacker Apr 2014 #67
"A single conscious person can wake others up." Thank you for being one if the conscious and awake. vanlassie Apr 2014 #49
Excellent essay, Bro MrScorpio Apr 2014 #50
Tomorrow comes... marions ghost Apr 2014 #51
K&R stage left Apr 2014 #55
Glad you signed up. Even if only to read posts like this one which were there were far more of sabrina 1 Apr 2014 #80
K&R This is a long read by message forum standards. It's worth it. Lizzie Poppet Apr 2014 #56
Kicking again stage left Apr 2014 #62
I'll second that, Stages. vanlassie Apr 2014 #64
Anger is an energy AngryAmish Apr 2014 #69
Kicking for universal consciousness go west young man Apr 2014 #70
This is the type of post that showcases DU at its best. llmart Apr 2014 #73
A kick before I go to bed - because there's so much people could learn from this beautiful OP. (nt) scarletwoman Apr 2014 #74
Very inspiring essay. Everyone here should take the time to read it. K&R nt. Jasana Apr 2014 #75

H2O Man

(73,333 posts)
1. 0-9
Wed Apr 2, 2014, 12:35 PM
Apr 2014

Recently, there was an OP/thread on DU:GD regarding self-kicks. Are they pathetic attempts at self-promotion?

Possibly.

In this instance, I note 9 recommends, but no responses. I hope the 9 recommends are evidence that the OP focuses on a topic of some interest. If nothing else, the topic is one that I find interesting and of value.

Thus, please be patient with this pathetic attempt to promote the OP. And excuse me, while I kiss the sky ......

G_j

(40,366 posts)
2. it's perfectly ok with me
Wed Apr 2, 2014, 12:39 PM
Apr 2014

Sometimes things move quickly and get lost. When you have put time and energy into writing a compelling essay such as this, I think you should kick it.

H2O Man

(73,333 posts)
6. Thank you, Friend GJ
Wed Apr 2, 2014, 01:43 PM
Apr 2014

I think it is of interest and value as a topic for discussion. The levels of fear in our society handcuff an increasing number of good and decent people. I've been on the phone this morning with a couple of people in elected office in a neighboring community; they are dealing with many of the same issues discussed in the OP. Both are going to do the right thing, for they are ethical public servants. But both are dealing with anxiety. For reasons good or bad, they both look to me as a sounding board, and to reinforce their dedication to standing up for those they were elected to represent.

G_j

(40,366 posts)
7. our true strength
Wed Apr 2, 2014, 02:04 PM
Apr 2014

the fuel with which we move ourselves away from the atrophy of fear and towards all that is noble and good. Everyone of us is powerful and capable of far more than we usually believe. This message is so important right now.

H2O Man

(73,333 posts)
13. Right.
Wed Apr 2, 2014, 05:50 PM
Apr 2014

Minister Malcolm X used to ask audiences: "Who taught you to hate yourself?" A variation of that might be to question who taught us to doubt and de-value ourselves? It is our enemy, and the system.

The victims of the enemy and the system are the very people most capable of transforming society, and instituting social justice. The elite and the "leaders" who are acceptable to them could not do this, even if they wanted to. And they don't.

 

nadinbrzezinski

(154,021 posts)
12. I know what you mean about sounding board
Wed Apr 2, 2014, 02:26 PM
Apr 2014

Clear on the other side, on the left coast, I have heard similar musings from local electeds who for some reason do that as well.

This is both local and national.

H2O Man

(73,333 posts)
22. Even at times
Wed Apr 2, 2014, 09:12 PM
Apr 2014

when this forum reaches low points, there is generally a community of good and decent people here -- many on this thread -- who are still invested in discussing important concepts and issues. A couple of DU:GD sub-groups can, at times, engage in annoying attempts to disrupt, as you well know. But it still provides that sounding board.

And it definitely is a local-to-national issue. And it spans time. Many good people too often expect immediate results from the work we invest today. That is part of our "instant" culture, I think. Some of us are from other, often older cultures. I learned long ago that what work I do in my lifetime may not result in significant changes that I live to see. But that doesn't lessen or negate the importance of that work. It builds a foundation for the next people who will be fighting the Good Fight, because it is the right thing to do.

 

nadinbrzezinski

(154,021 posts)
34. You come from a philosophy that speaks of seven generations
Wed Apr 2, 2014, 11:07 PM
Apr 2014

I come from one that where you care about the children and the children, children.

Of course mine also has passport, money and traveling gear ready to go at a moment's notice. We also come from much older civilizations. Again, I do understand exactly what you are saying.

We are also, quite possibly, having a maturity vs youth issue.

Peace my friend, it is going to get really rough.

H2O Man

(73,333 posts)
52. I've long thought
Thu Apr 3, 2014, 10:28 AM
Apr 2014

that you and I have very similar values and views. I'm glad that, from opposite ides of the country, we are on the same team!

Thanks for all that you bring to this forum. You are most appreciated.

sabrina 1

(62,325 posts)
15. Your posts do more to inspire people here than much of what passes for discussion lately
Wed Apr 2, 2014, 06:06 PM
Apr 2014

on DU H2OMan. I just discovered this OP searching for something even worth reading. Thank you for providing something that makes sticking around here, worthwhile.

Who can do battle with this beast? When one considers its true nature, the scope can seem overwhelming: for this system has spread like a virus throughout our culture. There are fewer and fewer uncontaminated segments in the United States today. Unchecked, as the US becomes part of a feudal estate on a global scale, where the 1% lives in gated communities while dictating how many crumbs will be divided up among the peasant class, it threatens to become entrenched, beyond repair.


Helping this along, imho, is the constant messaging we get, now even on Democratic Forums: 'We can't do this or that, iow, don't even try or you are 'looking for a Liberal Messiah' or some such nonsense. Talking points designed to UNINSPIRE rather than inspire are pretty rampant especially during election years.

I prefer 'Aim for the sky and you may hit a tree' as inspiration rather than the one we see dragged out each election cycle: Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good' which translates to 'all you can expect is mediocre at best' iow, keep your expectations low.

Thanks again for the OP.

H2O Man

(73,333 posts)
23. Oh, thank you!
Wed Apr 2, 2014, 09:21 PM
Apr 2014

That means a lot to me, coming from you! I am always very impressed when I read your contributions here on DU. You are definitely one of the individuals who raises the bar here. So, again, thank you.

Muhammad Ali used to say that people who don't expect miracles are unrealistic. I believe that. Rubin Carter told me that miracles do happen -- they just take a dog-gone lot of hard work! I believe that, too.

When grass roots activists say that they expect major changes, and are told to be patient, I can only laugh. It's the grass roots that does the overwhelming amount of the dog-gone lot of hard work that is required to win elections. And the Truth is that it's high time that everyone get a lot more impatient. We do not have the luxury of taking that old-fashioned slow approach to the many serious problems we face. We need to take immediate action on a program of change.

sabrina 1

(62,325 posts)
57. 'truth is it's time to get a lot more impatient'
Thu Apr 3, 2014, 11:05 AM
Apr 2014

Yes, I couldn't agree more. And yes again to the 'it's the grassroots that does the overwhelming amount of the dog-gone lot of hard work that is required to win elections'. And yet it is they who are constantly under attack for 'wanting ponies, expecting elected officials to wave a magic wand' etc. among a whole host of other negative talking points'. Makes you wonder what the goal is sometimes, perhaps the goal IS to depress enthusiasm for change because it certainly isn't a good strategy for getting out the vote.

I like what Rubin Carter said to you and agree. Never give up, even if it takes way more time than we would like.

Thank you for your kind remarks, they mean a lot to ME coming from you!

Avalux

(35,015 posts)
3. If everyone focused on themselves and became self-empowered....
Wed Apr 2, 2014, 12:43 PM
Apr 2014

without expecting a leader to show them the way....what a world we would have. We would cooperate instead of compete.

Great Post. Cesar Chavez's birthday was a big deal here in San Antonio.

H2O Man

(73,333 posts)
53. Right.
Thu Apr 3, 2014, 10:31 AM
Apr 2014

You hit the nail on the head.

Chavez's birthday was a big deal in my isolated home, too! My youngest daughter (11th grade) and I had a long talk about what he gave to this country. Although I am old, I still look at him as a hero.

BumRushDaShow

(127,312 posts)
4. For some reason, this part jumped out at me
Wed Apr 2, 2014, 12:57 PM
Apr 2014

And more specifically, the bolded part -

We see the effects already. People complain, in order to let off steam; yet complaining alone accomplishes nothing in terms of correcting injustice. Sub-groups of depressed people will gather together on weekends, and seek temporary relief from the meaninglessness of their lives by distracting themselves with bright lights, loud music, and group intoxication. They do not recognize that this is part of that system that has stolen control of their lives. Indeed, it is much easier to control a merry group of drunken fools, than a single sober individual unwilling to accept the loss of self-respect.


It goes to what talk host Joe Madison says almost daily - "What are YOU going to do about it?"

I think sometimes it scares folks because "doing" can bring a high level of risk. Madison routinely asks "What's the difference between a 'moment' and a 'movement?'" And the answer - "The "movement requires sacrifice".

However doing nothing is to continue the oppressive conditions.

So whether joining one of the protests being formed today, calling a congressperson to voice disapproval and encourage reform, or helping to get someone to the polls on an election day (I heard the turnout in the D.C. primary yesterday was only 22.5% or so), folks can do "something", and that in itself brings a sense of having at least made an effort that may ultimately pay off in the long term.

sabrina 1

(62,325 posts)
17. Wasting time defending politicians, yes, that is a waste of time and energy. Far better to ignore
Wed Apr 2, 2014, 06:09 PM
Apr 2014

the negative messages 'you want ponies, liberal messiahs' etc and just keep working to get the BEST we can get rather than accept the advice inherent in those depressing messages that we must set our standards as low as possible. THAT is what that sentence says to me.

H2O Man

(73,333 posts)
54. As a young man,
Thu Apr 3, 2014, 10:43 AM
Apr 2014

I worked in a factory. It was part of the defense industry, and the plant made a heck of a profit. However, for no good reason, the supervision would institute "rules" that -- at best -- treated the workers like itty-bitty school children. These measures degraded the workers, and reduced them to non-thinking cogs in the machine.

I've never had a problem with rules per say, so long as they are intended to improve some aspect of daily life. But I haven't been willing to accept mistreatment. So, when groups of workers would initially complain about some new rule or another, I'd ask what they were prepared to do about it? Generally nothing, of course.

That complaining was part of the process that leads directly to acceptance, and then to becoming part of that abusive system. More, it leads to a curious dynamic: people who accept degradation will reach a point where they become hostile if anyone treats them with respect. At some level, they are aware that they have lost all self-respect, and resent it if anyone reminds them of that.

chervilant

(8,267 posts)
76. This...
Fri Apr 4, 2014, 06:41 AM
Apr 2014
That complaining was part of the process that leads directly to acceptance, and then to becoming part of that abusive system. More, it leads to a curious dynamic: people who accept degradation will reach a point where they become hostile if anyone treats them with respect. At some level, they are aware that they have lost all self-respect, and resent it if anyone reminds them of that.


I'm reminded of Hofstadter's essays on anti-intellectualism, and the paranoid right. Perhaps the inner conflict you so eloquently describe is the key to understanding those individuals who've become the silently hostile cogs in our nation's corrupt political machine.

Octafish

(55,745 posts)
9. We, each, as individuals, are the most powerful force in our lives.
Wed Apr 2, 2014, 02:17 PM
Apr 2014

Working together, we can do anything. It's called Democracy.

H2O Man

(73,333 posts)
58. Right!
Thu Apr 3, 2014, 12:42 PM
Apr 2014

"This power in us is the same as the mighty strength which God used when he raised Christ from death."
-- Ephesians 1:19-20

 

nadinbrzezinski

(154,021 posts)
10. All I will say is yes
Wed Apr 2, 2014, 02:21 PM
Apr 2014

It is happening. I know the system is breaking down when I am told to vote green and leave.

Textbook of Durkheim actually.

 

JaneyVee

(19,877 posts)
14. KNR! This could be a college thesis.
Wed Apr 2, 2014, 05:57 PM
Apr 2014

"Unconscious people can only serve as cogs in the machine. But a single conscious person can wake others up"

Love it.

sabrina 1

(62,325 posts)
18. Yes, listening to negative messaging, such as 'we can't' among all the other admonistions we receive
Wed Apr 2, 2014, 06:15 PM
Apr 2014

on a regular basis not to expect much and to aim as low as possible, that is what creates 'unconscious people' who do nothing to advance causes that are beneficial to society as a whole, to accept the status quo because it's 'hopeless to look for 'ponies' or whatever other talking points are thrown around in attempts to keep people from striving for what IS possible IF they do not become 'unconscious robots, accepting of whatever is thrown at them.

Such people have never changed things for the better.

'The squeaky wheel gets the oil' so we'll just keep on squeaking regardless of the attempts to stop those who aim higher rather than lower.

sabrina 1

(62,325 posts)
41. Yes, me too. That was truly inspiring. I hope they keep it up and that more and more people will
Thu Apr 3, 2014, 02:25 AM
Apr 2014

support and join them.

H2O Man

(73,333 posts)
60. Back in 1978 - '79,
Thu Apr 3, 2014, 12:48 PM
Apr 2014

it was a topic that Rubin "Hurricane" Carter and I discussed at length. This was at a time when Rubin had cut off communication with all but a couple people; more, he was spending a lot of time in solitary confinement. While that was a terrible period for him in many ways, it was an essential part of his journey. And there are many features of a prison that can be recognized in other institutions. That sounds harsh, but I believe it is true.

scarletwoman

(31,893 posts)
25. I'm so glad I saw your post just now!
Wed Apr 2, 2014, 10:00 PM
Apr 2014

Last edited Thu Apr 3, 2014, 07:24 AM - Edit history (2)

A short time ago, I read a thread that was started with no doubt good intentions, but the respondents on that thread would have none of it, and instead piled on the OP with mocking reminders of a past post by that DUer - presented as "proof", apparently, of why that DUer's new OP had no integrity. It was ugly and nasty and sickening. And the OP, reacting in anger, was quite quickly locked out of his thread.

It was like watching a chicken being turned on by his fellow chickens who set about to gleefully peck the so-marked member of the flock into a bloody mass. All I could think of was why would I ever want to hang around a place like this? A place of no compassion, a place where bullying and one-upsmanship appears to be the highest value for far too many. I was thinking that I've really had my fill of the current incarnation of DU. It's useless, brutish, and a waste of time.

And then, like a ray of right, yours is the next OP I see - and I will always, of course, click on an H2O Man post without fail.

I have always believed that the enlightenment of one person has the power to send ripples out into the world, so that the enlightenment spreads and catches on in others' consciousnesses. Still, I must admit, these days DU disheartens me almost beyond bearing. There are so many EGOS in evidence here - so many people who only want to BE right, not to DO right.

You wrote a wonderful post, and I appreciate it more than I can find words for. I only wish that DU were not such a stony ground, upon which no mustard seed has a chance of germinating...

(edited due to late-caught typo)

sabrina 1

(62,325 posts)
40. It was reading people like H20Man that brought me to DU. Lately, scanning the OPs and comments here
Thu Apr 3, 2014, 02:23 AM
Apr 2014

I know if I came here for the first time now, I would be appalled seeing the nastiness, the lack of compassion, as you so correctly stated, for human beings.

'A place where bullying and ones-upmanship appears to be the highest value for far too many'. Yes, mindless personal attacks on good Democrats, so many of the people who made this site worth coming to, HAVE moved on. And I and many others are ready to do the same. Like you I saw H20Man's post and knew it would be worth reading.

This OP should have, and would have had in the old DU that I first came to, over 500 recs. And it would have had so many good people not already moved on.

Great post scarletwoman, expressing what many DUers are feeling right now.

H2O Man

(73,333 posts)
61. I am very happy
Thu Apr 3, 2014, 12:53 PM
Apr 2014

that you found it! You are one of the best minds on this forum, and I have great respect for you. So I am delighted that you enjoyed my essay.

I've been spending more hours out at my pond & lodge recently. While I do not have internet service out there, the OP is something that I found myself thinking about, after my associate had been here. It's a pleasant place to sit and think, and the night sky was so beautiful.

Thank you!

scarletwoman

(31,893 posts)
66. Throughout all your years on DU, your posts have always come from a place of peace & beauty.
Thu Apr 3, 2014, 08:08 PM
Apr 2014

You bring us all a precious opportunity to sit with you beside your pond, with you in your lodge. It is a priceless gift you bring us.

It is a mad culture that surrounds us - how few there are who find any serenity or beauty in their lives.

To live as a fully conscious human being - there is no greater gift to oneself, and to all with whom we share this world.

Thank you again for your exquisite OP.

H2O Man

(73,333 posts)
77. Oh, that is
Fri Apr 4, 2014, 10:29 AM
Apr 2014

so nice of you to say! Thank you!

I had started an essay on things I was thinking about while taking a walk along a frozen creek bed, collecting rocks for ceremony; instead, I wrote the OP, which was on a related, yet very different topic.

It's funny: I've sent links to some of my DU essays to my associate before. While she enjoys what I write, she has commented that it is a waste of time to post on this forum, because so few DUers take note of them. I think that this OP/thread suggests that at least part of the time, people are paying attention to my posts. (And quite a few public school teachers have been introduced to DU in the past few days, as this OP/thread has reached teachers throughout NYS.)

It seems to me that the topic I wrote about is something that a good many of this forum's participants find themselves dealing with. I attended a public meeting last night in one of the small villages that dot rural, upstate New York. There were about 75 citizens attending the meeting. A number of people were expressing outrage at the behaviors of the "leader" of this government institution. I listened quietly for most of the meeting, and then spoke about how the group dynamics not only allowed unethical behaviors, but created a process where these things had to happen. And I think, based upon the responses -- both during the meeting and in casual conversations after it ended -- that people understood.

Systems are a fascinating topic. Often, when viewing a given situation, viewing it in a "systems analysis" doesn't create an awareness of new things, so much as creates a context where the already known parts fit together in a more orderly fashion. And without that understanding, groups of good people find themselves in the same basic conflict and struggle, over and over again.

markpkessinger

(8,381 posts)
26. Thank you, H2O Man . . .
Wed Apr 2, 2014, 10:07 PM
Apr 2014

. . . On a day in which the news of the Supreme Court's latest outrage had left me feeling depressed and hopeless, your essay reminds me that I cannot simply roll over, that I must -- difficult though it is at times like this -- pick myself up and keep fighting. And for that, I offer you a very heartfelt 'thank you.'

H2O Man

(73,333 posts)
78. Thank you.
Fri Apr 4, 2014, 10:37 AM
Apr 2014

We are in a tough fight, and the conservative majority on the USSC is clearly a lap dog for our enemy.

I went to the grocery store the other day. What should have taken me a half-hour to get ended up taking more than three times that. A large number of people who I know casually, at best, wanted to talk to me about their frustrations with "government," from the local level, up through the state and federal government. Most of these people were old -- my age -- and a common comment was, "This isn't the country that we grew up in." And it's not. Yet what we have today is surely a direct consequence of what happened when we were growing up.

H2O Man

(73,333 posts)
79. Thank you.
Fri Apr 4, 2014, 10:41 AM
Apr 2014

And yes, I am putting together a mental outline of what I want to say next. But first, I'm going to try to answer everyone who has been so kind to respond to this OP.

I will give you a preview: Last week, I contacted our state's Democratic Party HQ, and informed them of my decision to run this year, against the highest-ranking state senator from the republican party.

Little_Wing

(417 posts)
28. Your oustanding words have inspired me on a very discouraging day
Wed Apr 2, 2014, 10:39 PM
Apr 2014

I'm sorry to have missed this earlier today. Thank you, H20 Man for articulating so clearly our path forward.

H2O Man

(73,333 posts)
81. Thank you!
Fri Apr 4, 2014, 10:49 AM
Apr 2014

"Little Wing" is one of my favorite Hendrix songs. The school teacher I mentioned in the OP plays in an acoustic group with my oldest daughter, and they do a mighty fine version of that song. I think it's important to re-charge our batteries, by listening to music, taking walks in nature, and/or reading things that we connect with on a conscious level.

bullwinkle428

(20,627 posts)
37. K&R. I'll admit that sometimes, I'm just too damn lazy to even
Wed Apr 2, 2014, 11:42 PM
Apr 2014

kick a post that I've recommended, but I couldn't let that opportunity go by on this particular OP. The passage relating to "The Anatomy of Human Destructiveness" was especially poignant to me, having been on the receiving end of that kind of treatment in the workplace.

 

NYC_SKP

(68,644 posts)
38. Recommended.
Wed Apr 2, 2014, 11:55 PM
Apr 2014

Excellent read.

Great leaders don't effect change directly so much as they inspire and bring out the best in others.

I can't say it nearly as clearly as you, but I can't help but be reminded of Buckminster Fuller and his "trim tab" quote:

Something hit me very hard once, thinking about what one little man could do. Think of the Queen Mary — the whole ship goes by and then comes the rudder. And there's a tiny thing at the edge of the rudder called a trimtab.


We all have a little Trim Tab in us.

scarletwoman

(31,893 posts)
68. Oh, that's a wonderful quote!
Thu Apr 3, 2014, 08:51 PM
Apr 2014

Thank you so much for posting this! I had not heard that one before, not being very well-read in his works.

I met him once (back in the Stone Age when I was a college student) just briefly, in the seating area at an airport gate. I recognized him at once, but I was completely tongue-tied and my mind went totally blank. I simply shook his hand, said something entirely inane about admiring him, and finally turned away because I was so embarrassed that I couldn't think of anything pithy and intellectual to say.

He, of course, was totally gracious and sweet toward the young idiot that I was. For years afterward I wished I had had the sense to open a conversation with a simple question of where he was off to, and then sat down and listened for awhile.

Ah well...

 

NYC_SKP

(68,644 posts)
71. Lucky you! I'd love to have met him or attended a presentation.
Thu Apr 3, 2014, 09:20 PM
Apr 2014

Had I met him, I'd probably have been as tongue tied as you.

A rare genius, and fairly modest I'm led to believe.

I love the trim tab analogy, it's about having a significant impact with a minimal effort and very low profile, quite in contrast to many pundits of today!

Elegant, is what it is!

scarletwoman

(31,893 posts)
72. Yes, the trim tab analogy is wonderful!
Thu Apr 3, 2014, 09:31 PM
Apr 2014

Very inspiring! And elegant, as you said.

He did seem very modest and kind - and quite patient with a young hippie girl who couldn't think of anything sensible to say. I too wish I had been able to attend one of his presentations.

G_j

(40,366 posts)
44. this wonderful essay
Thu Apr 3, 2014, 05:20 AM
Apr 2014

Last edited Thu Apr 3, 2014, 08:37 AM - Edit history (1)

is an act of love, a gift.
Let us try to remember that, in principle, compassion and love are the true values of a "liberal".
After all, we want to make sure that nobody falls through the cracks. We want everyone to have enough to eat, shelter, health care,
education, respect. We want to settle differences without violence. We want to protect the environment and preserve the beauty of the natural world for our children and future generations. At the risk of sounding simple minded, it is all about love.

Ichingcarpenter

(36,988 posts)
47. Great Post/ essay
Thu Apr 3, 2014, 05:36 AM
Apr 2014

“You cannot bring the light to the darkness you must bring the darkness to the light“.



If we truly love life, the world we live in and want positive change, then this also implies to look at the issues and injustices in the world so many of us like to ignore or deny. This is not being “negative”, but the work to be done during this Time of Transition

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it. “

- Martin Luther King Jr.

marions ghost

(19,841 posts)
48. I especially appreciate your emphasizing
Thu Apr 3, 2014, 06:11 AM
Apr 2014

the social/psychological factors in the emergence of a pervasive dysfunctional system.

I don't think enough people understand the dynamic at work--how the disease of narcissism, greed and self interest takes hold as a widespread phenomenon, infecting just about every institution and workplace. You explain that very well.

vanlassie

(5,637 posts)
49. "A single conscious person can wake others up." Thank you for being one if the conscious and awake.
Thu Apr 3, 2014, 09:19 AM
Apr 2014

"Unconscious people can only serve as cogs in the machine. But a single conscious person can wake others up. That conscious individual can help others to understand that the hero and the coward both feel the same fear; that while the coward is consumed and thus destroyed by this fear, the hero uses it to fuel their struggle. And that the same amount of fuel, or energy, is required to become empowered, as is required to surrender one’s power to the system."

H2O Man, I literally woke this AM to your inspiring words and I commit to taking one concrete action each day, to do more than simply feel better from this essay.

marions ghost

(19,841 posts)
51. Tomorrow comes...
Thu Apr 3, 2014, 10:00 AM
Apr 2014

We have to believe. Here's something for inspiration for the awake and aware--from Burlington VT, March22

stage left

(2,934 posts)
55. K&R
Thu Apr 3, 2014, 10:58 AM
Apr 2014

Even though it might not be what it was before I started lurking here three years ago, Democratic Underground has been a huge part of my belated political awakening. Especially posts like this one of yours, H2O Man. Thanks. I've always heard that it's better to light one candle than to curse the darkness.

sabrina 1

(62,325 posts)
80. Glad you signed up. Even if only to read posts like this one which were there were far more of
Fri Apr 4, 2014, 10:41 AM
Apr 2014

when I first signed up. 2004 was when I first discovered DU. It was like a long drink of water in the desert back then. Not so much anymore, but there are still a few people like H2OMan who post occasionally making it worth while to hang on for a while longer.

llmart

(15,501 posts)
73. This is the type of post that showcases DU at its best.
Thu Apr 3, 2014, 09:32 PM
Apr 2014

A wonderful, thought provoking read - very articulate and inspirational, and H2O Man didn't even have to use the "F" word to garner attention to the post.

Thank you for this, H2O Man.

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