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Post by Zoom on Jan 31, 2014 2:35:19 GMT -6
On a Youtube binge I came across this: www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwDvF0NtgdUAnd even though I wouldn't consider myself a patriot per se I started crying out of nowhere. Anyway I was wondering what your experiences were with your homeland and the emotions - realized and not - associated with it? Plus like your thoughts on any unconscious reactions you have? Like for example I feel kind of tricked but also kind of proud. Did I just accidentally join a cult??? Haha Zoom |
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Post by Genesis on Jan 31, 2014 11:14:57 GMT -6
Whenever I hear my nation's anthem, I'm deeply moved as well. These past few years, as I learn more and more, I've become increasingly dissatisfied with my government's leaders and our society's careless culture. Despite this, I hold faith that the people with push through and eventually make things right. The USA has a vivid, bloody, terrifying, yet inspirational, beautiful history and a diverse people. I love my country. I love the people of America and how the definition of "American" is changing day by day. I cannot help but be disgusted yet glad to be a part of the society around me. As for joining a cult.... you just might have XD BEWARE THE CANADIAN PATRIOTS EVERYBODY!!!  |
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Post by sapphire on Jan 31, 2014 17:30:52 GMT -6
I always get a little teary when I hear the U.S. anthem. There's a lot to be proud of, but also a lot to be ashamed of.
I do wonder how much of my reaction is due to being raised to revere the flag... Saying the Pledge of Allegiance in school every morning, standing and putting your hand over your heart every time the national anthem is played... We're conditioned to have this reaction, but there's some truth in it, too.
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Post by Zoom on Feb 2, 2014 7:09:18 GMT -6
OUR MOOSE OVERLORDS SAY TO DROWN YOU IN MAPLE SYRUP IF YOU DON'T COMPLY
SORRY
Gen (and Saph as well) I can see what you mean. For example, when I think of 'America' I get two different images - one of an overweight redneck yelling about eagles, and one of a brave pioneer 'making it' in a strange new land. I hope the original ideals that formed your nation come through.
Not to say I think Canada is like this awesome neo-state above America; we've basically as close to American culture as a place can get. But still.
Alright so this sounds terrible but I feel like an apocalypse would solve everything, long term. Y/N?
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Post by sapphire on Feb 2, 2014 16:35:49 GMT -6
I feel like an apocalypse (that didn't wipe out everyone) would solve a lot of the materialism, definitely. We'd have to get over some of our prejudices to survive - but then, a lot of people might take those prejudices as reasons to go crazy and just start killing people who are "inferior." We'd have to relearn how to survive without technology and fast food and such...
But then, I feel like we'd eventually end up right where we are again. It would take generations, most likely, but humans are innately innovative. We always seem to be improving something. Life would get easier and easier until we're back to staring at our smartphones instead of talking face to face. So, long-term change, yes, but not permanent change.
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Post by Zoom on Feb 2, 2014 16:50:52 GMT -6
Hmm, yeah. Maybe another dark age is not what we need right now. This is the farthest we've ever come. If we can ride it out...
I guess basically it would just be 'fun'. Entertaining, at least. Which probably says more about our culture's character than we might like. Virtual reality is going to be weird.
Also it feels like people have it too easy nowadays...I mean hardship builds character. Then again people nowadays are less mentally fucked, I think, due to not having seen their younger siblings ripped in half by a bear or some such. So. Hypothetically. If people are essentially zero sum in this regard. Better to be crazy and interesting or bland and sane?
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Post by Zoom on Feb 2, 2014 16:56:26 GMT -6
Oh and here's another question: in regards to your point about an apocalypse being a long-term but not permanent solution: being that humans are going to be the same and it's just different reactions to different outside events and situations that define how they 'are', I mean our basic makeup has been essentially unchanged for a hundred thousand years, what's your stance on non-violent eugenics? I don't think that's the right term, maybe. Basically instead of culling people who don't fit a particular profile, just sort of encouraging people with a particular profile to do more breeding.
Freakish idea, I know. I'm still not sure where I stand on it. Like on the one hand, there's a lot to be gained here. On the other hand...thinking about this gives me like a reaction in my gut where I can actually FEEL my thoughts regarding the issue. 1984/Hitler/restricted freedom/etc.
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Post by sapphire on Feb 3, 2014 0:59:38 GMT -6
There's definitely something in the general idea of eugenics that makes me twitch uncomfortably, heh. On the one hand, I'm sure everyone has at some point thought, "That person should not be allowed to breed." But on the other hand, taking the choice of having children away from anyone just seems cruel. And what if we go too far and end up with genetic mutations from trying to create the "perfect" human race? How do we set up the standards of who's allowed to breed? Looks, skills, interests? How do we keep money from playing a part? Do we restrict certain people from having children at all, or just discourage it? And once it's begun, how do we keep it from restricting other rights/freedoms? (I'm putting too much thought into this.) I have to wonder, at this point, what it would take for a true apocalypse. I feel like we have so many systems set up, so many connections to each other... Electricity itself would have to fail for us to truly lose technology. Of course, that does happen - big storms can cause power outages in entire cities - but what would cause that all over the world? I guess I don't really know much about power plants and such. Would they keep working even if all the workers ran away? I feel like in all these apocalypse stories there are still working radios that they use to convey messages to survivors.  |
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Post by Harbor on Feb 3, 2014 12:31:56 GMT -6
It seems cruel, but there are some people who just should not have children. I'm not saying mentally challenged people or anything, but people who are on the type of welfare that lets them stay on welfare so long as they have a child under the age of five--a lot of them use that clause and just continue having children they don't want but need to continue living the lazy life they want.
As far as patriotism goes I see my country (US) a lot different after having traveled a lot outside of it. I still would struggle to leave it and live long-term somewhere else, but I resent it a little too for not living up to the standards it set for itself.
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Post by sapphire on Feb 5, 2014 0:40:02 GMT -6
I feel like that's an issue with the welfare system, though. Like maybe we should limit it to a certain number of kids? Of course, that would involve complications itself, but if they get their welfare checks with a child under age five up to three children, that would limit how long they'd be able to stay on welfare. I do agree that those people shouldn't be allowed to keep having kids and getting welfare from it, and it's not exactly a model home for a child to grow up in - at least, not those on welfare that don't try to get a job. Come to think of it, I read a story somewhere in which, to get welfare, people had to be able to prove that they'd applied to a certain number of jobs in the past month, and if they didn't meet that number, they didn't get their check. I feel like that would be a good start to overhauling the system. I want to travel. I need to get out of this country and experience other cultures. |
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Post by Zoom on Feb 7, 2014 2:00:55 GMT -6
Definitely travel. It's so easy to forget that the world contains more stuff than just what you're used to. I'm lucky in that I've been a few places outside my immediate region - every state from Florida to Maine, some of the other east coast states, all the way west to toronto - but like, this[/img]? This is a real place! What places are on your go-to list? |
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Post by sapphire on Feb 7, 2014 16:34:00 GMT -6
That is awesome. It looks like a little troll! Well, I've been pretty much all over the US. Never been to Florida, though, oddly enough. Or California. I want to see Europe, primarily Italy, Germany, and the U.K. India. Iceland. My list is really more general. I just want to see more of the world. |
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Post by the Red Dragon on Feb 8, 2014 15:07:57 GMT -6
Coming in on this a little late... but I think the biggest problem with every political system, assuming it's some sort of democracy, is that the majority of the people just don't care. They don't bother to vote, or if they do they don't take the time to look into the candidates or the issue and figure out how they should vote. You know how they say history repeats itself? It seems like all society does is gradually become corrupted, then reform and gradually corrupt again. The reformations take different forms, sometimes they're rebellions or religions reformations or wars or whatever, but it seems like they always happen. But anyway. As for seeing the world, I'm into photography and my bucket list is pretty much a list of places to go. Some of them are in the States but mostly they're overseas. One of the big ones I want to do is go to Africa and do some photography in the savannah regions - zebras and gazelles and lions and whatnot. That's totally gonna happen  |
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Post by Zoom on Feb 11, 2014 4:22:53 GMT -6
Oh man RD I know what you mean. My roommate is 28 - basically an adult - and back in October I asked if he was voting and he said basically "maybe, i dunno, i'm not really into that kind of stuff". ASDJFHSKADJFHSEKA
I've wondered for a while if a website that condensived new stories into 140 character like twitrter would be at all axccesssible.
....
ZEBRAS AND LIONS AND GAZELLES
AAAAG
this is our wrld and we can do whatever we want wirh it it
"i don't knowq how to save youy"
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)) xD
