Hey Ryloggers,
Note:- This might a lot of stuff, some people can't digest. (Hopefully. ) This is not an attack on any social group,
so if any religious or extremist NUTCASE decides to attack me about this I'd like to remind you about this beautiful little cross sign which is just at the top of your browser window. Now
be on your merry way, where everything is perfect and bubbly. For more open minded people, its kinda long but i hope you will read. :)
Our society is run by insane people for insane
objectives. I think we're being run by maniacs for maniacal ends and I
think I'm liable to be put away as insane for expressing that. That's
what's insane about it. - John Lennon
Over the years philosophers, sociologist, political thinkers and psychologists have all described society in many different ways. It always ranges from a collection of people living together to attain common goals, bla bla. But from where I stand, I see society and all its social groups as nothing but a gigantic controlling mechanism. It controls what we eat, what we do, how we sleep, when we sleep, what we do, why we do it, how we do it, what we believe etc and it is all done in the good name of 'guiding' us.
For long, society has dictated whats right and whats not. It has been done through moral codes, customs, traditions etc. As part of our socialization, we are not only taught the basic things that differentiates between man and animal, but also who we are supposed to like and who we are supposed to hate, what things we are supposed to do and how we are supposed to do that. Society has for long regulated and controlled human life through two facets of the same coin:
Love and Hate.
I'm not saying that Love isn't an important human emotion, but love is also a tool of social control. We are restricted by Love. Love for our race or nation, is utilized so that we would be blind to the atrocities committed by our own people. Love for our family and parents are used to restrict our every move from early age itself, to make us conform to their way of life. Love for religion and love for god(s) is used as a tool of hate, distrust and anger towards other religious groups. I find it actually kinda ironic, that Love is what is used to antagonize other people. That being said, Love is not at all different from hate. Love is not the opposite of hate, just another form of it. Love and Hate are the reasons for the creation of in groups and out groups, so ultimately Love, what is supposed to be everything that is good about the world is the birth of racism. Heck, Love has also been used by industrialists as a bloodsucking machinery off the lovesick masses, so next time you go all out on a valentines day, ask yourself is it really necessary to have one day to celebrate love?
We defend our country with our lives
We pretend to see truth in all these lies
'Cause in the end.. We were men - THEORY OF A DEADMAN, WE WERE MEN. (Awesome song)
Now, take Marriage as a social institution. Has anybody ever considered why they get married? To celebrate Love? If so, who said that you have to register love? Yes, Society. Its once again Society's way of controlling what we do and how we do it. Why is society still refusing to accept Live In relationships. Why is it still burnt into our mindsets, that marriage is the true act of two souls becoming one? Only, because Society and all its social groups have taught us that.. have taught us to believe that.. The aim of it all? Once again, controlling the lives of people. And to legitimize sex, of course. That's the reason, they would have us believe anyway.
Okay leave Marriage. Lets talk about Dominance and inferiority, Humans Over Animals, Men Over Women, White over Black. I've said the origin of all these has lied in our narcissism. And while it is true that it is the dark side of human nature to always want superiority over our fellows, (
Also the birth of BDSM. the whole bondage submission thing, the theme behind '50 shades of Grey.' BTW, to all reading fanatics out there, if you are fortunate enough to not have read 50 shades of Grey yet, PLEASE PLEASE DO NOT READ IT. Its an insult to literature itself. I'm sure some of the great writers of the past would be groveling in their graves) this superiority complex is not the only reason for birth of dominance This too, has been Society's way of bringing order through a hierarchical arrangement.
And because, a lot of people have already been ranting about media's role in control I won't even say much about it. its a given. Movies and cinema project what they want us to believe, most of the time what the government wants us to believe.
For instance, World Wrestling Entertainment. the WWE. my most favorite show since I was a kid has always been monday night wars, the drama, the fighting, the comedy that has centered WWE was always so appealing. And it still remains the case. But just to tell you a little about how even the WWE has been influenced the US government's own vendettas. When the US government were at verbal blows with the French, WWE brings a pair of supposed Frenchmen as heels (the bad guys.) and they annoy people to no end, with singing the french national anthem and being a pain in the ass, generally. When the US people started losing faith in the US Army after the prolonged Iraq war, WWE used babyfaces ( the good guys) that people actually love and adore, to cut promos about the US Army, to bring about the whole nationalist spirit. Also, when War on Terrorism began and USA was at blows with a lot of muslim nations voila, an Arab American wearing a turban comes and pisses the hell out of everyone with his self righteous speeches.
Take smoking as an example too. Not having much of scientific knowledge, i wont go on detail but there are like million different things which hurts your physiology more than smoking. And even the environment, plastic bags, aerosol sprays, cutting down trees etc cause a lot of harm to the environment too, but why is smoking frowned upon? Cause its something which society believes is indecent and that stigma has to survive one way or the other.
Now moving on to happier things, and i m not saying this as if its something wrong but just to prove a point. If you think about your soaps and sitcoms particularly the funny ones, whats the whole point of pre-recorded laughter being placed at certain events. Sure, some of these events really are funny and you would have laughed even without it, but the whole point is to tell you when to laugh. Give you the illusion that its funny even if its not. So some of us, actually even laugh when we don't get the joke in a sick way so that people wouldn't think we are humorless.
Okay, So If I were to continue talking about the ways in which Society controls us.. I'd probably go on to write a few more pages and I already have the feeling that this is too long for most people to read so lets skip to the point I want to make....
The one who follows the crowd would usually get no further than the
crowd. The one who walks alone will find himself in places no one else
has ever been - Einstein.
The most beautiful thing about human beings has always been our sense of uniqueness and self identity. We were made so unique, that no two people not even twins have the same fingerprint. But as we grow up, undergo the process of socialization we are immediately instilled with social stigmas, prejudices and stereotypes. And in the process, we end up losing our individualism.
But the question is, is being part of the group that important? Is it worth losing our sense of self. The very thing that all of us can be proud of. We may lose everything as we go through life, wealth, health, family, loved once, get our heartbroken but take everything away and at the core, we still remain individuals. Is anything in life, worth sacrificing that individuality? When I see, adults of today talking about different issues it actually is sad. Because put in a different style, different words they just repeat the words that I hear so often on TV and newspapers spoken by politicians, religious figures. The fact is, they think they have an opinion but they don't. They just repeat what these leaders say, they no longer have any sense of self at all.
When a leader speaks his reflection lies. You don't have to follow anyone only you can set you free.
- Cult of Personality
politicians are put there to give you the idea you have freedom choice...you dont you have owners they own you... media is put there to give you the idea that you have freedom of
expression and the news you watch is true....it isn't its all an
illusion
- Anonymous Art of Revolution
Einstein was right. At the end of the day, it is not which group you are part of or which leader you follow, that would get you places. Its the person you are. Someone might disagree, saying that i m undermining society. that these socio cultural factors are what created this individual that i talk about. otherwise the person would be nothing but
tabula rosa - the blank slate. And they would be quite right. And I admit, its quite the paradox. Without Society, and social groups and socialization we would be nothing but a bundle of genes but we should know when to draw the line.
I might be coming off as a major anarchist here but that's not what i believe. I do believe in rules and social control. It was a great man (
Red Forman. Those, who watched That 70's show, come on could anyone be greater than him right? And those who didn't, WATCH That 70's show!!!) that once said,
'Without rules we'd be hanging on branches throwing our crap at each other' And Aristotle was right in saying that anyone who thinks he can live without society and doesn't depend on society is either beast or god.
But What I'm saying is, one must start seeing themselves as a member of society, uplift the individual in them in par with society not give society a status above yourself, not let society dictate what you do or the person you become. both negatively and positively. While I've talked about how society controls people, there is also the other extreme. Those who go in extreme deviance just not to conform to norms. So, any leader or any social group in my opinion should not be given that much importance enough to change the person you are in any extremes.
Well, thats just me ranting. Feel free to criticize constructively, no extremist nuts once again.
A. 
