Here’s The Problem
Concisely as possible, this is the most significant contributing factor to humanity's problems as far as I see it.
We forgo our right to self-direction and determination and subjugate ourselves to the desires and whims of a few dominant others. These others are almost always men, and they are psychopathic. They are juvenile, narcissistic, and lack empathy or concern for people and the planet. Their priority is absolutely and utterly their own welfare and the maintenance of power and control. All other people exist to serve this purpose. They wear red ties, put on a show, and pretend that they care for your needs just to obtain your support, and then they fuck you royally. Through perpetual war, they destroy the lives of men, women, children, society and culture in the pursuit of their psychopathic ends and say, ah, well, collateral damage.
They care for commerce, business and wealth. They care not for the economy necessarily–that can go to shit as long as it serves their needs. I could go on... Suffice it to say that these psychopathic fuckwits obtain their positions of power and authority because we put them there. We buy into their systems of life and work and are too easily fooled by their clever words, superficial displays and crocodile tears. People can go to hell as far as they are concerned.
It will remain this way until we take back the right to govern ourselves and direct our own lives. And so, I am for anarchy. Not the populist idea of anarchy that loots, burns, and destroys - that concept of anarchy is merely propaganda. I am for anarchy as it pertains to the fundamental rights of people to decide their own destiny and way of living rather than be at the mercy of the few: men, psychopathic men, who represent all that is destructive about humanity. They are the few, and we are the masses, but they control us. We are primitive–all of us–and we will be the orchestrators of our own downfall. This current trajectory holds little hope for us. How can we possibly survive?
Elon Musk, Jeff Besos, Benjamin Netanyahu, Donald Trump, Richie Sunak, Christine Lagard, Margaret Thatcher, Ben Bernanke, Joe Biden, Henry Kissinger (may he burn in hell for his crimes), all these sons of bitches, we put them in their positions by our worship of celebrity and our abdication of personal responsibility.
That's our problem.
I agree but I do not think that it is strictly "top-down" where the leaders decide what the value system is for the rest of society. Society, family, community, the school system etc.. are all contributing factors and will coach an individual from birth to buy into trading some of his freedom in exchange for relative security and a set of "values". If we agree to this contract, we as individuals will need to be "good citizens", conform to the value system and become the shills of system by perpetuating its values and convincing others of its legitimity. If we decide to operate outside of that, we are shunned, and become the bums of society. The fear of not belonging is a big motivator.
100% with you on this, Larry. Interesting ideas related in https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/53328332
Helena