Get worse now!

[Doktor Howl]

The capacity a human has for continuous suffering is terrifying.

If it keeps up for long enough, it becomes the New Normal.

Just look at the sequester. What started out as a "punishment" for not getting budget shit together has become the BASELINE.

And the GOP assholes are crowing "SEE?  STUFF DIDN'T FALL APART", because A) congress wasn't targeted, and B) the country club still has plenty of booze and fat little boys.

[Cain]

People who rely on the heightening of contradictions to bring about a general uprising and do their work for them are usually woefully misinformed about history and the theory of rebellion.  To me, it comes across as an excuse, a reason why one shouldn't act at this moment.  And thus, the moment where the "public" breaks never comes, and they never do anything.  Neatly absolving them of all responsibility.  They wanted to act, but, well, Those People...

[LMNO]

The capacity a human has for continuous suffering is terrifying.

If it keeps up for long enough, it becomes the New Normal.

Just look at the sequester. What started out as a "punishment" for not getting budget shit together has become the BASELINE.

And the GOP assholes are crowing "SEE?  STUFF DIDN'T FALL APART", because A) congress wasn't targeted, and B) the country club still has plenty of booze and fat little boys.

And then they wonder why the recovery is taking so long.


Oh, wait. No they aren't. They KNOW why it's taking so long: "Not enough austerity."

[GrannySmith]

I also usually agree with McGrupp's first post. I even have a little theory/fantasy that as soon as enough people get pissed off enough, we'll all push for a change/decision/action instinctively, much like ants act, e.g., when choosing a new nest. When they're enough that prefer that certain choice they just do it. On the other hand, in the ants example, one has to destroy their old nest first. Anyway, this idea has not properly formed in my head yet.

Agreeing with McGrupp I used to think this is going to happen to greece for example. Every year, month, things get worse and worse since 2009. There were some large protests, constantly small ones, though nothing seems to bother the majority of the population... How much worse does it have to get? I'm starting to lose my belief in this idea...

Yeah, well, look at the USSR under Stalin before and after WWII, and tell me when it gets bad enough.

IT DOESN'T GET BAD ENOUGH. 

Historical hint:  With only ONE exception in history (Haiti), EVERY successful revolution has been led by the upper and/or upper middle classes.

The capacity a human has for continuous suffering is terrifying.

If it keeps up for long enough, it becomes the New Normal.

Just look at the sequester. What started out as a "punishment" for not getting budget shit together has become the BASELINE.

I absolutely agree with both. But i still don't know what i can do about it, except take part at some protest and point out to everyone i know, how shit the situation is and try to discuss why. but i can't see how this helps any more.

[Left]

I also usually agree with McGrupp's first post. I even have a little theory/fantasy that as soon as enough people get pissed off enough, we'll all push for a change/decision/action instinctively, much like ants act, e.g., when choosing a new nest. When they're enough that prefer that certain choice they just do it. On the other hand, in the ants example, one has to destroy their old nest first. Anyway, this idea has not properly formed in my head yet.

Agreeing with McGrupp I used to think this is going to happen to greece for example. Every year, month, things get worse and worse since 2009. There were some large protests, constantly small ones, though nothing seems to bother the majority of the population... How much worse does it have to get? I'm starting to lose my belief in this idea...

Yeah, well, look at the USSR under Stalin before and after WWII, and tell me when it gets bad enough.

IT DOESN'T GET BAD ENOUGH. 

Historical hint:  With only ONE exception in history (Haiti), EVERY successful revolution has been led by the upper and/or upper middle classes.

The capacity a human has for continuous suffering is terrifying.

If it keeps up for long enough, it becomes the New Normal.

Just look at the sequester. What started out as a "punishment" for not getting budget shit together has become the BASELINE.

I absolutely agree with both. But i still don't know what i can do about it, except take part at some protest and point out to everyone i know, how shit the situation is and try to discuss why. but i can't see how this helps any more.

Seconded.
It's like watching a horrible trainwreck in very slow motion- one reason why I tend to dodge the news a lot.

But the thing is?  We're so atomized.
That and poor people don't ally with other poor people.

...I like to say that I didn't declare class war, class war was declared on me. 

[GrannySmith]

I also usually agree with McGrupp's first post. I even have a little theory/fantasy that as soon as enough people get pissed off enough, we'll all push for a change/decision/action instinctively, much like ants act, e.g., when choosing a new nest. When they're enough that prefer that certain choice they just do it. On the other hand, in the ants example, one has to destroy their old nest first. Anyway, this idea has not properly formed in my head yet.

Agreeing with McGrupp I used to think this is going to happen to greece for example. Every year, month, things get worse and worse since 2009. There were some large protests, constantly small ones, though nothing seems to bother the majority of the population... How much worse does it have to get? I'm starting to lose my belief in this idea...

Yeah, well, look at the USSR under Stalin before and after WWII, and tell me when it gets bad enough.

IT DOESN'T GET BAD ENOUGH. 

Historical hint:  With only ONE exception in history (Haiti), EVERY successful revolution has been led by the upper and/or upper middle classes.

The capacity a human has for continuous suffering is terrifying.

If it keeps up for long enough, it becomes the New Normal.

Just look at the sequester. What started out as a "punishment" for not getting budget shit together has become the BASELINE.

I absolutely agree with both. But i still don't know what i can do about it, except take part at some protest and point out to everyone i know, how shit the situation is and try to discuss why. but i can't see how this helps any more.

Seconded.
It's like watching a horrible trainwreck in very slow motion- one reason why I tend to dodge the news a lot.

But the thing is?  We're so atomized.
That and poor people don't ally with other poor people.

...I like to say that I didn't declare class war, class war was declared on me. 

I manage to stand reading the news by switching to science news when politics gets too depressing/horrifying. Somehow that gives me hope for humanity that we're not just living in a baboon society.

We are atomized indeed but i see in some countries that when the poor people get to be an enough percentage of the population they start to ally and, for example, order potatoes directly from the farmers to bypass the expensive supermarket middle men. (http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/feb/25/25wiregreeceWEB/) So i stay optimistic on this one.

I'll definitely be using this quote on class war!

[Reginald Ret]

We are atomized indeed but i see in some countries that when the poor people get to be an enough percentage of the population they start to ally and, for example, order potatoes directly from the farmers to bypass the expensive supermarket middle men. (http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/feb/25/25wiregreeceWEB/) So i stay optimistic on this one.

That is the coolest thing i've seen in a long time.
Thanks for the tiny spark of hope for humanity.
Don't worry, it won't last.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

I also usually agree with McGrupp's first post. I even have a little theory/fantasy that as soon as enough people get pissed off enough, we'll all push for a change/decision/action instinctively, much like ants act, e.g., when choosing a new nest. When they're enough that prefer that certain choice they just do it. On the other hand, in the ants example, one has to destroy their old nest first. Anyway, this idea has not properly formed in my head yet.

Agreeing with McGrupp I used to think this is going to happen to greece for example. Every year, month, things get worse and worse since 2009. There were some large protests, constantly small ones, though nothing seems to bother the majority of the population... How much worse does it have to get? I'm starting to lose my belief in this idea...

Yeah, well, look at the USSR under Stalin before and after WWII, and tell me when it gets bad enough.

IT DOESN'T GET BAD ENOUGH. 

Historical hint:  With only ONE exception in history (Haiti), EVERY successful revolution has been led by the upper and/or upper middle classes.

The capacity a human has for continuous suffering is terrifying.

If it keeps up for long enough, it becomes the New Normal.

Just look at the sequester. What started out as a "punishment" for not getting budget shit together has become the BASELINE.

I absolutely agree with both. But i still don't know what i can do about it, except take part at some protest and point out to everyone i know, how shit the situation is and try to discuss why. but i can't see how this helps any more.

Seconded.
It's like watching a horrible trainwreck in very slow motion- one reason why I tend to dodge the news a lot.

But the thing is?  We're so atomized.
That and poor people don't ally with other poor people.

...I like to say that I didn't declare class war, class war was declared on me. 

I manage to stand reading the news by switching to science news when politics gets too depressing/horrifying. Somehow that gives me hope for humanity that we're not just living in a baboon society.

We are atomized indeed but i see in some countries that when the poor people get to be an enough percentage of the population they start to ally and, for example, order potatoes directly from the farmers to bypass the expensive supermarket middle men. (http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/feb/25/25wiregreeceWEB/) So i stay optimistic on this one.

I'll definitely be using this quote on class war!

They need farmer's markets!

It's really neat that the farmer didn't charge a profit on his potatoes.

[Q. G. Pennyworth]

BAMP