Is this what i've stayed sober for???

[wordweaver5]

   Once again I'm confronted by the false choices of abject poverty.  I'm grasping at nearby detritus to build a lifeboat.  Sure, its mainly my own fault.  I had the temerity to not learn the finer points of my craft from the 'trade school' i attended.  And I'm an idle dreamer as well.  I went to 'trade school' to be a commercial driver.  I use citation marks because that school doesn't make any profit from the students.  They get industry subsidies.  I got a valid CDL but the "finer points" involve backing trailers into slots in the real world.  (Versus between lines on the pavement.)  I had three incidents.  None were serious, but now no company will even test me because of insurance rules.  So I'm delivering pizza and living in a motel, because its too cold to live in my car anymore. 

   Being poor is not that bad so long as you don't mind STAYING poor.  All the money you make is spent to stay alive.  You can't get a bank account because you have no stable address,  you have no stable address because you have no bank account.  Because you have no place to save what little dollar and change might be left falls out of your pocket for some 'wasteful trinket'.  You can't get a decent job for the same reason.  My situation was very similar to this in Texas.  Coincidentally, ACORN started their canvas operation about that time.  The ad said; "Tired of Reaganomics and want to do something about it?"  I spent the next ten years canvassing for various justice, peace & environmental groups.  Canvassing is OJT on human nature.  One never convinces anyone of anything.  Although you can occasionally have meaningful dialog what you're mainly doing is convincing those who already agree to do something about it.  (Apologies to Robt Greenwald.)

   Then the curiosity (dreamer) entered.  I started reading about the Farmer Populists and The Grange movement.  And reading Noam Chomsky,  Saul Alinski, (sp?)  Mother Jones,  Howard Zinn, Big Bob Hayward, &ct...  Desperation like I've outlined here is an integral part of the capitalist model.  The great huge mass of humanity have no interest in acquiring large piles of things.  They'd rather have enough food, adequate shelter, and something interesting to DO with their time.  (Finding that 'something interesting', then finding more of it,  may well be the "pursuit" of happiness.)  Now, when the 40 hour week and the single income household are unrecognizable,  where are the tirades against wage slavery?  Where are the 'Eat the Rich' barn burners?  I've continued reading.  And ya know what?  DailyKos got NUTHIN on the IWW!  Eugene Debs got a million votes for President while he was inside a prison cell dammit!  The Democratic Party would've been a footnote to the Civil War but for co-opting and diluting the issues of the REAL populists. And they're doing it again.  All this compromise is killing us, sometimes literally.

   ENOUGH!     I say forget 'impeach Bush/Cheney'  I say impeach Reid/Polosi

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Impeach 'em all, dammit.

And welcome to capitalism and the land of the "free".

[Cain]

Interesting stuff.

As for where it all went, I think there was some momentum being built up in the anti-globalization movement.  As retarded as certain segments (and indeed the label) were, they were growing in popularity and forcing these issues on the table.

Then, as they say, 9/11 happened and "everything changed".  Security was the big issue and the state managed to redefine itself as defending the population against terrorists.  A few people got scared and dropped out.  Some more had a closer look at their allies and decided perhaps it would be best to do their own thing.  And a few more got the crap beaten out of them by newly empowered security forces.

That's my theory anyway.  Because those in power managed to frame the debate in terms where they can always win (or at least spin it that way), compromise becomes the only option for the cowardly politician.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Interesting stuff.

As for where it all went, I think there was some momentum being built up in the anti-globalization movement.  As retarded as certain segments (and indeed the label) were, they were growing in popularity and forcing these issues on the table.

Then, as they say, 9/11 happened and "everything changed".  Security was the big issue and the state managed to redefine itself as defending the population against terrorists.  A few people got scared and dropped out.  Some more had a closer look at their allies and decided perhaps it would be best to do their own thing.  And a few more got the crap beaten out of them by newly empowered security forces.

That's my theory anyway.  Because those in power managed to frame the debate in terms where they can always win (or at least spin it that way), compromise becomes the only option for the cowardly politician.

Welcome to the post-American century.  Nothing stops The Machine™.

[P3nT4gR4m]

Lemme get this straight - you stayed sober? and for something as trivial as a reason?

WAYSA???

[Bebek Sincap Ratatosk]

Lemme get this straight - you stayed sober? and for something as trivial as a reason?

WAYSA???

yep, sometimes it seems like the options are "Be sober and miserable at the mess we have in the world" or "Be stoned, drunk and tripping ... the world won't be any better but you'll be stoned, drunk and tripping...."

LOL

[P3nT4gR4m]

Spoken like a true fucking prodigy

[Lies]

yep, sometimes it seems like the options are "Be sober and miserable at the mess we have in the world" or "Be stoned, drunk and tripping ... the world won't be any better but you'll be stoned, drunk and tripping...."

LOL

That about sums up my philosophy.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Lemme get this straight - you stayed sober? and for something as trivial as a reason?

WAYSA???

yep, sometimes it seems like the options are "Be sober and miserable at the mess we have in the world" or "Be stoned, drunk and tripping ... the world won't be any better but you'll be stoned, drunk and tripping...."

LOL

And why not spend the 75 or so years you have on this planet in a chemically-induced haze?  That's different from spending it in front of the teevee.

Somehow.

[Cainad (dec.)]

Lemme get this straight - you stayed sober? and for something as trivial as a reason?

WAYSA???

yep, sometimes it seems like the options are "Be sober and miserable at the mess we have in the world" or "Be stoned, drunk and tripping ... the world won't be any better but you'll be stoned, drunk and tripping...."

LOL

And why not spend the 75 or so years you have on this planet in a chemically-induced haze?  That's different from spending it in front of the teevee.

Somehow.

Highs and trips, to my knowledge, don't come with commercial breaks. That's all I can think of.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Lemme get this straight - you stayed sober? and for something as trivial as a reason?

WAYSA???

yep, sometimes it seems like the options are "Be sober and miserable at the mess we have in the world" or "Be stoned, drunk and tripping ... the world won't be any better but you'll be stoned, drunk and tripping...."

LOL

And why not spend the 75 or so years you have on this planet in a chemically-induced haze?  That's different from spending it in front of the teevee.

Somehow.

Highs and trips, to my knowledge, don't come with commercial breaks. That's all I can think of.

Commercial breaks ain't the problem with teevee.  Teevee is the problem with teevee.  Creates a substitute for LIVING.  Same thing with drugs & alcohol.  Once in a while doesn't hurt ya none...but when you view the state of being all fucked up as being superior to regular living, then you've bought the Conspiracy line, and turned yourself into the sort of drone The Man likes to see.

Congratulations.

[B_M_W]

And by living, we mean throwing shit, like monkeys were meant to do.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

And by living, we mean throwing shit, like monkeys were meant to do.

Speak for yourself.

By living, *I* mean "STOMPING THE TERRA AND HAVING A GOOD FUCKING TIME, USUALLY AT THE EXPENSE OF STUPID PEOPLE".

[Cain]

Yeah, thats the bit thats up for negotiation, depending on the person in question.

In my case, its quiet, nice drinks in relaxed company, plotting and the occasional piece of fun with a fundie of some description (because there are so many going around nowadays).

[Lies]

Lemme get this straight - you stayed sober? and for something as trivial as a reason?

WAYSA???

yep, sometimes it seems like the options are "Be sober and miserable at the mess we have in the world" or "Be stoned, drunk and tripping ... the world won't be any better but you'll be stoned, drunk and tripping...."

LOL

And why not spend the 75 or so years you have on this planet in a chemically-induced haze?  That's different from spending it in front of the teevee.

Somehow.

Highs and trips, to my knowledge, don't come with commercial breaks. That's all I can think of.

Commercial breaks ain't the problem with teevee.  Teevee is the problem with teevee.  Creates a substitute for LIVING.  Same thing with drugs & alcohol.  Once in a while doesn't hurt ya none...but when you view the state of being all fucked up as being superior to regular living, then you've bought the Conspiracy line, and turned yourself into the sort of drone The Man likes to see.

Congratulations.

I used to get high on life, but then I got tolerant and now I get high because of life.

And spending your days high doesn't seem to get in the way of me living and doing shit, whether I like it or not it seems.

And if I've bought into the conspiracy by being drug fucked as often as I can be, then I say it's the best deal "Bob" has ever sold me.