Clockwood said:
Please remember that I started life on the very bottom. Poor parents, an apartment that had more wildlife than the amazon, and a drug lab just a couple buildings down. I worked my way up, starting as a laborer in a cement plant, and eventually payed my way through college. Don't talk to me about a ruling elite.
Please, remember that you live in a pyramidal or hierarchical (wealth/opportunity wise) society. That means bottom is always much broader than top. That means no matter how everybody will try, there will be people making $5/hr and living on the streets. That means that lots and lots of folks in the similar situation to yours, with similar abilities and drive did not make it. I'll give American plutocracy its due. Plutocratic propaganda "it's not systems fault" it's all your fault. Had you tried harder, had you had more personal responsibility, you'd be on the top and push the guy next to you to the bottom (directly or indirectly). Americans like this kind of fairy tale. It's a cultural thing, and cultures be not judged. So I'll not. Just remember, your personal success story cannot be extrapolated on the entire hierarchical society. Not going to work. You have won, good for you.
I was free to do whatever I was capable of doing (withing reason), and without the government getting in the way. That is as much as I could ever ask. I didn't wan't any free handouts, only the bare skeleton of a chance to make my way.
You think soviet government was intruding in the choice of life paths by its citizens? Hell no (if one was not barking aloud). You've forgotten to add something. I'll do it for you. "I was free to do whatever I was capable of doing if I could pay for it". Great constraint.
All places are not so free. In some countries, you are told your role in life from a relatively young age and never get the choice for yourself.
But one could try anyway. Similarly, in the USA: if one was born poor, 90% chances are that he'll die poor (with all pleasures of being poor, like limited choices). It's appears like statistical predetermination. Sure, there is a chance, but chance is everywhere. BTW, social mobility is greater in Canada and UK than in the birthplace of blue American dream. Who would think
Too lazy to look up reference on research. thus, perception is reality.
In others, those doing a touch too poorly in school will literally be kicked out after a certain grade.
Seems like such a lack of freedom is wellspread in the USA. Can't make grades, no diploma.
Protesting the government openly in any manner may get you locked away or, if you are seen as too big a troublemaker, just shot. The law may be a bit nearsighted at times, but it works to enforce those ] rights when it does see that they are in danger.
I must admit, it was quite a feeling when barking on government was allowed in USSR (as a part of the plan on destruction of country). But then realization has come, what is the principal difference between "you are not allowed to bark" and "nobody pays attention to your teethless barking"? If your barking will be percieved as dangerous for government, expect no mercy even in the land of free. So this freedom is quite perceived.
[qoute] As for our media being corporate owned, what is the alternative?
Somebody has to pay to have the newspapers printed and the cameras rolling. The only other choice is to let the government do that as they do in North Korea or the old Soviet Union. If you don't like it, start your own newspaper. There is no law saying you can't. [/quote]
Is corporate property the only kind of property? Alternative: ban on monopolization of news media by several major players. The smaller media corporation, the more media corporations exists - the harder to control the flow of info. + asking question "who benefits" after each viewing a news story etc. Well, I would not overestimate the power of media though. Humans see what they want to see, the real picture is irrelevant. the matrix of preferences is embedded before one pays attention to media. Many folks never pays attention to media (meaning political news, etc.), soaps and reality shows are more than enough to satisfy their needs.
Hell, we let Moore's Farenheit 9-11 movie be shown. Somebody must be a freaking saint not to blow the man's balls off.
Well, compared to the numerous right wing talk shows which has occupied radio, Moore is simply a beacon of objectivity, love and reason. I truly believe that Michael Savage is getting more insane every year. There is such a network as RBN (republic broadcast network). I would rename it into PLN (paranoid loon network). that is true assembly of mental cases. You may say everything about Moore (maybe even rightly so) but compared to the other side he's objective angle of truth.
