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The Sound of Silence.... IS DEAFENING!!

Posted by LetsShrug 13 years, 2 months ago to Culture
40 comments | Share | Best of... | Flag

Is it just me or is NO one talking about ANY thing important these days. (The Gulch excluded, of course.) I'm starting to pay attention to those around me....really pay attention and what I'm seeing is ....well....nothing. I see nothing. No spark.

Today I brought up the situation in Cypress with a co worker and mid-sentence she whipped out her cell phone and showed me a picture of her new puppy. Occasionally I will get some "No kidding", or an "I know!" when I say some of the things I say (about current events/news etc), but even THEY never initiate a comment on their own. Why? Are they afraid their opinion will offend someone. Do they even HAVE an opinion?

I rarely forward emails to anyone anymore because even the most intriguing, thought provoking, articles get no response. I'm dumbfounded by this because I CANNOT get enough information...I need more hours in my day to read everything I want to gobble up. The lack of interest, the lack of hearing anyone speak of our country's situation is like a slap in the face.

It seems that everybody but myself is on a constant mission to fit-in, or impress others somehow, ...it's pathetically superficial in my view and holds zero value as a human. Seriously, if they don't value their country, their freedom, their futures, what DO they value? Their new car? The Mall? What?!!!

What say you....


All Comments

  • Posted by khalling 13 years, 1 month ago in reply to this comment.
    I think that would be an interesting post. What groups and places and businesses have people started shrugging from
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  • Posted by JossAmbrose 13 years, 1 month ago in reply to this comment.
    I did a bit of cheffing some years ago. Wasn't my thing I'm afraid. Do love cooking though.

    As for deleting leftists, two guys in particular are friends I've known since my teens. I let them get on with it & see no real merit in deleting them. Besides, as I explained in an earlier comment, it gives me a window into their world. I get to see the things you don't hear about in the news - petitions, lobbying etc.

    Catch up again soon. Must go to work. :)
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  • Posted by $ kathywiso 13 years, 1 month ago in reply to this comment.
    Welcome to the Gulch JA. I have been a bit busy lately and haven't had time to be here.. I did see a previous post of yours about Margaret Thatcher, a true Capitalist and was happy that you found this site to interact with like minded people. Lobotomized, a word I haven't heard in a while, but I do believe fits the IQ of most of the sheep in today's society. I do fly my American flag and still believe in the freedoms that our country was founded on. I have a friend who was stationed at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, that I believe is an English base.... when he returned, his Commander from your country visited and ate at my restaurant. He had to change his military uniform before returning to England, because the people there did not respect them, kind of reminded me of the Vietnam Vets that came back to America after serving their country. He was in tears, because I Thanked him for his service.....

    I am wondering why you don't defriend these facebook leftists ?? Hey, I looked up your introduction and I am impressed... have a little experience in carpentry, painting and woodworking myself.... and being a producer, running my restaurant :)
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  • Posted by $ rockymountainpirate 13 years, 1 month ago in reply to this comment.
    I have 'friends', then I have acquaintances and some family. The friends column is pretty small, but they're the only ones worth it. I haven't the patience for those who choose to not think. I'll try with some of the others to see if they are among the almost living but if there is no light in the eyes I waste no further time. That includes family.
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  • Posted by JossAmbrose 13 years, 1 month ago in reply to this comment.
    From my perspective, the US & UK are fairly equal in their stagnation.

    Forgive the example but to quote the Bible, "don't throw your pearls to swine." In other words, I don't give too much away to certain people because I know what their reaction would be. I like to maintain certain connections on FB as it gives me a window into 'their' world (the stuff you don't hear in the news). Sickening as it is sometimes, I get a better idea of what's coming next - protests, petitions, lobbying etc.
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  • Posted by 13 years, 1 month ago in reply to this comment.
    .....which takes us to the next topic...WHO are your friends. I struggle with this, not as much as I used to, as I have shed a few of them since the election (but not enough of them yet), but it got to the point that I realized they were useless. They wouldn't listen to reason and believe me I TRIED. Then it occurred to me. THEY weren't just not listening, they were WORKING against me...via their vote, via their very mindset. Even if they don't realize it (which they don't) they are STILL a force working against everything I believe in. Freedom. How can I continue to be friends with THAT? I can't..and I won't. From what I understand, Joss, England is ahead of US in this race to Socialism, and worse. :(
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  • Posted by JossAmbrose 13 years, 1 month ago in reply to this comment.
    I'm new to the gulch.

    I've been playing catch-up browsing various topics this evening & reading comments here & there & stumbled upon this one.

    It's much the same in England let me tell you. All over the internet you see leftist propaganda about how Capitalism is enemy number one. I get so tired of it & frankly it scares me.

    In England, the British flag is considered politically incorrectâ„¢, whereas a flag from anywhere else in the world is perfectly acceptable as it embraces diversityâ„¢.

    A couple of old friends I've got on Facebook are so indoctrinated by Left ideas, it's as if they've been drugged / lobotomised. It makes me cringe.
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  • Posted by 13 years, 2 months ago in reply to this comment.
    I have yet to read The Virtue of Selfishness, I have it, but I just haven't had time to squeeze it into my queue. Perhaps I'll whip it out and read that specific chapter to wet my whistle. Thanks for the suggestion. The reason for the post, more or less, was to find out if others notice the lack of conversation going on, or am I an isolated example? I do find it incredibly bewildering that "smart" people CHOOSE to ignore the gradual demolition of the thee most sacred human right. Freedom. Perhaps I am more sad than annoyed. :( (P.S. I cannot try to save them, debate them, or care about them if they can't even engage in a reasoned conversation....so that point is moot.) <--- I just wanted to use the word moot.
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  • Posted by Non_mooching_artist 13 years, 2 months ago
    Most go hollow eyed through their day to day lives, concerned only that the kids have something to keep them occupied, and that they can watch some crap on prime time. Engaging them is frustrating at best. The friends we have, we have for a reason. Mutual respect. This is what I do with my kids. We talk about current events. I ask them questions, they are then charged with the task of thinking about their answers. This doesn't mean that they have no down time to just shut off for a bit. It's just what they do all the time.

    My daughter and I were watching a piece about the UN arms treaty, and how the US doesn't want any part of it. She listened to what was being said about a gun registry, and what it would mean in the hands of another country. I asked her what she thought, and she answered, "So they can come for the people with guns first, and kill them." These were her words, not mine. Hopefully what we do here, and talk about outside of our home, will start to clear away some of the fog. Don't know if it will happen before a total meltdown.
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  • Posted by khalling 13 years, 2 months ago in reply to this comment.
    I'm with you selfish on re-reading "A rational Life..."
    However, occasionally, it is just fine to blow off a little steam.:)
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  • Posted by ObjectiveAnalyst 13 years, 2 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Hello MrSelfish,
    Lectures are not necessarily objectionable.
    I like your closing("Live, love, create, and lead by example!") because, while it is not worth your time of day to try to convert the Peter Keatings of the world, we must lead by example and do what we can to offer alternatives to those who have not yet imbibed the koolaid.
    Respectfully,
    O.A.
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  • Posted by MrSelfish 13 years, 2 months ago
    I apologize if this post seems as if I'm delivering a lecture, but - -

    I see in this thread an underlying expression of dismay and exasperation by the author and many posters regarding the clearly irrational society we must function within, and a sense that they perceive the course of their lives is overly determined by the cynically shrewd managing the stupid among us. This is, I suspect, is reality.

    An excellent statistic that illustrates the scope and depth of our irrational society is today's Rasmussen pole in which 51% of likely voters approved of Mr. Obama's presidential performance.

    Paraphrasing Rand's Roark in the Fountainhead, we must learn 'not to be afraid of the world'. He was, of course, referring to our susceptibility to being entrapped and overwhelmed by the oppressive mindlessness and avarice that surrounds us. But, our obsessing over the suicidal behavior of the majority - the droids who submerge themselves in populist escapism or practice progressive ideological self denigration, is itself defeatist and a pointless exercise, which should be avoided.

    Our preoccupation should be the pursuit of 'selfish' ethically rational personal gratification, which some refer to as work, and others as pleasure, and which in the end is the only rational purpose to our lives. Whether rejected, discriminated against, or otherwise abused, other than protecting your legal rights, you must ignore these dolts as if they did not exist. Roark lived on his terms regardless of the effect it had on his style of living. If that meant working in a quarry, so be it.

    I would suggest that all read Rand's, The Virtue of Selfishness, with specific attention to the chapter on 'How to live a rational life in an irrational society'.

    The Peter Keating's of the world - the manipulated, and the Ellsworth Toohey's of the world - the manipulators, do not merit the time we spend bemoaning their existence.

    Do not try to save them. Do not debate them. Do not care about them. They are irredeemable and ultimately irrelevant.

    Live, love, create, and lead by example!
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  • Posted by 13 years, 2 months ago in reply to this comment.
    I think it's funny (mixed with a twinge of sad) that we come in here to talk about our friends and their reactions, or lack or reactions, to things we are very concerned about. I'm sick of having friends I can't have a stimulating conversation with. (I just ended two consecutive sentences with prepositions...and I don't care.)
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  • Posted by LionelHutz 13 years, 2 months ago
    I was with a group of friends a little over a week ago when I read the news about Cyprus coming over my cell phone. My reaction was shock. I told everyone what I was reading I and got these looks:
    a. "I don't even know what you just said."
    b. "You're looking at me like you expect me to react. What do you expect me to say?"
    c. "Why do you care? Why should I?"
    d. "Can we talk about something else?"

    I think it is two things.

    1. The people who are alert don't think they can doing anything about it. Therefore, they think it's a waste of time to get worked up over it (dedicate any mental energy to it). I've gotten this feedback from several people when I try to engage them.

    2. The people who aren't alert (by far the great majority), are basically on drugs, or mentally exhausted.

    I don't think people are thinking the government will take care of everything. That gives them credit for thinking in the first place. They are too CONTENT or too TIRED to think.

    The leeches have no reason to be concerned - they are content. It is Idiocracy. They've got their stuff. Life is good.

    The producers believe they have to maintain an 'American standard of living'. They exhaust themselves in 9 hour days and two hour commutes to come home to a house where the spouse has done the same thing. They have a microwave dinner while watching the crap du jour on cable TV. The brain needs its downtime. Two more hours until bedtime. Meanwhile, their kids are in the den. They've been playing Minecraft from the time school ends until bedtime and probably didn't even join the parents for dinner. The system will educate their kids on the evils of capitalism and the wonders of socialism tomorrow morning. The parents will be too busy to notice and too tired to act.
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  • Posted by khalling 13 years, 2 months ago in reply to this comment.
    snort. segueway. that's going to be my next username when I learn to quit using my own name
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  • Posted by $ Susanne 13 years, 2 months ago in reply to this comment.
    They can't face the disaster in front of them. It happens all the time in the presence of an overwhelming disaster - look at the immediate post-event reactions to things like Katrina or Sandy or even 9-11... It doesn't fit their view of what they percieve as "normal", so their mind sees something entirely different.
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  • Posted by ObjectiveAnalyst 13 years, 2 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Normalcy bias too. There are a number of reasons, excuses really, people tell themselves to justify their own indolence.
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