Tags
blogging, culture, discussions, humor, insanitybytes22, life, peeps, politics, power structures
Photo by Artem Beliaikin on Pexels.com
One of my favorite objections, accusations, and attacks on the internet is, “you’re a brainwashed lemming who follows authoritarian systems.” And by “favorite” I mean, totally worthy of a good snarkilicous eye roll.
Logically, rationally, I need to respond to this accusation with some reason. Do I follow authoritarian systems? Well, that depends. Just who is in authority and what is the system? I’m rather fond of fireman and libraries. It is exceedingly cool when people actually follow the rules of the road so we all get where we’re going safely….
I actually don’t like just freefalling through the universe with no structure or system in place in which to organize the mess of our lives and our rather pathetic attempts to try and live in community. Like, I think marriage is healthy for us and for most of us, gender is actually fixed solidly even before birth.
Emotionally, spiritually however, I am actually just rolling on the floor laughing. Me as a “brainwashed lemming who just worships authoritarian systems” is hysterically funny in it’s strange juxtaposition against reality. In other words, not so much. I am more like the anti matter when it comes to blind obedience. I mean, I have references and everything. Probably a permanent record, too.
Some part of me is also mildly offended at the very suggestion, ever so slightly miffed, because anyone who would accuse me of being a brain washed lemming for authority, has never listened to a darn word I have said nor have they ever bothered to get to know me.
Here in this liberal oasis, AKA, the 9th circuit of hell, the accusation of being an authoritarian or a sycophant for power structures is such an odd paradox, such a strange parallel universe to find oneself trapped in. I am in the minority and somewhat powerless. I’m not just on the lowest rung of the social ladder, I’m not even allowed to go near the ladder! So, it’s more like, I totally object to this somewhat fascist, authoritarian, dystopian, system so many people seem hell bent on creating. Like NO! I’m actually terrified of authoritarian systems that demand brainwashed lemmings worship them. Sooo, could you politely just get your foot off my neck?
How is it people never seem to be able to see their own authoritarian systems and power structures?? It’s kind of like being “power blind” or something.
I mean, if Government is just benevolence, love, and community, why do you always attach fines, penalties, mandates, and force, to your beautiful pie in the sky ideas? I mean, if something is for the good of all, generally you can just win over hearts and minds and we can all work together. Somewhat! I mean, there are always a few extremists and a few lost and broken, but for the most part nobody is ever arguing in favor of our right to do something like, steal from one another. Except the Gov of course, they often seem to be a bit shady in that area…
I’ve been doing this on the internet for close to 15 years now, trying to reach across the aisle, trying to communicate with people of diverse views. I’ve been doing it on the ground too, but to a much lesser degree. For the most part people really don’t want to sit down and have a fireside chat and when they’re flashing me a peace symbol they often forget to use both fingers. Those are huge obstacles when trying to foster discussion.
What makes this such an exercise in futility is that people often don’t even want to listen. They just want to validate their own world view. I’ve had to learn from that example, I’ve learned that I have to be willing to listen myself, because it’s totally nutty when you won’t. Like for example, the 12 different conversations I’ve tried to enter the past few days on FB and twitter that all began with, “Will somebody please tell me…”
Absolutely! I’d just love to tell you! I’m ready, willing, and able. Also, I’m fairly pleasant, easy to talk to, and generally civil. And 3…2…1…..blocked, banned, ignored, dismissed, and locked out. It’s almost funny how predictable it always is.
Photo by Alexis Azabache on Pexels.com
“Will somebody please tell me…” really just means, affirm that my nutty worldview is totally accurate and that all sane people share my perceptions and views and anyone who disagrees with me ever so slightly is totally wrong and should just be completely annihilated.
I empathize, I empathize deeply with the mindset. I happen to have a giant catapult just to fling people off my planet with. A totally imaginary catapult, but hey, it still works.
Also, not to blow any minds here, but that mindset is totally authoritarian and fascist…….just saying.
See, there's this thing called biology... 
“you’re a brainwashed lemming who follows authoritarian systems.”
I’m totally with you on this one, IB. What’s incredibly ironic about this statement is that a lot of the people who say this want an intolerant, totalitarian form of society. They would absolutely HATE a truly pluralistic society where all views are equally respected and considered. They only tolerate people who agree with their political ideology and worldview. Religion is a poison that must be eradicated, social justice is equated with identity politics, etc. Quite bizarre, actually.
LikeLiked by 3 people
LOL! It really baffles me sometimes, Mel. I suppose this is nothing new, this is the nature of people and part of the reason why we have so often built in checks and balances to prevent people from gaining access to unlimited power. I do tend to a value a wee bit of pluralism in MY fantasy society. Not so open minded our brains are just falling out, but let’s at least make some space for people who might not agree. 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
Funny, how the “brainwashed lemmings” see this, while their critics are totally oblivious …
LikeLiked by 2 people
Exactly
LikeLike
Freefalling through the universe…….
Haha. That just about describes the theory of atheism- sorry for the diversion ma’am.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Nah, you’re absolutely right! Often I encounter these “free thinking atheists,” who seem to believe we don’t need a moral standard to have a….. moral standard. That’s not just free falling through the universe, that’s actually tumbling head first.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sorry, I do have to weigh in here. Being an atheist does not mean ‘lacking a moral compass’. Morals are imposed by society. Ethics, on the other hand, look beyond the strictures of any particular culture. That said, being an atheist should mean questioning the accepted thinking and coming to one’s own set of beliefs and road map for life.
I’m an atheist. Have been for 50 years. I don’t lie. I don’t steal. I don’t murder anybody. And beyond those societal ‘morals’, I try very hard to treat others ‘as I would like them to treat me’.
I’m not in a moral free fall. I simply don’t need a god or a religion to be a good human being. More importantly, because I see belief as innately personal, I don’t expect anyone else to share my beliefs about god and religion. I don’t proselytize.
I also don’t mock those who /live/ their beliefs, even if I don’t share them. On the other hand, I consider those who only pay lip service to ethics and the morality of their own religion as being truly in ‘free fall’. They have nothing.
LikeLike
I should introduce you to some of our evangelizing internet atheists and then you would understand what I am saying. They are a bit like rabid fundamentalists, except without the good music or cookies after the service. Of course, I can’t introduce you and expose you to that kind of thing, that would be immoral. 🙂
Honestly, I’m in complete agreement with what you’ve said here, ” I consider those who only pay lip service to ethics and the morality of their own religion as being truly in ‘free fall’. They have nothing.” Absolutely! Perhaps that is even worse than nothing? I don’t know. A bit funny, but I think Jesus would agree with us both. He said something very similar.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m so glad you weren’t offended! And yes, I think we’re on the same page as far as ethics is concerned. Oddly enough, I became an atheist after 10 years of a Catholic school upbringing. I rejected Jesus-as-god, but totally embraced his parables and his desire to strip away the accumulated rubbish to find the goodness at its core. I honestly can’t work out how some fundamentalists can call themselves ‘christian’ with a straight face.
Bottom line for me – good people are good because they want to be, not because someone’s hitting them over the head with a stick. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
When a person calls everyone a facist. how can you determine who the real facists are?
LikeLiked by 3 people
Exactly! I remember a protestor on the street corner with a sign that said, “America is a fascist country.” He pretty much nullified his own argument by exercising his right to free speech and to protest in public. You don’t see that a lot in truly fascist countries. 🙂
LikeLiked by 4 people
As the professor said in “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe,” – “LOGIC! Why don’t they teach logic in these schools?!”
LikeLiked by 2 people
I don’t do Facebook, but Twitter is my hell of choice, and I’ve had to ration my exposure coz being angry all the time ain’t healthy. The thing that makes me most angry is the blind acceptance of opinion in place of fact. And when I do demand ‘sources’ and actual ‘facts’ I’m reluctantly sent to the website/blog of some unknown who pontificates about something with some figures thrown in to look ‘legit’.
When I drill down into those figures the sources become murkier, or simply loop around to another opinion site. Opinion and conjecture feeding on themselves.
When I counter with links to reputable science sites, you know, the ones actually doing the research, my tweets are ignored. Clearly real facts are out of favour…grrr.
Apologies for the rant. Like you, I do try to see both sides of an argument, and there have been times when I’ve had to modify my own worldview, but…remaining dispassionate and open minded gets harder every year. -sigh-
LikeLiked by 3 people
Wait? YOU’RE the brainwashed lemming?
Ahahahaha! Too funny!
I hope you replied, “I am rubber, you are glue…”
LikeLiked by 2 people
Actually Christians are part of an authoritarian system. We are subjects of God who exercises supreme authority over the entire universe. He has delegated part of his authority to governments so they can suppress evil. As long as they act under that authority they contribute to the welfare of their citizens. It is only when they try to go beyond the authority God has given them that they become a source of evil. Unfortunately all governments seem to have done this.
LikeLiked by 3 people
““you’re a brainwashed lemming who follows authoritarian systems.” Are these the same people that say children need structure? 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
LOL! Probably.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Brainwashed? Yes, let’s clean pornography out of our heads. Lemming? Yes, worst of the “climate change” fanatics want as many people as possible to kill themselves like lemmings (which rushed to death when they exceeded their food supply). Follow authoritarian systems? Authoritarian systems by definition have only victims and rulers, rather than followers. Someone is mixing social media terms with reality. All in all, it’s a really stupid accusation.
LikeLiked by 3 people