“Stop blaming systemic failures on individuals trapped in that system. Fight for people to have better choices.”
Okay, I shall not link to that quote, but I got some powerful disagreements with the statement above. Does anybody believe in personal responsibility anymore??
I am a huge fan of personal responsibility. Are you covered in zip ties and locked in a basement somewhere? If not, than you are not “trapped.”
I suppose that you could be philosophical here and determine that we are all trapped in these biological bodies, stuck on the third rock from the sun, and spinning wildly out of control in a world run by a bunch of deranged, hairless apes. However, even if that were actually true it would mean we are all in the same boat. So it is not as if some people have no access to good choices because someone else is hogging them all.
“Fight for people to have better choices.” So how do I fight for people to have better choices? Convince them they are powerful and that they do have choices. It sounds very simple but I assure you it is not. People are really resistant! To be responsible also means to be accountable. I have a batting average of convincing people they actually “want” to be accountable for their own choices that is just, well, deplorable. We might as well be playing T-ball here. But still, I try to remind people that they have power and they have choices. That is the first step. Stop pretending you are just a hapless victim trapped in a “system.”
Apparently Oprah currently needs my help, because she too has jumped on the Powerless Bandwagon to Nowhere. Oprah with her fame and her billions and all the power that goes along with that, is feeling as if she is a victim of systemic failures. Well, aren’t we all?! I live in the 9th circuit of hell for crying out loud! Trust me, I know all about “systemic failures,” up close and personal, in living color. As if that is not galling enough, powerful people like Oprah expect the little people in the trailer park like me, to do something about her uncomfortable feelings.
So I will. The cure is to stop blaming your feelings on everybody and everything but yourself. Seriously, take some personal responsibility. Nobody can make you feel inferior without your permission. Nobody can convince you someone else is hogging all the “good choices,” without your permission. That is an exceedingly dumb concept, by the way.
So how do I feel when I read something like, “Stop blaming systemic failures on individuals trapped in that system. Fight for people to have better choices?” Disrespected. Patronized. Shamed. Like I must be a slightly stupid child in desperate need of a rescuer. Full of self doubt. Confused. Robbed of power. Hopeless. Despairing. Weak. Fully dependent on the goodwill of others. Ironically, I’m actually starting to feel a wee bit trapped…
I could go on and on, but you get the general idea. Those kinds of words that are perhaps sometimes well intentioned, actually rob people of their choices, deprive them of power, and convince them that the fight is over before it’s even begun. We might as well just be saying, it’s such a shame you’re condemned to be an epic failure because you’re powerless and trapped in a system that hates you.
“Systemic” is all the rage right now, a very fashionable word with about as much vague meaning as “sustainable.” It’s kind of fun however, one of the original definitions of “systemic” before the world went mad was, “a pesticide that as used is harmless to the plant or higher animal but when absorbed into its sap or bloodstream makes the entire organism toxic to pests.
That right there is why we all really need the Lord! A good infusion of His royal blood absorbed right into your very sap will make you toxic to pests.
Trust me, you need to be systemically inoculated. The world is just plumb full of annoying little pests.
See, there's this thing called biology... 
What a marvelous thought— you could have your own talk show like Oprah did-offering the latest self help gurus out there to empower woman, women who were mostly white yuppies who would fly to Chicago just to be on her show and vie to be there for the Christmas show giveaways — but you could do something novel— like give the Truth— that often painful thing no one likes to hear— oh but wait— you don’t make billions by telling people the truth— only telling them the things they want to hear— so never mind-
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Right?! So true Julie. The truth does not always sell so well. Generally the villagers try to chase you off a cliff with torches and pitchforks. 🙂
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That is they don’t beat you to it as a pack of lemmings— or is that herd, flock, covey—-ah the joy of digression 🙃
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@insanitybytes22
@Julie
Somebody remembers Jeremiah.
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I’d like a shot of that. I need something to ward off the negative thoughts and feelings of hopelessness. If we look at all the madness, we can’t help but see the effect of sin on mankind. We all have been burdened with it. It is in our blood, systemically. Only through our Savior, Jesus, can we find the true solution to this.
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Absolutely! We all need a good shot of hope and a big dose of faith.
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The only thing that is demonstrably systemic is the repression of Democratic constituencies in the form of people of color by the Democratic party. The African-American community has been treated as a monolithic voting bloc since 1964 and has not benefited from their allegiance to the Democratic party. The way I see it, is African Americans are to be kept in their economic and social status so that the Democrats can rile up the voter base every four years. After all, if the African American community is prosperous and doing well, what other bogeyman is left, other than Roe v. Wade?
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Oh yes, you really see the evidence of this truth when somebody of color steps out of line in politics! It is just appalling how we as a culture treat black conservatives. The attitudes we’ve created around victimization demand that people stay in their place, be it due to poverty, race, gender, homelessness. Your success and well being does not sell political causes.
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Amen, V Pub. They should all watch Larry Elder’s documentary movie, “Uncle Tom” (if they dare!) They may just wake up from being “woke!”
http://www.uncletom.com
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I’m going to watch that myself! Thank you.
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The switch from Republican to Democrat started earlier than 1964.
https://www.factcheck.org/2008/04/blacks-and-the-democratic-party/
https://townhall.com/columnists/victoriastroup/2016/11/05/how-fdrs-racism-gave-democrats-the-black-vote-n2241694
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Add systemic to the growing list of words I could do without hearing again. And you’re right, telling someone their problems are based on a system or an ism is completely disempowering. I can think of no better way to keep someone down then for them to hear over and over again how the “system” is against them.
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Amen! “The world is just plumb full of annoying little pests.” Thanks be to Jesus that we are inoculated.
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Amen, IB. Well said!
“Apparently Oprah currently needs my help, because she too has jumped on the Powerless Bandwagon to Nowhere. Oprah with her fame and her billions and all the power that goes along with that, is feeling as if she is a victim of systemic failures.”
Don’t you just get sick and tired of exceedingly rich and privileged elitist celebrities and athletes, who’ve made literally billions of dollars from the very system they claim is systemically racist? The hypocrisy is just mind-numbing. Why should anybody listen to her?
The only thing that seems to be systemic in this country is powerless victimhood and race-baiting to further political agendas. I can’t wait until November 4th.
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Perhaps Oprah is just an example of the inability of money to buy happiness or wisdom. I understand she use to be one of those positive thinking people, but she helped Obama become president. That had in the end cause the poor lady a considerable amount of depression.
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That would explain a lot.
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“The cure is to stop blaming your feelings on everybody and everything but yourself.”
Do I hear a boisterous “AMEN”? Although even eternal salvation is technically available to all, acceptance of it, and submission to it, are required PERSONAL actions to qualify one for its benefits. While we may indeed blame someone other than self for birthing us into this life, the ‘cure’ is taking PERSONAL responsibility for appropriating the resolution.
Amen too, to Mel’s post – “Don’t you just get sick and tired of exceedingly rich and privileged elitist celebrities and athletes, who’ve made literally billions of dollars from the very system they claim is systemically racist?”
If it were really half as bad as they claim, how did they accomplish their success? Most importantly, why haven’t they educated their so-called huddled masses by sharing their secret formula?
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Great point, MJ, about why these people can’t seem to educate the huddled masses on how to fail as epically as they have? “Alas, woe is me, I’m an oppressed billionaire…” I just don’t have a violin small enough for these kind of problems. 🙂
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