Mankind

[Vodstok]

I had a gretat intro written, then my browser window closed and i lost it all... Fucking internet....


anyway, are we screwed, or do we stand a chance? Will we continue to build up our ignorance, intolerance and cynicism until we consume ourselves? Or do you think that we will have a wonderous revolution that will bring us into another golden age, where people are actually happy and look at other human beings as people and not just obstacles to be overcome?


Humanity appears to have lost both it's humanity and it's innocence. Is there any hope that we, as a species, may get it back?

[zwoti]

Bill Hicks - Revelations

You've been fantastic and I hope you enjoyed it. There is a point, is there a point to all of this? Let's find a point. Is there a point to my act? I would say there is. I have to. The world is like a ride at an amusement park. And when you choose to go on it, you think that it's real because that's how powerful our minds are. [Audience member shouts 'bollocks'] There is a lot denial in this ride, the ride, in fact, is made up of denial "All things work in Goatboys favour".

The world is like a ride at an amusement park. It goes up and down and round and round. It has thrills and chills and it's very brightly coloured and it's very loud and it's fun, for a while. Some people have been on the ride for a long time and they begin to question, is this real, or is this just a ride? And other people have remembered, and they come back to us, they say, "hey - don't worry, don't be afraid, ever, because, this is just a ride..." And we... kill those people. Ha ha "Shut him up." "We have a lot invested in this ride. Shut him up. Look at my furrows of worry. Look at my big bank account and my family. This just has to be real." Just a ride. But we always kill those good guys who try and tell us that, you ever notice that? And let the demons run amok. Jesus mudered; Martin Luther King mudered; Malcolm X murdered; Gandhi murdered; John Lennon murdered; Reagan.... wounded.

But it doesn't matter because: It's just a ride. And we can change it anytime we want. It's only a choice. No effort, no work, no job, no savings and money. A choice, right now, between fear and love. The eyes of fear want you to put bigger locks on your doors, buy guns, close yourself off. The eyes of love, instead, see all of us as one. Here's what we can do to change the world, right now, to a better ride. Take all that money that we spend on weapons and defences each year and instead spend it feeding and clothing and educating the poor of the world, which it would many times over, not one human being excluded, and we could explore space, together, both inner and outer, forever, in peace. Thank you very much, you've been great.

[filmmaker2]

Well, since we're waxing philosphical, I recall a conversation I had with someone some time ago...I forget what the conversation was specifically about, but i remember at one point this guy was lamenting the loss of his innocence and being bummed over the fact that he'd never get it back...it was entirely gone, etc., and I being very clever at that moment (I have so few really clever moments) claimed that the very fact that he was in pain over his innocence being gone was proof that there were actually vestiges of it still left. And he cheered up a little.

[newb]

Originally posted by Vodstok
I had a gretat intro written, then my browser window closed and i lost it all... Fucking internet....


anyway, are we screwed, or do we stand a chance? Will we continue to build up our ignorance, intolerance and cynicism until we consume ourselves? Or do you think that we will have a wonderous revolution that will bring us into another golden age, where people are actually happy and look at other human beings as people and not just obstacles to be overcome?


Humanity appears to have lost both it's humanity and it's innocence. Is there any hope that we, as a species, may get it back?

Way to bring me down Vod.

[urgeok]

urgeok :


we're fucked.
we've been painting ourselves steadily into a corner since we found out how to use a rock to kill an animal for food.
we consume, we never give back enough to matter.

we dont learn from our mistakes.
we dont care about our future beyond our next couple of generations.

it's because of the greed thats inside each of us from birth.

there is no turning the car around .. we can slow it for a few second here and there but before long the ride will be over for everyone.

i give us 200 years tops .. but i cant even see things lasting that long before someone starts a war in the name of some religion that will leave this planet a poisoned unlivable ruin.

so - live it up folks ..
try being nice to each other so at least the ride is pleasant ..

but we wont .. because we dont have it in us.

[Vodstok]

I remember being told by a freind that he thought it was sad to see me angry and cynical over work because i was one of the few really good people he knew.


I used to be very positive, but the world has destroyed a lot of that. i have found working for a corporation to be a crushing, soul-sucking experience.

Part of the reason i would love to have kids would be to have a direct link to that kind of innocence again. Little kids are so pure, they dont know what the world is like and can just enjoy things for what they are. I still have that on some level, but reponsibility takes too much godamn time away from that.

[filmmaker2]

But dude, think about it, though....how many people have kids so they can pass onto them some responsibility they they are themselves unable or unwilling to realize? It would be like a last ditch attempt..."Well, if I can't be innocent, then my kid will..." "If I can't be rich and famous, then my kid will...there's hope for the family name yet..." Et cetera. But he won't, necessarily, because he's human like you, and his strength will be prone to caving like yours.

I still say that if you're in pain, that means you're still in there somewhere. I would consider your innocence gone if you DIDN'T post on the topic.

Also, refer to Ray Bradbuddy's "Something Wicked This Way Comes," there is a passage in there about the "basic good man" that seems totally relevant.

Also, pick up any comic book worth its salt and you will see that the major lesson in those things is, "It's a tough road, and it's hard work, being the good guy." You can totally deal with whatever it is. Your monolithic organization has not done as much damage to you as you think, because you're posting this post. Stupid speech over.

[urgeok]

that makes more sense if everyone is feeling the same way.

this is a forum with a lot of members.

one guy made the post .. a few others will comment on it ..

the ones who care are the minority - dont assume everyone does.
and the minority of the ones who care are like a drop in the ocean.

[ShankS]

.

[Vodstok]

Oh god, i wasnt saying i wanted to live through my kids!

I meant i wanted to be able to spend time around someone who hasnt had a chance to get cynical.


I knwo being good is hard, i have lived with that my whole life. No drugs, no crime, no being cruel to others.

I was always the "Nice Guy" and you tend to get more shit filling that role, and that shit gets old.

I'm hoping i can get a job where i liek what i do and who i work with. This help desk shit sucks. over 3 years of dealing with perfectly miserable assholes who are at their worst when they call, and so many of them just want someoen to vent on.

I am a programmer, i should not be dealing with this shit.

I think the #1 thing that bothers me these days is the complaining. Everyone is complaining about everything, and none of it is their fault. Microsoft, the president, osama bin laden, other people, other drivers, big companies, racists, ignorant folks, foreigners, the people in the next town, their neighbors, the english, the americans (notice its never the canandians or australians...)the french, the middle east, coke, pepsi, fast food, tv, movies, video games , congress, the bible belt, the jews, the christians the athiests, satanists, charles manson, micheal jackson, Vegas, New York, violent media, abortion, anti-abortion, are all to blame, but never the person complaining.

People complain about everything, and never do a fucking thing to change. I hate The Newlyweds, ergot, i dont fucking watch it.

I cant stand Art films. So I dont fucking watch them.

I dont like Rap, so i dont fucking listen to it.

I think better stories and movies could be written, so i am trying to write them.