A human being is quite a small thing. There is only so much one person can do.
We depend on larger groups and organisations to provide services and functions for us to survive.
Problem is, these groups (for eg media, the government, big business) don’t have our best interests in mind. They look after themselves first.
Big money complicates things further.
For this relation to work, we have a grant these groups (media, government, big business) a certain level of trust; we have to cede some of our sovereignty; we trust them not to make fools of us.
And when this trust is abused, we get cynical.
March 18, 2007 at 1:20 am
Trust is inherent is societies. But, I think the will to purposefully break that trust is almost unique to humans. It hurts when anyone breaks our trust. The cynics have come to expect it from big business, media, government, etc. The “super-cynics” have come to expect broken trust from everyone. It’s quite sad, really.
Of course, the naive have come to trust everyone and everything–and that’s just as disastrous.
March 18, 2007 at 4:18 pm
We have to build a system that isn’t based on profit and competition, but on mutual aid and cooperation. Nothing prevents friendly competition, but the unfriendly kind evolves regularly into war.
March 18, 2007 at 4:21 pm
What happens in economic terms is that there is some resource over which competition takes place, some limited and scarce resource which both cannot have in equal measure (or there would be no need of competition). So long as the parties are all balanced against one another and equilibrium occurs, this competition can result in beneficial results, but as soon as any one party or group gets the primary control over the resource they take everyone else hostage.
But we can eliminate scarcity if we move to a sustainable economy.
March 21, 2007 at 7:50 am
Yes, trust is an important element within a society, however that trust cannot be a blind trust. Our scrutinty is what helps keep a goverment in check and builds the trust.
March 21, 2007 at 9:44 am
Tobeme, putting everything out in the open clear light of day and trusting certain people to be in charge of it in the full sight of everyone builds a good system.
March 21, 2007 at 9:45 am
I view this blogospheric consciousness as the foundation of a new society and government.