The core of the problem of everything

[XDM45]

Along with what I've been saying about this being a people problem and not a gun problem; I'd like to add to that a bit since I also believe that it also boils down to this:

You are not safe.

You are not safe and you cannot be safe any where, any time, while doing any thing. There could be a federal agent on every street corner, along side every person, and you STILL aren't 100% safe... (and how much "safer" is debatable at best, and an Internet p-ing contest at worst.)

The thing is, the politicians won't say that people aren't safe and there's really nothing anyone can do about it, so just accept that's life and move on. No, they need to "DO" something about it. It's almost like "oh! I proposed a bill. I did my part. I took action on it. See? I did something." Yes, they took action, but an action that accomplishes NOTHING at all. It's just me "Security Theater" It LOOKS like they did something without doing anything of value or result because there's really nothing that can be done. People killed people before guns and people would kill people after guns. It's the people that are the problem, not the guns.

People need to ask themselves not if they are doing things right, but are they doing the right things? You can do the wrong thing correctly and it's absolutely worthless, and in fact, it's WORSE doing the wrong thing correctly than it is doing the right thing incorrectly. At least if you do the right thing incorrectly, you're still doing the right thing, just in the wrong way. Fix that, and you're all good.

I've seen it in politics, at help desks where "oh, I touched the ticket. I sent him an email. I did my job. I closed it out complete and resolved." (even though the issue wasn't resolved). and other half-hearted attempts at productivity and success, not doing the right things or things right.

There's a whole lot of inefficiency in this World and people that want to skate by without really fixing things or doing things that really do matter and really do make a difference. So what's the answer to the problems of the World? People. The same people that are the cause of those very same problems. That's right. Us. You and I, and her, and him, and them, and us. ALL of us as individuals and as a whole. Humankind is it's own worst enemy when it needs to be it's own best friend. The answer is People, but there's another part to the answer which is also quite simple, but not easy..... change.

As Ghandi said "If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him. … We need not wait to see what others do.” The answer is simple, but it is not easy. It's not easy to change one's self, but if each of us changes ourselves consciously, with intent, then our perception of ourselves, our world, and each other will also change, and we will in fact, change not only our world, but the world.

Idealistic? Yes.
Possible? Yes.
Probable? Not likely says the magic 8 ball. Humans need to grow a lot as individuals for that to happen.

So now what? Do we just toss in the towel and give up? No, of course not. Well, not unless we choose to. Some of us do through suicide, others are in a state of living suicide with an alive body, but a dead soul, having given up hope. We do what we've always done as a species...we survive. It's my hope, and the hope of many others, that one day humankind will learn to not only just survive, but to thrive. This all starts and ends with each of us.

I know this isn't the answer people want, but it's the answer that simply is. No amount of laws or anything else will fix us and our problems. Only we can do that.

[texasprowler]

Interesting manifesto. Do you need someone to talk to?

[XDM45]

Interesting manifesto. Do you need someone to talk to?

Not a manifesto.
Nope, don't need to talk to anyone.
It's an opinion.

I see far too many people talking about the symptoms and ignoring the disease. Treating symptoms may lessen the effects, but the cure is fixing the disease.

[grousemaster]

Interesting manifesto. Do you need someone to talk to?

Lol.....kind of what I was thinking.

[Geezer43]

XDM45 --- I like the way you think.
I appreciate the fact that you DO think, and are articulate (as well as interesting) in the way you express those thoughts.
Related to what you have just said, an additional problem is simply one of over population in this country and world wide as well.
Unfortunately there isn't much that can be done about that either.
So I guess all one can say is "illegitimus non carborundum".
As for changing one's self -- I'm not into the idea that thinking happy thoughts all day will make things better, but I'm trying to develop a taste for something along those lines.
In the meantime, the DILLIGAS attitude is what I'm going with as often as possible.
But then that leads to sinning by silence and inaction, not to helping to improve the situation.

[MNHandK]

The only over population problem we have is one of stupid people. Stupid people may be broad and lacking intellect, though I can't think of a term that matches the scope required to address the problem.

I can't disagree with XDM45. Until people start taking the right actions, nothing is going to change. Who defines the right actions? I think we all know what is right, but lack the desire to follow through because what good will it do.. No one s going to care or notice.. It's doesn't matter.. I just need to get this done so I can move on..

My sense of personal responsibility draws me to the actions and decisions that are good for me, as well as the community of people around me. IMO, people are to selfish. They think making the right decision or taking the correct action is going to be extra work. What they do not realize is that once you're on that path it becomes easier. People begin acting in concert with you towards the right actions and decisions.

Inevitably someone with a bad attitude or malicious intent will come along to spoil the fun. We used to band together in those times. Now, we give up. What good can it do.. No one cares anymore..

But I think it is in our best interests to try, and continue to despite the outcomes.

Idealistic, yes.
Doable, yes.
Solves the problem, no. The problem will continue so long as man walks the earth.

[XDM45]

XDM45 --- I like the way you think.
I appreciate the fact that you DO think, and are articulate (as well as interesting) in the way you express those thoughts.
Related to what you have just said, an additional problem is simply one of over population in this country and world wide as well.
Unfortunately there isn't much that can be done about that either.
So I guess all one can say is "illegitimus non carborundum".
As for changing one's self -- I'm not into the idea that thinking happy thoughts all day will make things better, but I'm trying to develop a taste for something along those lines.
In the meantime, the DILLIGAS attitude is what I'm going with as often as possible.
But then that leads to sinning by silence and inaction, not to helping to improve the situation.

Thank you for the compliment and the well thought out reply.

Over-population is a problem, very much so. That comes with living longer, control over some diseases, industrialization and a first world economy with resources. That's not all of it, but a large part of why.

..and I agree with illegitimus non carborundum, however I disagree with DILLIGAS, that's sometimes the best option, but not always. Likewise, I agree that sitting with rose colored glasses on and only thinking happy thoughts won't help you, in fact, quite the opposite is true. If we're to change, then we need to look at our dark side, our shadow self within. No, that doesn't mean we embrace it, merely assess it, look at it honestly and own it. Some of it we may choose to accept it, which is fine, no matter how dark it is, as long as we're honest about it with ourselves; other parts, we may want to change and choose to do so. It's uncomfortable to do such inner work, but it's critical. I think constant self-assessment is key, as my signature states "Gnothi Seauton", which comes from the Temple of Apollo and translates into "Know Thyself".

Many people will like or dislike something and then they won't even admit to themselves why they don't like it, because in their admittance of that thing, they must also too face their true self. Someone may say "I don't like X because of Y", and that may be true in whole; or it may only be in partly true because the real reason they dislike X is because of Z. There's the intent we tell others, then there is our true intent, which is the same as us. This is why you don't listen to what people say, but rather what they do. Lips will lie, but actions will always betray them by showing the truth.

I know I've had a couple of naysayers on here, including in this thread, and I'm ok with that, it doesn't bother me in the least. We all have different personality types, different opinions, attitudes and mindsets. If one follows the Myers-Briggs, I'm an INTJ with a Mastermind (Keirsey Temperament), both things are rare, let alone combined. The axiom of the INTJ is "Does it work?" We cut through the BS and get down to what's functional (or what's dysfunctional, and how to fix it.) I'm ok with myself, even if some other people aren't.

[Heffay]

Over-population is a problem, very much so.

Is that a fact?

[grousemaster]

Over-population is a problem, very much so.

Is that a fact?

No, it's not. Especially in the United States.

[XDM45]

Over-population is a problem, very much so.

Is that a fact?

No, it's not. Especially in the United States.

True, it's not like Tokyo here, and yes, there's a lot of open farmland for food and livestock, but still, we have a lot of people in this country. There are still places you can go though to be farther away than not. So the US is debatable, but the World is definitely over populated. If we (USA) stopped sending food to third world nations and we weren't an industrialized country, lifespans would decrease, we wouldn't be able to support the people we do because we couldn't grow enough food. Nature by itself will only allow so many people to live on Earth. Resources and sources are not infinite.

Just like when the sun went down, work stopped. Then with the invention of the light bulb and channeling electricity, we could work at night. If those technologies go away, (grid goes down let's say) then we're back to not working at night or doing so by candlelight. The World , nature, in and of and by itself, cannot support 6.5 billion people. Technology allows it, but nature does not.

[Heffay]

Does Japan have a population problem? Tokyo?

Actually, what farming technologies should we abandon in order to make sure we have enough food in the event technology went away? Also, should we implement some sort of policies to minimize population growth, and if so, what should those policies look like?

[grousemaster]

Does Japan have a population problem? Tokyo?

I once heard someone say they could solve over population and starvation. The solution was for people to eat their kids.

[Heffay]

Does Japan have a population problem? Tokyo?

I once heard someone say they could solve over population and starvation. The solution was for people to eat their kids.

Jonathan Swift wasn't a satirist. He was a visionary!

[Dante]

They are already doing this in North Korea apparently.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/02/05/the-cannibals-of-north-korea/

[XDM45]

I submit this for an example, read page 1. viewtopic.php?f=52&t=39597