Agnostic.com
7 1

The thunder of the drums of nationalism has always stirred the blood, but it damages the heart. The calls of authoritarianism echo through the halls of history and though one can't see the sound it is easy to follow the trail of blood and tears it has produced along the way.

When I hear "Make America Great Again," and the chants of "USA! USA! USA!" I am really hearing the tribal drums that signal the beginning of another repeat of history. I hoped we had matured enough to have a future worth living, but I'm beginning to think I have been ... wrong.

evidentialist 8 Feb 16
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1

I served my country for 20 years in the US Army and during my time I thought I was doing an honorable . It wasn't until afterwards I began to self educate myself. After reading 300 plus books, mostly non-fiction and polemics, I realized I was living in fantasy land. It made me understand how we as Americans are brainwashed from birth with the American propaganda machine. War is hell for those that fight and big-time profits for the elites.

Mojo1998 Level 5 Feb 17, 2019
1

When I hear mindless chants like that it reminds me of the Nuremberg rallies or the America-firsters under that all-American "Lucky Lindy" Lindbergh. Yes, a repeat of US history in the '30s, only worse.

Garbonza Level 6 Feb 17, 2019
3

Reminds me of a poem I wrote:

The Drums Of War

The drums of war ring loud tonight
The traitor's words ring hollow.
To steal some oil they'll go and fight
But I will never follow.

The golden land of yesterday
Is gone forever more.
And from the ashes sad to say
Arises the Phoenix of war.

A lie is told, the truth is spun
One thousand die a day.
Till every loving mother's son
Is fighting in the fray.

The years pass by without a change
Except the deadly score.
And still they try to rearrange
To kill a million more.

What goes around, will come around
Someday upon our shore.
Prometheus will come, unbound
To even up the score.

Empires rise, empires fall
And ours will do the same.
It's not how high you build the wall
But how you the game!

0

I really enjoyed your phrasing on this subject. Very much catches the tone of that particular "tribal" beat. I don't think it's a reflection of immaturity though. I just think that the wounds from the battles of the 60's and 70's regarding the issues of race this country has had to deal with and the addition of a secular base has left more that it's fair share without a moral compass. Humanism will always struggle in a capitalist society because it forces a cognitive dissonance that most can't accept in a materialist and consumer based culture. The loss of the "American Culture" (an Anglo Saxon perspective) is the real concern to those Americans. We are a unique society because of our diversity, but the reason we remain fragmented is because of our Tribalism. Our selfishness and American Consumerism. As a species, as mammals, we are doing what comes natrual. Us against them. Until we, as a country are able to educate ourseleves beyond our first person perspectives we will continue to make the same mistakes. The removal of the Arts in our Educational systems and the lack of Philosophy courses in younger grade levels keep our children from learning how to think beyond their own consumer needs. We teach to learn trades or professions. We no longer educate, but knowledge, let alone yield wisdom. So this backlash to primitive tribalism is the cause of our inability to tend to our gardens. In a garden, there will grow more than what the gardener plants.

1

America is becoming more concerned and less tolerant of immigrants that they view as a liability on society. Base instinct is at play just like in the animal world. It's not just happening in America but throughout the Western world. Greatest rejection seems to be linked to Muslims/ Islam.

1

I think society has tired of liberal attitudes and relative values and global everything and wants something tangible to hold onto again. I fear the pendulum will swing back forcefully in the opposite direction before it levels out again.

brentan Level 8 Feb 16, 2019

I may not appreciate your point, but it is one that is well said.

@brentan -- Like religion. Assuage my fears with absolutes. Don't make me think for myself and please reduce the number of decisions I must make. The interesting thing about this is that it is not liberal attitudes people fear. The liberal can be just as authoritarian. What they tire of is the uncertainty of a fact driven reality wherein certainties are questioned. That is neither a liberal nor a conservative position. That the preponderance of people holding to this notion of evidence over comfort tend to lean to a more liberal point of view is understandable.

I do not understand how what we have been going through for the past 40 years can be called liberal. We are now just about as far right as we can get unless we have to do the NAZI thing in another form. Unfortunately if it is any concern the rich will come out of that on top and the problem will not go away.

1

we need to get rid of Trump

TheDoubter Level 9 Feb 16, 2019

I don't disagrree, but the reality is he does reflect a rather large constituency. Ignoring that fact is probably why they come out with such vigor. How do we solve the real problem?

@Fibonacci1618 He represent I vast minority about 25% as less than half of the people voted and he lost by 3,000,000 but thanks to Hamilton we've had two unelected leader so far this century!

@uncle-ernie With a total population of 325.7m, half being 162.85m, 25% is roughly 40m+. Still a pretty sizeable concern considering that of the richest families in America, more than 70% are Republican, aka the Job Provider. But yes, I do agree that we've had 2 unelected Presidents

@Fibonacci1618 but i'll bet that a lot of GOPers didn't know what they were getting into. they may not vote for him again.

@TheDoubter I'd like to say that yes, that's a possibility but nothing seems more rigid than a Republican's voting record. Their identity is usually wrapped around their fundamentalism and their ideologies, as well as their social obligations and their professional associations. Ithink most moderate Republicans won't vote if he's the front runner again but they would vote Republican if he wasn't.

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