It's not that the general population would win in a showdown against the military. It's simply the threat of resistance that is inherent with an armed populace. It's something that I do agree needs to be kept in order for there to be some small semblance of accountability left to the people over the government. Having the opportunity to defend yourself against tyranny shouldn't be limited to what the government feels your entitled to, but as a civilized society we come to agreements that are made into laws regarding the types of weaponry we are allowed to own for those purposes. That's why fully auto firearms are illegal and there are different types of weapons that you cannot lawfully own. The second amendment is specifically designed for citizens to protect their person, family, property, community and nation from any attack whether domestic or foreign. It's one of the few checks on government that operate the same way the government gets you to comply with the laws of the state, which is either through theoretic or actual force.
By sheer luck, right before the pandemic hit and we went into lock down I happened to by a rowing machine. With everything closed and the weather sucking at the time, I would have lost my mind without having that physical outlet, even given how low-impact the workout is. The other thing I've been trying the last couple years is mindfulness. I know a lot of you will roll your eyes at it, but for me it's exercising my mind and training it to focus on things that improve my sanity/mental health, rather than getting trapped in that cycle of darkness and depression. It's not easy but it has helped my mental health. Finally, being outdoors. Take a long hike in a forest or next to a creek or up a mountain. It does wonders for the mind and body.
Lots of good conversation here, and some of it in direct response to my post. Thanks to everyone. Apologies that I don't have time to respond more directly, because I really would like to. I'll just say this: I don't disagree that major news media is monetarily driven, and thus not incentivized to give us the most accurate, complete representations of things. I wish things were different, and they need to be. That said, I still believe the greater evil is in social media amplifying the worst parts of information dissemination. Whether it's Facebook and its litany of evils (I don't have the time to list them all; genuinely one of the biggest threats to this country), Twitter normalizing short reactions that lack nuance / headline-only news-reading, among others... I have a friend who is an amazing journalist, and does thorough research on every piece before submitting to her various publishing sources (independently). I also know that her work is never going to be read by the hordes of people who have easy access to false, sensationalized info spread via Facebook, Twitter, and other online outlets. We don't have multiple Congresspeople pushing QAnon bulls*** because of "the media", we have it because of social media. One is definitely bad, but I don't think it does the same damage without the other. Both need to be fixed in order for there to be a change. The "fake news" crowd isn't going to change if we start getting news outlets in line, because they're not going to listen to them anyway.
That's a fantastic workout to strengthen and lengthen the reach of your overhand shots, so long as you do the full reach and stretch. I couldn't agree with you more. Years ago I picked up two books that changed how I look at using your mind as a tool beyond problem solving for work and so on. Hagakure and the Book of the Five Rings both have a lot of elements in them regarding refocusing your mindset in everyday tasks as a way to strengthen resolve and to become more mindful of your surroundings in ways that make you more attentive to the immediate. It definitely changes your view of the world when you start seeing the minor details of every situation without having to try and look for those same details. It simply cuts through the noise to help you focus on what you really want to give your attention to. Agreed, and it's one of the main reasons and best parts of why we moved to where we are over 8 years ago. Being outside in the sun with running water, the breeze and the smell of sandstone still gives me an immediate jump of energy.
Tim made a good point that social media is important to hold the regular media accountable. It's true. But the damage social media has done to this country, through it's incentivizing of bullying, partisanship, lack of nuance, doxing, spreading misinformation... it's one of the biggest reasons the divisions of our country are getting worse, not better. I don't know if we're mature enough as a species to live with social media. Kind of like a 13 year old whose been given the keys to daddy's BMW.
First off I support the 2nd amendment and I do own firearms. I disagree though, It appears to me as merely symbolic, and if that makes you feel good more power to you. It certainly hasn't made the government any more accountable to the people that own them than it does the money that fills their pockets.
I don’t see any symbolism in the ability to respond to violent aggression with violent aggression. It’s a necessary tool for a truly free society, which the U.S. is the best example of.
An unnecessary violent response if the parents of a 17 year old kid don't allow him to go to a protest/riot in a town he doesn't live in.
Agreed. My post above is referring to violent aggression by the government against its own citizenry.
Mindfulness is music to my ears. I teach Yoga, Qi Gong, Meditation, breathing and Tai Chi which are all practices which bring more Qi (energy) and calm into your life. Well plus, breathing does keep you alive Did you know that there is a direct correlation between your breath and your nervous system? The slower your exhalation is, the calmer your mind becomes. Fact. I think people are looking for ways to shut out the barrage of violent noise and hatred we are surrounded by and are using mindfulness, kindness and empathy to help themselves feel better. Getting blasted on all sides through every medium by lies and hurtful deliberations forces us to find some way to slow everything down and to make life more manageable and fun. I completely agree that working out, working on a project, hiking, running, spending time outside and spending some part of your day in mindfullness and meditation are as important as the food we eat, the beer we drink and the air we breathe.
Honestly, what makes me angriest about this, is that Russia is essentially "winning". They wanted to sow dissension and cast doubt on the 2016 election with all their bullshit (this is known, regardless of how much you think the President was involved). And this year, months before the election, both sides have their new political football the USPS, by which they have a convenient excuse already lined up! Our politicians are now doing the work of tearing down our democracy themselves. On the left: The USPS was hamstrung and thus voter suppression! The election results are unfair / not legitimate. On the right: The USPS is incompetent, and voter fraud was rampant! The election results are unfair / not legitimate. Our system of government works on a clear transition of power by the rules set forth. Attack the foundation will only fuck us all. I never believed Trump or Hillary would actually dispute the results of the election. This year, they are priming the pump so hard I don't see how Trump or Biden DON'T contest the results. And yes, there likely will be rioting. It scares the shit out of me. Mindfulness is awesome. I really thought it would be lame, but the intense mental concentration on letting the world unfold, is something else. It's not for everyone, but it is for me. I use the Headspace app on iPhone and it has the first 10 beginner sessions free, I'd recommend for anyone even slightly interested. *** To the thread, it is a crazy time we are living in. I think Covid honestly is exacerbating things far more than they would otherwise. With a massive amount of people out of work, and having some many people on "lockdown" for so long has to be feeding into the protests devolving into riots, etc. Feels like it's going to get worse, before it gets better.
Hmmmm You made some comment before that no one should have an assault rifle. I answered with Then after thinking about it for awhile, I was going to come back here and trash on you and call you a "prissy socialist" !! Your words, not mine. But after reading this ?? I'll let it go. But your still a prissy socialist. Now get the Pick'em game started !!!!!!!!!!
Yep, any positive that comes from social media is outweighed a thousand fold by the negatives it brings. Social media is tearing apart the fabric of society and no one can see it. I don't think we are remotely close to being able to live responsibly with social media. If we were getting smarter and more mature as a society then one day we might, but we're getting dumber and more ignorant so there is no chance of this. The only real hope is the total removal of social media from everyday use, and for so many reasons, thats simply not happening.
One of the things that scares me the most is that I think this is just the beginning of the true devastation that social media can wreak and impact on society. Generation Z has never known life without social media. Their lives depend on it. Their moods are dictated by how many likes they get on their posts. They don't realize what due diligence is and it would never occur to them to look at different websites or use different search engines to see if a politico/sociological statement that they have read on the web can stand on its own merit. How many of them actually use any critical thinking as they roam the web? The web feeds them their opinions and their thoughts. *Caveat: I am using massive generalization based on my observations of Generation Z.
