The Psychosis of Permanent War

[marmar]

[font size="4"]Pundits and news celebrities on the airwaves engage in fevered speculation about whether the wife of a former president will run for office—and this after the mediocre son of another president spent eight years in the White House. This is not politics. It is gossip. Opinion polls, the staple of what serves as political reporting, are not politics. They are forms of social control. The use of billions of dollars to fund election campaigns and pay lobbyists to author legislation is not politics. It is legalized bribery. The insistence that austerity and economic rationality, rather than the welfare of the citizenry, be the primary concerns of the government is not politics. It is the death of civic virtue. The government’s system of wholesale surveillance and the militarization of police forces, along with the psychosis of permanent war and state-orchestrated fear of terrorism, are not politics. They are about eradicating civil liberties and justifying endless war and state violence. The chatter about death panels, abortion, gay rights, guns and undocumented children crossing the border is not politics. It is manipulation by the power elites of emotion, hate and fear to divert us from seeing our own powerlessness.[/font]

-- Chris Hedges


http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/driving_american_politics_underground_20140907


.............................


[font size="4"]In accordance to the principles of doublethink, it does not matter if the war is not real, or when it is, that victory is not possible. The war is not meant to be won. It is meant to be continuous. The essential act of modern warfare is the destruction of the produce of human labour. A hierarchical society is only possible on the basis of poverty and ignorance. In principle, the war effort is always planned to keep society on the brink of starvation. The war is waged by the ruling group against its own subjects, and its object is not victory over Eurasia or Eastasia, but to keep the very structure of society intact.[/font]

-- George Orwell, from "1984"

[littlemissmartypants]

1. Pain can be addictive.

The twisted perception of some convinces them to love is to hurt.
Part of the reason for the cycle of abuse.
Did we really think that the "WAR" was over?
We were just in the honeymoon phase. Silly us.


Reference post: http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=5508439


I am not sure this is your point but I know war is a racket and there are terrorists on both sides.

I want nothing to do with any of it and I am saddened but not surprised by the events. My American pride may soon morph into shame and my inner loner is telling me it's time to fly.

Love, Peace and Shelter.
~ littlemissmartypants

[Puzzledtraveller]

3. As the taste for blood also.

[TeeYiYi]

2. TB;DR

Too big; didn't read.

TYY

[99Forever]

4. Excellent read and a mountain of truth.

Thanks for posting it.

[Initech]

5. The military industrial complex uses the same formula as South Park's Underpants Gnomes.

Step 1: Declare a never ending war on Iraq and Afghanistan.
Step 2: Buy Congressional representatives who are easily manipulated.
Step 3: ?????
Step 4: Profit!

[hifiguy]

11. Eeyup.

[woo me with science]

6. Thank you.

K&R, and it needs to stay on top.

[2banon]

7. Excellent Post! K&R'd

Everything Hedges said and this:

In accordance to the principles of doublethink, it does not matter if the war is not real, or when it is, that victory is not possible. The war is not meant to be won. It is meant to be continuous. The essential act of modern warfare is the destruction of the produce of human labour. A hierarchical society is only possible on the basis of poverty and ignorance. In principle, the war effort is always planned to keep society on the brink of starvation. The war is waged by the ruling group against its own subjects, and its object is not victory over Eurasia or Eastasia, but to keep the very structure of society intact.

-- George Orwell, from "1984"

(bold emphasis mine)

[sabrina 1]

8. 'The War is not meant to be won'. That has become more and more clear. Which is why

to say they 'failed' is wrong. They have succeeded spectacularly and now have even accomplished what seemed impossible, they have the LEFT, or at least some on the left, supporting what they once opposed. And the Right is confused, they WANT to support 'more war' but aren't sure if they should because of that letter that appears to be so all-important when deciding 'right from wrong'.

[2banon]

17. They're not really "The Left" they're just party worshiping lilly livered "Liberals"..

They were against the War and in unity with the Left when it was Bush Cheney leading us into this psychotically driven "misadventure" with a very predictable outcome.. but now that it's someone in the Party of "D" engaging in more, endless war, well that is acceptable to the pretend Left.

Now watch the Right wing wackos start going off crazy against Obama's adaptation of the Bush Cheney policy, just because it's Obama making that decision.

Then cue in the pretend Liberals to demonize the Left for sticking with it's long standing anti-war position because a few "right wing anti-Obama wackos" appear to be in agreement with the Left ..

Just like the NSA/Authoritarian issue.

I'm so done with this shit.

[woo me with science]

21. And way too much of it is propaganda like that of any totalitarian state,

much of it likely paid for with our own tax dollars, and targeted at this government's own citizens.

We live in a viciously corrupt, criminal oligarchy now. I don't even recognize the country they told me I grew up in.

The "pretend liberals," indeed.

[2banon]

26. Yep. For a really a long long time, was hanging on to strands of hope for change

to come this time around..

Well.. Obviously it's time to snap out it. Understanding no possibility of that happening under the existing Plutocratic State and system of "governance".. (democracy my ass).

[Enthusiast]

24. "I'm so done with this shit." Me too.

[2banon]

27. Remember back in the day, when people created alternative communities

vis a vis homesteading in the back country in the Northwest, Montana etc.. ?

Attempted to anyway...when land was cheap. some were more successful than others. Some folded and sold the land off to the highest bidder.. some continue to this day.. alternative economic systems (like bartering) self sustaining communities..

Regardless of successes and failures, I think it's a matter of necessity now as it ever was.

[Enthusiast]

28. We might find ourselves to be self sustaining whether we want to be or not.

I'm too old for this shit.

[2banon]

29. gawd I hear ya..

me toooo.. !

[saidsimplesimon]

9. thanks marmar (see below)

In accordance to the principles of doublethink, it does not matter if the war is not real, or when it is, that victory is not possible. The war is not meant to be won. It is meant to be continuous. The essential act of modern warfare is the destruction of the produce of human labour. A hierarchical society is only possible on the basis of poverty and ignorance. In principle, the war effort is always planned to keep society on the brink of starvation. The war is waged by the ruling group against its own subjects, and its object is not victory over Eurasia or Eastasia, but to keep the very structure of society intact.

-- George Orwell, from "1984"

Unfortunately, the structure of society has been ripped asunder by the constant attempts to keep US together in perpetual war. Some of US refuse to join the war today, war tomorrow and war forever mantra of our political and corporate overlords.

Most of US want a just society, based on rule of law and the golden rule. I hope this is true. It's more complicated, but it would be a beginning. imho

[L0oniX]

10. Going to war should be like buying a gun...

there's a waiting period. Reason? To give time for possible emotional reactions to cool down?

[hifiguy]

12. Kickety rec!

[raouldukelives]

13. K&R nt

[abelenkpe]

14. K&R

[pleinair]

15. too true

K&r

[DocMac]

16. K&R

[marions ghost]

18. Their "yellow ribbon"

[marmar]

19. PM kick

[Martin Eden]

20. Excellent Read, thanks! n/t

[JEB]

22. Continuous war has rendered the consumer obsolete.

The elite don't need no stinking middle class.

[Enthusiast]

23. Kicked and recommended a huge amount.

Wake the fuck up, people.

[Scuba]

25. K&R