By Charles Blow, Nov. 4 2015 (LINK to article)
The eulogizing words of Officer Gliniewicz’s widow remind me of most people's attitude towards the state, which deceitfully poses as our nation and servant, while at the same time taking us all for a ride.
It's an attitude greatly promoted by the state itself, of course, and by those the ride gives favour and advantage to.
No one would criticise Mrs. Gliniewicz in her grief. It would be inhumane to attempt to disillusion her, and we can afford not to. But in respect to our illusions about the nature of the state it is different. We cannot afford to go on deluding ourselves, because if we do, the ride it is taking us on will destroy us all - even those who are currently enjoying it.
The state conflates and confounds very different aspects of the original tribal environment in which human nature evolved, long before the first ones emerged from it. Now it deceitfully poses as our tribe or nation (our intra- and inter-tribal environment) itself, while at the same time facilitating society’s SELF-exploitation (as an extra-tribal environment) to the personal advantage of its ruling elites and favoured (esp. wealthy and academic) clients, at the expense of society at large.
Just as it would be for Mrs. Gliniewicz, this is a very difficult and painful truth for every citizen to recognise and face up to, but it is what we urgently need to do, if this ride isn't to end in disaster, a kind of collective suicide.
Introduction to understanding the true nature of the state: LINK.
The eulogizing words of Officer Gliniewicz’s widow remind me of most people's attitude towards the state, which deceitfully poses as our nation and servant, while at the same time taking us all for a ride.
It's an attitude greatly promoted by the state itself, of course, and by those the ride gives favour and advantage to.
No one would criticise Mrs. Gliniewicz in her grief. It would be inhumane to attempt to disillusion her, and we can afford not to. But in respect to our illusions about the nature of the state it is different. We cannot afford to go on deluding ourselves, because if we do, the ride it is taking us on will destroy us all - even those who are currently enjoying it.
The state conflates and confounds very different aspects of the original tribal environment in which human nature evolved, long before the first ones emerged from it. Now it deceitfully poses as our tribe or nation (our intra- and inter-tribal environment) itself, while at the same time facilitating society’s SELF-exploitation (as an extra-tribal environment) to the personal advantage of its ruling elites and favoured (esp. wealthy and academic) clients, at the expense of society at large.
Just as it would be for Mrs. Gliniewicz, this is a very difficult and painful truth for every citizen to recognise and face up to, but it is what we urgently need to do, if this ride isn't to end in disaster, a kind of collective suicide.
Introduction to understanding the true nature of the state: LINK.
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