“The oppressed are allowed once every few years to decide which particular representatives of the oppressing class are to represent and repress them.” – Karl Marx
“A nation that lacks the ability to discern the difference between the truth and a lie can no longer be called a democracy.” - Chris Hedges
“The United States is not a democracy. It’s what’s called in the technical literature a polyarchy… The idea is very old; it goes way back to James Madison and the foundation of the Constitution. A polyarchy is a system in which power resides in the hands of those who Madison called the wealth of the nation, the responsible class of men, and the rest of the population is fragmented, distracted, allowed to participate every couple of years. They’re allowed to say “Yes, thank you. Why don’t you continue for another four years?” – Noam Chomsky
"Democracy is a suggestion box for slaves." - Stefan Molyneux
"People do not need to be governed and do not require leaders unless they are ignorant, captive, wage slaves, or subject to a dictator." - Jacque Fresco
Etymology of GOVERNMENT: "mind control"
Another Opiate for the Masses
Many people in many different places value something called "democracy". But what does that mean? The standard definition is "rule of the people"; but does that mean the people rule, or they ARE ruled? According to Wikipedia, “Democracy is a form of government in which all eligible citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives.” First, does that seem true? Even if you vote every few years, aren't there decisions being made every day by those you didn't vote for? What should you know when making decisions? As much as possible: history, psychology, sociology, technology, and every other field that makes up our shared culture/reality. Most politicians come from business or law backgrounds, and know very little about such things. When anyone has the right to vote or make decisions with such limited information, does that really produce the best results? I’m sure it upsets some people that a drug dealer’s vote counts the same as a doctor’s. They probably don't go on to think that if everyone's vote counts the same, how much are they actually participating? As it turns out, not at all.
In any monetary system, money is the vote that counts most. Did you know that in major elections many of the same corporations are top contributors to BOTH party’s candidates? Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase, Citigroup, Morgan Stanley, Lehman Brothers, and UBS AG (a Swiss bank) each give to both parties to "hedge their bets"; so that no matter who wins, they can influence them. Companies don’t give their money away without expecting something in return; that’s bad for business. Even if your candidate really is honest and noble in their efforts, does that mean that everyone else around them is too? Not when everyone has a price and is part of the same system. Most "heads of state" are just cheerleaders, mascots, spokespeople. You may have voted for your "leader", but who selected the 2 or 3 candidates that you had a choice between? And how often does government accomplish anything helpful or productive? Yet we are constantly riled up about hot-button issues through the narrative of privately-owned mass media. That way, when we go to the polls we feel like we are actually participating and making a difference, but we aren't. It's the delusion of inclusion.
Perhaps the most obvious question is the one least asked. Did you vote for democracy? Of course the concept of it is one of the most appealing forms of government. Certainly better than fascism, right? Again, according to Wikipedia, “Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to unify their nation based on commitment to an organic national community where its individuals are united together as one people through national identity…Fascism seeks to eradicate perceived foreign influences that are deemed to be causing degeneration of the nation or of not fitting into the national culture.” Does that sound familiar? When you think about it, most people don't vote on corporate bail-outs, road works, education, health care, tax rates, capital punishment, social security, perpetual war, etc. Rather, these actions are predetermined by people behind the scenes, then packaged and sold to the public to gain their support/money/vote. Most voting is merely a mechanical reinforcement of the illusion of choice.
The truth is that we live in a “moneyocracy”, where the only choice you have is the one you can afford. It rules and supersedes all other cultural systems, politics, and religions, making people think that's what they need in order to thrive. It is not the fault of any one person or party. Money itself is a trick, as it keeps people focused on it instead of actual, valuable resources that matter. This creates perceived scarcity, keeping people from recognizing the abundance that surrounds us. The good news is that more are starting to see through the trick, and a new system is emerging based on actual physical referents and needs, as opposed to arbitrary paper/digital value that creates problems rather than solving them. It's been called a "resource-based economy" or "zero-marginal cost society", but really how something works matters more than what you call it. Study them and you will know that leaders are not required. Each of us has the power lead ourselves as long as we have access to what we need!
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