Žižek underscores the point that morality is power in disguise. — praxis

I don't disagree with Zizek or Nietzsche there, but I do believe the group that classifies themselves as "the victims" are doing so out of a sincere (though misguided) bid for self-validation. Resentment and a desire for revenge (and a corresponding desire for power) are a part of that.

Then there's the grifters, the profiteurs and politicians who jump on this bandwagon; they see emotionally vulnerable people as an opportunity for profit.

For them morality really is power.

The emotionally vulnerable are just being exploited and led in destructive circles, because the grift depends on them not finding a proper cure.

They appear to be convinced from the outset of the righteousness of their moral or ideological stance. How would you explain this phenomenon in a way that differs from Žižek’s interpretation? — Number2018

I would offer a slight twist on the subject.

The woke category that characterizes themselves as 'the oppressed victims' are absolutely shirking responsibility; they blame history, they blame the system, they blame other people's faults and "unconscious biases", etc.

This category exhibits something that I would almost consider a collective inferiority complex, which I believe stems from their own, unconscious rejection of their historical or cultural identity. That is then projected on society.

When one reduces one's own historical and/or cultural identity to "subservience to patriarchy", "slavery", etc. the 'other side of the mirror' is that one is indirectly admitting to one's own inferiority. Hence, observing the woke is like watching a dog chase its own tail.

But only a one of them is having sex for money. And that is called prostitution. Not commodifying one's body. We do not call builders football players. Because they are builders. We don't call prostitutes football players. Because they are prostitutes. — AmadeusD

Nowhere was I suggesting we start calling everything "prostitution".

Then all physical jobs, of any kind, are prostitution. — AmadeusD

No, I don't think so. Because not all jobs commodify the body for entertainment.

I actually like the idea of putting professional sports, and similar practices that commodify the body for entertainment (like modeling), in the same basket as prostitution.

And so the bickering schoolchildren continued;

"No, Turd Sandwich is worse!"

"I can't believe you think that! Giant Douche is clearly worse!"


The silver lining was that at least the subject seemed to have subtlely changed. The children had started to realize that neither Turd Sandwich nor Giant Douche was a particularly appealing option - for they were a set of very special, philosophical children.

Alas, despite this profound insight, the die had already been cast. Someone was going to have to 'win' this argument, which usually entailed convincing the other side that they had better things to do with their time.

Poignant questions about how come there were only unappealing options would have to be answered, presumably, later.

Speaking of the woke and their infinite capacity for projection;

When making my daily walks, I have started to notice a peculiar pattern. Every now and then I will pass by a woman/lady on an empty street, when they will inexplicably tense up, clutch their purse and/or pull out their phone. Sometimes they'll even pretend to be making a sudden call.

Normally I wouldn't think anything of it, but this has happened more times than I can remember, and I suspect something else is at play: they are assuming that, because I am a man and they are alone, I must be there to rob or rape them, and they are pulling out their phones as a way of saying "I have the emergency services on speed dial/someone is on the phone with me, so there will be proof", etc.

I am not tall, nor overly muscular or otherwise intimidating.

I suspect this is the result of years of fear porn and woke propaganda about 'rape culture'.

Despite not being particularly likely, being raped is one of people's biggest fears. The woke have taken this fear, inflated it and ensured that people are continually confronted with it, keeping it always at the front of their minds.

They've also worked hard to ensure rape is, in the minds of the fearful, psychologically tied to "men" - not a small set of deranged individuals, no - men.

My example is of course anecdotal (maybe it was all coincidence?), but one need only to glance at the things wokies and RabFems espouse to see the possible connection. Such things generally don't worry me unless I start seeing symptoms in my everyday life, and that is what I believe is happening here.

Woke is promoting sexism of the worst kind, and is exactly that which it pretends to fight.

Oh, your sacred feelings! How very woke! How very feminine! How very irrational! — unenlightened

Bit of a weird response. No idea why the word 'feel' set you off in this way, but at this point I figure I'm not surprised. You obviously have a chip on your shoulder, and are not interested in having it pointed out.

Universities and academia are at the root of this mania, so you'll excuse me if I don't take their views on the topic especially seriously.

They spent years trying to stretch the definition of rape and sexual violence to 'drunk people having sex' and 'I had a shag that I regretted', and are now trying to sell the idea of a "rape epidemic" - I'm not buying it. Sorry, not sorry.

But if they are indeed all funded by the US state department (which I doubt in some cases), isn't it all the more impressive that they are also quite critical of developments in the US? — Tobias

Well then, let me dispell all your doubts by pointing out it's right there on their websites under 'Funding'.

Your go to response to something you disagree with is personal insult. — unenlightened

It's not meant as a personal insult. It's genuinely how I feel about the position you're laying out.

You talk about an obsession with sex, but it's you who seems to throw all reason out the window on this topic.

I genuinely believe that you, and people like you, are being manipulated into an emotional response by people much cleverer than you, in order to control you for political ends. This is essentially just how propaganda works.

Topics of sex and sexuality are especially suitable for this, due to the fears, insecurities, resentments, etc. that a lot of people harbor and are often ashamed of - fear and especially shame are very powerful emotions. You give people an excuse to turn that shame into righteous indignation and a sense of moral grandiosity, and you have a delicious emotional cocktail for people to get drunk on. Or actually hooked would be a better word, because very few people will voluntarily trade that emotional drug back for the shame that started it - it's addictive; a clever propagandist will seek to fuse the subjects ego to whatever it is they're being made to believe, making the road back to sanity all the more difficult.

In addition, sexual topics are often taboo, ensuring limited interaction with the real world, and thus a lower threat of the echo chamber being disrupted.

Maybe you should read up on how propaganda works. Propagandists are very clever, and they know people better than people know themselves.

"A host of think-tanks manned by informed academics"? Oh my, , you make it sound so impressive.

I'm sure it's just a coincidence that they're all funded by the US department of state. :rofl:

The academic world is dead, my friend.

Rapists are thrown in jail, and even an accusation without proof resulting in an acquittal is enough to ruin someone's life.

I suspect you harbor resentment towards the natural structure of society and men/masculinity in general, and that this is just some exercise in projection and the justification of your own prejudices.

Specifically, rape and fear of rape is part of the mechanism of control of female sexuality by the patriarchy. — unenlightened

It's things like this that really make me question what type of mindworm has bored its way into your brains.

People are inadvertently teaming up with the exact republican and neocon human garbage that lobbied for this war from 2008 onward.

The hawks want war, and even though the people generally don't, they are so hysterical they'd rather see no end to the war than to see Trump succeed at peace - it's not the widows, orphan and the piles of dead that keep them awake at night; it's the mere chance of Trump getting a prize.

The story people tell themselves about Ukraine deserving a better deal is just a coping mechanism to wash their hands, because a better deal is not coming and things will only get worse. Doubly so if the US ends up using failed peace talks as an excuse to walk out on the conflict altogether - Ukraine is really screwed then, and will probably not survive as a country.

You're free to call them a collective of conspiratorial liars. — jorndoe

That's in fact the exact term I would use to describe the Washington establishment, and whatever shitty NGOs they bribe on the daily.

People trying to "boycott" peace out of sheer spite for Trump is probably one of the funniest things I've seen on this forum. :rofl:

Cosmetic surgery is huge outside of the West too. I'd say it's a symptom of modernity, rather than having anything to do with the West specifically. Modernity is spiritual, intellectual and moral famine. All the rest follows logically.

A completely independent™ source, no doubt. :lol:

I have to say that it's somewhat amusing to witness the response to this collective reality check. :lol:

As Nietzsche said, a man's worth can be determined by how much truth they can tolerate. This forum appears to be capable of tolerating very little.

Maybe there should be a thread for new invitees where people post with similar enthousiasm, because as everybody's high-fiving in the "Bannings" thread, no one seems to notice this forum has been a stagnant pond years.

Remember when people kept suggesting Russia had some sort of 'kompromat' on Trump? :rofl:

Turns out he was indeed compromised, by the all-American CIA, and now he's being blamed for not throwing US gov't employees in jail for doing their jobs.

Oh, the irony of it all.

I'm sure that when Trump leaves the White House everything will be right as rain. The US is such a loveable country after all, that no country in the world has any reason to severely dislike. No sir.

I think it's the result of decades of living under the nanny state. People will accept the information, but they are unable to process it. You see it everywhere these days, like it's becoming more obvious as the cracks are starting to show and the western system seems to be nearing a flipping point.

Just got news from my lawyer today that I the 4 year investigation into me for mad crimez I allegedly committed as CEO and board member of a corporation, have been dropped. — boethius

Congratulations. :up: Hope you're able to find some peace and quiet, because false accusations can put an enormous weight on one's state of being.

It's understandable from the perspective of the Ukrainian people, but political leaders in war have to deal with reality, even if it potentially means the end of their political careers.

If they are unable to set aside emotions, they're setting themselves up to be sidelined, making things even worse.

He’ll blame Zelensky for not taking the “Great deal.” — Mikie

He wouldn't be entirely wrong.

Genuinely, what reason is there to continue fighting? What could Ukraine possibly gain that would improve their bargaining positioning?

When a war is objectively lost, it's up to the leaders of the country to bite the bullet and ensure their soldiers aren't sacrificing their lives in vain.

It's very sour for Ukraine to be put in this situation by same the country that promised so much and delivered so little, but that's US foreign policy for you. Ukraine brought in a tiger to keep out the wolves.

Western democracy is a total shit show, so if the idea was to sell democracy to foreign countries then we are doing an awful job at it. We are giving off every sign that we're not just on a slippery slope - we're skiing down it at full speed, aiming directly for the trees at the bottom.

Of course, Biden, Biden 2.0 (Kamala) or Biden 2.0* (Trump) was/is capable of and has/would have committed similar acts.

The only reason everybody is up in arms about it now, is because Trump falls outside their preference bubble, so now suddenly it matters. If one categorically ignores all the fucked up shit that their preferred candidate gets up to, then one might successfully delude oneself into believing that there exists a better alternative.

It is business as usual: the American people are placated with a spicy emotional melange of outrage and trumpeteering, unaware they're part of a circus.

Various documentaries have been made about similar practices taking place in the Netherlands, and political parties have tried to garner attention for it. Predictably, the political establishment isn't interested. I wonder why?

All I can say is that western intelligence agencies like the CIA, MI6 and Mossad have been linked at various points in time and on multiple occasions to global pedophile networks.

Too crazy to be true(?).

The simplistic ones are those who look at western political systems as a vehicle for meaningful change.

But, you know, good for you. You're nothing if not relentlessly positive.

The American people were getting Biden 2.0 either way, and the only thing they could choose from is in which packaging it came.

Woke is a classic vehicle to keep people divided and bickering amongst each other. That's why conversation is impossible - it is explicitly against the purpose of the movement.

People's resentment and inner conflicts are cultivated and projected on a scapegoat.

It's an opium for the people - rather than facing and taking responsibly for one's struggles, one gets to absolve themselves, claim a moral high ground, and blame everyone else. One then gets to act out and destroy with good conscience - another addictive, psychological delicacy.

The harder people keep doubling down on this rejection of personal responsibility and using it for a sense of moral superiority, the harder it will be to reverse course. The resulting cognitive dissonance forces people to get even more radical, resentful, etc.

Like I said, classic stuff.

There is no "anti-wokeism", just normal peope wanting the insanity to stop. And Trump is a political outsider, not really part of the political class as I understand it.

Being "awake" used to be a reference to the Matrix movie, in which the lead character swallows a red pill and gets to see the world for what it really is.

It's about the dynamics of power.

Woke-ism cleverly shifted the spotlight from the elites, which are the actual problem, in favor of scapegoating average (white) Joes.

Gee, I wonder why the political class loved woke-ism so much.

It depends what the law says, I suppose. But intellectual property rights are an abomination to begin with.

A nice graph to show how Russia hasn't suffered one bit, and the EU has been played like a bunch of fools.

I don't think it's so much a fear of death.

Rather, the average person in a western country lives such a safe and sheltered life that they cannot even fathom the need to protect themselves, or understand what it is like to have one's life threatened, and what it does to a person.

I think any anti-gun person would make a 180 if they were ever to experience how thinly protected they actually are. How easily criminals are able to circumvent the law, and how malicious and petty some people are. When your life is in danger and the police can only shrug their shoulders - that's a reality check.

Oh please, save me the nonsense about how you've seen pain I can't understand. — Hanover

I mean, you clearly have no idea. You might tell yourself you have any idea what it's like based on "data" and "statistics", but you'd just be fooling yourself.

Of course if you'd have had a gun when you were accosted, the outcome would have been different. — Hanover

You're talking about people trying to steal your wallet. I'm talking about people trying to ruin your life over trivial nonsense - death threats, harassment, vandalism etc., and the implicit suggestion that they're willing and low IQ enough to do extreme things.

Why wouldn't I just go buy me an arsenal, get cool sights, laser beams, the whole works? — Hanover

Presumably because there's no reason for you to do so. Good for you. If I had no need for a gun, I wouldn't want one either.

Why can't you let the stats speak for themselves and just say you're comfortable with the increased risks but you want the gun? — Hanover

Statistics without context do not "speak for themselves", nor are the words of someone who has (I assume) never had a run-in with violent criminals particularly valuable.

I have, and there's not a doubt in my mind that a firearm would have made me safer.

And quite honestly, I can understand your attitude. It's easy to make comments about other people's safety when you're sitting high and dry. This is what intellectuals and politcians love to do. These things are "uncommon" until they're happening to you, and you're at the complete mercy of some deranged idiots because your government is too incompetent to protect you, and doesn't allow you to protect yourself.

I could find no data suggesting that gun ownership increased one"s safety in more dangerous areas. — Hanover

It is common sense. When I am unarmed and someone is coming for my life, I have virtually zero chance of survival. With a firearm it will be significantly higher.

I don't need data or statistics to tell me that, since it is self-evident.

Whether it works out that way for every gun owner is another story, but also none of my concern.