Comment 89310

By johnny (anonymous) | Posted June 04, 2013 at 16:38:59 in reply to Comment 89308

Kinder society than we ever were in the past? In many theoretical ways maybe (we have the charter, tolerance and anti-discrimination laws, etc.), but in practical ways not at all.

Racism is just as pronounced as ever, if not worse. If you don't think so, take a quick glance at poverty and the prison systems accross this continent. We have both institutionalized and non-institutionalized forms of slavery, racism, tribalism, gang mentality, throughout this entire country.

Misogyny is alive and well also, probably worse than ever before. The only difference is, thanks to an unguided feminist movement, today women are treated like sexual objects, but somehow they are made to believe that it is their 'choice' to dress and act in the ways they do. But the consequences of harm to women and society at large remain the same, nay worse nowaday. Again, just take a quick glance at the problem of single mothers on welfare, and look at the articles I cited earlier.

What's more, the rights to abort only further allow men to victimize women by having sex with them without any committment or obligations, because one can always just kill the consequences, quite literally. Don't get me wrong, I think if there is a risk of harm to the mother, abortion may be necessary. But in most cases, it's just another case example where we demand rights without responsibilities and is screwing society in the end.

The economy is a whole other story and requires its own essay. But I'll stick to the issue of personal and social values here, and rest assured, it all ties into the economy anyway, as was my main point in all of this.

Every type of violence go down? No disrespect, but tell me what planet you live on so that I can move there. The planet I'm on is getting too violent for me. Ah, of course, you may be talking about violence in your neighbourhood. Last time I looked, downtown Hamilton, where there happen to be a lot of people with tattoos, has a significant crime problem compared to say Burlington or Oakville, violence being one type of crime.

But on the whole, this is the era of death and killing. We are a more violent species than we have ever been, thanks to technology, mass communication, and yes, loss ethics and morality. Ask the Syrians how they feel about violence right now. Bashar Al-Asad has even outstripped his father's killings. The cases of violence, both state sanctioned, and indvidually perpetrated are obviously too many to cite.

Suffice to say that the West, more than previous world super powers in history, has been in war after war since it's inception as a super power, resulting in untold numbers of deaths. Western societies themselves are increasingly violent. I ask you, what society in the past anywhere was as violent as the one we live in today? I'd question the stats that tell you otherwise. Instead, why don't you read up on what experts in the field say, for example, look at works by Lt. Dave Grossman.

In terms of violence towards women. Not marrying them/ not committing to care and support them, but still taking advantage of their bodies is a form of violence, though most people are too stupid to realize that and they go about harming women this way. In its more obvious forms, one in three women in Canada experiences some form of domestic or sexual violence in their lifetime, and this is only what is reported.

You may say that this was the always the case or even worse, but I would question your sources. Marriage in society is an indicator of the rights of women. If they are not being married, how are people having sex? I'll tell you: in ways that ultimately harm women, and therefore society, that is, without committment.

Of course, people shouldn't stay married if they are not happy. Divorce is not a problem, and in allowing women to divorce whereas they could not before, we have advanced. However, to suggest marriage itself is unnecessary is a dangerous idea.

Now, on the issue of gays and lesbians getting married, one has to ask what possible reason would these folks want to get married in the first place when they can't reproduce, which is fundamental necessity for life to exist? I believe it is more about making a statement than anything else. The proliferation of such rights and mass acceptance of the same sex act is a result of special interest groups and not more.

Now to answer your initial group of questions, if someone does xyz but doesn't hurt themselves why is it wrong? First, we live in systems. What I believe and do in my life ultimately effects those around me. It is not possible for you to exist in society without making your mark on others in some way. If I walk around naked on your street with my head phones on, and I'm not harming anyone, is it still wrong and if so why? Likewise, you can sit at home all day alone and drunk thinking you're not harming anyone. First, you're harming yourself. Killing your potential to live life to the fullest, and secondly, you are contributing through your money to the business of buying and selling alcohol (i.e. from the profit of human suffering).

Again, tattoos, though relatively harmless compared to say alcohol, are only a symptom of everything else that is wrong with the values of that person, and specifically, disregard for one's own body. Tattoos are risky from a medical/ health perspective alone, which should be enough for one to avoid it. Then there is the issue of why people get them to begin with?

Coincidentally, I only know a handful of people in my personal life that have tattoos, and none of them are married or even thinking about marriage (I don't blame them, I imagine they wouldn't know how to act and so it seems more trouble than its worth). Conversely, I know quite a few people that are married, and none of them have tattoos.

Please don't take above as a personal insult to anyone. Rather, I am only criticizing social values and behaviour that I believe is harmful to individuals and ultimately, as we live in social systems, to us all.


All of the above and more is a sure sign that we are in crisis.

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