Eating our own

The human action of eating ones own can run the gambit of actually eating ones own to nibbling at the fringe of their future. Over the years I have strayed into the fanatical regions of both ends of the political spectrum. The spectrum being from Government control of ones life to Libertarian Freedom and individual responsibility. My dance of life has never helped me find peace as it has led me instead to far more questions than answers. Often I find the range of human politics, beliefs, and culture completely bewildering. As I try to categorize and gain a foothold of understanding a new or different wind of complexity confronts me. I have found the vastness of human behavior contains the greatest mysteries and questions of all. The grappling with physics to me is chump change in comparison.

 Although I do not consider myself very religious I do see and understand the good of being a religious person. I do try very hard to practice the Golden Rule but my endeavor to do this consumes all the religious practice I can handle and I still fail at even this simple idea. I also see the perversion of religion by people caught in the traps of bigotry, group think, dogma, hate and envy and all the horror dispensed. However this is true of any group be it Social Democrats, KKK, PETA, Right wing nuts, Left wing nuts, Middle stove bolts, Political Parties of all persuasions, Religious groups, Racist groups and many other groups. Why do we create so many vastly different sub groups when we are basically the same? We all have fears; does the choice of which fear we fear the most force a group selection and the absence of a particular fear another? Is any association based on fear a good thing or a necessary thing?  It does seem to me there is a wacko side of human nature that can not be put onto any particular group but can roar its ugly head from any idea or belief. One must conclude the negative side of human nature is not removed from the human condition by association. These very associations can add fuel to the fire of human frailty as personal, not necessarily virtuous; beliefs are enhanced by group think. Is our choice to participate in groups the problem? Many Americans participated in and supported mob lynching but very few would choose as an individual to personally lynch someone. At the time most members of the Lynching Group also had associations with a Religious Group, main stream Political Group and maybe a “radical” KKK group.

  As individuals we may respect another’s freedom but as a group is any respect over ridden by group dynamics? Does the forming of groups by necessity cause the destruction of freedom as each seek to one-up the others? Some feel there was a time when the practices of Native Americans were respectful of nature and had a positive group dynamic. I have seen the mass grave where envious Minnesota Sioux are buried when they tried to raid the Mole Lake Chippewa wild rice cash; again I find little comfort in association. Is our need to be part of group an ancient tribal urge, (us/them, win/loose, eat/or be eaten), we cannot control? Do our politicians mine groups by taking advantage of group fear, bigotry, stupidity, envy and other lesser human group dynamics to achieve power? Why are we engaged in stealing our children’s and grandchildren’s money, destroying their freedom and limiting their future opportunity? Is our insecurity that strong? Is this a modern perversion of tribal or group dynamics or the same old story? Have we become so dependent on our Government Masters that we now freely eat our own?

I am by default a part of the Association of Humans the biggest group, the Human Freedom Group and a Religious Group. I still search to understand why the biggest group does not choose freedom even when it is given to them via the blood and sacrifice of others. History shows periods of Freedom are extremely short and frail, Greece, Rome, some Tribes, America? Is it Human nature that condemns us to a world where Liberty is the impossible? Why do we seek with such vigor to trade Liberty for security from a Government? Is our need for a Master so strong we are helpless without one? Do the Masters need a Master? Will we riot when the Masters make necessary changes (cuts to Socialist programs) or will our Masters fearing riots fail us altogether?  Once most Americans supported and protected Freedom now it seems our group divisions and subsequent rancor has set up Freedom first as a gradual victim and now as the fall guy. Are the ups and downs of Freedom with all its vast Human choices, mistakes and beliefs so scary we must control it? Why do so many polish the trailer hitch on their coffin, selfishness, remnants of an ancient afterlife religion?  I know there is an answer to eating ones own; I know it is probably simple and obvious but it eludes me. Is my need to understand a result of Liberty or the residue of its demise? Does not being a rank and file member of a political sub group cause me to have questions and confusion? Do we seek sub groups so we won’t have questions or to answer questions?

 Has the choice to end the life of our suffering Lady Liberty already been decided by our genes? Ahhh genes the ultimate pickle can’t live without them and can’t have Freedom with them. Could this be the answer? No, what about the Masters? In the end aren’t we all capable of being Masters? Does our fear of death or ignoring death trump all and blind us to our actions? Is it time for us to think outside our little group boxes or do our natural human fears trap our thoughts there? What we are doing to future generations is very wrong, there must be an answer as to why and then we must fix it. My Bolshevik Grandfather would say “meidan taytyy tehda se lapsille” (we must do it for the children).