Doing the wrong thing just because....

[Jmpty]

Propaganda preys on fear. If people hear things that confirm that fear, truth becomes moot. Fear is justified by others, and amplified. Obama, the Muslim, Marxist, Kenyan, is going to take away our guns, leaving us defenseless against his agenda to make us a socialist country. Many people live in this delusion. Labor unions hurt workers, and America, because they force kind, benevolent corporations to pay people living wages. This is also believed by many, because it offers an explanation, true or not, that sounds reasonable to people who are looking for an answer that fits into their belief system. Nobody wants their beliefs called out as wrong.

[Jason Harvestdancer]

I believe that people always act in what they perceive to be their own best interest.  That does not mean or imply that they always do act in their own best interest.

[Mister Agenda]

Well-said, Jmpty and Jason.

[billhilly]

Medically address the psychological phenomenon?  So you want to medically "treat" people who disagree with you eh?  I'm not surprised after reading some of your other posts.  I actually agree with you on some issues and not on others. Do I get a half dose?  Seriously, you're not helping you side of any argument with calls for doping people.  I'm still not sure you're not a POE.  If you're not, you're a good reason for your neighbors to own weapons.

I didn't call for doping anyone, that is obviously YOUR idea.
I am not interested in forcing people to agree with me, that again is YOUR assumption.
There is a deeper problem here that YOU are missing.
The problem is and the question is, why are people suseptible to propaganda to the point that they will act against their own interest? Is it truely a medical condition? Can it be identified and or treated?
This has nothing to do with ME or my point of view on issues. It has everything to do with mass hysteria and illogical irrational behavior by those hymotized by outlandish propaganda.

So what the hell does medically address the psychological phenomenon mean then?
Your post indicates that you are able to determine what is in the best interest of people you don't know and when they are not acting in their best interest.  
You say this doesn't have anything to do with you or your point of view on issues yet you say:

It has everything to do with mass hysteria and illogical irrational behavior by those hymotized by outlandish propaganda.

It's as if you simply cannot fathom how anyone could disagree with you on guns and unions in this instance without having some kind of psychological problems.

[the_antithesis]

It made me think that people DON'T think, they react. Their reactions are controlled by propaganda and ideologues that push an agenda that is counter to the best interest of the people that they control.

Well, yeah. have we learned nothing from Survivor? People are stupid and are easily manipulated into acting against their own best interests.

[Jason78]

I filter all information, consider the source, varify the data by independent means disregard what is propaganda and hype and use what is fact before I act on anything.

I bet you don't.  How do you have the time?

If I tried to independently verify every fact that came my way I'd have very little time to do anything else.

[Fluffhead]

Propaganda preys on fear. If people hear things that confirm that fear, truth becomes moot. Fear is justified by others, and amplified. Obama, the Muslim, Marxist, Kenyan, is going to take away our guns, leaving us defenseless against his agenda to make us a socialist country. Many people live in this delusion. Labor unions hurt workers, and America, because they force kind, benevolent corporations to pay people living wages. This is also believed by many, because it offers an explanation, true or not, that sounds reasonable to people who are looking for an answer that fits into their belief system. Nobody wants their beliefs called out as wrong.

 so if the governments kills us or enslave us  how will they make profit out of us?

If the governments wants you dead you will be dead,it does not matter if you have one gun or if you are armed to teeth,if you are the enemy of the state you are gone.

But if you are such an rebel you could:

spend less
grow your own food
be more skeptic

this are the only way you can harm this system

[WitchSabrina]

Medically address the psychological phenomenon?  So you want to medically "treat" people who disagree with you eh?  I'm not surprised after reading some of your other posts.  I actually agree with you on some issues and not on others. Do I get a half dose?  Seriously, you're not helping you side of any argument with calls for doping people.  I'm still not sure you're not a POE.  If you're not, you're a good reason for your neighbors to own weapons.

Ok.......you two and this gun shit............  get to your corners dammit.

*shakes finger at both of you*





(kidding)

[WitchSabrina]

I filter all information, consider the source, varify the data by independent means disregard what is propaganda and hype and use what is fact before I act on anything.

I bet you don't.  How do you have the time?

If I tried to independently verify every fact that came my way I'd have very little time to do anything else.

I don't filter my information.  I have Jason for that.
 :rollin:

(cause he's da best - dats why)

[Jason Harvestdancer]

Why thank you.

[mykcob4]

In the wake of recent events people have acted irrationally well, just because....!
After the mass murderers of little school children, many of my neighbors went out and bought as many guns and ammo as they could possibly load in their gas guzzling SUVs. Their reason...."just because..."

And you bought that as their real reason, despite realizing that it was in the 'wake of recent events'? Clearly they either thought they needed guns because they've realized the world is a more violent place than they thought and it would be a good idea to be able to defend themselves; or they reasoned that gun control laws inspired by the incident would make it more difficult to obtain guns at a later date, so people who had been thinking about getting a gun anyway decided to get it sooner rather than later.

And picture of multiple SUVs in your neighborhood loaded down with guns and ammo or it didn't happen. I find it very difficult to believe that's not a gross exaggeration.

I know that such actions and attitudes are solely the reaction to propaganda from the extreme right wing and their propaganda media machine, but one would think that any normal responsible person would have just the opposite reaction.

Peoples actions and attitudes are never solely the product of one thing, but I'm sure the right wing propaganda machine has an influence.

It made me think that people DON'T think, they react. Their reactions are controlled by propaganda and ideologues that push an agenda that is counter to the best interest of the people that they control.

I think you're giving the propagandists too much credit. Many Americans have been raised for generations to think gun ownership is at least a right, and perhaps, virtuous. Propaganda is good for giving like-minded people a jolt to act, not so good at brainwashing people in directions they're not already inclined to. At least not in a society where the left-wing propaganda machine is free to do the same thing in the opposite direction.

Take any issue:
Unions and workers rights. The right has ADVERTISED that ALL unions are corrupt, when infact quite opposite is true.

You mean NO union is corrupt?

The right has a mass of people actively fighting against collective bargaining thinking that making workers powerless to negotiate will actually benefit the worker. This is a real problem and is the core with what is wrong with this nation.

It's actually at the core of what's right with this nation: people can peddle their viewpoints even if the rest of us think they are wrong, everyone gets to test their notions in the marketplace of ideas.

If we could medically address the psychological phenomenon we could actually cure some deep seat social ills.

That people disagree and value different things is not a medical problem.

What causes people to act completely against their best interest?

What causes seemingly well educated people to assume that they know better than someone else where their best interest lies?  What is it about some people on the left that keeps them from understanding that other people aren't solely motivated by economic benefits when they are proud to proclaim that THEY aren't solely motivated by economic benefits. There are other things to value.

What allows seemingly well educated people to succumb to propaganda and efforts by the morally socially corrupt? Is there anything that can cure this problem? What is the cause and root of this problem?

All the above said, the right DOES have a pretty scary panic-generation machine. Both sides do, especially when they're trying to raise money. Telling people on your side that the other side is going to take away your whatever brings in the donations. Although the internet is a major medium for propagating this propaganda, it's also a major medium for fact-checking. It's too bad we seem to lack the motivation to generate equally scary emails and letters warning people that interest groups are lying and exaggerating to influence them and get their money. I would love it if I got a mailing that explained why the previous ten mailings I got from political groups were full of lies.

Lets actually take a look at the 2nd Amendment and what it REALLY says.
"A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed."
Obviously the right to bear arms is strickly attached to having a WELL REGULATED militia to insure the security of the free state. So the Constitution provides for WELL REGULATION and the right to bear arms is for the use of a militia.
Since guns sales sored immediately after the pres. of the NRA went on a propaganda campaign and since there is no statistic that supports that gun ownership provides better home safety in fact the opposite is true, it is a fact that people are reacting irrationally right now with regard to gun purchases.
I think you give people too much credit with regard to their thinking and planning activity and capabilities. Yopu may not believe that my neighbors all climbed in their SUVs(there is at least one SUV for every house but mine) and boughts guns but it is a fact. Dallas and Ft. Worth had gun shows a week apart and my neighbors(almost all) went to and made purchases at both of them.
Unions aren't corrupt some people in unions have been corrupt, but the idea of an organization whose sole purpose is to fight for workers rights is not corrupt.
"That people disagree and value different things is not a medical problem." That isn't the issue here. Differing opinions is not on trial. People influenced by propaganda and acting against their own interest is!

[billhilly]

How convenient for you that the people who disagree with you happened to have been influenced by propaganda and therefore qualify as having a medical condition.  The supreme court took a differing view of the 2nd amendment btw.  Have they been propagandized and need medical treatment too?

[Jmpty]

Do you always agree with the supreme court Billhilly? Or only when they support your beliefs?

[billhilly]

Of course not.  They're all over the map actually here in the last years.  Hard to tell what they'll do.  What I don't do is suppose any opinion that differs from mine couldn't possibly be a reasoned response from someone with different ideas and must therefore be the result of some nefarious propaganda.  I'm also not in favor of declaring opposing opinions a medical problem in need of treatment.  Why is this so hard to grasp?

[Johan]

I'm pretty sure most of the people buying up guns and ammo have thought quite a bit about what they're doing and feel it is in their best interest to do so. Just because you don't understand it or agree with it does not mean they have some sort of medical problem.

I doubt that you are correct. None of my neighbors that went out and bought guns gave it much thought at all

And you know that how exactly?