Corruption | The Bigger Picture

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Discussion #23 - Corruption

One big question on people's minds these days is; who is really controlling governments (in the developed world), the 1% or the 99%? In any democratic country, the answer SHOULD be the 99%, but sadly this is just not the case. We obviously have more power at the polls, but it's immediately after the elections that our influence drops off (like a rock). Money really does make the world go 'round, & politics is no exception. Why would it be, when people are involved? Where there are people, there are people wanting more money.

A good example of this, is that the cost of ONE aircraft carrier, the 5000 personnel, aircraft, etc. (approx. $120 billion), would pay for a house, car, & everything else necessary for a good life, for everyone who needs this in the U.S. War is big business, & many overlook this important fact. Most wars/conflicts are the result of economic inequality or Nationalism. The money spent on war/military (globally), if spent on the poor, would virtually eradicate the need for it altogether.

In third world countries, & with dictatorships, the corruption is much worse. Extreme poverty for the masses, & extreme wealth for the few in charge, is usually the end result. We all felt the frustration & anger when we learned that virtually NONE of the $15 BILLION in donations sent to Haiti from around the globe, were given to the poor after the devastating earthquake in 2010. Citizens in these countries routinely have their mail opened & robbed at the post office, if there is anything of value suspected inside. This is just the tip of the iceberg, but you get the general idea.

In a dictatorship, control must be maintained at all costs. If anyone dares try to jeopardize this control, very bad things tend to happen (in the short term). In the long term, however, life for the vast majority would get (dramatically) better. Not everyone is prepared to pay this price, but we are starting to see this attempted (successfully) more often in recent years. This is partly due to the internet, & heightened awareness of inequality & oppression.

A similar sort of thing (in a non-violent manner) would have to happen in the developed world, for the 99% to take back control of their governments. The Occupy Wall St. movement is the perfect example, except that it was poorly organized, & quickly squashed. The aftermath is a somewhat elevated level of awareness, but economically virtually nothing has changed (not even a dent).

When the majority feel like they have very little to lose, & much to gain, the will of the people rises to the point where action will occur. When most are content (& happy) with their lot in life, this is when that government (& the 1%), can truly relax (& enjoy theirs).

Capitalism works great when corruption is at a minimum (there will always be some). When the masses really begin to start feeling "ripped off", & realize how badly they're being short-changed, this is when we'll start to see some REAL action. Right now, the middle class is living in a "boiling frog" scenerio. The temperature is being turned up slowly, & most are not really noticing. People are busy, noses to the grindstone. It will take many looking up (at the bigger picture in life), for any of this to change significantly.

Complacency is very dangerous, as the middle class is eroding more every day. Some are moving up, but most (by far) are moving down. The situation is greatly amplified by globalization. If we value (at all) our personal/family's future lifestyle/economic situation, we may want to take a small break from the grindstone, & take a good look at what's really going on in our very large world. Remember, 80% of all human beings are earning/living on less than $10 a day. The vast majority of extra revenue generated in developing countries from re-located jobs, is going into the pockets of the rich business owners, shareholders & governments of these countries. Very little ends up going to the workers.

It really is a shame that capitalism is becoming this polarized greed-fest all over the world, as it really is by far the best economic system of the bunch. It's my personal opinion, that with a handful of major tweaks to this system, humankind can actually (easily) have the utopic economic paradise that we have all long fantasized about.

There are, of course, many different forms of corruption in our world these days, but there is one form in particular that is by far the most important. While we may think that things like the assassination of presidents, the rich paying no taxes, or our freedoms being taken away are all pretty vicious forms of corruption, there is another that will make these seem like a day at the beach in the very near future.

Similar to aggressive tax avoidance schemes, which are in many cases perfectly legal, this is also another legal form this is currently and historically been plaguing our planet for decades now. it is in fact the neverending parade of misinformation coming from numerous large corporations, with the sole purpose of keeping the massive consumption machine running at full speed.

The problem, is that we're not just dealing with people ripping off, hurting, or enslaving other people here, we're messing with mother nature. And when she gets pissed off, it's a whole different level of fury. Of course, mother nature is not a person, and in my humble opinion, not a spiritual God or entity either. However, most who do believe in a spiritual higher power, do believe in some form of creation.

Therefore, for those who do believe in God, nature is one of God's creations. And as such, God's power does seem to be extremely present in nature. Many insurance companies even have an "act of God" clause in their policies, so they don't go bankrupt when nature gets a little too aggressive.

As consumers, we all love to consume, and most companies in the world are catering to us as such. It's easy to see why so much of the corruption going on in the world right now, is there to try and desperately keep this massive machine running. There are still precious few in this world, who prioritize our environment over money. Even though money will become completely worthless if this continues. You can't spend money on a dead planet.

The fossil fuel industries know that a tiny bit of doubt is all it takes to keep people from taking serious action. Mainly because most of us absolutely LOVE being hard core consumers. On top of this, we also still have some scallywags illegally cutting down large swaths of our precious rainforests (the lungs of Earth). Of course, we can't just stop consuming instantly, nor is it necessary. But our global obsession with it must transition quickly over to a passion for sustainability.

A close second place for most significant forms of corruption, would be the many which attempt to further polarize and widen the gaps between the rich and the poor. This is simply an ego trip & greed, but for some reason, this problem still seems to be getting worse. I (along with many others) just can't believe that so many countries in this world have not yet evolved past this "monkey behaviour" yet. The richest men on Earth are now climbing past $200 billion (each) in net worth, and are so bored with their life, that many seem to want to become astronauts now.

Human equality is not just a cute, politically correct ideology, it is the reality. We are all only here in this mortal form for a short time, and none of the money and "stuff" is coming with us when we leave. We all know this, but for some reason seem to be blocking it out of our minds. We don't really enjoy thinking about it, so we just don't. Addressing this reality also does not feed our inherently competitive spirit.

My third place prize for most significant form of corruption would go to those who simply want to hold on to power at any cost. Power is an addiction, just like so many other vices in life. Once a person has an extreme taste of it, along with the insane amounts of attention, they often don't want to let go. Money tends to mix with this obsession, but the thirst for power is different. It's this feeling of extreme personal significance, or importance. The feeling that we're not just another brick in the wall.

Having money or wealth seems to satisfy most people in life who really crave this feeling, but for some, it's still not enough. They want even more of it, and often will stop at nothing to get it, or keep getting it. To the dictators of this world, beware. This primitive, unevolved form of government is no longer being tolerated in most areas of this world. Positions of power need to be respected and earned, not taken & abused.

With the recent advancements in technology, we humans are advancing at an exponential rate. It's also really starting to sink in that we are all of equal worth in this species. One human being is not vastly more significant than another, even though this has always been the human perception. In this physical realm, it really does seem that way, but in the next, not a chance.

Even in this realm, when you really stop and think about it, does a dictator live longer than the rest of us? No. Does he (or maybe someday she) have more fun than the rest of us? Not likely, especially when they're so desperate to cling to power. Is the legacy of a dictator dramatically better? Absolutely not, in fact it's usually the opposite. So what is really driving the big obsession? Probably just the feeling they get from it, which is created mainly by the endocrine system.

Dictatorships generally happen when a country can't get their shit together enough for something better to happen. Right before a dictator takes over, they've likely gone through a period of extreme chaos and political division. And a peaceful, intelligent, democratic solution could not, or would not come to pass. When a dictator does get into power, it can be extremely difficult to get them out. This is why countries like the US need to be very careful. As most of the world is now fully aware, democracy can be easily lost, and once it is, extremely difficult to get back.

In North Korea, they even take it a step further, where Kim is viewed basically as a God. He is their deity, as was his father, so this is a somewhat different, and even more intense situation.

All forms of corruption are basically the result of extreme ego, greed, and aggression. They are a primitive and animalistic form of behaviour, and we should all be past this by now. Sure, there will always be that bit of beast in all of us, that bit of animal, which does vary dramatically from person to person. But as a species, with all of our advanced methods of communication and access to information, it's enough already. We need to rise above our animalistic forms of behaviour, if we want to survive much longer on this or any other planet. This is also what's caused all of our tribal behaviour down through the centuries.

We musn't forget, that even if some of us were to migrate to and colonize other planets, we'd be bringing all of our nuclear technology, nuclear behaviour, along with all other forms of aggression with us. This will not stop corruption, war, or any other vile human endeavour one bit. The solution to any of these problems is not to escape Earth, as they'll all be coming with us.

Sadly, since 2006, the entire world (when results are combined) has been experiencing a freedom recession. In other words, the dictators have been gaining ground. This is not just an extremely disturbing trend, it means our species is globally declining into tyranny. We need to wake up, smell this coffee, and put a stop to this right now. The good news, is that many countries are in fact doing extremely well in this department, so there is hope.

Every country is ranked and has a human freedom score. This is an average of the personal freedom and economic freedom scores. There is an extremely strong link and correlation between economic success and personal freedom. The countries which are the most free, consistently outperform those whose citizens are the most oppressed. Some of the tolerance for oppression comes from the personalities of it's citizens, but overall, we are not that dramatically different as human beings, and therefore virtually no one enjoys living an oppressed life. A great example of this would be what is currently happening in Hong Kong.

The corruption we all face in this world, is the result of an aggressive, arrogant, and feral aspect to the human personality, which is to a very large degree controllable. It often just takes being aware of it, for people to really be able to take hold and control this aspect of themselves. In other words, knowledge and understanding is power. This is why our entire species is (overall) advancing and evolving at such a fast pace right now.

The only problem is, it must advance even faster, with our biggest problem coming dangerously close to crossing tipping points which are irreversible (at least as far as we're concerned). Nature will recover either way within a few million years, which is not that long for a planet, but far too long to save us. Therefore, if we don't get our shit together in time, WE definitely won't be here much longer to see it.

The other big scallywag move that we have to watch out for in this world, is the attempt of many to censor and control the internet. There are very few legit reasons for censorship of the net, such as inciting violence, hatred, harassment, sexual exploitation, or similar. Otherwise, there should be none. If there is, even when people use the excuse of misinformation or public health, this is a serious form of corruption. What one person thinks is misinformation, may in fact be the rock hard truth. These sorts of accusations are normally being driven by the ideologies, views, or opinions of the accusers. People need to feel & be free to have healthy conversations about things, even when highly controversial.

Any form of unnecessary censorship is a form of tyranny, and brings us one massive step toward dictatorship. This is why China banned Google, along with virtually all other major global sites, from their country. In it's place, they have their own heavily censored versions. People very often like to label any information that doesn't support their own views or ideological beliefs as misinformation. For the internet to cater to one view or the other is very undemocratic and dangerous.

People are intelligent, and they can make up their own minds as to what they believe is fact, and what is fiction. This is why a free internet is moving us forward so quickly as a species. If corruption and censorship are allowed to take over, we'll be hurtling backwards in no time with this form of technology. The slope is extremely slippery. If we make exceptions for this reason, or that reason, pretty soon it's pure chaos.

Does this mean that ideas or information that are empirically untrue, or un-factual, will make their way onto the internet? Of course they will, but to take away the freedom of this technology would be the single most corrupt, oppressive, and dangerous thing that humanity could ever do.

Even in the case of public health, what is considered fact today, may not be in a few years (or a few weeks) down the road. We're constantly learning in the area of health, and many things that were historically considered fact, have changed literally overnight. Just ask any lawyer, there are so many examples of this, it would make your head spin.

Often people really do feel they have the best of intentions when they try and bully their own agendas forward with corruption. Sadly, none of us are perfect, we all make mistakes. This is why the checks and balances of a free and democratic society work the best, and always will. Tyranny thrives in the darkness, so the more unbiased, uncensored information we have access to, the better.

We've all noticed, that the cream does generally rise to the top with the internet, so this does dramatically help us to sort out the facts from the fiction. But if we start allowing individuals, special interest groups, big businesses, or government parties (etc.) to start swaying and skewing the information we see and hear on the net, all hell will literally break lose. As most are fully aware, all over the world, people are increasingly using the internet to get their news, information, and often their entertainment as well, along with shopping, banking, and so much more.

The award for most recent major form (& source) of corruption in the world, would have to go to the covid pandemic, for creating an environment where big business is pushing governments to force vaccinate every human being on Earth.

What's happening now, is that we're creating a division between the younger & healthier generations, and the older & less healthy. This is why so many police unions around the world, for example, are pushing back against forced vaccinations. Most police officers are 20 to 50 years of age, and are typically extremely healthy and fit.

They are commonly far more concerned about the long-term health effects from the vaccines, than they are the virus itself. Their vaccination rates are normally extremely low for this reason.

The older generations, in contrast, are not nearly as concerned about long-term adverse effects, as they're obviously far more at risk from the virus. And most likely will not even be around to experience any long-term effects. This is why we're seeing most folks of an older age, far more likely to want vaccine mandates. (I'm personally in my upper '50s, so I can respect both sides of this argument).

It's pretty mind-boggling however, to see how delusional many in the medical and drug industries are, to think they really know for sure what, if any, the long-term effects will be. It's as if they all own time machines, and have flown to the future to see what happens, and then have come back to tell us. Ask any lawyer, and they will tell you that what is known early on about a relatively new drug, is not even close to being what is known about it years later.

In other words no, they don't know for sure what the adverse effects will be. But judging by the effects that over-vaccination often have on pets and other animals, as experienced regularly by veterinarians, they can be serious, permanent, and in many cases, fatal. There have been literally NO studies done on the long-term effects of these vaccines, and on this fact, there is simply no debate.

As human beings, we've really only experienced regular, routine vaccinations as of 2010, when flu shots started kicking into high gear. Animals, on the other hand, have been experiencing these sorts of routine inoculations for much longer, and so the results of this have been seen for much longer. The only real window that we have into the future on this issue, is what is being experienced with routinely vaccinated animals.

Vaccines definitely have their place in this world, they were a much-needed tool to defeat polio, for example. My aunt came down with polio, possibly from kissing a baby when she was very young. It was/is a hideous disease, which caused her to grow up like a pretzel. She required many back surgeries, for many years, just to allow her to function. Even then, her spine was incredibly twisted her entire life, which made it very difficult for her to walk.

However, the polio vaccine (which I personally had as a baby), is a one-and-done inoculation. It has lasted my entire life, and is likely still working effectively after over 50 years. The modern trend in recent history is over-vaccination. This trend is far more recent in humans, but has been going on for quite a while with animals.

There is always a chance that there will be no negative adverse effects from routine covid shots, or flu shots years down the road, but there is also a reasonable chance that there will be. For this reason, we humans should be able to make this very personal health choice ourselves. To have it taken away is beyond tyranny, it's a crime against humanity, especially the young. And one that may have unbelievably tragic health consequences down the road.

Over-vaccination of cats & dogs has been a very big problem for many years now. It can cause allergic reactions, autoimmune diseases, and cancer. For many years, cats were injected vaccines between the shoulder blades. Then after years of this, veterinarians realized that it was starting to cause cancerous tumors (sarcoma) at the injection site. They decided to switch over to the legs, so that if & when tumors develop, they can amputate the leg, saving the life of the cat. They say that tripod cats can navigate around fairly well, but I think you know where I'm going with this.

The same issues occur as well in dogs, but sometimes with the additional adverse effect of behavioral changes. Dogs can & sometimes do become more aggressive when over-vaccinated, and in rare cases, it's fatal.

With these sorts of extremely dangerous effects from annual vaccinations of our pets, it seems very odd that so many MD's are absolutely convinced there will be no long-term negative effects whatsoever to humans. Many around the world, (including many other MD's), find this incredibly hard to believe. Especially when we all know for a fact, that every medical treatment carries some risk.

This is not disinformation folks, these are cold hard facts, which can be verified a million different ways. Far too many out there are using that word "disinformation" to try and get people to ignore or dismiss hard proven facts, just because the information doesn't support their own opinions, beliefs, agendas, or ideologies.

Young people have to live this life on Earth for much longer than we older folks, and they are the ones who will possibly have to face and live with some of these long-term adverse effects. That being said, there is a very good chance that most of us will. I'm not trying to scare anyone, or turn anyone off of the idea of getting vaccinated. What many are against in this world, is again over-vaccination, along with forced vaccination. The odds are extremely small that a couple of vaccine shots will do any serious long-term harm. But if these variants keep mutating similar to the flu virus, for decades or longer, the big concern is routine, ongoing inoculations.

For our entire species on Earth, to maintain our medical freedom is extremely important. The demonizing of the unvaccinated is incredibly unwise, because in the years to come, the chances are extremely good that the over-vaccinated will be the ones overwhelming global health care systems. After a few years, natural immunity will likely prove to be far more durable, long-lasting, broad-spectrum, & powerful at combating this virus, than constant vaccine-induced immunity.

Also, we have to ask ourselves, what freedoms and human rights will we lose next? Along with many other areas of life, there are also many other vaccines out there, for all kinds of different things. This could be the beginning of an extremely slippery slope, and I can't be alone in thinking, how can this possibly be legal, let alone the right thing to do?

This is likely another reason why police unions, along with many government leaders, are commonly not accepting this "mandate". They too are finding it really hard to believe that it's even remotely legal.

Where most of the corruption lies in all of this, is that those in power, be it big corporations, government leaders, or the ultra-wealthy, are generally older people. Let's be real about this. They are far more concerned about getting the virus, along with making more money. Those who are younger, seem to have far less power in societies, at least in the short-term. This is again, a crime against humanity, since young people are our future.

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