Friday, September 5, 2014

Why Is Independence So Frightening To Some People?

Via Grog

http://ddbarton48.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/lead-follow-or-get-the-hell-out-of-the-way.jpg

In past articles I have examined the nature of power and division in our society and have always come to the same conclusion, that there are only two types of people: the people who want control over others and the people who just want to be left alone. However, there are also subgroups that swim within the boundaries of each end of the spectrum. Often, psychologists and self-help gurus attempt to promote the idea that the defining quality of the average person’s life is whether he is a follower or a leader. I have seen this spectrum applied to every political and social organization.

Ironically, I have heard so-called “leftists” argue that the nature of their ideology makes them more adept at leadership and that conservatives are more prone to become followers (ostensibly because conservatives tend to be more religious). I have heard the same argument from people on the so-called “right,” only in reverse. The problem is that very few people in our society understand anymore what it actually means to be a leader. Most Americans today are followers, whether they know it or not.  And sadly, followers tend to also seek out control over other people, if only to make up for the lack of control they feel in their own lives.  That is to say, most followers tend to pursue petty opportunities for leadership.

The concept of leadership has become ridiculously warped

More @ Zero Hedge

6 comments:

  1. THIS!!!!!

    Wasnt it Samuel Adams who said those that would give up freedom for safety, deserve neither?

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  2. This is an extremely interesting topic. One could dedicate an entire blogsite on this alone. It precedes the collapse in our moral and educational standards. Although I suspect we would agree those have each complicated the subject considerably.

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  3. I took my 93 year old mom (a Canadian by birth and an American after she got married to my dad) to visit a friend who will be 90 in a few months. They were reminiscing about how hard life was when they were much younger and how much happier everyone seemed to be despite not having much material wealth. Most people seemed to be in the same boat, so not a lot of envying and coveting going on. As I have listened to these stories over the years from my elders, it finally sunk in with me why they were happier with so much less than we have now. They were FREE! Children could play all day outside, and that would be the norm - now you get arrested for child endangerment. We are slaves to our stuff and that's why we fear the Govt. and Crony Corporatists - they might take our stuff away. That would be worse for many people than losing their freedom.

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    1. how hard life was when they were much younger and how much happier everyone seemed to be despite not having much material wealth.

      Just as I remember.

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      They were FREE! Children could play all day outside, and that would be the norm - now you get arrested for child endangerment.

      Good point.

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