Individualism vs group think

http://bootme21.blogspot.com

Why is it important to think as an individual?

I didn't realize my camera put an advertisement on the end. damn.

http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul381.html

Government and Racism
by Ron Paul

The controversy surrounding remarks by talk show host Don Imus shows that the nation remains incredibly sensitive about matters of race, despite the outward progress of the last 40 years. A nation that once prided itself on a sense of rugged individualism has become uncomfortably obsessed with racial group identities.

The young women on the basketball team Mr. Imus insulted are over 18 and can speak for themselves. It's disconcerting to see third parties become involved and presume to speak collectively for minority groups. It is precisely this collectivist mindset that is at the heart of racism.

It's also disconcerting to hear the subtle or not-so-subtle threats against free speech. Since the FCC regulates airwaves and grants broadcast licenses, we're told it's proper for government to forbid certain kinds of insulting or offensive speech in the name of racial and social tolerance. Never mind the 1st Amendment, which states unequivocally that, "Congress shall make NO law."

Let's be perfectly clear: the federal government has no business regulating speech in any way. Furthermore, government as an institution is particularly ill-suited to combating bigotry in our society. Bigotry at its essence is a sin of the heart, and we can't change people's hearts by passing more laws and regulations.

In fact it is the federal government more than anything else that divides us along race, class, religion, and gender lines. Government, through its taxes, restrictive regulations, corporate subsidies, racial set-asides, and welfare programs, plays far too large a role in determining who succeeds and who fails in our society. This government "benevolence" crowds out genuine goodwill between men by institutionalizing group thinking, thus making each group suspicious that others are receiving more of the government loot. This leads to resentment and hostility between us.

The political left argues that stringent federal laws are needed to combat racism, even as they advocate incredibly divisive collectivist policies.

Racism is simply an ugly form of collectivism, the mindset that views humans strictly as members of groups rather than individuals. Racists believe that all individuals who share superficial physical characteristics are alike: as collectivists, racists think only in terms of groups. By encouraging Americans to adopt a group mentality, the advocates of so-called "diversity" actually perpetuate racism. Their obsession with racial group identity is inherently racist.

The true antidote to racism is liberty. Liberty means having a limited, constitutional government devoted to the protection of individual rights rather than group claims. Liberty means free-market capitalism, which rewards individual achievement and competence, not skin color, gender, or ethnicity.

More importantly, in a free society every citizen gains a sense of himself as an individual, rather than developing a group or victim mentality. This leads to a sense of individual responsibility and personal pride, making skin color irrelevant. Rather than looking to government to correct our sins, we should understand that racism will endure until we stop thinking in terms of groups and begin thinking in terms of individual liberty.

http://ronpaul2008.com

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[captcaveman4201]

i think money is going BYE BYE.

[bootme21]

in cash form. they want it to all be digital.

[tekanemo]

Watts said that seeing ourselves as "isolated" egos inside a bag of skin is the illusion.

Group thinking is not the same as the collective consciousness. Collective consciousness is being vastly more attuned to your interconnectivity to the rest of creation. The seed of it begins with inner self-awareness. You are more truly like a drop of water within an ocean of creation.

[bootme21]

I really like Alan Watts. My point is that one must find truth in himself.

I am an individual, but I am part of a larger consciousness. We are an extension of the Universe.

This is so, but that is no reason to be part of a man-made group idea. I am sure you understand. Understanding will come when realizing that man is more than his "ego"

[jkarhu]

Individuals are a threat to an authoritarian society.

[zezt]

Yes I agree very much! Say a group 'decides' that your lifestyle is wrong. What should you do, deny our essential being--if it harms noone that is. Say you Gay. and rest of group is not. Well then you are suddenly alone. you either follow group-think or be yourself. that's just one powerful example

[Dirkschneider]

bootme21: I agree with you so much! Can I join your group?

[STIXUP]

Please do not equate mankinds "Religion" and blindly following what the members of a Church dictates with following the tenets of a Bible.

The Christian Bible is a compilation of History and Rules of conduct.

The church and it's symbolisms and rituals are a creation of mankind (whether for good or bad-as in groupthink and control of the masses).

[winstono75]

Unless we discover the unity within first, there can be no real outer unity.

[looking4thepast09]

I can think for myself. I have no need for group.

[natritious1]

@bootme21 yes but even that is fiat. Physical gold and silver is the way of the future, maby digital for the lowly serfs

[steveqwqw]

Good job,

[mikelunz]

@bootme21 I tend to disagree with with the sociological perspective of collective consciousness as well as the spiritual theory. Not to say that I think negatively about those who adhere to this ideology, however as I see it, each individual is made up of unique ingredients that allow them to develop different talents, and ways to make the world better; but rather then being part of a larger "spirit" or "conscious," we are individual spirits whom serve unique purpose along side of each other.

[ToBeFree777]

Good word

[Taketheride23]

Fear is a base emotion of our species. It is hard to move beyond the comfort of what we know. I have found in my own life that moving beyond what I think is comfortable has deeply altered me personally. Most people stray from being individuals because they are afraid to move toward an unknown. Our environment is a key factor for this is how most of us learn. As children we are mostly very curious, creative, and emotional. Critical thinking and creativity is our greatest asset.

[Hunterkirk]

Agreed.