Tag Archives: freedom

Residual Blue Pill Programming

03 Friday Feb 2017

Posted by in Red Pill

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Even as much as I have learned and grown over the past several years since discovering the red pill, there are still times where I realize the old residual blue pill programming still pops up in my thinking from time to time.

For example, I was following a conversation elsewhere and made the remark that it would be great if our new president took up for men’s rights.

A red piller soon pushed back that no, men did not need the government to give them men’s rights, doing so would be just as much BS as women’s rights. Instead he pointed out the government should stay out of it.

Do rights come from within, or without? Oooommmm. Wow. Mind opening moment. Hard to put into words.

I wholeheartedly agreed, thanked him for the comment, and apologized for the bad phrasing. I admitted I still have blue pill programming here and there.

“That’s OK,” he said. “It will go away with time!” Lol.

Let those who have ears hear.

What do you think? Do you have any residual blue pill beliefs still lurking about?

Are You a Critical Thinker?

21 Friday Oct 2016

Posted by in Red Pill

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Critical thinking is defined as, “the objective analysis and evaluation of an issue in order to form a judgment.”

Are you a critical thinker? Many people aren’t, and yet they don’t even know it.

We are all operating on a series of conscious or subconscious beliefs that we have been taught, absorbed, were exposed to, indoctrinated with, or in some other way influenced to believe, “this is how it is.”

Much of this happens when we are very young, under the age of 5, much too young to understand there may be other beliefs, or that the beliefs we are adopting could in fact be completely off. At the time, there is no ability to filter the beliefs we are exposed to. They simply become our own.

That’s where critical thinking comes in. I am constantly exposing myself to alternate viewpoints and beliefs in an effort to better understand and examine my own. Often the result is a better understanding of my belief and sometimes I will alter my beliefs based on consciously examining them as an adult.

Today, there is a trend in our society that discourages critical thinking. College students are demanding “safe spaces” and “trigger warnings” in an effort to avoid being exposed to opposing or alternate beliefs.

Alternate belief systems are being increasingly deemed “unacceptable” by these same people, and they are demanding others conform to their belief system. If they don’t, they reject them as “wrong” or “ignorant” or “a hater” or even demand the person be persecuted or punished for their “unacceptable” (as defined by them) beliefs.

Interestingly these same people often consider themselves “tolerant” and those who don’t agree with them “intolerant.” Ironic?

This line of thinking is exactly the opposite of the principles the United States were founded upon. We’re not a nation of conformity, group think, or censorship. Critical thinking, open debate, and freedom of self expression are all foundational principles to our democracy.

I’d challenge everyone reading this to start examining their personal beliefs, where they came from, how they compare to the beliefs of others, and where they stand up to scrutiny and where they fall short.

If someone says something you strongly react to or immediately oppose, that’s a perfect time to reflect on your reaction, step outside of your beliefs and try to see where the other person is coming from, and consider if perhaps you could learn from their belief rather than just rejecting it outright. Instead of being upset, think of it as an opportunity to grow and to refine who you truly are and what you truly believe.

Every once in awhile, you might just discover a belief you have held since childhood actually doesn’t fit your adult belief systems at all. Other times, you will find them confirmed.

Either way, you aren’t just mindlessly going through life with blinders on. Blinders you didn’t even choose yourself, but ones chosen for you long before you realized you ever even had a choice.

 

 

 

Troll Culture

15 Tuesday Mar 2016

Posted by in Red Pill

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The recent disputes happening at rallies seems to show troll culture has jumped from Cyberspace into the mainstream.

Trolls, in short, are folks who visit an online website, blog, or discussion thread they disagree with, but rather than just stating their points like a rational person, they seem to feel they are on some kind of crusade to disrupt, upset, and dismantle discussions that don’t suit them. They are self-appointed “thought police.” It’s as if other people having their own opinions is simply not allowed, are seen as a personal affront and threat to their own worldview rather than simply as an alternate one.

Imagine if Trump supporters started to attend rallies for his democratic opponents, heckling, destroying candidate signs, trying to jump on stage. Would the press blame the candidates themselves for those actions, or would they place the blame where it belongs — on the agitators who are on some vigilante crusade to “shut down” a legitimate and (like it or not) popular candidate?

Whether or not you or I agree with Trump or not, we should all be very, very disturbed by these events surrounding him, and how he is being blamed for those events rather than the blame being placed on those making their own choices to agitate in the opposing camp and yet expect impunity — or worse — validation or glory even. Not that I am justifying violence, but you don’t poke at a rattlesnake with a stick and then not expect a reaction, do you? What did they think was going to happen?

Because you know what? If troll culture gets a pass, we’ll start seeing it more and more often, like at this rally just moments ago for another presidential candidate!

The solution is not to allow more and safer disruption of people who really should not be there in the first place. We don’t need to protect the trolls, they need to be legally ejected or arrested if they are disruptive. To coddle them will only make things worse.

Whatever happened to agreeing to disagree? How did we get here? How do we get back to something a little more sanity based?

The slow slide of first amendment freedoms, of all personal liberties in fact, we have seen over the past few decades is not a good thing. It is not American. It is not freedom. It is not liberty. It is not justice for all.

Troll culture is not a step forward, it is a big step back.

 

 

Helicopter Neighboring

10 Thursday Mar 2016

Posted by in Red Pill

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I have noticed a growing phenomenon in our culture, but I am not sure where it comes from — people calling the authorities to report or “tattle” on others.

For example, I live in a rural are where it is OK to burn tree limbs and such as long as there isn’t a burn ban and you have a permit from the fire department. Despite this, and my having a permit, hose, and shovel all right there as required, almost without fail every time I light my burn pile, it seems some “do gooder” driving by picks up their cell phone and reports it to 911.

This triggers a visit from the local fire department, who then see that I have the permit, shovel, and hose and that everything is in order.

Really? What a waste of time and resources!

If these people are really so concerned, why don’t they stop and check in with me themselves? Why do they feel the need to call the authorities, or even get involved at all? I could understand if my house was on fire, and of course then I would appreciate the call. But when I am clearly just burning a pile of brush?

I could list many other examples, almost all cases where neighbors talking to neighbors rather than neighbors calling the authorities on neighbors would be the best solution.

For example, not long ago another commenter (Liz, I think?) shared a story of a neighbor who called the police when they noticed the neighbor’s tween-age boy (12, if I recall correctly) was home from school but his parents were not. The boy was calmly playing basketball IN HIS OWN DRIVEWAY waiting patiently for his parents, who were minutes away. Instead of the neighbor just asking the kid if he was OK, or if he needed to use the phone to call his parents, they called 911. And the family lost custody of their son, and spent months caught up in the CPS system trying to get him back. Really?  Because they were stuck in traffic and 15 minutes late?

When and how did America become this? What are the implications to the concepts of freedom and liberty that we supposedly hold so dear?

Please share your thoughts in the comments.