Saviors cannot save US
By Cage Innoye
As much as some of us would like, no savior will save America from its problems.
Whether Obama succeeds or fails in his presidency, he will not be able to fix the many problems that we have. Further, he will be restricted by political and corporate forces in achieving his agenda. There are far too many problems in America -- in education, entertainment, the environment and energy, the economic system, unemployment, crime, poverty, mental illness, restricted health care, drugs and addiction, discrimination, obesity and toxic foods, mass depression and prescription drug use, and on and on.
And consider that there is no more money either. Trillions have been spent trying to prop up the collapsing financial system, and now our Treasury is dry, and higher taxes are coming. To wait for the present administration to help us solve all our problems is a foolish idea. We will have to save ourselves; no saviors will save us from our problems.
And only through activism will conditions change for ordinary people, that is, social activism, but very importantly a second kind of activism, a personal activism to change our individual behaviors. If we allow others to take away our initiative, that is to “de-initiate” us, then things will get worse for us as they protect their narrow interests. In history forces and elites always try to take away the will of the people. They tell us that we need “leaders”, that we are too weak and ignorant to help ourselves.
However, it is general principle of life that one must take control of one’s own life or disaster will result -- either because a leader is ignorant of your needs or because the leader is simply untoward and wants to manipulate you.
We live in a world of diversity, a Diverse where each of us operates as an individual. We are separate entities with distinct thoughts, perception, plans, skills and emotions. Though we are part of a society, we are manifested as individuals. To achieve our goals and represent our personal interests we require a direct connection with all things that affect us. You cannot allow middlemen to represent you or tell you what truth is, what is best for you.
Here is an important axiom of the Diverse: “Directness”. Human power is manifested through directness. Directness is a very important relationship you must have with the Diverse. It comes in two forms, directness in your personal life and directness in social activity, that is, directness in your inner Diverse and directness in your outer Diverse. One should become an apostle of "directness". This means direct connection, direct knowledge, direct control, direct responsibility, and direct communication.
Every relation is direct. Because it is the only way that you as a separate entity are going to know other entities and properly relate to them. If you do not practice directness, then middle men will stand between you and the world, and you and your true self. Only directness connects you immediately with your inner and outer Diverses.
Life is a direct experience, the world and society must be met head on. This is the primary basis of intellectual and emotional knowledge, and the only way to manage life.
And only through direct experience, does your inner Diverse actually meet, touch and interact with the outer Diverse that surrounds you. Through directness the two Diverses meet, and here is life, truth, communication, cooperation, and power.
If you do not practice directness then you will become a dependent personality relying on the powers and judgments of others. They will become middle men between you and reality, and you will not know reality, and then reality will attack you!
Where is directness practiced? Everyplace!
If you are a teacher, directness demands your activity in changing the current curriculum. Whether you are a psychologist or artist or contractor, your directness has a part to play. In your community and neighborhood directness is required to solve problems. To protect the rights of animals your directness is absolutely required because they do not have the ability to defend themselves.
In democracy, directness is citizen activism. This leads to a referendum system and instant recall of officials. Directness was advocated by American populists, and was practiced by European movements where workers took over factories and governments in attempts to rule directly. In democracy, the "citizen" is the primary category, the active agent, the elementary unit. We cannot accept middle men that have a claim to special powers, talents and privileges. The citizen rules directly. The old system had a method of “checks and balances” between three branches. Nowhere in these systems was a citizen part of the checks and balances. These were checks and balances among politicians, judges and bureaucrats. The activist citizen eliminates the need for “checks and balances”.
In the age of modern communication and media, you speak directly to millions with the no need for organization, middle men, and hierarchies of communicators. Isn't the essence of modern communication, direct mass communication, isn't it all about mass access, mass dialogue? The internet is an immense tool of directness and we have not begun to tap its true potential.
