Sunday, March 29, 2015

Outside of fear and ignorance.

I often see debates raging online in regards to questionable situations that hold a potential for conspiracy. This also flares up with many new technologies. The views and opinions can range from a neutral consideration to an extreme speculation in either direction. What I would like to discuss is not any one of these specific theories, events or technologies but rather the approach to these considerations.

First lets talk about "them".  Sometimes this gets used as shorthand for "that group that runs everything" or occasionally it's just a reference to a previous modifier that is lost further back in the conversation.  Whether you think no conspiracies exist or you name a political group or an association as the antagonist or call it the shadow government, the military industrial complex the examples go on, let's give it due consideration.  The theory that some small group is manipulating the world is given a disproportionate amount of dramatic visualization. The smoking man of the X files comes to mind. The facts we can assess that might inspire this is the small percentage of the population that holds the largest amounts of wealth and resources. However this is still millions of people. It's not 12 guys sitting around a table, or a frat party of politicians and family boys.  Yet the people of the world recognize that it's a few of us living it up off the hard work of the rest of us. Let's not get divided though! That is a distinction we want to avoid. We must remember that these people are human and live in the human condition. So let's speculate a little if we were rich, and wanted to make sure the wealth stays in the family and doesn't dissipate. We'd raise our kids to handle things the way we did, attempting to maintain the status quot.  This isn't inherently good or bad, but it will influence how these people may choose to live their lives and manage their plentiful resources, or others resources if they have access. Our government operates in this slow moving way, carefully inching along taking a lot of external stimulation to generate change.

A desire to be part of this change is one reason a lot of people begin researching how our systems are operating to see if it's really helping or hindering the general public. The truth in plain sight dug up by these seekers then enters the telephone game of I heard, she said, he said, and personal speculations that could end up with wild tabloid worthy tales being passed around. Many oppose these theories as preposterous, that it's not possible for anything so impacting could be allowed to happen. I personally think there are much fewer conspiracies and much more blatant manipulations that are easy to identify if one finds the right place to look. That being said to really know all the laws and control systems we are submitted to would take half a lifetime to learn, and are therefore seemly excessive, but I digress.  The rich spectrum of people and places that make and change and shape the world include us, if we put ourselves outside of those we think have all the power, then we are mentally handing over that power and not taking responsibility for our own being and our own impact.

Down to the matter at hand. The double edged sword of the hot topics of these systems and technologies that are feared or purposefully ignored. I liken these to a kitchen knife. It's useful it's handy, you can make great use if it in a variety of ways, however in 'the wrong hands' it could be used to hurt or maim or kill you. In this metaphor there is latent potential in the thing itself to be used to abuse rather then to improve. A tool can also be a weapon. Since these many people in places of power and wealth are not one consciousness nor one nationally or political body or even one family, there is not likely a direct malicious intent of each person, but more a lack of concern, an ease with which to write off people as numbers out of habit. Though this can create a space in which businesses or other collections of people could cause harm by paying greater attention to a bottom line then to their affect on the world. Instead of feeling victimized by these situations we can rather recognize that progress means debate and generation of new ideas, getting rid of that which is identified as harmful or is no longer working.

It's true some theories that there is noting to worry about may hold true, and some theories of sinister intent could also hold true in other situations.  What we can know and can do, is to be vigilant of the latent potential for poor choices to be made for the use or misuse of our creations that are intended to improve the world. I'm being vague here on purpose, there are boundless examples of inventions and systems and organizational entities.  Community and transparency is our access to information, clarification and confirmation.  Being involved can shed light in areas of questionable circumstance. Even if it's colored or obscured light (here I go with the metaphors again) it's still shedding light on something that may be hidden and need revealed and then may need restructured or torn down and rebuilt.  It is time to question what is going on around us, in our neighborhoods, in our regions, in our countries and around the world.  To be willing to make conscious decisions to shape your life and the life of those around you. If you see that a law, a product, a technology, a political or military action, or anything else has the potential to be harmful to yourself, your family, or your community, you can speak up, you can team up with others, and you can demand visibility and oversight or even change. Recognize the latent potential within and know that with appropriate action we can make the best use of and improve upon the systems, inventions and resources we have in our lives today.

No comments:

Post a Comment