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The Criminalization of Everyday Life

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Re: The Criminalization of Everyday Life

#61

Post by dmix »

I wish people would move beyond 1984 and quote more Foucault's Discipline & Punishment [1]. There is a much deeper-rooted problem in society than mass surveillance or militarization of police. It's the question of why we all let this happen without any resistance. We accept and welcome our controllers. Foucault wrote about the effects of prisoner mindset in society in the 1960-70s. Our subjugation and tolerance to authoritarianism is very widespread and not limited to just police.

We're not just afraid to be anti-authoritative, we're institutionalized since our birth in schools and the concept of control is in embedded in every aspect of life (such as in language found in politics, school work, or newspapers).

Mass-surveillance is just a more direct implementation of "panopticon" [2] applied to everyday life, existing at all times. Having committed a crime is no longer the requirement to be imprisoned, whether physically or mentally.

http://www.amazon.com/Discipline-Punish-Birth-Prison-Vintage...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panopticon

Re: The Criminalization of Everyday Life

#62

Post by gknoy »

DanielBMarkham wrote: post #37

One of the underpinnings of the U.S. Constitution is the Bill Of Rights, one of which states "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." People go bouncing off the wall around this issue as if it were one having solely to do with owning guns, but the real purpose is arranging the real power in the government. The p…

> I would suggest that what we need is some sort of ready reserve system where everybody is trained at reaching 18 on how to safely use most all common forms of police and military gear. I'd further suggest that local police departments be required to have a certain percentage of their patrols as civilian ride-alongs.

The military reserves are certainly an option, but having a mandatory training+service aspect certainly seems ... interesting. Frightening, in a way, but it seems to work for Switzerland.

Re: The Criminalization of Everyday Life

#63

Post by JonnieCache »

redblacktree wrote: post #57
JonnieCache wrote: post #48

The fact that this is being instigated by the federal government makes me suspect that this is deliberate planning for the long-term consequences of american societal breakdown, for when the war on drugs isn't enough to control the ever-growing underclass anymore. Does this kind of thinking still place me firmly with the tinfoil contingent?

Yes. It's comforting to think that it's all orchestrated from the top; that means that, even if it's not you, someone is in control of this chaotic world. The truth is much more frightening. No one quite knows what will happen or how to prepare for it, and we'll all likely get screwed when the unexpected happens.

I used to religiously apply that view, nobody is in the driving seat, chaos reigns, conspiracy theorists are looking to replace their father, etc etc. These days I try to take more of a balanced perspective.

There are many examples of covert malevolent acts in the halls of power throughout history, there was a list of confessed false flag operations on here just the other day. Look into any book about the history of military intelligence and you will find all sorts of nasty adventures. Then there's COINTELPRO, MKULTRA, the FBIs attempt to undermine the civil rights movement, it goes on and on. What would be truly irrational would be to believe that this stuff doesn't happen in the present.

So now I try to evaluate each "conspiracy theory" on its own terms, lest I blind myself to the one that turns out to be real.

(Note: I still don't actually believe in any specific tinfoilery. I just try to evaluate it honestly. Almost all of it, I still dismiss immediately. Most of the really juicy stuff is right there in the history books anyway.)

Re: The Criminalization of Everyday Life

#64

Post by bilbo0s »

aestra wrote: post #26

WOW! The most shocking linked article is the kids who got arrested for waiting for the bus. They were excepted to plea bargain. That's right, the charges weren't dropped!!!!!! edit the DA dismissed the charges but the police chief thinks the arrest was justified. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/12/04/charges... Interview with the coach (he seems like a really nice guy): http://www.infowars.com/kids-arr…

Ok... that one is crazy.

Obey the cop and get suspended... or obey the teacher and go to jail.

Just leaving these kids in no-win situations. SOMEONE has to be willing to listen and hear the kids out.

Either the cop has to hear them out, and then say "OK, well I'll just keep an eye on you until your teacher comes."

Or the teacher has to hear them out, and then say "Well, OK, it was my fault for telling you guys to stand there so I'm not going to suspend anyone this time."

But you can't put kids in a situation like that and then say... "It's YOUR fault!"

That's insanity. This wasn't ANY of these kids' fault.

Re: The Criminalization of Everyday Life

#66

Post by redblacktree »

JonnieCache wrote: post #63
redblacktree wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes. It's comforting to think that it's all orchestrated from the top; that means that, even if it's not you, someone is in control of this chaotic world. The truth is much more frightening. No one quite knows what will happen or how to prepare for it, and we'll all likely get screwed when the unexpected happens.

I used to religiously apply that view, nobody is in the driving seat, chaos reigns, conspiracy theorists are looking to replace their father, etc etc. These days I try to take more of a balanced perspective. There are many examples of covert malevolent acts in the halls of power throughout history, there was a list of confessed false flag operations on here just the other day. Look into any book about the history of…

If you discover a conspiracy that you believe, in absence of proof, what can you do with that information? I stopped trying to "figure it all out" once I realized that there was very little I can do as an individual, even if I am right about some conspiracy.

Re: The Criminalization of Everyday Life

#67

Post by [deleted] »

redblacktree wrote: post #66
JonnieCache wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I used to religiously apply that view, nobody is in the driving seat, chaos reigns, conspiracy theorists are looking to replace their father, etc etc. These days I try to take more of a balanced perspective. There are many examples of covert malevolent acts in the halls of power throughout history, there was a list of confessed false flag operations on here just the other day. Look into any book about the history of…

If you discover a conspiracy that you believe, in absence of proof, what can you do with that information? I stopped trying to "figure it all out" once I realized that there was very little I can do as an individual, even if I am right about some conspiracy.

[deleted]

Re: The Criminalization of Everyday Life

#68

Post by vezzy-fnord »

ninjac0der wrote: post #28
MrZongle2 wrote: post #5

When I read something like this, I always think back to when I would see some tinfoil-hat type ranting on Usenet 20 years ago about the growing surveillance/police state in America. It was generally eye-rolling or unintentionally hilarious stuff. What's depressing is that it's starting to look like they were right.

It shines that people now assume the 'nuts' just happened to be right. It time to bring back anti-authoritative thinking.

Exactly.

People have been well conditioned to believe that their governments are benevolent, do good deeds and that misconduct can be alleviated by stricter law enforcement and electing better leaders.

Anyone who doubts this is a "conspiracy theorist".

Re: The Criminalization of Everyday Life

#69

Post by [deleted] »

redblacktree wrote: post #66
JonnieCache wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I used to religiously apply that view, nobody is in the driving seat, chaos reigns, conspiracy theorists are looking to replace their father, etc etc. These days I try to take more of a balanced perspective. There are many examples of covert malevolent acts in the halls of power throughout history, there was a list of confessed false flag operations on here just the other day. Look into any book about the history of…

If you discover a conspiracy that you believe, in absence of proof, what can you do with that information? I stopped trying to "figure it all out" once I realized that there was very little I can do as an individual, even if I am right about some conspiracy.

[deleted]

Re: The Criminalization of Everyday Life

#70

Post by srl »

viggity wrote: post #42
0xdeadbeefbabe wrote: post #23

At least the 113th congress didn't create many new laws. No SOPA, PIPA, or COICA yet either.

one of the few beauties of our government is that it is near impossible to pass laws with a divided congress. I'm a pretty passionate libertarian/conservative but having the dems control one house of congress isn't all that bad of a thing (from my viewpoint)

Seconded. It's very popular these days to bash congress for not getting anything done, but it has its upsides. I'm pretty far left, and I wish the far-right wasn't quite so powerful, but I am glad the republican party is there, still powerful, waiting to pounce on any and every mistake made on the left. It helps keep us honest (c.f. obamacare - which I like, but the rollout, eh...). And when the roles are switched, say, 50 years, we'll do you the same "favor" :)
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