assholes have certain qualities that make them better suited leaders and capitalists and artists or whatever else normal people don’t do
It can certainly feel that way. And I do think there is no such thing as an ethical billionaire, if by favouring assholes you mean rewarding monetarily.
I argue though, that without kindness there would be no societies. Even if the parable of the Margaret Mead’s healed femur isn’t true, the fact remains that there are in fact those who help, and they are probably more plentiful than those who hurt. They’re just harder to spot, because media makes money off emotions and fear and anger are stronger than hope.
To quote Mr Rogers “look for the helpers”, because they are there. And if you’re not seeing them, maybe it’s time for a news break. Including social media, just for a week. And then see how you are feeling. I have to take breaks now and then, and I promise it helps.
Darwin talked about societies and advancement in species around communication. It is important for us to be able to communicate threats in order to build community. Assholes don’t build lasting societies.
I don’t know where you’re getting the idea that people don’t care. People do care, a lot of people care a lot. Part of the problem is that people who want to act ethically and politely, people who want to minimize harm, are going to be at a distinct disadvantage when opposing people for whom the ends always justify the means, and the ends they seek are their own betterment above all else.
If your idea of action is sternly worded letters and peaceful protest, and my idea of action is violence and unabashed corruption of authority, you’re going to have a real uphill battle to dislodge me from any power I manage to gain. It doesn’t mean the corrupt assholes are unstoppable, only that their methods are more aligned with the acquisition and retention of power.
The assholes bought everything up, including the law and politicians. They rigged the game so no one else can climb the same ladder they did. But, also, death throes look like this. They positioned themselves so that the entire populous of the earth can’t sustain life, unless they don’t. That imbalance is about to be corrected. It’s gunna get a little bit worse before it gets better though, hang on.
You need to be a bit of an asshole to stand up against assholes. Nice people dont want to be assholes and bend over backwards to make concessions and accommodations.
There is a difference (to me) of what constitutes an asshole. They are hateful pricks with no concern for others.
You dont need to be an asshole to fight one, you just need to be brave enough to fight one. Of course, they are assholes and they fight dirty, you will get dirty in the process.
First step, dont be a Asshole. After that dont support one. Then, dont raise any. Finally stand up to them.
See, there are three kinds of people: dicks, pussies, and assholes. Pussies think everyone can get along, and dicks just want to fuck all the time without thinking it through. But then you got your assholes. And all the assholes want is to shit all over everything. So pussies may get mad at dicks once in a while, because pussies get fucked by dicks. But dicks also fuck assholes! And if they didn’t fuck the assholes, you know what you’d get? You’d get your dick and your pussy all covered in shit!
The assholes generally take charge because they are self-aggrandizing assholes. I genuinely believe most people are good and trying to just get by. It is very hard to not be distracted by the mountains of daily life struggles one has to wade through because of the power hungry assholes.
They make daily struggles to distract you from them. Really.
If you can’t afford to eat, you can’t organize protests.
If you can’t afford a phone, you can’t organize protests.
If you can’t afford electricity, you can’t organize protests.
If you have to deal with christian extremist brainwashed children from religious schools, you can’t organize protests.
ETfuckingC…
If you don’t do it soon, you won’t be healthy enough to do it in the future as your healthcare is being taken away.
I believe some amount of people support the assholes because some how they think (or hope) they will benefit by giving that support (especially so many of the assholes have so much power and money.) The “trickle down” effect from the assholes. Oops, might not have been the best phrase … on second thought …
I mean, I really think the biggest thing is that so many people are fully bought into the idea that any alternative system would be just disastrous and lead to mass starvation thanks to propaganda.
The worst is when they erase the immense famines in Tsarist Russia, China under the Kuomintang, etc, pretending that socialism caused the famines they experienced, when socialism gradually erased famine and hunger in both Russia and China.
But those alternatives comes with the same asholes, that’s part why they don’t function.
Socialism doesn’t “come with the same assholes,” socialist states have made dramatic and comprehensive strides for the working class while oppressing the capitalists.
It’s obvious from the fact that you think you can presume that you know just from what I said which of the vast diversity of socioeconomic systems I could be referring to tells me that you’re one of the people I was talking about.
Found the tankie!
Lmao
Yes, this is The Great Filter. We fix it or fade away.
Damn. I’ve never thought of it like that
Socialism or barbarism.
Selfish, childish, propagandized and mostly unthinking and amoral people are big enough pluralities in certain societies and only an ideological awakening post societal collapse could help it, yes. I mean, if you live in the West for instance, what exactly is stopping you from just “focusing on yourself”, or pushing you to be prosocial and wise? 🤷
Why tf are so many people looking forward to societal collapse?
Talk - and listen to your neighbor, join a club, get outside or something. People are naturally social animals (this is what asshole rely on).
Can’t we all just get along?I don’t think that the majority of the people talking about societal collapse really want that to happen, it’s just that history seems to be repeating itself and people are taking note.
Want? Some societies are unviable and actively create discord, death and misery in others who could be. It’s necessary for the world and the survival of the human race for some societies to rethink their entire “ideology” and attitudes.
I know it may seem that way if you’re constantly online these days, but in general most people are just people. Like 80% are mostly good, but human, and may have some minor issues. Probably 10% are Jesus-level good, then 10% are sociopathically evil.
Now, if by society you mean “American capitalism”, then yes that favors assholes who care less about their fellow humans. This flavor of capitalism is inherently selfish and greedy, so those who succeed in it are the most greedy and bad people. Yes people care, but the forces preventing anyone from changing it are the strongest in the history of human civilization with technology too now, that makes it borderline impossible to change the underlying system. Only a major catastrophe caused by capitalism where millions of Americans died would cause the general populace to question the system, but honestly even then who fucking knows.
This is going to be an unpopular opinion because most people like to think of themselves as nice. I think it’s not so much that there are nice people and assholes, but rather that almost everyone is an asshole some of the time.
The assholes are louder or more annoying, but in my experience the vast majority of people are kind.
No. We live in a society that favors good people for the most part and it’s getting better, just not for the US and it’s toadies.
And all the bad people from the good countries move to the US so that they can beg the US to invade their own nation in order to become toadie leader #53.What’s happening right now is that this US hegemonic system is falling apart.
Unfortunately society encourages and glorifies shitty behaviour. So this behaviour is completely normalised for the majority of people who see it as a thing to be desired, rather than something thats shitty.
Amen. Just look at media. Look at popular media.
Tells you all you need to know.
It damages my calm on a daily basis. Our society rewards sociopathy. It’s that simple. And I fucking hate it.
I’ve noticed this. Even in small groups of ‘community’ minded people. The sociopaths always rise to the top and the good honest people get pushed aside. And people LOVE it. Because the sociopaths tell people what they want to hear and people love being lied to.
And nothing pisses off a sociopath more when you aren’t swayed by their bullshit or offer deference to their status. They get so angry with you and they will then character assassinate you, usually by spreading lies and rumors. And people eat it up because they’d rather believe in dramatic bullshit lies than the truth in front of their faces.
In my own circles, I tend to counter this by employing radical honesty, being extremely data driven, and calling out bullshit extremely aggressively whenever I possibly can. It for sure alienates people sometimes, but the people who are alienated tend to be the people who are also psychopaths, so I genuinely do not care about that “drawback”.
