We buy things and do things because we choose to. A lot of the reason that we choose to buy and do things is because we worry about what others will think of us. An example: A woman was on the news the other night. They were interviewing her because she was watering her lawn during a dry period during which her town was running low on water. She was not concerned about the water levels as much as she ws worried about her stupid lawn looking less than 100% green. She said that if her lawn didn't look good then her neighbors would think that her house was neglected. I sthis enough of a reason to deplete the water supply? Geez! There are of course other examples, but this one seemed so extremely wrong-headed.
 

I understand how you feel J, and the truth is, if people don't look outside of their own little box, that is the way life will continue to be for them.

The best defense is education. People need to educate themselves about their purchases, their government, other countries politics and other people in general.

Advertisement is everywhere. Politicians are nothing but rockstars with power (case in point, the recent wave of presidential candidate girl videos that keep popping up) Everyone pays other people to promote their positions. All we can do is look past the hype and decide for ourselves based on facts (which can be hard to come by sometimes)

We also need to become involved in what we believe in. If we don't fight for our rights, they WILL be taken from us, that is a fact. The right to hug on a street corner (Free Hugs Campain) banning of music (Petition against My Chemical Romance and The Used, Campain to Ban offensive lyrics from rap, which is a whole other blog issue!), the list goes on and on. People in power will always try to control us. The only way not to be controlled is to fight back.
 

I've already sent you my reply, but wanted to give you kudos!
Much Love
 

I wish I could sprikle fairy dust on the world. Make everyone see and feel the way I do.
I know that is a fantasy. So what I do is make my part of the world, try to see it the same way I do.

Like you, I love this world...and I love life. I try to live life to the fullest.
I try not to let things change me, or how I see things. I try hard to see everything and everyone for what they are.

Being honest about everything is the way I see it. I don't do things, because the Jones are doing it.
I try hard not to judge others, or their choices.

I do not do lies, not from anyone. I have cut people out of my life for lies. It's disrespectful to lie to someone...even yourself.

I try hard to see out of my own eyes, vs someone elses. I don't believe words out of people's mouth...if someone tells me the sky is pink, I don't look up at the sky and see it pink. I look up at the sky and say I see blue, white etc.....

You have to stand up for yourself and live the truth.....
Just my thoughts....
Street
 

Josh I totally understand your frustration regarding lies and deception. It is everywhere and it does get rather cumbersome having to experience it every day. I have taken several years to retrain my way of reacting to this type of behavior. I have painstakingly learned not to let the negativity suck me in and consume my being. Some days it is a rather difficult task because the problem is so prevalent. The worst part is I find myself asking the question - Why is there so much selfishness when it is blatently obvious to me that it is much easier and a whole lot more pleasant to be honest, helpful, and most importantly - NON JUDGEMENTAL. To answer your question "Am I crazy?" <-NOOOO! I am working so I have to cut this short. My point is that we can just do the best we can to deflect the negative and plant the seed of positive where ever we go. And my thoughts are not that of fantasy and "oh ya, only in a perfect world" ... I did want to comment on whether to hate the opressor or the slave... I say NEITHER! Hate is ugly. You could feel sad for either for the plight they live but never hate.
 

Let me quote a little Garth Brooks, even if you aren't into Country Music...

"And they keep on sayin you'll never change things. And no matter what you do, it's still the same thing. But it's not the world that I am changing. What I do is so this world will know that it will not change me."

The world has become, or maybe always has been a little upsidedown in it's logic. It does seem that so many people are blind to the fact that they're being misled, complain about their circumstances, and don't realize they've made all the choices to get them there.

The best you can do is educate yourself to make well-informed good choices, and encourage everyone around you to do the same. The lies and deception are part of life and perhaps present a challenge for us all to overcome as individuals. Some will fail and some will succeed. Some are still learning. Just try to feel good about YOUR choices.

There's my two cents! Have a great day!
 

Your not crazy, I feel the same way about how the world is today. When I grew up things were alot different. Products weren't sold through advertisements based on sex. Television was pretty basic. Yes I am pretty old, lol. I get so sick of watching television at night and all you see are commercials for sex lines.
 

Life is exactly what we make it. We are in control!!! - Always.
If we empower those who oppress, then they WILL have control and we are the only ones to blame. I think it is a cop-out when people blame others for the problems in life. One man may be an "oppressor" but he can only oppress those who allow that to happen. If another person is deceitful or misleading I don't become involved with them or let them into my world. If everyone raised their standards and lived that way (by not empowering the "liars" and cheats) then the world would be a much better place. Those deceitful people would never have the power!!!
In order to do this you have to become true to yourself, know what you want, follow through with that and be aware of your surroundings. "If you don't stand for something you will fall for everything".... Deceitful people are only as powerful as you make them.
 

Josh, I can see that you are a critical thinker. Unfortunately most people don't even know what critical thinking is. Thanks for trying to get people thinking.
 

Many men are slaves because one is an oppressor; let us hate the oppressor."

That is the attitude most people have, but there is another quote that sums up how I feel about this.

"One man is an oppressor because many of us are slaves; let us despise the slaves."

This got me to write to you. Maybe this will help better understand the quote. I believe that the first statement is correct to hate the oppressor.

TRUTH: Oppress = To persecute or subjugate by UNJUST use of force or authority. To weigh heavily upon, so as to depress the mind or spirits. To crush or overwhelm (Oppressor) or Dictatorship.

TRUTH: Slave = One bound in servitude to a person or household as an instrument of labor. One who is submissive or subject to a person influence.

There you have it. To be the oppressor such as commericals we watch, things we read, lies that are told to us as slaves to the oppression we are influenced by the force of mind control and influences around us. But I believe as the SLAVE we continue to have self control and not allow these dictators to influences us. We continue to have FREEDOM of choice.

Your not crazy. We have been being influenced all our lives.
 

Hey J,
First off, it is a blessing to know that you actually love life inspite of everything that is going on around us!! We must understand that we are truly living in perilous times that the WORD talks about, so lets not be surprised when we see it taking place. There is no reason that we should hate any one or even despise anyone because everyone has their own reality. The more knowledge you have the more responsibility and sorrow it will bring. Embrace that knowledge and truth and continue to spread healthy subject matter as you do. I would like to recommend one of my favorite books for you to read, ( u may already have read it), its called Conversations With God, by Neale Donald Walsh. He really breaks down the essence of reality, reletavism, and relationships. Enjoy and once your done, give me a hollar on your views. In the mean time, dont go crazy or even get bent out of shape about it, that in and of itself is deception.
Lisa
 

There are Leaders and there are Followers. The world could not function as a society if someone wasn't Leading and others Following. However, those with the ability to Lead tend to be doing so to their own personal advantage rather than what's in the best interest of their Followers.

Advertising is deceptive to fatten wallets. Politicians are deceptive to increase their popularity with the masses. Even Churches deceive followers in an attempt to obtain the most followers. Beware the Power of Persuasion.

It's not necessarily about thinking outside the box as much as it is about just plain thinking at all. Too many people find it easier to be a Follower than a Leader. It's easier to believe what you're told than to prove it wrong. The more Followers there are, the more believeable the deception is.

Make an effort to think....when buying a new product, ask yourself if it's really going to change your life. Chances are, it won't and they'll be something better next month anyway. When voting, ask yourself if your voting for someone who stands firmly on the same values. Or are you voting for the guy who's face you've seen on TV the most? When going to church, ask yourself if you go there because you were raised that way and everyone else goes? Or do you really believe whole heartedly in everything your church does and stands for?

We're all give the power to think for ourselves. It's a shame that the majority don't.
 

Josh:

Truth, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.

Take the story of my cousin, she gave birth to a child that was severely mentally retarded and would not be able to survive without round the clock care. He can not even feed himself. Because of the strain of taking care of this child, her marriage fell apart. When her son was 14, she committed suicide. Most people said it was the strain of life and she couldn't see a way out so did a selfish thing, myself included.

It wasn't until we went through her personal effects that we discovered all of this through her diary: Her reality was that she was dating a man that told her if she would ever leave him he would set fire to her home and shoot her and her son as they tried to leave so they could choose burning or being shot. He also told her that if she went to the police that he would kill her parents and either way all the deaths would be on her hands. She took the only route she thought she had left to protect them all and took her own life.

I think that we should not despise either the oppressor or the slaves. Everyone has a role in life and that role is based on their decisions and actions. Because of this truth...most people are slaves to no one but themselves and so that makes them their own oppressors.

JT
 

Yeah, the world is oh about a million loads of bricks short of the cold hard honest TRUTH, the saying "The Truth shall set you free" doesn't sit well with some people. Humans have a natural characteristic of worship, but when they do not worship a higher power, this nature is channelled to the wrong things, wrong to who? Well if the fruit of deception bothers you, that's one, and who else? You should never be afraid of who you will "offend" with the truth. The truth will set you free, eventually you will be surrounded with truth when you embrace it and dont fall for the bull, or you can dissolve and allow the bull to be your master.
 

This is a really good question. You were always very good when it came to expressing yourself.

Have u thought that we choose to live that way? lies, and seeing what u can get away with is much more exciting than the truth. like people say the truth is overrated. im not saying thats how i feel about it but i have thought about it aswell and thats my opinion on the reasoning.

take care josh hit me up

sandy aka powder cakes lol remember that.
 

Your deffanately not crazy.

I think the same thing all the time.

Everything evolves about money and what other people think of one another.
It's shit, sure...

but we can all change it,
only we don't try.

so therefore, full circle.
It's our own problem that will never be solved.
 

artifice proliferates artifice which proliferates artifice...

pretentiousness everywhere...

advertisers implying that you are inadequate, UNLESS...

people who use 'acceptance' as a carrot dangling in front of you leading you towards conformity... conformity to artifice... so that someone else can lie to them selves about how they do or do not actually lie to others... etc etc etc...

de-ception

blocks re-ception

and inhibits in-ception

twists per-ception

confuses pro-ception

it appears to be all about control (cept - scepter)

lies and deception are used to control - or to create the ILLUSION thereof...

even 'white lies' are designed to control another's perCEPTion for some amount of time...

when we lie (de-cept) to our-'self' (if there is such a thing) that may be the biggest de-ception of all...

Lie?

leugh
DEFINITION: To tell a lie.1a. warlock from Old English logan, to lie; b. belie, from Old English belogan, to deceive (be-, about; see ambhi). Both a and b from Germanic *leugan. 2. lie2, from Old English lyge, a lie, falsehood, from Germanic *lugiz. (Pokorny 1. leugh- 686.)


warlock

SYLLABICATION: war·lock
PRONUNCIATION: wôrlk
NOUN: A male witch, sorcerer, wizard, or demon.
ETYMOLOGY: Middle English warloghe, from Old English wrloga, oath-breaker : wr, pledge; see wr-o- in Appendix I + -loga, liar (from logan, to lie; see leugh- in Appendix I).
 

One who is not de-cieved is One who sees through all the de-ceptions - their own and others...

When One practices this de-ception, it is easy to get to the point where One loose track of what is de-ception and what is not...

One de-ception being that it at some point 'Ok' to Lie.

How can one keep it all straight in their own mind, if they would de-ceive their own self 'well enough' -- ha! another de-ception -- well enough that they believe it IS ok to Lie at some point?

They tricked their own mind - this creates divisions in the mind... compart-mental-izations...

If one can lie to their self to the degree that they convinced - then they are lost - 'god' help them if it isn't forever too.

- Syllus SyBen
 

I'm not gonna lie to you, it hasn't been until the last two years that I have been trying to break away from the whole"what society thinks." We as a nation are born and breed to make decisions based upon what society believes we should do, think or buy. There are not alot of people out there that are strong enough to break away from that and think on their own. Take for instance women and marriage. We as little girls have been sold a fairty tale about getting older and marrying. It has been etched into our mind that if we don't marry something must be wrong with us. We should marry that man even if we are less then happy. I for one am gonna try my hardest to teach my daughters to stand up and think for themselves. Otherwise it just makes for a more miserable YOU!
 

Another great line of thinking-as others have said-critical thinking-what a concept.
The schools nor government do not want to have you be a critical thinker. Political folks think we cannot handle anything-we need to be spoon fed information.

I think that is starting to change. Tivo and you tube are leading the way-
and so is myspace. So yes-lies and deception have been around forever and wont go away.
I am more worried about critical thinkers/thinking going away.....without that we are in big trouble
 

Josh, the main point that I get out of your blog is what you wrote: "It's odd how the world works, the people in power, control everything we see."

To take that a step further I say, "It's odd how the world works, the people in power, control everything we see AND don't see."

It all comes down to money, deception, power, control, government. The media, for instance, comes into most of our homes on a daily basis (television, radio, newspaper, magazine, Internet). Quite frankly, I don't think that people even realize the impact that these mediums have on ourselves, our children, our families and friends.

Sensationalism in the news is at an all-time high. Sensationalism sells.

Sex sells, keeping up with the Jones' sells, beauty sells.

Prescription drugs sell (very well). I think that there are cures for diseases that have been developed (I said "cures" -- not "band-aids") but the government and pharaceutical companies would go under if they couldn't sell their products. You see, it all comes down to the crux of M-O-N-E-Y. The almighty dollar.

It's up to each of us to protect ourselves and others we care about from the hype. Do we need to build walls to do this? I say yes, to a certain extent, but we must leave room to look out to see what's still coming our way and prepare.

You are not crazy! Just deep!!

Much love and respect,
Marsha (aka Mahdi from Racine) <3
 

Hey Josh,

I know how you feel. I go out and love the world and try to love everyone in it. I've always tryed to see the good in everyone and everything, and in my life, I've tryed to live by those actions. There are people that are out there who are jelious of that fact and try to destroy the good that I and others like us try to bring to this world.

I have been down many times in my life due to other peoples jeliousies, but everytime I have been brought down, to the point that I didn't think that I could get myself back up again, I am reminded that threw that anger and pain that I was in I know that God is there to left me up. I am also reminded that when I'm down and one door slams in my face, anthor door will open. People who are jelious of you are doen themselves, don't let them take you down, fight for yourself and what you beleave in!

Mindy aka Idoljunky
 

Peace Josh,
You bring to mind a question I once asked a very kind, intelligent, spiritualy man that was, for a time, my guide: "Will I ever find people that see it as I do?" He smiled and told me, "yes...and they will find you!"
I sound crazy, but the truth as I have found it to be is that MOST people are quite happy numbing themselves with retail therapy, playing along with "who has the most toys wins," and not ever leaving that superficial surface life that they've worked, and that our society has handed out so freely, to be brainwashed by.
Sure, we all love to have "stuff." IPODs are the coolest things since the lightbulb, and how did my Nana ever live without a cell phone? lol, but seriously, it just ain't enough for me; I have tried to "fit in" to this life of stuff, of stuffing, of shoving b.s. down our throats, of pretending to be a part of a life that all of the answers are multiple choice! I can't...and I've always felt different because of it. It isn't just "stuff," like I said...it's that most people fear going down deep and discovering what's there...we don't teach intimacy, not REAL intimacy to our kids--I try to, and I have a helluva time some days with a 14 year old girl who looks 22 and thinks like a 25 year old. Am I making any sense at all?
Anyway, you aren't crazy, or maybe we are plain old nuts...but you won't settle...I won't settle..."they" cannot give me answers, only I can ask, and answer them; soul searching and truths are hard work, it is MUCHO easier to sip Cosmopolitans and "fake" chat...make it sound deep, yet know that the walls are up and the bling and the designer labels are all set for battle, to keep the REALNESS away from our souls.
Excuse me if I rant, but I will not apologize for who I am. Nor will I feel bad for who I am not...I'm just me...and I will find those who appreciate me, and they will find me :)....
Peace,
Marjorie
 

"One man is an oppressor because many of us are slaves; let us despise the slaves." I agree with this line opposed to the first "...let us despise the oppressor"
 

I come here all the time and read what you have to say. Alot of the ideas that go on in your head seem to be some of the same things that I have going on. Post some more bulletins, with your crazy insight.
 

hey, josh,

you are absolutely correct that the media, advertisements, and products are built around misleading factors. more truth:

stations or publications come up with the most dramatic stories and the most dramatic ways to convey these stories to the potential audience. whoever can find the most dramatic story lines and manners of conveying these story lines gets the most viewers because the viewers are engrossed within the storyline. to the viewers, their emotions and attentions are deceived into accepting whatever the media tells them if they don't know this truth. to the media, more viewers = more $$$$. what tv news anchor would be able to keep their job if they couldn't captivate and hold the viewer? no viewer, no job, no $$$. and unfortunately many viewers are blind to this deception. the same goes for any product. the marketers goal is to create the strongest emotional or physical reaction within the potential purchaser. what sells? money, sex, drama. many of the storylines or sales pitches are very similar formats, with different scenery or products. check it out for yourself.

do we conform, comply, or obey those around us who are in power, or do we use our own critical thinking skills to challenge their bullshit. if our eyes are open, the answer is obvious.

saying the truth is good.

sincerely, jen
 

i agree with you