Zombification of Humanity

The ways in which a society moves from a free democratic one and becomes a mindless military for the ruling elite happens in stages, often when we can't observe or remember these stages. Corporate media no longer holds our "rulers" to account. We forget how it came to be that our democracy has become flimsy.

Even letters in a Canadian newspaper suggest "Progressive" is  a handicap akin to a brain disorder as if social justice, decency and empathy cripple our ability to make trade deals.

Also religious teachings are tweaked to clear the conscience to feel free in a business climate that has no morals. 

A study reported in WHO WHAT WHY revealed the group least likely to support their nation to allow refugees from the Middle East, are white evangelical protestants. "It’s ironic that the same people who claim to embrace the teachings of a Middle Eastern refugee from 2,000 years ago are now most eager to slam the door shut in his face."(https://whowhatwhy.org/2018/06/03/evangelicals-putting-the-ass-in-compassion.)

Is religion simply a tool for the ruling ideology rather than a spiritual discipline for humanity? With scriptures from more than two thousand years ago, you might think there is plenty of soul searching to call on. How can those who pride themselves on quoting the bible from memory have missed the stuff about love, justice and compassion?

Politics in Canada seems to be fraught with hate instead of debate about policy. How has that happened when more people are getting post secondary education? An article in The Walrus (https://thewalrus.ca/the-unpopularity-of-female-politicians-has-everything-to-do-with-sexism) writes "Canadians are more likely to believe in the existence of ghosts than to agree that Wynne is an effective leader." One psychologist named her "our devouring mother" and other ad hominem quotes reveal a blatant misogyny and homophobia.

So now Ontario has Ford Nation - an indication of a solid return to patriarchal glorification under the standard alpha male rule. Calling back to a time when we were apes and the winner was always the biggest bully.

Recently the G7 Summit was trashed by Trump, again with ad hominem attacks and no detail.  Is that all it takes for us to submit to the force of those with the biggest access to media coverage?

Is anyone questioning why the air waves are so impressed with slogans and bullies? Are we really ready to throw away critical thinking, analysis, rule of law, education, and compassion? If so we are throwing away civil society. 

Capitalism has certainly trashed any sentiment that cannot be turned into profit. But have we not seen through that? Are we ready to walk into that dark cave of a brave new world where we must believe  "Mine is not to reason why, mine is just to do or die"?

Here is how we might avoid the zombification of humanity:


1. Take responsibility for the way our society has become dysfunctional and do whatever you can to fix it. A society without the voice of conscience creates homelessness in the mind and heart.

2. Do not tolerate values that promote myths around masculinity or femininity. Do not try and inculcate in your child's notions of behaviour for princesses as distinct from behaviour for princes. Your children are human - that is a scientific fact.

3. Do not teach your sons, nephews and cousins, that men do not cry. Mass murder is a cry for help when it is too late. Humans cry.

4. Do not preach that men should be strong 100% of the time. Children learn how to dissociate from their feelings if they fear they will not be loved by those they depend on, and humans without feelings become hollow.

5. Do not glorify war. War is only good to pump up the alpha ego, who rather than learn how to lead responsibly looks for animal (including human) carcasses as trophies.  Otherwise it becomes complete destruction of any civil society and requires enormous efforts to rebuild, often leaving many broken and scarred people. But do support returning veterans with the health care they need to become part of their society again.

6. Read responsible news sources, science and fiction and learn how to distinguish the difference between them.

7. Give the people you love all your attention whenever you can. Care and attention does not spoil boys or girls. It teaches them they belong to the human family.

8. Give up racist ideas and stereotypes. Viking warriors are painters, singers and weavers, as well as ship builders. Identities have become constructs - designed to divide and control. If you believe in generalizations you are on the way to becoming useful to those who see humanity as a resource. 

The Unconscious Bias

Walking around the Farmer's Market on a summer morning I passed two craftswomen engaged in conversation.  What word describes the opposite of misogyny? In passing I chimed misanthropy. The second woman said that is the general term for the hatred of humanity. And the question was, what is the term used to express the hatred of men, males. I moved on because I didn't want to get ensnared in this conversation I had heard from others in different times and places.

I anticipated after the two women concluded there was no opposite to misogyny in our language, they felt that a hatred of men coming from women, was not recognized.  The second woman said it's not fair.

There is no opposite of misogyny because a hatred of males has not been a systemic tool. Women became the possession of men, chattels, and the institutions governed by men created a fear and hatred towards the feminine to justify the power men were given over women.

Less than a century ago, women who spoke out in public, who were engaged in challenging the status quo were often beaten, imprisoned and raped. It was mostly women targeted during the witch hunts. It was women who were trained to be submissive and obedient to men. It is women whose character is whacked in courts where rape is the charge. In domestic abuse cases, up to now, women were blamed for violence inflicted upon them. Our society claimed they must have asked for it. A man who beats his partner claims "she pressed my buttons".  Sexuality for a man is conquest, for a woman it is slut shaming. Doesn't every woman know this? How many more examples of men's contempt for women do we need to know? Southern states that try women who have miscarried for murder? The misogynist attacks on Hilary Clinton?

It was my assumption that the women at the market were feeling sympathy for men who were being attacked by the feminist movement. This made my blood boil. But perhaps they were saying its not fair how women are viewed. Perhaps it was the opposite of what I thought.

Yes there are women who hate men but it's not supported and justified by our social system.  Hate hurts us all on a personal community level, but when hate is used to support the violence towards a whole group of people it becomes a weapon, and weapons we can't see are devastating.

Had I inquired I might have pounced in judgement based on my assumptions.  Emotions operate first. Also I was not invited to participate in the conversation. Had they been shouting then their opinions would be open for comment, the volume entering and changing the environment.

But it's times like this when I feel there is a need for conversations about civil society and social justice, and a movement for adult education. Questions such as when do expressions of hate become a crime? When should the public intervene? In what ways are we implicated when misogyny, racism and homophobia are expressed?