The fear of losing something (power, control, country, culture etc.)

[PurpleTree]

I was just thinking about some of the fears and this seems to be huge.

That’s what MAGA comes down to imo. Fear of losing values, money, country, control etc. Which is conservatism they want to keep stuff and conserve it.

In the political spectrum it’s more a fear of the right wing to lose something. Culture, country, money, power, control etc.

On a personal level it can be also a fear of losing youth, life, looks, relationships and so on.

On a spiritual level i guess it comes from a sense of lack or incompleteness. 
 

I can feel it quite strong sometimes the fear of losing something but I’m thankful for psychedelics and especially non duality for at least providing glimpses of no lack and completeness.

Now most of left wing would say the fears of MAGA are totally insane. But if let’s say the fear of native americans to lose territory and they would understand it. Which is not a great comparison but you get the gist.

Edited June 11 by PurpleTree

[Apparition of Jack]

I agree. But what MAGA misses is that the only reason they’re losing this influence is because of their own actions / power.

America has used its vast financial and military apparatus to enrich itself at the expense of others. Of course, this is a slight exaggeration, and not all trade is bad, but on the whole they’ve benefitted far more from their powerful international setup than they’ve lost.

MAGA doesn’t realise that the only reason it’s the most powerful country on Earth is because it has the military, diplomats, corporations and cultural influence to cajole other countries into giving them the most favourable trade terms available. This means things like getting African minerals, Brazilian fruit, and European white goods for pennies on the dollar that may have been more economically beneficial to those countries had America paid full price. But again, because of America’s immense leverage, they were willing to make these deals with America for a whole number of reasons.

So all the wealth of the world flows into America (rather than staying in those local countries), making Americans some of the richest, most luxurious people on earth. But when some of the people from those countries want to move to America to enjoy some of the prosperity America gets from them - suddenly it’s a bridge too far. Suddenly it’s an “invasion.” An “insurrection.” It’s “white genocide” or a “great replacement.” MAGA wants to keep all the spoils of the world, without caring about the communities those spoils come from.

If America wanted to prevent huge demographic shift, it would've allocated like 20% of its budget to foreign development (instead of military research pope dreams or corporate subsidies), but it didn’t do that. It would’ve helped Mexico, the Caribbean, the Congo, Portugal, the Philippines etc get on their feet, as a small gesture of gratitude for helping make them rich. But again, they didn’t do that. All they did was build more vanity projects and useless financial speculation instead, leaving not only other nations but their own citizens poorer instead. And now when economics is balancing itself and people from those poor countries that made America rich are now coming to America itself, it’s a bridge too far.

I’ve rambled a lot lately so I think I’ll just leave it at that, but you get my point. Wealth doesn’t exist in a vacuum. If you’re wealthy, great! But don’t forget where that wealth comes from. Otherwise the people who made you rich will come knocking on your door asking for food and shelter, and you’ll be too stupid to understand why.

[PurpleTree]

I mean i agree reasons for US being as powerful is allies, military, dollar as world currency, vassal states and governments, soft power like Hollywood and so on. 
 

But i think the loss can’t be prevented but yea it could have been prolonged. So i don’t think it was MAGA it would happen anyway.

Every empire fell. Rome, Ottomans etc.

Edited June 11 by PurpleTree

[Apparition of Jack]

27 minutes ago, PurpleTree said:

I mean i agree reasons for US being as powerful is allies, military, dollar as world currency, vassal states and governments, soft power like Hollywood and so on. 
 

But i think the loss can’t be prevented but yea it could have been prolonged. So i don’t think it was MAGA it would happen anyway.

Every empire fell. Rome, Ottomans etc.

I mean, America’s empire could’ve lasted longer if it did things like meaningful immigration reform (allowing people to culturally and economically integrate), invested in its own population (through education, infrastructure and healthcare) and taking a more hardline approach to corporate greed and lobbying (allowing it to retain the civil institutions needed to combat cultural decay.)

Hell, I would even argue on a purely trade-based level prior to Trump America was doing just fine. In fact in general America has been in a fucking fantastic economic position for decades, it’s just that that wealth hasnt been distributed justly.

The problem simply came from arrogance, narcissism and even a hint of collective delusion. Obama being elected president was the logical conclusion to America’s promise of freedom and democracy, but too many people couldn’t accept this. Kamala again wouldve been another fantastic president (maybe not world-shattering but certainly effective enough for the needs of the people), but again collective narcissism and delusion got in the way.

I mean, if I’m being honest, America’s position on the world stage was so utterly assured prior to Trump that it could’ve effectively remained the world hegemon indefinitely. There was absolutely no need for any of this to happen, had America just made a few key policy reforms (healthcare, ending Citizen’s United, immigration reform). But they didn’t make those reforms, and now it’s too late I guess, lol. 
 

What comes next is anyone’s guess. China will probably cement itself as a world leader, though probably not uncontested superpower. America will either continue to struggle or get its shit together and finally move out of toxic Orange. Whatever the case, it’s the American’s themselves who made this bed, so it’s up to them to sleep in it.

[PurpleTree]

9 minutes ago, Apparition of Jack said:

I mean, America’s empire could’ve lasted longer if it did things like meaningful immigration reform (allowing people to culturally and economically integrate), invested in its own population (through education, infrastructure and healthcare) and taking a more hardline approach to corporate greed and lobbying (allowing it to retain the civil institutions needed to combat cultural decay.)

Aren’t Asian Americans the group who have the best grades at universities and highest salaries etc.? Which would make a case for good integration. Also Nigerians and so on.

[Apparition of Jack]

11 minutes ago, PurpleTree said:

Aren’t Asian Americans the group who have the best grades at universities and highest salaries etc.? Which would make a case for good integration. Also Nigerians and so on.

Yep. Immigration has never been the issue. Someone in another thread even posted something about how many times Democrats tried to pass meaningful immigration reform (allowing it both easier to migrate whilst also giving the border forces more power), but Republicans opposed them every time because they weren’t Gestapo enough for their tastes (paradoxically making it both harder to integrate AND easier to illegally migrate due to lack of sensible border enforcement.)
 

Maybe it is just a case of change being inevitable, and people not being able to accept it. America’s cultural demographics were always going to shift over time, the only question was whether it was going to be done sensibly in a way that benefits all people (including white Americans), or if it was going to be done violently and in way that tears everyone down. America had multiple chances to take the sane option but they chose the jackboot instead 🤷🏽‍♂️ 

 

EDIT: Now that I think about it, the Biden administration was the last chance for white America to create a positive vision of the future that it ultimately rejected. Biden was a white guy yes, but his VP was black, but more importantly his policies were sane, sensible, well-funded and benefitted everyone, white and non-white alike. He invested in infrastructure, education, made healthcare more affordable, and so on. He was progressive but not an irrational wokist, and had a strong religious sensibility about him so even believers could’ve felt assured under him. He was firm on the international stage but wasn’t cruel.

Americans didn’t know how good they had it under Biden. In 10 years time they’ll be sorry that they chose Little Donny over him

Edited June 11 by Apparition of Jack

[PurpleTree]

20 minutes ago, Apparition of Jack said:

Yep. Immigration has never been the issue. Someone in another thread even posted something about how many times Democrats tried to pass meaningful immigration reform (allowing it both easier to migrate whilst also giving the border forces more power), but Republicans opposed them every time because they weren’t Gestapo enough for their tastes. 
 

Maybe it is just a case of change being inevitable, and people not being able to accept it. America’s cultural demographics were always going to shift over time, the only question was whether it was going to be done sensibly in a way that benefits all people (including white Americans), or if it was going to be done violently and in way that tears everyone down. America had multiple chances to take the sane option but they chose the jackboot instead 🤷🏽‍♂️ 

 

EDIT: Now that I think about it, the Biden administration was the last chance for white America to create a positive vision of the future that it ultimately rejected. Biden was a white guy yes, but his VP was black, but more importantly his policies were sane, sensible, well-funded and benefitted everyone, white and non-white alike. He invested in infrastructure, education, made healthcare more affordable, and so on. He was progressive but not an irrational wokist, and had a strong religious sensibility about him so even believers could’ve felt assured under him. He was firm on the international stage but wasn’t cruel.

Americans didn’t know how good they had it under Biden. In 10 years time they’ll be sorry that they chose Little Donny over him

Biden was just too old and fragile. He didn’t have the mojo or sauce.

[Apparition of Jack]

4 minutes ago, PurpleTree said:

Biden was just too old and fragile. He didn’t have the mojo or sauce.

Does that really matter? This is Hollywood-tier politics. Politics shouldn’t be about who makes the best jokes. It should be about who has the best policies and most reasonable vision for the future. 

[PurpleTree]

1 minute ago, Apparition of Jack said:

Does that really matter? 

Yes

[Apparition of Jack]

2 minutes ago, PurpleTree said:

Yes

Well, sure. That sort of thinking gives you Trump. I guess you got what you wanted then right?

[PurpleTree]

3 minutes ago, Apparition of Jack said:

Well, sure. That sort of thinking gives you Trump. I guess you got what you wanted then right?

Well gladly i’m not American. American politics and the two party system is beyond trash imo.