Yesterday a seemingly deranged man burst into the headquarters of The Discovery Channel and took three hostages. The situation came to a sudden end when the man was killed by a police sniper.
While I strongly oppose using violence as a means to communicate a message to a broad audience, some of the stuff this fellow had previously posted on the internet -- his manifesto -- while rather crude, makes some sound points.
If we recognize and acknowledge that oppression, repression and war exists throughout the world today, but we go on with the routine aspects of life, does that makes us sane or insane?
If we understand that the way our society is ordered is killing the planet's capabilities to sustain our own lives and that of most other life forms, but it's nothing more than a passing thought, does that make us sane or insane?
If we know in the core of our beings that desire is what lands us in trouble again and again, but we have no desire to be desireless, does that make us sane or insane?
I sometimes wonder if the people we label as "crazy" are more sane than the rest of us. They only appear deranged because, unlike the rest of us, they refuse to accept the insanity inherent in an insane world.
While I strongly oppose using violence as a means to communicate a message to a broad audience, some of the stuff this fellow had previously posted on the internet -- his manifesto -- while rather crude, makes some sound points.
The angry manifesto repeatedly refers to humans as "filth" and demands that the Discovery Channel "stop encouraging the birth of any more parasitic human infants."In contemplating this event, it has led me to ask myself: What counts as sanity in an insane world?
"Civilization must be exposed for the filth it is," the 1,149-word statement says..."Humans are the most destructive, filthy, pollutive creatures around and are wrecking what's left of the planet with their false morals and breeding culture."
The writer blasted immigration, farming, weapons of mass destruction, automotive pollution, "and the whole blasted human economy."
He demanded that the Discovery Channel broadcast daily prime-time shows devoted to "solutions to save the planet," perhaps in a game-show format, insisting, "Make it interesting so people watch and apply solutions!!!!"...
If we recognize and acknowledge that oppression, repression and war exists throughout the world today, but we go on with the routine aspects of life, does that makes us sane or insane?
If we understand that the way our society is ordered is killing the planet's capabilities to sustain our own lives and that of most other life forms, but it's nothing more than a passing thought, does that make us sane or insane?
If we know in the core of our beings that desire is what lands us in trouble again and again, but we have no desire to be desireless, does that make us sane or insane?
I sometimes wonder if the people we label as "crazy" are more sane than the rest of us. They only appear deranged because, unlike the rest of us, they refuse to accept the insanity inherent in an insane world.
many fanatics do have a point. however, being fanatics, the only solution they see is complete destruction of "the enemy..." in this case, people. people have lived in accordance with the environment for a long time, it's only in relatively recent years that we have assumed the "right" to mold the earth in the form of our choosing and use it to our selfish ends.
ReplyDeleteI'm reminded of a favorite quote, "It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society." - J. Krishnamurti
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