I really like Academy of Ideas, drawing on a broad base of wisdom in philosophy and psychology. Here’s a recent video that may resonate with you:
When a majority advocates for the government enforcement of conformity, a society places itself on what the psychologist Ervin Staub called a continuum of destruction. As the government uses coercion and force to punish a noncompliant minority, the majority rationalizes their support of such authoritarian measures by further demonizing the noncompliant, thus leading to increasingly severe government measures.
To counter the continuum of destruction that is a product of too-much conformity and too-much government force, more people need to act with moral courage. Moral courage entails a willingness to encounter risks so as to defy immoral orders, reject authoritarian government control, and to stand up for the disappearing values of truth, freedom, and justice. And as Rushworth Kidder explains in his book Moral Courage:
“Where there’s no danger, there’s no courage…Anyone can “endure” security and well-being. The real challenges…arise in the face of hazard… So it is with moral courage, where danger is endured for the sake of an overarching commitment to conscience, principles, or core values.
Rushworth Kidder, Moral Courage
“We are fast approaching the stage of the ultimate inversion: the stage where the government is free to do anything it pleases, while the citizens may act only by permission; which is the stage of the darkest periods of human history, the stage of rule by brute force.”
Feb 11, 2022·edited Feb 12, 2022Liked by Winston Smith
In Parliament grounds in Wellington on Thursday about 2pm the police closed off some exits, formed a tight line and pushed against those protesters brave enough to resist.
The police were trying to push people out of the south gate.
A short skinhead cop was directing a big tough cop to reach between the police bodies and brutally punch in the belly the men holding the line. The aim being to insert police through a gap. Several line-ups of police were ready to arrow into gaps. No gaps occurred.
A few of the young police were crying.
Some protesters were pulled out by police. One woman who was grabbed by her shirt managed to shrug off the shirt. When the police grabbed her lower torso she shrugged off her trousers. So they grabbed her by her hair.
MSM descibes her as naked, implying exhibitionism.
I don't know if cowardice is the real problem. Most bad things are spawning out of stupidity. And unfortunately society has evolved to the point where it now has feedback loops that accelerate the dumbing down. That comedy movie "Idiocracy" will one day be like a documentary.
There types of cowardice:
1. Physical
2. Moral
Most people are afraid of #1.
In Parliament grounds in Wellington on Thursday about 2pm the police closed off some exits, formed a tight line and pushed against those protesters brave enough to resist.
The police were trying to push people out of the south gate.
A short skinhead cop was directing a big tough cop to reach between the police bodies and brutally punch in the belly the men holding the line. The aim being to insert police through a gap. Several line-ups of police were ready to arrow into gaps. No gaps occurred.
A few of the young police were crying.
Some protesters were pulled out by police. One woman who was grabbed by her shirt managed to shrug off the shirt. When the police grabbed her lower torso she shrugged off her trousers. So they grabbed her by her hair.
MSM descibes her as naked, implying exhibitionism.
That's moral and physical courage.
Wow.
Thanks for the update. Whatever happened to social distancing by the police?! I saw a pic of that real girl. And she is a babe to boot!
Please keep a watch on her.
That is rare: to have both moral and physical courage.
I don't know if cowardice is the real problem. Most bad things are spawning out of stupidity. And unfortunately society has evolved to the point where it now has feedback loops that accelerate the dumbing down. That comedy movie "Idiocracy" will one day be like a documentary.
I will be the only uninjected at a party tomorrow evening.
Your post and video Winston will help me deal with the pushback that I am expecting.
I must try to not offend these friends of mine, yet still have the moral courage to do so.
Be strong!