Heading towards totalitarianism?

[Jangle]

Of, relating to, being, or imposing a form of government in which the political authority exercises absolute and centralized control over all aspects of life, the individual is subordinated to the state, and opposing political and cultural expression is suppressed: “A totalitarian regime crushes all autonomous institutions in its drive to seize the human soul” (Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr.)


From my point of veiw, this is where certain countries are headed. The government already has the right to record our every move, what's next? we could soon be living in a world similar to George Orwell's 1984, and it worries me.

 

[Ikerous]

From my point of veiw, this is where certain countries are headed.

Such as which countries...
I myself can't think of any...

 

[bliink]

I've posted this here before, and its relevant here again.

"A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising them the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that a democracy always collapses over a loose fiscal responsibility, always followed by a dictatorship. The average of the world's great civilizations before they decline has been 200 years. These nations have progressed in this sequence: From bondage to spiritual faith; from spiritual faith to great courage; from courage to liberty; from liberty to abundance; from abundance to selfishness; from selfishness to complacency; from complacency to apathy; from apathy to dependency; from dependency back again to bondage."

- Alexander Tyler, (in his 1770 book, Cycle of Democracy )

Totalitarian rule is the natural place we'll end up, bar some HUGE catastrophe, its unchangable

 

[RakuraiTenjin]

I've posted this here before, and its relevant here again.

- Alexander Tyler, (in his 1770 book, Cycle of Democracy )

Totalitarian rule is the natural place we'll end up, bar some HUGE catastrophe, its unchangable

Once again as I replied in another thread, I wholeheartedly believe he was warning against future socialism

 

[seinfeldrules]

Meh, if anything we beat the average.

 

[Steve]

Meh, if anything we beat the average.

...and we're different in one way from the other "great societies". We totally ROCK.

 

[seinfeldrules]

...and we're different in one way from the other "great societies". We totally ROCK.

What kind of rock? I'm thinking Bruce Springstein rock. 'Booornn in the USA! I was born in the USA.'

 

[kirovman]

UK already has the most widely used CCTV, I have heard.

Anyway it seems to me that certain forms of government eg democracy only last a relatively short amount of time before burning out.
From a purely time-based point of view (ie how long a type of government has lasted) Monarchy seems to be winning, but unlikely to go back to something like that.
The future...Police State maybe? How long until one of these elected officials decide that the next general election is not going to come soon?

 

[Steve]

What kind of rock? I'm thinking Bruce Springstein rock. 'Booornn in the USA! I was born in the USA.'

Right. REAL rock.

 

[Tr0n]

Well...time to prepare for the second civil war.

 

[GiaOmerta]

What's a matter with totalitarianism?

 

[Sprafa]

I agree with Tr0n, the Americans will find a way to wipe themselves out soon enough if that goes trough. Maybe not, since most liberals are wussies (like not owning guns, not having military training and being peaceful people). So there would just be mass exodus and rednecks would rule in a totalitarian theocracy.

 

[seinfeldrules]

I agree with Tr0n, the Americans will find a way to wipe themselves out soon enough if that goes trough. Maybe not, since most liberals are wussies (like not owning guns, not having military training and being peaceful people). So there would just be mass exodus and rednecks would rule in a totalitarian theocracy.

Sounds good to me.

 

[CptStern]

ah but the intellectuals will plot and scheme for the day when the inevitable happens: the redneck's shallow genepool eventually leads to slow witted offspring who follow their roots and run to the woods to live out their dreams ...whatever it is that rednecks dream about (a bigger trailer? moonshine to become legal? a shiny new orange car with a confederate flag on the roof? a dreamdate with cousin Pearl?)


/end tongue in cheek

 

[Tr0n]

Wait a second mister...I'm a redneck.

Don't be stereotyping bastards.

 

[seinfeldrules]

Just because rednecks occasionally sleep with their sisters and brothers doesnt mean they are stupid!

 

[Tr0n]

Just because rednecks occasionally sleep with their sisters and brothers doesnt mean they are stupid!

No...I mean it...shut the **** up with the stupid stereotypes.

 

[Steve]

Just because rednecks occasionally sleep with their sisters and brothers doesnt mean they are stupid!

Right! We're just confused!

 

[CptStern]

relax ...southerner isnt the same as redneck

 

[seinfeldrules]

relax ...southerner isnt the same as redneck

Agreed. :imu:

 

[Tr0n]

Tell that to the rest of the world stern. :|

 

[RakuraiTenjin]

Holy crap I just got confused between Tron and He_who_is_steeve.

This thread is rocking because everyone is acting weird. Back on topic or shall we destroy it more?

Anyway- to be relevant, in reply "No I don't think so"

 

[seinfeldrules]

Yeah, I dont see the US falling to totalitarianism for a long time. Hilary will probably be elected in 4 years (because she is a woman), and the country will push towards communism. If you wanted to look at using that extreme method.

PS. Redneck- One who is regarded as having a provincial, conservative, often bigoted sociopolitical attitude.


I highly doubt you are one tron.

 

[Tr0n]

Oh yea seinfeld...we are really heading towards communism because of some democrat.

 

[bliink]

No...I mean it...shut the **** up with the stupid stereotypes.

I agree here, its funny if you do it right, but the forums are getting a little out of hand with it now... you can take a joke too far.

And if you honestly believe some of these stereotype insults, and you arent joking because they're your "opinion" then just let me know and I'll give you some personal attack warnings

 

[seinfeldrules]

Oh yea seinfeld...we are really going to communism because of some democrat.

Well if you wanted to look at it using "extreme method", it would be. If Bush is pushing it more towards totalitarianism then Hilary will push it to communism. I'm not saying she is a commie.

And Gah, everybody gets to use these warnings but me.

 

[TheAmazingRando]

I miss Rome.

 

[Tr0n]

Redneck is more of a diffrent term for a hillbilly or country boy and since I am both of those (raised in the hills and in the country) I'm pretty much a redneck, but those damn stereotypes are just plain old and stupid.No not all rednecks are incest/inbred/church lovin/bigots/igorant/racist.

So back on topic....it is possible we are heading towards totalitarianism (damn word is to long).Hell it could be happening right under our noses and we wouldn't even know about it.So who knows?

 

[The Monkey]

I've posted this here before, and its relevant here again.

- Alexander Tyler, (in his 1770 book, Cycle of Democracy )

Totalitarian rule is the natural place we'll end up, bar some HUGE catastrophe, its unchangable

Democracy those days meant that a few very rich men could vote, I wouldn't call that democracy, besides, things aren't going as they always have. We have changed more in the latest 50 years than we had changed the 1000 years before that.

 

[kirovman]

Communism, in the 20th century meaning of the word, is dead.

You need a majority working class for communism, "power to the proles" but US has a largely middle class.
It's ridiculous considering it could even go that way, everyone knows that US government has no left wing in it. The Democrats are right wing and the Republicans are more right wing, that's it.

I'm opposed to governments taking a major role in our everyday lives, they should be there to serve us, protect us, while keeping transparent and allowing us to go about our daily lives.
But with all the bastardry going on in the world, may give our governments the excuse they need to tighten their grip.

You can do an awful lot of things in the name of the Nation, and a lot of your people will support you, whether truly in their interests or not.

Democracy those days meant that a few very rich men could vote, I wouldn't call that democracy, besides, things aren't going as they always have. We have changed more in the latest 50 years than we had changed the 1000 years before that.

I believe that's what they call plutocracy. Maybe they should make a democracy where you can't vote if you are a charver.

 

[Gray Fox]

Once again as I replied in another thread, I wholeheartedly believe he was warning against future socialism

Why, I mean I wuld think the opposit. :rolling: