16-06-2013, 11:48 PM
Peter Lemkin Wrote:They are even more afraid, mostly subconsciously, that such awareness would, of necessity, imply the need for ACTION - and they don't want to be 'bothered' or in 'harm's way' in such ACTION - even though it need not be violent. All too many are satisfied or resigned is perhaps more apt to go along to get along and get through their lives without having to integrated the truth and then act.
Of course, confusion and uncertainty, as Schotz (History Will Not Absolve Us) argued, is precisely what is aimed at in the JFK case, because it defers the need for action.
But in terms of the lack of action by Americans, I've gone back and forth over which of these motives is the dominant one: ignorance, indifference or fear. Sometimes I think the former two, sometimes the latter. Our culture certainly reinforces them all, the first via disinformation or the inculcation of myths of exceptionalism, the second with the bread-and-circuses of mindless mass media diversion or consumerism, the latter via threats to our livelihood (the risk of losing your economic sustenance), or worse. Now I myself do not know how I would act if I were faced with the choices Manning or Snowden made; I would hope I would have some of their courage, but honestly I do not know. But even to get people out on the streets to protest is a major undertaking. Ignorance, indifference, or fear? Or is it the lack of ability to think critically?