coberst Posted July 6, 2006 Report Posted July 6, 2006 The Matador’s Veil When I set out to understand some particular matter I start with some model of what I think is the answer I am after. From this point I modify my papier-mâché like intellectual model until I reach some kind of understanding for the question I posed to myself in the beginning. The question I started with many years ago was ‘How does my world operate’? My metaphor, that represents “how the cow ate-the-cabbage”, is bullfight. I would call this my world view but more appropriately it is my nation view, because I only know my nation--the United States. The Matador waving a red cape to manipulate a giant muscular bull is my understanding of how my world functions. The bull is the people; the Matador is the oligarchy that controls the people with various ideologies. In America the oligarchy consists primarily of the leaders of CA (Corporate America). It is the wealth and organization of corporations that comprises the corner-stone of American power. I recently watched the DVD copy of the movie “The Insider”. This depicts the story of Jeffrey Wiegand, former executive of Brown & Williamson Tobacco, who decided to make known to the world the facts of Big Tobacco. The movie clearly demonstrates the power of CA and the pain they can inflict on any person who attempts to reveal their secrets. Comparing the DVD movie to the TV show the “Sopranos” I decided that there is little difference between the two modes of operation except for the fact that the actions of the Sopranos are often illegal whereas the actions of the corporations are most often legal. I think that both shows are valuable viewing for the public because both shows peel back the surface layer of reality to expose the layer that is not obvious to the common sense realism we perceive life to be. Is an oligarchy (government by the few) necessary for any democracy to function? Quote
coberst Posted July 10, 2006 Author Report Posted July 10, 2006 I think that we must become detectives if we wish to ‘see’ beyond the cape. The important things are often well hidden and without detective skills and a critical self-consciousness we cannot see beyond the first layer of reality. The detective must analyze evidence and draw lines of incrimination between possibilities, what is in accord with human nature, and motive. The power rests in the hands of a few. This few are like all humans inclined to protect their own selfish needs. The people are like bovine, either staring vacantly into the distance or running with the herd. If CA CEOs do not run America then they are dimmer than I think they are. These leaders of corporations, banks, media, elite universities, insurance, military, think tanks, etc. network with one another and already control most of America’s power they would have little reason not to run things. There is nothing to stop them. Quote
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