It’s great to be here. Let me just start off by saying that you’re looking at a self made man. I worked hard and paid my dues. An individual can accomplish great things if they put their minds to it, pull up their boot straps and keep their nose to the grindstone. So I did it all by myself…
Well except for the fact I was born a man in a world where men make more money on average and run most governments, institutions, corporations, and world religions.
But nonetheless I took it upon my shoulders to make something of myself…
Regardless of the fact that I was born white in a country where all my education has pointed to the great accomplishments of my people, all the presidents but one have been from my demographic, the police, military, and most of the government is dominated by whites like me. Never mind that my people somehow avoid the same unemployment, prison, and poverty rates as all other groups.
I took advantage of my opportunities and achieved the American Dream in a place where anyone can make it if they just believe in themselves and have a strong work ethic.
Forget the fact that I was born into the middle class and a family with two parents.
I never made excuses and pushed on…
Even though I received an education from schools that were adequately funded had supplies and solid teachers.
I mean if you don’t like here than just leave because this is a country of strong rugged individualism. Everyone has to pull their own weight. My ancestors made it so I don’t want to hear any excuses…
Oh sure we have given up a sense of community because of our insane dedication to consumption. Ok, I understand people have worked hard their entire lives, back breaking work, and having little or nothing to show for it, there are no guarantees. Take care of your own and the rest will take care of its self…except it’s not.
People are not happy.
Obviously our belief that hard work will solve all our problems is complete insanity. We have lived in denial for so long and have drank so much of the good tasting Kool Aid that anything that challenges this belief or points out its flaws or its ridiculous premise which has no data to stand on is pushed aside as some liberal cry baby. We live in a hierarchy where it takes people on the absolute bottom to create people at the top. And all along the way we buy into this indoctrination of a “dream” and insanely accept the degradation of fellow human beings in order to keep our “dream” of wealth alive and kicking. Along the way this hierarchy we so desperately believe in has created social categories such as black, white, poor, rich, straight, gay, citizens, illegals (a word we change to a noun), masculine, feminine, Christine, Muslim, democrat, republican, liberal, conservative, and on and on…WELCOME TO WHAT I CALL THE BROTHER-IN-LAW EFFECT.
The Brother-in-law Effect is a mindset that many people in the world have. Why call it The Brother-in-law Effect? Well many of us have someone in our life who is a firm believer in the status quo. Usually a debate or argument about “how the way the world works” ensues when you and this person discuss important issues. Many times this person is a family member and a so-called expert. Despite overwhelming evidence a person who lives with the BILE justifies and rationalizes their irrational thoughts and behaviors. Therefore I thought it only fitting to call the status quo mindset The Brother-In-Law Effect.
How does the BILE work? I am a White, heterosexual, male, well educated, brought up as a Christian, who was born in the USA. Most importantly I am a civilized human being… more on the civilized part later. As one can see I am part of many dominant groups. My groups have set the norm in most cases. Because I have set the norm I feel entitled to the privileges that come with being “normal.” My success and survival do not depend on the perspectives of “others.” People who do not belong to my groups must be conscious of and understand how my world works. Their success and survival depend on this understanding. I have the luxury of ignoring the perspectives of others because they do not affect my success or survival.
The building blocks that lead to the violent destruction of the planet are the entitlements we all have. These entitlements come from hierarchy. This entitlement distorts our boundaries. If we abandon hierarchy the superiority disappears. Superiority is killing all living things including the planet. We are all caught up in The Brother-In-Law Effect.
What can we do? Some have had suggested bringing civilization down while others have simply suggested walking away. These are difficult times and critical thinking is well…critical…got BRAINS?
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