Decentralising your own self

[Honza]

I think everybody hates the idea of totalitarian states whereby everybody has to do what they are told to do by others. The Republicans counter the threat of totalitarianism by their policy of decentralisation and empowering the individual people.

It is in the realm of the 'individual person' that most battles are fought. The individual people go on to make the masses and decide the fate of the world. So; how important is it that the individual people take on the responsibility of decentralising their OWN self? A simple method of doing this is to 'love thy neighbour'. To not be so egocentric and self centred. I've met some very self-centralised people in my time. People who feel that the whole world revolves around them.

There is a whole spiritual/religious/political policy based on self centralisation and that is called I AM. It is a bewildering subject but the bottom line is that we are all our own God and that we are all 100% responsible for our own self. Just check out Hinduism and the New Age teachings.

However - complete self centralisation can lead to massive egomania - the I Am God syndrome. Once one starts believing that I Am God one starts to gain personal power (the self empowerment principle) and then as we all know the power starts to corrupt us. Because power corrupts; even personal power. It then starts to become a battle between Good and Evil within our own self. The Darth Vader vs Luke Skywalker syndrome.

So personally I believe it is up to each individual to be responsible and decentralise their own self and to take personal measures to prevent ones own self from becoming a monster. This is where I feel the Republicans fail in their policy. Their principle is to empower the individual as much as possible.....but the individual needs to mitigate their own power just as much as any Government. Otherwise the individual becomes a tyrant in their own right.

 

[Cheerful Charlie]

Would you like some poppy seed dressing on your word salad?

 

[iolo]

These famous 'selves' are very much a matter of faith, I think. I lack it. 'Man is a bundle of sensations', etcetera etcetera.

 

[Cheerful Charlie]

Decentralizing ISIS style. Your body over here and your head over there.

 

[Nice Squirrel]

So personally I believe it is up to each individual to be responsible

this is the main flaw

 

[braces_for_impact]

So personally I believe it is up to each individual to be responsible

this is the main flaw

It is certainly the hardest part, I think. Maintaining the discipline necessary to be who you want to be, and not fall prey to your base instincts. Also, while I think Honza's OP is interesting, even laudable, I think it makes a mistake in assuming that everyone has the same goal. Part of being an individual is realizing that others may have differing, even competing goals as compared to someone else. Do no harm is the governing rule here, I think.

 

[Horatio Parker]

Politics is all about groups.

Dealing with political questions by emphasizing self realization sounds like a con to me.

"You don't need that appropriation/privilege/right."

"Only the enlightened understand this policy."

etc.

 

[braces_for_impact]

Politics is all about groups.

Dealing with political questions by emphasizing self realization sounds like a con to me.

"You don't need that appropriation/privilege/right."

"Only the enlightened understand this policy."

etc.

Yes, I could see how that would be abused. I'm not sure Honza was going in that direction though. Maybe he/she will come back and elucidate. I think Honza was referencing more about putting the self aside and doing good for the group as a whole, instead of the individual. I think deep down, this is the difference between morality as viewed on the left and right. The left is more about individual freedom and autonomy, while the right views morality as more of a group effort: your family, your religion, etc.

 

[untermensche]

Republicans only call for decentralization to the States so they can better control matters.

It has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING with giving individuals more power.

It is about more efficiently taking power from them.

 

[Horatio Parker]

Politics is all about groups.

Dealing with political questions by emphasizing self realization sounds like a con to me.

"You don't need that appropriation/privilege/right."

"Only the enlightened understand this policy."

etc.

Yes, I could see how that would be abused. I'm not sure Honza was going in that direction though. Maybe he/she will come back and elucidate. I think Honza was referencing more about putting the self aside and doing good for the group as a whole, instead of the individual. I think deep down, this is the difference between morality as viewed on the left and right. The left is more about individual freedom and autonomy, while the right views morality as more of a group effort: your family, your religion, etc.

Politically speaking, it makes no difference what one's individuality is or isn't.

Any benefits from personal decentralization, assuming they exist, would be an advantage in all areas of life. Why emphasize politics?

There are no moral or spiritual qualifications for politics.

 

[braces_for_impact]

Yes, I could see how that would be abused. I'm not sure Honza was going in that direction though. Maybe he/she will come back and elucidate. I think Honza was referencing more about putting the self aside and doing good for the group as a whole, instead of the individual. I think deep down, this is the difference between morality as viewed on the left and right. The left is more about individual freedom and autonomy, while the right views morality as more of a group effort: your family, your religion, etc.

Politically speaking, it makes no difference what one's individuality is or isn't.

Any benefits from personal decentralization, assuming they exist, would be an advantage in all areas of life. Why emphasize politics?

There are no moral or spiritual qualifications for politics.

Depends on what you mean. Actual real qualifications? No. But one's morality certainly informs sponsored legislation, what bills one votes on, etc. It translates into action through politics.

 

[Horatio Parker]

Politically speaking, it makes no difference what one's individuality is or isn't.

Any benefits from personal decentralization, assuming they exist, would be an advantage in all areas of life. Why emphasize politics?

There are no moral or spiritual qualifications for politics.

Depends on what you mean. Actual real qualifications? No. But one's morality certainly informs sponsored legislation, what bills one votes on, etc. It translates into action through politics.

So does exercise and a good diet. So what?

 

[Honza]

I'm no stranger to people who feel the importance of decentralising their own self for the common good. Most of my friends when I was young were lefties, liberals or even downright anarchists. They all felt the need to empower the 'group' rather than themselves. I joined in too. The effect of this self decentralisation was felt years later on when we found ourselves floundering in a harsh world. Having (idealistically) given our personal power away; we found ourselves unable to cope. I'm still feeling the effect of this now as I live with my parents and have no job or family of my own. Other friends have either died or become destitute.

One can certainly *overdo* self decentralisation......to the point of being powerless over ones own life. I'm now backtracking and starting to centralise myself. The original post was a sort of 'thinking out loud' type of post. I think it sums up how many lefties feel......but many get carried away with this principle. Just as many never bother with it at all and perhaps become way too self centralised.