Bruce E. Levine, author of "Surviving America's Depression Epidemic
Levine writes,
"U.S. citizens do not actively protest obvious injustices for the same reasons that people cannot leave their abusive spouses. They feel helpless to effect change. The more we don’t act, the weaker we get. And ultimately to deal with the painful humiliation over inaction in the face of an oppressor, we move to shutdown and escape strategies such as depression, substance abuse, and other diversions, which further keep us from acting. This is the vicious cycle of all abuse syndromes."
Levine cites several recent examples, including the 2000 presidential election, of the failures of the American people to react to injustices. He posits that government-corporate partnership and current financial fears are major factors in the breaking down of the American citizen.
But I also have to wonder what is "in it" for the American population to allow themselves to be so victimized. I wonder if we have not bought into this Capitalist Ideal that "success" is defined as having the most toys. We have bought into the idea that we must possess objects in order to be happy. So we buy, buy, buy and require more and more things and more and more money. Most of us could actually live more simply than we do and be more financially stable and less stressed as a result. Granted, we have to work harder to earn less than we did in the 1970's, but we also require more gadgets than we did in the 1970's. What would happen if we just said "No" to all of this buying?
Is it possible that the suggestion that we are totally powerless, totally at the mercy of the American government only serves to further victimize us?
This article is an interesting read. Thank you to Rick Belden for recommending it.