Societal Trust.
Submitted by zapoyol on Sun, 2013/03/17 - 23:35.
This two words caught my attention reading in a reply to Key WestPirate's post Some Excellent Insights. What happens in Nicaragua, could also be the case on many other nations that have almost the same historical and social issues that we have. Societal Trust. As long as there will be poor, and I mean really poor people, leaders like Chavez, rip, and Ortega, they will have a Societal Trust. In this here land, the land of plenty for the few and the land of nothing for the many Societal Trust comes cheap. As long as Ortega manages to purchase, sorry I mean gain the poor's Trust, remember the majority as in voting numbers, he will remain in power as long as he wants, with the help of an editable constitution, a compliant CSE, an armed force that ensures the security of the people, his people, and a happy to do business with you Private Sector, the man is here to stay. This is not a question of whether the Societal Trust has taken hold or not. A Societal Thrust down and backwards more likely instead. Next Elections, now you're being funny and cruel.
So why are we masochists?
So why are we masochists? Costa Rica is much calmer politically. These guys are doing exactly what Somoza did, and the consequences (sooner or later) will be the same.
It's NOT evident Ortega=Somoza
Sure they're both caudillos, dictators ruling over sham elections without meaningful political opposition, and both having gotten rich from Nicaragua. One may go so far as to compare Ortega's turbas or the Sandinista's CPCs to Somoza's Guardia, but that would be WRONG. Turbas are punks hired for the moment (paid a pittance) to rally around the red & black and throw stones &c. at 'enemies'. CPC = Councils of Citizen Power, whose creation, directed by Cuba, was a masterful political stroke, a professed attempt at direct 'democracy' where citizens are part of local 'sub-government' decision-making. Rosario Murillo, who receives no salary, is chief coordinator of all CPC’s. They sell beans & rice at below-market price (beans need cleaning, if you don't want to bite stone; rice is <80% whole grain). They look out for the destitute among their neighbors, but also spy, in a sense, informing of wayward behaviors. The latter has benefits if directed at 'crime watch' reports & actions, but could be easily abused to create an artificial solidarity, leading to Stazi-type control. Since it's all one party, there are no checks, nor balances to insure they serve all.
Plans were to have some 20,000 CPC’s in operation, with more than a million members, by early 2008. I don't know how far along they've progressed, but the CPC center in our neighborhood is always teaming with people.
Sure it's an authoritarian approach to "leveling the playing field", but, thus far, most of the capitalistic-democracies of the world have failed in that regard, only exacerbating the numbers of their citizens in poverty.
Masochists? Nah.
Just about any other label would to describe why is it we find ourselves living the way we do but not the Masochists label. Negligent, indifferent, no drive, no ambition, short vision, irresponsible, ignorant, fools, corrupt, self serving, moochers, lazy, spirit broken, defeatists, irrational and so forth. If you are conscious of your attitude or behavior and know it is bad for you there can be no pleasure derived from said attitude or behavior . With the exception of the moochers and lazies, no pleasure can be derived from the others. Why do we act in one or more of the ways I mentioned each has his own reason or reasons. The masochist pursues, engages on and perpetuates a relationship where others inflict pain in order to have pleasure. When and how it's going to happen I really can't tell but everything comes to an end. Sooner or later one way or another. Todo tiene su final.