United States George Floyd Protests, Reactions and Riots

[Ixian]

Remember the golden rule. He who has the gold makes the rules.

"In a room sit three great men, a king, a priest, and a rich man with his gold. Between them stands a sellsword, a little man of common birth and no great mind. Each of the great ones bids him slay the other two. ‘Do it,’ says the king, ‘for I am your lawful ruler.’ ‘Do it,’ says the priest, ‘for I command you in the names of the gods.’ ‘Do it,’ says the rich man, ‘and all this gold shall be yours.’ Who lives and who dies?"

 

[Typhonis]

"In a room sit three great men, a king, a priest, and a rich man with his gold. Between them stands a sellsword, a little man of common birth and no great mind. Each of the great ones bids him slay the other two. ‘Do it,’ says the king, ‘for I am your lawful ruler.’ ‘Do it,’ says the priest, ‘for I command you in the names of the gods.’ ‘Do it,’ says the rich man, ‘and all this gold shall be yours.’ Who lives and who dies?"

Depending on how he has been treated, All of the above? I mean what is to keep the sell sword from doing that and then claiming the three idiots did themselves in?

 

[Arlos]

"In a room sit three great men, a king, a priest, and a rich man with his gold. Between them stands a sellsword, a little man of common birth and no great mind. Each of the great ones bids him slay the other two. ‘Do it,’ says the king, ‘for I am your lawful ruler.’ ‘Do it,’ says the priest, ‘for I command you in the names of the gods.’ ‘Do it,’ says the rich man, ‘and all this gold shall be yours.’ Who lives and who dies?"

I’d say the King live, looting was the form of payment for soldiers after all....

 

[LordsFire]

"In a room sit three great men, a king, a priest, and a rich man with his gold. Between them stands a sellsword, a little man of common birth and no great mind. Each of the great ones bids him slay the other two. ‘Do it,’ says the king, ‘for I am your lawful ruler.’ ‘Do it,’ says the priest, ‘for I command you in the names of the gods.’ ‘Do it,’ says the rich man, ‘and all this gold shall be yours.’ Who lives and who dies?"

That depends entirely upon the nature of the sellsword. The favor of a king is no small thing; a person with respect for the clergy would adhere to their command, a greedy man obviously would go for the gold. A cunning man might slay all three; a spiteful man would probably slay all three.

A virtuous man would likely throw a sword between them, and tell them to sort it out for themselves.

There is no singular answer, but if you take it as just 'what is more likely to motivate' directly, wealth is going to win more often than the others.

 

[Deleted member 88]

The point of that parable is to show power is based on illusion. The sellsword obeys one man, for what? He could easily kill them all or walk away.*

If people aren’t willing and able to kill for you, your power is meaningless regardless of your title.

That’s true in game of thrones-if Ser Illyn and Joffrey’s men had refused to beat Sansa or kill Eddard, and in real life-when soldiers refuse to shoot demonstrators. Or turn their guns on their superiors.

The reason we have institutions, structure, money and other such things is prevent the illusion being shattered.

*It might be better to say, power isn’t an illusion but authority is. Authority requires the people not in authority believe the shadow is real.

 

[Harlock]

It just requires people to act in their own best interest. A good leader is simply the best at convincing people their best interests are to follow.
Not to get too JMS but Enlightened Self Interest is the most powerful force in the world.

 

[LordsFire]

Not to get too JMS but Enlightened Self Interest is the most powerful force in the world.

Do you mean 'when used,' or a more general 'most powerful force, period'?

 

[AnimalNoodles]

when the pain of inaction is worse then the pain of action then this will get solved.

Its going to take awhile for the incredibly lazy mass of americans to move through the stages of grief and accept that we do have a problem with left wing extremism that you can not appease them and that you actually have to solve the problem or things will get worse.

What ever line you have they will cross it, I'm just waiting until the lazy fucks in Suburbia finally get it.

They wont, because no one will lead them. Any attempt will be smashed.

The leaders of the GOP are terrified of right wing street organising and will oppose attempt by deplorables to organise.

 

[Basileus_Komnenos]

Is it wrong I find it funnier because it comes from a guy named Reich?

Imagine being so woke that when demonstrating and protesting against someone you view as a fascist, you resort to authoritarianism and fascistic policies to silence all dissenting opinions.

If Trump were such a "fascist" or totalitarian despot, would any of his critics even be able to speak so freely?

These people act like they're resisting some sort of evil totalitarian state acting like they're some sort of revolutionary non-conformists. But when most of the major media outlets, and corporations are on your side, you're not rebelling against the establishment, you are the establishment.

 

[Harlock]

Do you mean 'when used,' or a more general 'most powerful force, period'?

I would say as the main component of a decision making process. As in 'Is this choice going to benefit me or hurt me' as the fundamental basis. Naturally some choices are vastly complicated but I reckon boil it down enough thats the bedrock.

Course sometimes 'Because its right' is a perfectly valid option, I'm not saying selfishness rules the world, self interest is a bit nicer than that.

 

[Deleted member 88]

Imagine being so woke that when demonstrating and protesting against someone you view as a fascist, you resort to authoritarianism and fascistic policies to

That’s kind of lacking in historical context? These people’s forebears, Rosseuaians, the jacobins, the Bolsheviki, the cultural revolution in China, all did exactly that.

As Mao said, “revolutions are not dinner parties.”

Revolutionary violence, suppression of dissent, and the like are necessary for revolutions.

 

[CarlManvers2019]

I would say as the main component of a decision making process. As in 'Is this choice going to benefit me or hurt me' as the fundamental basis. Naturally some choices are vastly complicated but I reckon boil it down enough thats the bedrock.

Course sometimes 'Because its right' is a perfectly valid option, I'm not saying selfishness rules the world, self interest is a bit nicer than that.

I think there also comes a sort of mix of self interest and virtue alongside a sort of individualism

Said “individualism” is less about simply anti-conformity, but maintaining your ego and not simply going with the flow with barely a thought as to whether or not you actually enjoy it, whether or not you can logic it if it was really smart or even morally right or something you truly believe in

It’s a constant state of mind where they can listen to others and still maintain their own thoughts and emotions but still give some credit to the words of others to figure things out

 

[Harlock]

I think there also comes a sort of mix of self interest and virtue alongside a sort of individualism

Said “individualism” is less about simply anti-conformity, but maintaining your ego and not simply going with the flow with barely a thought as to whether or not you actually enjoy it, whether or not you can logic it if it was really smart or even morally right or something you truly believe in

It’s a constant state of mind where they can listen to others and still maintain their own thoughts and emotions but still give some credit to the words of others to figure things out

Entirely possible, but even then virtue usually comes with a reward attached for the next life, or in creating a more amenable society. Those are both personal benefits.

Still, just how I see things. I make no claim to be able to read the hearts of all people over all time

 

[CarlManvers2019]

or in creating a more amenable society. Those are both personal benefits.

That’s one thing people have to question in-regards to their actions, do they truly want one and are their methods truly a good way to it?

I’m convinced many of these rioters don’t actually care

Hell, they’re just in on it because it’s a popular fad for them or way to spend time, and even then it’s questionable as to whether or not they really like it or they’re just there for the social scene

 

[Harlock]

That’s one thing people have to question in-regards to their actions, do they truly want one and are their methods truly a good way to it?

I’m convinced many of these rioters don’t actually care

Hell, they’re just in on it because it’s a popular fad for them or way to spend time, and even then it’s questionable as to whether or not they really like it or they’re just there for the social scene

Probably, but I do think they benefit from it. Certainly it is short term and it will hurt far, far more in the future than it does now, but I also don't think they care. They enjoy it, and outside anything else I reckon that rush of being with the pack and breaking the law and believing you are actually in the right... damn powerful.
I reckon they have that same decision process of 'does this benefit me' and it probably makes them feel great. They're wrong by most metrics, but having the choice doesn't mean they choose wisely

 

[CarlManvers2019]

Probably, but I do think they benefit from it. Certainly it is short term and it will hurt far, far more in the future than it does now, but I also don't think they care. They enjoy it, and outside anything else I reckon that rush of being with the pack and breaking the law and believing you are actually in the right... damn powerful.
I reckon they have that same decision process of 'does this benefit me' and it probably makes them feel great. They're wrong by most metrics, but having the choice doesn't mean they choose wisely

Yeah, I’ve had similar thoughts, I think most of these guys are actually Narcissistic Low-Functioning Sociopaths to varying degrees

Their riots are destroying the properties of numerous people, they believe it won’t hurt them....till they get fired or the economy of the place they stay in gets worse and they get fired or suddenly all the places they went for products are now gone and have moved away to places safer

 

[Harlock]

Yeah, I’ve had similar thoughts, I think most of these guys are actually Narcissistic Low-Functioning Sociopaths to varying degrees

Their riots are destroying the properties of numerous people, they believe it won’t hurt them....till they get fired or the economy of the place they stay in gets worse and they get fired or suddenly all the places they went for products are now gone and have moved away to places safer

They're definitely vandals and scum, either idiots or broken in some way. They are pretty much the last people anyone sane would look to for meaningful help. Perhaps that is why they are so violent, nothing of value or meaning in their existence.
Getting a bit speculative now so I'll desist, but I do think the trait they have in common is failure

 

[Deleted member 88]

They wont, because no one will lead them. Any attempt will be smashed.

The leaders of the GOP are terrified of right wing street organising and will oppose attempt by deplorables to organise.

Surely they know that in Dem one party state even Mitt Romney is going to be on the docket for “raayyshism” and “IIIIGHT suuipremacie”

Are they that cowardly? Or do they think their masters will let them live out their pathetic lives on country estates protected from the rabble?

 

[LifeisTiresome]

Surely they know that in Dem one party state even Mitt Romney is going to be on the docket for “raayyshism” and “IIIIGHT suuipremacie”

Are they that cowardly? Or do they think their masters will let them live out their pathetic lives on country estates protected from the rabble?

So called Conservative parties are backed by corporations and likely are friends with democrats. Its all a game. Just look at the UK. You will see full evidence of how the so called Conservatives are worthless and just leftist lite.

 

[AnimalNoodles]

Surely they know that in Dem one party state even Mitt Romney is going to be on the docket for “raayyshism” and “IIIIGHT suuipremacie”

Are they that cowardly? Or do they think their masters will let them live out their pathetic lives on country estates protected from the rabble?

They are that cowardly. If conservative inc had any energy or drive to power there would be a conservative NLG, a right wing version of Soros and a network of rightwing NGOs who could defend and organise an actual street movement. There wouldnt be a proud boys, because there would be similar organisations backed by big money and protected behind an army of lawyers.

But all they want is to enjoy their perks.