I got to get rid of all the hate in my heart. But everywhere i look, i see a world in decay, i see a world totally devoted and consumed with hate.

And the point is that this is not just in my head.

When i logout from my yahoo-mailbox, i wind up on the yahoo page with all kinds of stupid news items and when you click on a news-item, at the bottom of the page you can see what kind of comments people have left. And it just freaks me out. Half of all the comments is filled with extreme racism and hate. People talk about president obama in terms of "let's kick the nigger/monkey/etc. out", one of the most frequently used words there is 'libtard' wich i figure is a conjunction of liberal and retard....using that word is sort of admitting that you find that all the people on the planet have no right of personal liberty's, in short, that you're against civil rights.
And this is supposed to be not some far-right teaparty site, this is just yahoo.

Apparently a very large percentage of the americans have devoted their lives to just hating almost everything alive.

In the country where i live it may be even worse. A political party that's just openly anti-semitic and racist basically controls the government now. The government is deliberately making policy to hurt people, to destroy people's lives. And the majority of the dutch people is in favor of this political coalition.
That means that the majority of the dutch people is no better than the sieg-heil scanding masses in nazi germany.
And people say that it's bad to draw a comparison with nazi germany, but at the same time they say that we should 'never forget' about the war and 'learn the lessons from auschwitz'.
How can you learn the lessons from auschwitz if it's a big taboo to compare racists with those nazi'z back then? That's just a contradiction.

Anyway, i know this may seem to some as if i'm ranting. But i cannot but feel a deep, deep loathing towards my own culture and western civilisation in general at this moment in time. And it just makes me mad. I don't want to hate. But i cannot pretend to be blind for what's happening.

We bomb afghanistan and when OUR soldiers get killed, we decide we want to leave because it's not fun anymore. No-one thinks of all the damage we've done and all the lives we've destroyed and what obligations we may have towards the afghan people. We already forgot about iraq, as if it's something that happened century's ago.
We basically think we can just destroy lives of poor people far away whenever we feel like bombing some place, and just get away with it.
If the bodies of dead western soldiers wheren't piling up in iraq, nobody would have considered it a problem here, what we where doing there.
And we think it's completely normal that no western government official will ever have to appear to any war-crime tribunal. The most of us would even consider that a 'radical' thought.

it just..fills me with so much deep, deep loathing.

I agree the world is a fucked up place. If you want to see the good side of humanity do not read internet comments thats for sure..

The way I look at it though is that we can either be part of the solution or part of the problem. Regardless of how dark the world may seem we can live a life of light and make humanity a bit brighter.

There is much beauty in humanity as well though, sadly you generally have to look a little harder to find it.

All is not lost..

To quote Jon Stewart from his rally "These are hard times, but they are not end times."

indeed
I've seen a lot of the yahoo comments, and think it's either a bunch of bored idiots with too much time on their hands, or just a bunch of idiots in general; maladaptive cretins.
I have the utmost contempt for them, for they are willingfully ignorant

but, I pretty much retreat into my own world of music and hobbies, because the hate can really consume you if you let it.

It's a sad yet beautiful world... You always have to remember that last part...

It always helps me to remember I am that which I am hateing too. When you know your one with all that is there's nothing to get rid of, just like with garbage there's no such thing as away in throwing something away.

Indeed, the opportunity of anonymousness the Internet provides has a tendency to lure out an primitively agressive side of man. That being said, I must add my deep appreciation for all the respect the members of the nexus have for each other. Thanks to everyone.



There is love, and there is absence of love. In our westernized society, there's quite a lot absence og love. Or better yet, there is a confusion of where the love has gone. Therefore, we try to fill in the empty space with acts of what we think is love - gain status, a fortune, better looks, a certain image. Stepping on toes, push others down to feel better. All of this we do because we never are brought up to love and respect one self and each other. The western culture encourage you to do do whatever it takes for you to gain this or gain that, and live in the ignorace of the fact that there is nothing particular to be gained. There is respect and love to be given, and once given, you'll automatically get love and respect back. A great secret indeed, because if everybody found out, our infra structure build on money and insercurity would collapse.

So then, what can we do?
We can be the love.

These are most helpfull comments.
Sometimes i think i worry too much, other times i think i don't worry enough. I guess both opinions are right in a certain perspective.

What bothers me most, is that sometimes it seems so useless to stick out your neck and say "no" because the people pulling the strings aren't gonna listen anyway. And that's a destructive thought, because i don't like the idea of just standing on the sideline and doing nothing.

We are the love, so let's just try to remember that and dare look inside to find it, break down the barriers against it and realize that it actually flows so smooth, so easy, without any effort. To love, and to be loved, is the easiest thing to do (yet perhaps the hardest).

Good post.

Man I just can't agree anymore with what you have said.

I can indeed relate to your thoughts, polytrip. When I catch myself drifting into these thoughts, it helps to slow down and think for a moment;
First of all, you feel like it's useless telling people what to do - this is indeed what I believe too. I cannot force any idea into anyones head, I cannot tell them what to do in such a manner. Then, what will I do? As you are saying, you feel like you're on the sideline doing nothing. That, on the other hand, is something I do not agree on.
The greatest influence one can have on someone is the influence of respect and love. One must never feed the negative thoughts, because they do not give anything in return. This is what happens when you focus on the negative and give the it your energy by "sticking out your neck and say no" - you will drain yourself for energy as well. I think it would be good for you to give acceptance and love your full attention. Unlike the negativeness, focusing on the love will give you a lot in return. After all, love grows powerful when being fed (so does the hate, yes - but the hate will not feed you back).

Also, there is somehow a comfort to be found in flaws - because without them, our progress would stop. We wouldn't be heading anywhere without the flaws.

I had to work consciously on getting rid of my hate. It pops up still but I try my best to direct my mind towards the good side. I try my best to show people understanding.
I try not to be part of the world full of hate but to be part of the world full of love and peace. I don't watch news more than once a week. And I just try to be the change I want to see in the world.

It's practice and it's NOT easy in a world full of ignorant sleeping souls. But I was once there.

progress and help evolve the universal spirit. All that you touch and see and feel, all that you experience is transformed forever. And there is much to be transformed by the light of life, by YOU.

There really is no time to hate, given the amount of work we have to do... given the scope of the process that we are part of.

much love

Enoon

Oh hate so lovingly unloving you carelessly and insensitively show me how to love, care and show sensitivity... Thank you hate for your loving teachings... For you have carelessly and insensitively shown me the way.

Hate and negativity can definitely be infectious. I've had problems with it in the past. Now I basically practice avoidance. I don't read comments on any internet site (yahoo, youtube, etc.) I very, very rarely watch the news. I don't even read newspapers most of the time, because of the sickening drivel that passes as "news". And every time I read a newspaper, I think to myself, "How in the hell did I almost become a journalist? Thank fuck I made the right choice, because I'd probably have a bullet hole in my skull by now."

It's tough, but all we can do is rise above it. Give these hate mongers all the love you can, and wish them the best. Because becoming like them is just not an option, at least not for me anymore. Years of my youth were spent in anger and hate, and I don't intend on wasting any more of my life reveling in that horrible mind-space.

also, something about competition tends to bring out the ugliest emotions in people.
my father gave me wise words of advice once, something along the lines of "try not to worry about what others are doing with their lives, or compare your own to theirs. it brings about unnecessary stress."

^ I think a (modern) stoicist perspective is at its best in times of difficulty.

It saves energy by meditating only what is important, by cutting the crap. Eventually one will be filled (again) with an impersonal love, from a source that is independent of anything in particular. An attitude or state that is inline with nature i think, free of the desires and needs that lead to opposing forces, judgements and hate ultimately. The rest does not matter. One just needs peace of mind and the rest will follow, flow from there. It sure is not a passive attitude. It is like constant calibration to me.

The subtle happiness that creeps up on you like spring, it is always there. Just open the window, the birds are already back. Some are singing to me right now.

That's some powerful advice right there benzyme, I can totally relate. Gotta get better doing just that, not to worry about others. I can honestly get a bit lost in that sometimes, and it's such a pain in the ass and so unnecessary.

I'm feeling this thread 100%, Polytrip. I can't provide you with any answers unfortunately. I try to avoid negative influences, while still acknowledging their existence, and I avidly seek out positive influences, and try to keep my conscience clean.

I find listening to the Grateful Dead a really positive influence, I listen to a different live show every day. Those guys have been there and they know exactly what their audience needs. And I take delight in delicious food and the company of the few people closest to me, and having a friendly pet is awesome too. Benzyme's dad has some very good advice too, I will try to remember that!

I agree on the friendly pets. You ever try to hate the world while a kitten is sleeping in your lap? It is a bit harder..

So true, kitties can cure all the world of hate.

you don't think it's possible to go on a drive-by shooting with a kitten asleep on your lap?
granted, kittens are cute.. but one may still go ballistic in the presence of cuteness.

^^ nice pic, D.