[Toy Soldier]

Originally Posted by Northern Monkey

Unfortunately all this **** is just human nature.We aren't that removed from our animal ancestors.
The factions we form are just like packs that chimpanzees and other animals form.
I saw a documentary a while back on chimps where a pack were out and they found a lone male and set about him.They stamped on him,ripped his bollocks off and mutilated him.It's a territorial animal intstinct.They do also show compassion and kindness.
It's why we have team sports(or mock wars).There are people who go to footy games just for the battle,Some don't even go in and watch the game.
In peace time many humans get bored and go to war with each other.We haven't evolved that instinct out of us yet which isn't surprising as we are still such a young species.
Humans need to learn the art of cohesive argument and debate to win their battles rather than hurting and killing each other.
We need to start listening to each others point of view and stop trying to surpress people's right to express their thoughts otherwise violence is all that comes out of it.Shutting peoples voice down only breeds anger and hatred and then the extreme elements rise up and take their arguments to the battlegrounds.
That's the only way we'll evolve.

I agree although I'd say this applies far more to some than others; it takes a very specific sort of person to "join a mob", or to start throwing chairs at each other because of football tribalism. I'm not just talking about slack-jawed sports fans either tbf, I lowkey would say the same about any march / protest / "mass group mentality" activity that involves squad psychology.

Is it the case that "the only way to evolve" is to allow everyone this, and to give every voice a platform? I'm not entirely convinced there. That sounds a lot like allowing the entire human race to be dragged down by the lowest common denominator.

The truth is... there is probably no way to evolve past this. It's a common misconception that "evolution" means "improvement" -- it doesn't. There is no right/wrong/morality to evolution... evolution is simply whichever group breeds fastest and most successfully and passes on their traits to the future population. That's it. No more, no less. And unfortunately... the people doing the majority of the breeding are not necessarily the intelligent, enlightened ones. For millions of years of human evolution, the number one survival trait was intelligence. If you were smarter then your neighbour, you were better able to survive, and have yet-smarter children. That's not really the world in 2017... the individuals best adapted to survival in the modern world are the drones / sheep who will not question their place in it.

[DemolitionRed]

Originally Posted by Livia

I suggest you go and read what Stalin was up to while Hitler was gassing people. This what happens when people forget - or don't learn - history.

What a really odd comment. What are you implying?

[Livia]

Originally Posted by DemolitionRed

What a really odd comment. What are you implying?

If you look at the quote to which I was replying maybe you'll get your head around it. If you still don't understand, let me know and I'll explain it for you.

[MB.]

I must have missed the Communist rally in Virginia this weekend. Was it the one where people took to the streets with torches and red flags in protest against a statue of Ethel Rosenberg being removed? The one where they started chanting "death to the bourgeoise"?

...in other words, yes there may be a very small militant left minority, but let's remember that the only thing that's really connecting those people (plus the many more who aren't on the far-left and are still vocally anti-Nazi) and driving them to take action is their shared opposition to the real life actual Nazis in America right now. You can't just say "but Stalin!" because there are Nazis involved and you want to prove that the left have never been as violent in history ever.

[Livia]

Originally Posted by MB.

I must have missed the Communist rally in Virginia this weekend. Was it the one where people took to the streets with torches and red flags in protest against a statue of Ethel Rosenberg being removed? The one where they started chanting "death to the bourgeoise"?

...in other words, yes there may be a very small militant left minority, but let's remember that the only thing that's really connecting those people (plus the many more who aren't on the far-left and are still vocally anti-Nazi) and driving them to take action is their shared opposition to the real life actual Nazis in America right now. You can't just say "but Stalin!" because there are Nazis involved and you want to prove that the left have never been as violent in history ever.

You can't say "everything on the Left is lovely, except... when the NAZIS!" either.

And hey, I'm not sticking up for these idiots on the right. Just trying to stop people imagining that anyone on the Left is a hero and nothing else, ever.

[sungrass]

Originally Posted by lewis111

I can't believe that This can still happen in America - a country which is so diverse and supposedly forward has people shouting "burn the Fags" and attacking black people and they are allowed to do it! So ****ed up

I dont understand why the USA cant settle down and just get on with life?

Just learn to live and let live?

[DemolitionRed]

Originally Posted by Livia

If you look at the quote to which I was replying maybe you'll get your head around it. If you still don't understand, let me know and I'll explain it for you.

I'd love you to explain it to me because I'm flummoxed. You seem to be insinuating that whilst fascist Germany was gassing millions, Stalin's Russia was doing equally appalling acts and that we who sit on the Left, have some sort of hero worship with Stalin, just as the Nazi supporters hero worship Hitler?

If you’d said Lenin or Trotsky I would have understood but Stalin? Stalin was the enemy of communism. Stalin held hands with fascist Germany because like Hitler, he was a fascist. He bastardized all Karl Marx’s ideologies to create an imperialist state. He was a dominant totalitarian monster and just like Hitler, he's an enemy of the Left.

[Scarlett.]

Pretty much sums up the Alt Right Nazi scum.