“…….religion………………the opium of the masses”

In considering this blogs title, thankyou Mr Marx, I often wonder if the internet, and especially social networking sites and blogs, are the new “opium of the masses”.

In interpreting Marx to mean that people used religion to blot out the harsh realities of the lives, and as a means of taking action without actually taking public action (ie with religion – dont worry about the present injustices, inqualities etc etc, as your reward will come later in heaven (or maybe hell).

I am suggesting that the internet, social networking sites and blogs, gives us the false hope that we are contributing to solutions to problems in society – by telling the world what we think. But I dont think the ruling elites ever actually bother to read the millions of blogs every day, and the masses (like myself) have no way of reading a minute portion of the daily blog traffic. But I can relax, and sit content at home, feeling no desire to take any real action, knowing that I have blogged my comments to the world.

Is anybody listening? I think not!

Therefore it can be argued that the internet is indeed the new “opium of the masses”

Regards

Keith

ps: I wonder if anybody reads this? I wonder if anybody cares?

 

 

 

 

 

The age old question – does god(s) exist?

I think the ‘intelligent design’ people make a good point is saying that nothing can be created without a creator.

My problem is that following on from this, God/s and or/creators must likewise have a creator.

Therefor, who created God?

This is meant in good spirit, not to stir people up.

regards
keith

Indiginous and Western Songlines & Narratives

Would anybody like to comment on the questions I have asked at the end of this little blog:

Songlines and Mythic Narratives
Songlines underlie and inform lived experience via ritual practices, ceremonies, laws, dances and paintings. Various life stages are marked by initiation (pasage) rituals, which also inform and advise of rights and responsibilites.
Likewise, Chatwin (1987), in discussing songlines of indigenous Australians, describes their use of songlines as maps and tracks both to find one’s way and to assure social survival, which it is suggested apply to both material and spiritual contexts. Culture can be simply defined as how societies are maintained, and how culture shapes people’s views on life, creation naratives, meanings, social norms etc (Van Krieken et al, 2011,pp. 6-8) . Within and indigenous culture, for example the Tiwi Islanders of Northern Australia, Hart & Pilling (1960) advise that Tiwi culture is mainly ‘marked’ by mourning and initiation ceremonies and rituals as the “chief vehicle of Tiwi ritual” (Hart & Pilling, 1960, pp. 93-95).
“What are modern Australian songlines and mythic narratives”?
Australian is a society made up of many cultures, ie multiculturalism, and whilst many migrant groups within Australia practice and maintain their ‘country of birth’ cultures within the broader Australian culture (Van Krieken et al, 2010, pp. 272-278), what of ‘white Anglo-Saxon Australian’ culture? How is this passed on? However all societies, to survive, must have some forms of “passing on the accepted culture” or “socialising the young”. From a sociological viewpoint, Van Krieken et al (2011), contend that in Western 1st world societies, such culture is partly conveyed by the family, but more so by the education system. In both societies the young (14-24 yo Tiwi, 6-18yo Australia) are ‘virtually removed’ from the fuller society to learn the ‘culture’, before returning to their wider culture as ‘initiated’ adults.
As usual, further questions have arisen and remain to be answered. Western society values individuality, whereas traditional indigenous societies value a collective (non-individualist) culture. How is deviance, dissent and youth rebellion handled in indigenous collective cultures? What are the pros and cons of individualistic or collective societies? Which type of society would be choose to live in if given the choice? These questions will hopefully be addressed in further blogs.

Keith Saisell

References
Chatwin, B. (1987). Chapter 3, in Songlines (pp.11-15). London, England: Jonathon Cape.
Hart, C.W.M. & Pilling, A.R. (1960). Case Studies in Cultural Anthropology: The Tiwi of North Australia. Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 385 Madison Ave, New York. (JCU Library Call No. 305.8991 HAR C.B)
Van Krieken, R., Habibis, D., Smith, P., Hutchins, B., Martin, G. & Maton, K. (2010) (4th Ed). Sociology. Sydney, Australia: Pearson Australia. (JCU Library Call No. 301.HAR T4 2010 C.C)

What do ordinary americans think of the rant on the TV show ‘the newsroom’?

In a scene from the TV show “The Newsroom” :

McAvoy rants: “There is absolutely no evidence to support the statement that we’re the greatest country in the world. We’re 7th in literacy, 27th in math, 22nd in science, 49th in life expectancy, 178th in infant mortality, third in median household income, number four in labor force and number four in exports. We lead the world in only three categories. Number of incarcerated citizens per capita, number of adults who believe angels are real and defense spending where we spend more than the next 26 countries combined 25 of whom are allies.”

As someone who does not live in America, I would love to hear the opinions of some Americans from both sides of the fence – is the above view common in the USA or is it just left wing rantings?

Read more: http://newsbusters.org/blogs/geoffrey-dickens/2012/06/22/charlie-rose-endorses-america-not-greatest-country-view-aaron-sork#ixzz23ZulXC2W

I am sick of feminists………………..

I am sick of feminists, and especially the academic ones, who continue to state “facts” about why men say what they say and do what they do. These feminists should take the time out to talk to men rather than making comments based on the ideological persuasions rather than seek to ascertain the truth.

I can intellectually understand some women’s issues, eg periods, childbirth, body image etc etc, but I would never claim to understand the facts behind such issues as I am a male – and thus have no personal experience of such issues – so for me to claim to know why women do and say things is ridiculous as I am not a women.

So come on academic feminists, talk to us me instead of analysing us through the eyes of your ideologies.

keith

 

 

 

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