In fact, those that maintain the destructive status-quo system probably only number in the hundreds, while those that want positive change number in the tens of millions (a conservative estimate).   The keepers of the status-quo know they are vastly outnumbered, as they have always been throughout history, and that is why their actions and the policies they support are distinctively fascist and violent. 

Of the majority that are living reluctantly within a society designed by these impious individuals, most fall into two categories.  The first would surely like dramatic positive change, but they are not aware, capable or compassionate enough to work for the change, and instead they usually carry a jaded and apathetic personality concerning socio-political change.  The second category of people are aware, capable and compassionate enough to fight against the massive unnecessary suffering occurring in the world, but they think the situation is hopeless, and fall into despair, dejection and trepidation. 

This second group will be the focus from this point on, since the first category will likely be uninterested in a revolutionary path of living. 

The reasons for despair are many, and they are justified.  When one’s child is killed or maimed by weapons deployed by order of fascist war criminals, there is  no silver lining.  When compassionate human rights activists are tortured in the most cruel and painful ways, there is no positive counter-effect.  When people suffer terribly from diseases caused by toxins and radiation that never needed to be spread, there is no good side to the situation.  When a child starves to death or dies from a curable illness, there is no way in which it was the “will of the Divine”.  These experiences are hellish, and there is no bright side to hell on Earth.  These things should not be happening, they are not part of any “cosmic balance” or part of a “perfect world” that we just can’t perceive.  This world is far from perfect; socially, economically, politically and spiritually. 

Therefore, despair is a natural and logical reaction to those that wish to live in peace, health and happiness, and wish the same for others.  However, I believe this crippling despair can be greatly diminished by living in harmony with the positive, non-violent, justice-seeking energy that infuses our Reality. 

This is achieved through living a revolutionary lifestyle.  Living in a way that does not support a destructive status quo-system, becoming more self-reliant, more self-empowered, in a society who’s rulers work daily to make the Public more dependent on the rich, more ignorant of the truth and solutions, more unhealthy, more apathetic, more isolated from others in their community, more paranoid, more fearful.  Slander and ridicule are the most pervasive tools of disempowerment, but they become lese and less effective as you live more and more on target with a truly non-violent way of life.  They want to destroy confidence, for alignment with the Will brings unshakable confidence.  Resisting this system of control and violence is paramount in achieving social and spiritual liberation.  This is done most effectively by manifesting the two opposing qualities of the status-quo, compassion and freedom.  It means openly rejecting war-supporting propaganda and lies.  It means not supporting industries that harm their employees and the environment.  It means not killing/torturing animals for food when we don’t have to.  It means not spewing cancer and global warming causing exhaust into the air when we can run automobiles on alternative fuels, and so on.

Once you’re aligned with the crucial work for justice your desire for the non-crucial, the superficial, the hollow, will fall away.  You will be left with a sense of purpose and meaning that will give you energy and contentment as you move forward.  You will want to associate with others and with work that is in harmony with this movement because it gives satisfaction, and the status-quo paradigm does not.  It becomes not an issue of morality but one of enjoyment.  The system is turned upside down, pleasure is found in destroying the hedonistic false materialistic system in favor of a lifestyle, work and action that rebels against it, and systematically dismantles it.

Seeing through the corporate/superficial gloss, the vanity in much desire and relationships, the lies of government, the distractions in entertainment, etc. to the violence, illusion and injustice they cover up, their hollow nature is known by negative consequences produced for the participants who never understood why their life continued in a mediocre and dissatisfying fashion and at a lower level existence, despite their “normality”.  In a society based on destruction and violence, normal is not the ideal.  The ideal is it’s antithesis, the ideal is a revolution in ones mind that has been conditioned by the backwards system, coinciding with a revolution of the framework of that system itself.

We must evaluate, unforgivingly,  what the personal and political truths are, so that we can support the progress of both.  Politically, we get a very clear vision of fascism and the opposing force of democracy.  Personally, we find a very clear theme of time wasted on foolishness, negativity and meaningless experience.  The solution to both of these problems are the same: concise productive action of the crucial changes that need to made, based on truths and rights, and the abandonment of the rest.  This is how we gain traction, and begin to realize greater possibilities, a more fulfilled, satisfying and dynamic life.  The destructive status quo system fights this progress with many tools: terrorism, fascism, greed, materialism, superficiality and brutal competition. 

It can often seem easier to go with the destructive establishment, to support tyrants rather than resist them, to live unconscious of your action’s consequences.  This sloth and torpor leads only to an unfulfilled life though, no matter how easy-going the individual believes they have made it for themselves.  The Buddha spoke often of the need for strenuous effort in order to attain a higher level of existence, for a revolution in being to occur.  “Those putting forth strenuous effort attain to Nirvana, the highest freedom and happiness” (Dhammapada 2,2)  The opposing mindset I found encapsulated in a phrase on a keychain I saw for sale at a gas station:  “Eat healthy, get fit, die anyway.”  Others that fit into this are “No good deed goes unpunished” or “Life sucks, then you die”, etc.  The defeatist mindset is common and often manifests for valid reasons, as I mentioned in part 1 of this essay.

            Having discrimination, seeking the truth and consequences of the actions of others also helps you see through your own illusions/wrongdoing.  For example, I’ve been very depressed lately as I have become more aware of how my past and continuing behavior has been off-target, negative, foolish, unproductive ,etc.  Wasting my time on low quality entertainment, intoxicants, etc. all of which serve the status-quo destructive system as well. 

            I've had basically the same list of goals for a long time, Everyday: exercise & meditation, resistance/activism/education, 8foldpath living, eat only healthy foods, no intoxicants, etc.  Consistency in living out these goals has been lacking, vigilance has fallen off.  This lack of motivation, this laziness, may indeed be the most common human characteristic, as stated in the film Waking Life.  And this may be why there have been so many “zeros”, or those that did not contribute anything significantly positive to the world.  Why is this laziness so pervasive?  What can get rid of it?  Reviewing your life up until this point, the process of elimination reveals what is left to be done, what has not been consistently acted on, what has not been committed to.

            Having support from others, having loving relationships are certainly part of the answer.  Although many independent people think we don’t need anybody in order to progress, as I used to think, the reality is humans were not meant to live alone, we are not in a balanced life when we are isolated from positive interaction with others.  The Buddhist term Sangha refers to a spiritual community to which on can take refuge, it is one of the 3 Jewels that are taught as proper places of support and protection.  Corporate/Fascist States discourage community in any meaningful sense, just blind patriotism/nationalism and sports/entertainment.  Instead of the solutions, one should not be surprised, the destructive status-quo promotes isolation, distrust, etc.  No community means no resistance, no grassroots democracy.  Without community there is little to no positive reinforcement for individuals citizens.  Living without loving friendships and relationships creates cynicism and lack of motivation, often coinciding with giving in to mindless entertainment, intoxicants and propaganda.  Community not only benefits the members within in it, but the nation as a whole.  Tyrants have always worked to undermine unity, to undermine community.  A obvious example is the historical violent opposition to the formation of workers unions by the wealthy business owners and their government/military/police enforcers. American worker unions were established to confront the brutal exploitation and slave-like treatment of masses of Americans, and have now been greatly weakened by constant corporate undermining  (read “A People’s History of The United States” by Howard Zinn to learn about this phenomenon in more detail).

Much of American society is structured in a way that forcibly promotes isolation.  This serves the status-quo through lack of organization, lack of resistance, independent thought and evaluation/criticism/dissent, lifestyles, etc.  Instead the Corporate/Fascist State wants to control your life through the information, viewpoint and entertainment they disseminate.  In America today are elections have been rigged as well, the ultimate act of control against democracy bringing its natural progress.

                So the question is are we going to allow more hell on earth (If your confused think Iraqi civilians being killed in the tens of thousands, etc.)  Are we going allow the possibility of another nuclear bomb being dropped and sickening casualties the multi-generation horror that brings?  Why are we allowing the use of depleted uranium weapons in Iraq right now, resulting in thousands of deformed babies being born and soldiers retuning home with terrible illnesses?  Are we going to allow more state-sponsored terrorism and rigged elections? Or are we going to make regular connections with our community members, share the solutions and the truth of the problems and take back control of how our tax dollars are spent?  Otherwise we are all financial contributors to mass murder, imperialism and the destruction of our planet’s ecosystem.  Without politically active communities, we leave our treasury unguarded, and the power-hungry and wicked will always take advantage of that.  If we do not unite and resist, we allow the few that have always caused so much horror and destruction in our world to continue doing so, hiding behind lies and propaganda.  We allow the possibility of personal and social enlightenment to be destroyed along with all other things of value and beauty in this world.