I came to the conclusion

[fshrink]

that, caught up as we are in the generalization of fear and stupidity, expressed through countless little, or not so little, signs (as can easily be seen on LBN for example), the historical point is missed. By "historical", I mean in fact a deeper perspective, the slow swing of the pendulum. I think we need to come to the realization that it is going to get largely worse before it has even a chance of getting better. And it seems to me that the best tactical choice is to not engage in any way with the reactionary force but to practice our best strengths: intelligence and creativity. Past a certain point, which is now behind us, the very only convincing forces are the real circumstances. Not dialog.
It is time to go underground and to work as Marx' infamous mole, who digs, burrows and produces the force of change. Or like Hegel's Minerva's bird, who takes its flight at the break of day.
Contrary to what activists promote, I think there is no privileged way of accomplishing this. Just doing what each of us does best, while enjoying it to the fullest. Stay the course and enjoy the voyage. You can be a subversive stamp collector, dancer, accountant. It's like the tao: "what" does not matter.
In my practice, aside from learning, which I do all the time anyway, and aside from regular work, I am going to create "therapy" groups for "troubled" teenagers, that will in fact be philosophy classes, nodes of critical thinking. I am also going to create, probably within the next few months, a forum dedicated to the question of discussing what reality is. Religious individuals of any brands will be ejected at once and for all, while philosophers, physicists, psychologists and any other scientists, as well as any curious and reasonable mind, will exchange ideas, research projects, results and the like.
I will stop visiting LBN and all other rooms here, except this one, which, I'm sorry to say, is the very only one where discussion can be interesting. I joined DU a few months before the invasion of Iraq because, lost in a bigot territory, I needed to hear the Idiot rightfully insulted and to find information that could not be found anywhere else. I stayed out of habit, I guess, but this has now become an unproductive and irritating witnessing of the spectacle of decomposition.

[displacedtexan]

1. Good plan!

I still post in LBN and GD, but I'm very careful these days.

That being said, I feel constrained by the rules in this group, especially the one concerning not insulting the religious.

I'm sure that my personal lack of belief in a cloud being is considered insulting to true believers.

I applaud your "nodes of critical thinking" plan!

Let me know how it goes!

[fshrink]

6. The old art of the insult is lost...

The ancient Greek warriors excelled at it and each engagement invariably began with exchanges of refined and powerful insults.

[Kolesar]

2. I love your interacting with youth idea

Teachers and youth leaders are the salt of the Earth (oops, religious metaphor). Anyway, if you are going to dedicate time to them, then I am your biggest fan.

[fshrink]

4. The funny thing is

that it is the so-called "troubled" teens who, in my experience (which begins to be consequent), are the most spontaneously interested in philosophy. That might even be a large part of the reason why they are so troubled...

[Kolesar]

7. That seems counterintuitive

When I was young, the "problem" children were bullies and vandals with about no intellectual curiosity. There was a lot of alcohol and PCP abuse among the set.

[fshrink]

8. I know...

But put them in a room and talk about "life", rather than lecturing them about good vs bad, and what you get after a short while is just that.

[Beetwasher]

3. I Agree

I will live my life, do what I can; Live, Love, Create and spread the word. But I've come to the realization that even darker days are coming and there's really not much we can do about it.

Let us know about your reality forum!

[fshrink]

5. I will!