by Raul Singh on January 26, 2010

I like to make lists. Sometimes I make lists of heresies. All heresies start with this precept: reality is different than dogma. That’s what makes them heretical; they offend dogma. If our leaders and fellow citizens tell us that something is true, and we point to a contrary example, we are heretics. In a “free” society, the dogmatics are not so much our leaders as our salesmen: the people in big media, corporations and your neighborhood social group who want to convince you to do things their way.

We give extreme negative power to the wrong people in this society. We reward the voice who shouts an epithet from the crowd, maybe “Communist” or “racist” or “elitist,” but never demand accountability for him. As a result, we deprive people of the ability to build especially in the areas where we most need construction.

Intelligence is relative. That means that people cannot understand an idea that requires more intelligence than they have in order to conceive of it. This is why we can “educate” people in behaviors, but unless they understand the cause/effect relationship about why those behaviors are superior, they are simply mimicking the original.

Creating misery. In a situation where objections stop change, no real change occurs, and so it treats us to dress up the same old stuff as new and then put some icing on it so the proles don’t notice.

We’re selling each other to death. Our culture has gone from a mode of “produce things” to “find ways to make other people like things.” We are now a culture of salesmen. The rest of the world moves on, produces things, knowing that at some point we’ll isolate ourselves and be selling each other the same stuff in a giant circle.

If you find yourself asking, “Why is modern life such a drag?” consider this:

Appearance is more important than reality. But that appearance needs to be positive in the sense of “someone wants to buy it,” but it can be ugly. It can be cheap. It can be crass. And you’ll have to drive past it every day.

When you assemble a large group of idiots, they buy idiot products — but no one except idiots from rich countries want to buy idiot products. The rest of the world needs function and if our wealth fades, we will have nothing to market.

You must tolerate idiots. It is heretical to suggest that idiots are, indeed, idiots and therefore should be removed from any functional process. Instead, we need to include them so we all feel good. It’s good marketing. “Everyone here is happy,” says the salesman. “We’re a big happy family.”

People who are not idiots get infected with the idiot virus brought on by having to sell things to idiots. They pre-chew every idea, break it down into tiny bits, and then tell you with bright pink faces how these tiny bits are more important than getting the whole thing right. Again with the salesman: “But it slices and dices!” Yes, but does it work? How long will it last? Is there a better way?

The essence of guilt is the idea of equality: I’m just like you, how could you turn on me? Take that from a reaction to a forward action and you have passive aggression: I’m just like you, I demand you do what I want! Only a society of salesmen could come up with such a moronic idea.

In a society where the greatest number of people must agree something is a good idea, and most of them are unaware of consequences past the next paycheck, you’re always going to get the short-sighted idea that hands everyone a bone while ignoring the real problem, which may take months or years to really stand up and slap us in the face.

Instead of going to either of the extremes — “I’ll do it their way” or “I’ll do it my way” at the expense of all else — just do it the reality way. That is the ultimate heresy. Idiots are idiots. Marketing does not improve products. Fast food restaurants, nail salons, record stores, head shops, convenience stores, cell phone places and charities are blight. So is producing nothing but repackaging the mediocre and numbing everyone’s brain by saturating them with marketing-speak. Do you want blight? No? Then exclude these from your life. Even if they tell you you’re a heretic. That’s just a sign you’re succeeding.

Tags: crowdism, passive aggression

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