3 Rules for Rulers

[thevideoartist]

This eventually gets tied back into dudeism so bear with me.

There's been a lot of stress over Election stuff lately and political stuff is everywhere, including here, which bums me out because I kinda thought dudeism was above all that and I miss my safe haven from all the political innundation everywhere else on the web.  But we are all just people and so to that effect, I figured this would be worth sharing for perspective: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rStL7niR7gs&t=1s

Basically it iterates (with less rambling) what I've been trying to say in response to those freaking out about the impending election: No matter what, you can't avoid basic truths about human nature.  Whomever we elect will be human and whatever their policies are, they aren't going to be championing deadbeats whom the square community doesn't give a shit about because those people are not useful for maintaining or expanding their power, and if a saint ever arose who would be the people's champion they would not last because it would leave them vulnerable for someone else to come in and take over.  We are nobody's ideal voting block simply because we aren't out to be productive, we're out to enjoy our lives and abide, we are the antithesis to those trying to maintain power.  The bums will always lose dude, according to those with the key to the city of pasadena anyway. 

The only way to "win" this election is to not play the game.  I don't mean abstain from voting (unless that's what you want to do) or don't try to make a difference, I mean recognize the world for what it is, and refuse to let that define your place in it or your attitude towards your fellow man.  We have to reframe what really matters to us so that no matter what happens in the world of kings and presidents, we are the winners of our own game... or even better that the game is exploratory instead of competitive.

Now there's one point of the video I wanted to address though and that's the point that corruption is working best when the reelection rates are the highest in spite of approval ratings being the lowest... in other words, people who are good at this game, stay in office.  Even if they're super corrupt they stay there.  If you've got a representative or senator, federal/state/local, who's really good at the game... if you want to enact any sort of change, you can vote that person out.  Sure eventually whomever you vote in will end up turning into that career politician who becomes corrupt to play the game or they'll just be voted out for not appeasing the right voting blocks, but the point is, the game can be altered the most efficiently by giving a shit about congressional elections instead of obsessing over presidential elections... and namely, tossing everyone who isn't doing anything at all for the country out on their asses.  It's really the only way to put VOTERS in that position of power is if we get smart and start acting like WE run the country and trim the fat that isn't working to keep US in power.  If you're the type who just can't abide the anxiety of writing off the political process entirely and moving on with your life, then maybe this is the path for you: Vote out incompetent/impotent congresspeople!

And then after you've done that, keep them accountable with more intentional participation in your community politics and be ready to vote them out the minute they cave to their own self-interest, or just sit back with an oat soda and abide the inevitable and impending lapses into corruption.  Fighting human nature though, sounds exhausting.  There's better ways to live our lives.  We can create, we can love, we can search for truth, we can support others, we can keep a strict drug regimen, we can tie all the strands together, and we can abide.

Have a safe election all my american dudes, be peace at the polls or be peace on your couch at home, whichever feels natural.  And above all else, don't let it cramp your style.

[Brother D]

Mark it 8 dude, I dig your style.

I think your post resonates with a lotta dudes here, it's well thought out and sums up what we, as dudes, can do to make our little beach community a groovier trip for everyone.

[The Dude Shepherd]

Good video, I stumbled across it on youtube... currently trending in the top 10

It does a great job of illustrating exactly why rulers don't give a shit about us... it's all about the money (and power/control)

We need a revolution... we gotta fix this broken system somehow

[SagebrushSage]

If you want a revolution, contact your state legislators and request a constitutional convention of the states. This can be achieved through a vote of 2/3 of the state legislatures under Article V of the US Constitution.

[The Dude Shepherd]

So... you want me to ask the establishment if it is ok to overthrow the establishment?

For some reason I don't see 2/3 agreeing to kick themselves out

[thevideoartist]

So... you want me to ask the establishment if it is ok to overthrow the establishment?

For some reason I don't see 2/3 agreeing to kick themselves out

Yeah that doesn't quite makes sense to me either.  You gotta vote those people out first and replace them with folks who would do this.  Even then don't hold your breath though.  There's a lot of interested parties, a lot of ins and outs, lotta strands to keep in all our heads... and the fact that at present the powers that be are mostly human paraquat and so if we reshuffle and they have the better hand, things won't be much improved and could get much worse.  It's not impossible but it does sound exhausting, especially since eventually it'll inevitably devolve back into more of the same.

I'm starting to think more and more that perhaps an automated machine system should handle human governance since with the right parameters it could be incorruptible, but the distrust of AI and robotics is so prevalent that it'd be nearly impossible to implement with any success in the current cultural and political landscape.  Plus there's the whole thing that they'd need to be designed by humans and you know those humans aren't going to remain totally objective in the process.  Most people want to be governed manually... even in the face of the wave of the future.