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A Civilization and a Species in Retreat?

We used to celebrate the rebels ... the misfits ... now they're all dying young.

Aaron Swartz, Michael Hastings, and now Barnaby Jack.

What happened to us?

Are humans becoming conformists and conservatives?

Look at all the crazy people who are still about the various medieval religions and the men who wear funny clothes.

Have the challenges of living in the modern world of constant change become so big for most humans that we have decided 'Enough is enough!'

'We do not want any more new information; we are happy with the old shibboleths.' That seems to be the attitude ... about abortion, about marriage, about religions, about science & technology.

Look at how timidly people have fallen in line with the government's line about 'not spying on Americans.'

I worry about Edward Snowden.

Seems to me if we were living in a segregated society of the pre-Civil Rights era, people would be okay with that too rather than coming out on to the streets.

No? You disagree? Well, then, what about Dubai jailing and then showing 'mercy' and "pardoning" a woman for getting raped? What about the medieval punishments still being meted out in Saudi Arabia? How come the Taliban are doing their craziness without any challenge in Afghanistan? Why is nothing getting done about Syria?

Why is John Kerry more bothered about re-starting the peace process in the 'Middle East' by which he means the Israel-Palestinian issue?


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