Originally Posted by SteveZ

Agree!

When "the party" replaces individual thought with lemming-like following, we're in deep trouble - and it's happening. Are we so desperate to "belong," that we will follow "the party" over the cliff?

What's worse is that as we as a society attempt to set aside prejudice and bias due to race, creed, color, religion and gender, there seems to be a trend to project all that built-up prejudice and bias toward "the other party."

Rather than "follow the party" no matter what, a little more "follow your conscience" may be in order.

Conscience...Interesting.. I have pondered that many times. Common sense..I have pondered that many times, too. There is a whole cottage industry devoted to these "issues"
How to get the voter to vote a certain way on certain issues. For instance, the media will send a film crew down to the usual places that the homeless (bums) spend their idle time. We view the television and our conscience says "look at those poor people rummaging through the trash looking for food or cans for deposit money". So now it is in our minds that there are people out there that have a lifestyle that is inferior to our own. We all feel that we should try to help our fellow man, but instead of going out there and talking to these people and giving a real helping hand, we say that our tax money should help them because this is the way we do it in the 21 century. Right?
So now, it is in our conscience that taxes are good and we can turn our attention to other pressing matters.
Common Sense... How come there was so many "homeless" people during the Reagan era when everybody who wanted a job could have one? Remember the news stories of so many jobs going unfilled because there was more work then people to fill the jobs? Even fast food places were raising the salary of entry level. But the media focused on the "homeless" instead of all the jobs going unfilled . Why?
Skip forward to new president. Clinton is elected . We are in a recession. Where did the homeless go? Where are the numerous newscasts showing videos on our TV screens of homeless people rummaging through the trash?
Point is that even though the majority are well off and happy....they will always concentrate on the minority to make major decisions.
But....we still have our conscience....

It appears the human brain/psyche, in some people, responds to "falling in love/lust" the same way it responds to cocaine: you know it's wrong, you keep going back for another hit, in the process you destroy your career, your health, your family, your credibility and your finances...

Originally Posted by rshoffer

It appears the human brain/psyche, in some people, responds to "falling in love/lust" the same way it responds to cocaine: you know it's wrong, you keep going back for another hit, in the process you destroy your career, your health, your family, your credibility and your finances...

Very good observation. It happened to one of my brothers in the early 90's. He lost his marriage, money, job and even his transportation due to lust/cocaine. He finally recovered and is doing real good today. He is a real good man..but just lost his way for awhile. I am very proud of him today.

Originally Posted by Keedy

Very good observation. It happened to one of my brothers in the early 90's. He lost his marriage, money, job and even his transportation due to lust/cocaine. He finally recovered and is doing real good today. He is a real good man..but just lost his way for awhile. I am very proud of him today.

It's called recovery... good for him!

May I recommend a wonderful book on this topic of affairs and infidelity: The title is "Private Lies" The betrayal of intimacy. By Frank Pittman, MD

It is a riviting read by one of the worlds experts on infidelity. He did a follow-up book called , "Grow-Up" which essentially addresses one of the core issues behind affairs (and actually behind so much of what we've seen in our financial institutions). That issue is: as a child we learned what pleasure was and what made us 'feel good' and we wanted it then, right away, no exceptions. Adults continue to want pleasure, what 'feels good', want it right away.... BUT.... when we GROW UP... we learn to say to ourselves, "I really want that, it would feel sooooo good, I really need that BUT I DON'T HAVE TO HAVE IT, I CAN LIVE WITH OUT IT .... SO, NO, I AM GOING TO WALK AWAY FROM IT." The Gov needed a good friend to grab him by the lapels, put his back against a wall and say GROW UP. Too late now.

Originally Posted by rshoffer

It's called recovery... good for him!

May I recommend a wonderful book on this topic of affairs and infidelity: The title is "Private Lies" The betrayal of intimacy. By Frank Pittman, MD

It is a riviting read by one of the worlds experts on infidelity. He did a follow-up book called , "Grow-Up" which essentially addresses one of the core issues behind affairs (and actually behind so much of what we've seen in our financial institutions). That issue is: as a child we learned what pleasure was and what made us 'feel good' and we wanted it then, right away, no exceptions. Adults continue to want pleasure, what 'feels good', want it right away.... BUT.... when we GROW UP... we learn to say to ourselves, "I really want that, it would feel sooooo good, I really need that BUT I DON'T HAVE TO HAVE IT, I CAN LIVE WITH OUT IT .... SO, NO, I AM GOING TO WALK AWAY FROM IT." The Gov needed a good friend to grab him by the lapels, put his back against a wall and say GROW UP. Too late now.

Thanks for the reading recommendation. It is funny how it all works out. Bill Clinton had many affairs and a lusty appetite for everything. (remember when he was jogging and had to stop at the hamburger joints. LOL) Yet he still kept his career on track. That's why I nominate Hillary as the biggest enabler in history.
But in real life succumbing to your desires when and everytime you want will destroy you sooner or later.