It covers the surface of society with a network of small complicated rules, minute and uniform, through which the most original minds and the most energetic characters cannot penetrate, to rise above the crowd. The will of man is not shattered, but softened, bent, and guided; men are seldom forced by it to act, but they are constantly restrained from acting. Such a power does not destroy, but it prevents existence; it does not tyrannize, but it compresses, enervates, extinguishes, and stupefies a people, till each nation is reduced to nothing better than a flock of timid and industrious animals, of which the government is the shepherd.
(Alexis-Charles-Henri Clérel de Tocqueville)
Hat Tip:
Mark Krikorian, http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/248462/network-small-complicated-rules-minute-and-uniform-mark-krikorian
3 comments:
Let's have a look at this then.
'The federal government bans the incandescent light bulb.'
Forget climate change here. Energy conservation is now a matter of national security. Would people prefer power rationing?
'It bans street signs that have all capital letters and mandates what font they need to be in.'
And the reason? To keep drivers' attention on the road (and stop them running into bus queues) because upper and lower case are easier to assimilate than upper case only.
'Now, Congress has seen fit to focus its august attention on the volume of TV commercials.'
As a result of decades of complaints about broadcasters upping the gain during commercial breaks.
De Toqueville? Died 1859. And he didn't foresee - he described.
You'd think people would have more important things to comment on. The Bloody Code perhaps, and how barbaric this country used to be.
Yes it's a slow drip feed of defeatism that they want to instill in us. 'No point complaining as nothing can be done' sort of attitude. After the last election a lot of blogs dropped out. Amazed that Labour weren't totally wiped out and amazed that nothing has changed with reference to the EU, global warming scam, immigration , bankers bonuses, corruption ,surveillance etc. Why keep going if you're screaming into the abyss ?
But there are occassional high spots for free thinking people. The dropping of the fascist 1010 video yesterday which showed 'climate change deniers' being murdered was a small victory. They took it down but can be seen here...
http://eyetube.me/
So keep going WW. Free thinkers drop by your blog for encouragement and your postings are inspiring.
Better link here..
http://eyetube.me/play/Politics/Agree_or_we_will_blow_you_up
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