Posted on 01/27/2010 6:09:10 AM PST by eeevil conservative
In our Intro, we left off amidst the 3rd paragraph of the prologue of Rules for Radicals.
Alinsky continues on in this paragraph to claim that mass media exposes “society’s innate hypocrisy” and failure in social and political life. He also declares “The search for freedom does not seem to have any road or destination.” He writes that the young are left “looking for what man has always look for from the beginning of time, a way of life that has some meaning or sense.”
Perhaps poor Saul has missed the entire point of life. Freedom is the beginning point, not a destination at all. It is government’s role to protect our freedoms as we pursue happiness, we pursue our own purpose and a life that has meaning or makes sense to us. A friend once shared with me how angry they would become when they heard prayers at the beginning of meetings where folks would thank God that we lived in a country where we had the freedom to meet. She went on to tell me that our country does not give us this freedom, this freedom comes from God, it is our government’s job to protect these freedoms, not grant them.
It is not government’s role to provide of with a life of meaning or fill any voids in our souls. It is this place in the book that I began to realize that Alinksy’s entire purpose is to manipulate others in an attempt to fill some void in his own life and use people to try and give meaning to his own existence. What a pathetic and lonely life that must have been for him. I would normally feel sympathy for someone caught in such a personal struggle; but in his case, as you I read on, I realize that sympathy should never be wasted on anyone harboring evil in their soul with the intent of spreading that evil to as many others as possible.
He plods through his prologue trying to convince the reader that he is one of them. He alone understands their discontent in life, and is all too happy to provide them with a mission to fill their emptiness and dissatisfaction with purpose and meaning. He makes the claim that values and factors are both relative. He asserts that the young are angry at the world that their parents and friends have created and choose to continue to live in; while the older generation is also confused but cling to the ways of the past just hoping things will work out and the young will fix it all.
Alinsky constantly refers to the young as a lost people searching for meaning and purpose, asking “Why am I here?” Maybe they should read “40 Days of Purpose” (just kidding). Who hasn’t searched for meaning and purpose? We all have. But I beg to make the case that anytime I hear someone tapping into this self reflection of man known to us throughout all of time, my radar goes up. I smell a snake oil salesman about to pounce. Alinsky does not disappoint. His purpose is anything but a humble and noble attempt to help people find their own inner peace that gives their lives meaning.
Alinsky writes:
“What I have to say in this book is not arrogance of unsolicited advice. It is the experience and counsel that so many young people have questioned me about through all-night sessions on hundreds of campuses in America. It is for those young radicals who are committed to the fight, committed to life.”
How quaint. He has special knowledge and will lead you to the answers to life, but only if you are committed. This is only for those who are sincere in finding meaning. He is demanding your commitment before he even offers the answers, and you fail to commit, then you are destined to stay lost and are just like those in the older generation willing to trudge on in the ways of the old as part of the problem waiting for the others to fix it. He is masterful in his manipulation of the young.
He goes on to teach the “real radical” how they will accomplish “doing their thing.” They will drop the language that makes people write them off, such as calling police “pigs.” They will cut their hair so that they will be accepted by the community they need to organize. They will learn to blend into society much like a Trojan horse. I guess it is obvious that Bill Ayers and Jeff Jones have read Alinksy’s work!
In part three we will finish up the prologue! Now it is time to share your thoughts…
bfltr
Archives page can be found HERE
I hope this is useful, offers some insight and sparks some good dialogue....
I am open to any suggestions to make these threads more helpful if there is more I can do to make it better...
Thanks
ec
and as always- let me know if you want to be added to the ping list...best to FREEPmail me in case I miss any posts in the threads....
rtlfb?
If I am not already on this Alinsky Ping Lists, please add me; I thought I was already on—I just changed browsers last night, and several strange things have occurred.
I got ya gunny...you are the second name on the list!
Sorry to hear about those strange things...I hope it clears up for ya quickly...
bump for later
:->
I was born in the communist Eastern Europe. God was thought as a myth in school and churchgoers are under surveillance from the national security forces. Many pastors were snitches for the government.Freedom was the goal there - freedom from the rich oppressors. That whole communist scheme collapsed because being ruled by poor people really sucks. If they were talented managers they wouldn’t be poor in the first place.
If Alinsky is the kind of person that is stuck on wondering about purpose and never finds one beyond his own limited vision then he is damaged goods. And we can judge this from the fruits of his labors. He doesn't get it but he thinks that he has all the answers. His tactics are somewhat effective but not for the reasons he thinks they are.
Alinsky is just like Marx in this. Neither of them like or understand true human nature. Certainly everybody wants control over their environment. But Alinsky and Marx see only the corrupt outer layer of existence. Lacking understanding, and therefore control, they simply decide to convince others to act in a way that they themselves can understand. That, they believe in error, would give them the complete control over others that they seek.
The problem is that their world view is wrong and narcissistically selfish and that leads them to lie, deceive and even kill to achieve control. And their followers do the same and for the same reasons.
The world views of people like Marx and Alinsky are not only wrong they are evil.
AMEN! Well put!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
:0)
You might want to ax for some help on that title... :)
LOL!!!
I sooo need an editor!
Taking advantage of the idealism of youth ... searching for meaning at a vital time and of course getting new student yearly to add to the mix, is unconscionable and truly molding of others philosophy of life at a critical time.
Only an unhappy despot with tyrannical leaning would go in such a direction. There always are and have been various evil spokesmen for Satan and the desire to mislead other men to their demise. It made him feel powerful and it appears it worked for him.
We know youth mostly always tend to tear (veer) as far away from their parents as possible for a time ... while they are becoming independent of them.
LOOK AT ROCK AND ROLL AND SEX AND DRUGS. All very dangerous and life changing. MO
God help us in our day, in Jesus name, amen,amen.
AMEN AMEN....
and very well said.....it is refreshing to be among FRiends who GET it...
Bookmark for later reading
i will post tomorrow’s Paine response....can you FRmail me the ping list?
OF COURSE!!!!
Thank you so much for taking on this huge task!
This is a link to a very good article about Alinsky and his methods/ideas that came out in May 2008. When I read this article I found myself constantly inserting various quotes from 0’s and Mrs. 0’s own mouth as examples of what he was talking about. I was deeply disappointed that more of our conservative talk people didn’t use more of this, juxtaposing sound clips to the various “rules” that Alinsky formulated and 0 taught, to show the connection. They could have done this over and over again right through the primaries and the final campaign.
http://97.74.65.51/readArticle.aspx?ARTID=30778
I will email you my rough draft for your perusal in just a little bit....
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.