1. The guy has no actual evidence or proof that people don't take action as a result of Alex Jones. In fact, the evidence is to the contrary. He's just stating unsubstantiated conjecture. I can quantify and prove numerous people who have organized events and rallies as a result of Alex Jones. Numerous people, including myself are taking action because of Alex Jones.
2. Is organizing rallies the right action to take? A great idea can be worth 1,000 rallies or backlash against government. There are infinite ways to skin a cat and action can be represented in many ways.
3. If ideas don't move people then why have any education at all? Why have parents that educate their children? Why share ideas over the Internet and have discussions at all? After all if ideas don't make us act why share any ideas at all?
4. Every conscious action somebody takes is the result of a desire contrived through an idea. Every conscious human action is the physical representation of the internal ideas.
5. Ideas from Francis Bacon, John Locke and others moved the founders of America to create a new nation. Ideas from Larry Page and Sergey Brin moved them to create Google. And ideas from people like Alex Jones and all the others move people like myself and others to take action.
6. Victory doesn't have to mean taking physical action. In your view it might, but in another view it might not. How do you know that action X is any more valid than no action? If I can find peace in my own life, through the ideas of others more wise than myself, maybe in-action is more valid than action.
7. Ideas are what move the conspirators behind the New World Order. They take action from their ideas.
I could go on and on. The guy is looking at it completely short-sighted, as many people do. Until he can actually prove that people are not taking action because of Alex Jones there is no need to give his thesis any further investigation.
I understand what you're saying, my friend. I'm not arguing against ideas. I'm arguing FOR MEANINGFUL ACTION. I'm an idea guy to the fullest, so I recognize the value of ideas.
I also recognize that without meaningful action, ideas never see their full potential.
When you rally with Alex Jones and his followers, what is accomplished?
When you picket outside of the white house, what does that change?
When you stand outside of a courthouse with a megaphone, who really gives a shit?
When someone blocks traffic to protest legislation, how does that affect the legislation itself?
It seems people are too stuck on ideas and spreading ideas. That's great, but WHAT ABOUT ACTION THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE?
You said something about:
Victory doesn't have to mean taking physical action. In your view it might, but in another view it might not. How do you know that action X is any more valid than no action? If I can find peace in my own life, through the ideas of others more wise than myself, maybe in-action is more valid than action.
Ugh. It's possible to implement strategies (based off of ideas, of course) that are far more effective then others. Here's an example:
Legislation is introduced that gives the president the right to kill the internet at any given moment (internet kill switch).
It causes an uproar. The internet is flowing with debate and outrage, people flow run into the streets with signs, but nothing happens. Congress isn't listening, and the media is still in full on spin-mode.
Hmmmm... now what ACTION could we possibly take to make a difference?
Here's an idea:
Why not target individual politicians? If you're going to picket, why not picket OUTSIDE OF THEIR DOORSTEPS? Find and locate the whereabouts of every politician, lobbyist, etc... that supported the Kill Switch bill, and organize protests outside of their homes. Make it impossible for them to sleep at night. Don't HARM THEM, but make them individually reconsider their jobs. Disrupt the relationships they have with their FAMILIES due to stress. Hundreds/thousands of people outside of their driveway will naturally piss their neighbors off, as well. Now they have pressure from their neighbors. Do this until they quit their fucking jobs. Systematically do this to every shithead politician (statewide and federally) until they have to think twice before introducing underhanded legislation.
THAT is the kind of action I'm talking about.
We can keep bitching about laws, and even batting them down until another mutated version emerges a year later, but until the SOURCE of these laws (other human beings) are addressed, they will continue.
/Thread.