Man vs. The System

We’re living in an era where hardly anyone still buys into the idea that hugging liberal capitalism is our ticket to a bright future. Let’s be real—the whole communist experiment was a massive, public failure. Why? Because on paper, it looked great. It felt humane. But people... people just failed.

That’s why we need structure—a system. Maybe man isn't a wolf to man, or even a dog to man. Honestly, humans can be anything—good, bad, or just plain unpredictable. We can't bank on individual behavior alone. A system exists to neutralize that "human factor." But there's a paradox there, right? We're trying to organize a community of actual people, not a pile of inanimate minerals. Is that why it always falls apart? Even under capitalism, we have labor laws, yet they get ignored all the time in practice. So, is the flaw baked into the system itself, or is it just human nature? Can we actually shape reality through social engineering to any meaningful degree?

Could structural shifts, for instance, actually wipe out corruption?
Or look at it this way—we have an independent judiciary, executive branches, and so on, yet it still feels like nothing is truly independent. Is it inevitable that a powerful elite forms—whether under communism or capitalism—an elite that prioritizes its own interests while giving the public just enough scraps to prevent a full-blown revolution?

If changing the structure leads nowhere, should we focus on shifting consciousness instead—maybe through education? Trying to "improve" people? Or does that just lead us straight into another totalitarian trap?
Maybe the goal is just getting people to think for themselves. But how do you even do that?

Anyway, those are just some questions I've been chewing on. Feel free to weigh in—I'm not pushing a specific thesis because I honestly don't have the answers. Just keep thinking about it along with me.

I guess it’s on us to build a more humane system
And honestly, I don't think a setup where some people can stack up unlimited wealth while others can barely afford a meal is even remotely ethical 🤷
The more I look at it, the more I doubt this whole thing is actually working

Humanistic systems are basically just an attack on human nature itself. You've got the whole alpha male, female, dominance thing—it's all there. *Homo homini lupus*, right? Honestly, I think Thomas Hobbes described how functional systems actually work more brutally than anyone else.

A person might try to fight themselves, sure, but you can't really go against your own biology, and trying to force a humanistic system onto us feels about as delusional as chasing ghosts. You can't turn copper into gold, after all.

Humanity has a knack for throwing us curveballs, doesn't it? It’s nearly impossible to pin down what our society might actually look like, say, three hundred years from now. Certain fundamentals will likely remain frozen in time, while other aspects shift beneath our feet in ways we can't fathom. There is this constant, cyclical tension where societal needs drive technological breakthroughs, which then turn around and reshape the very fabric of our culture—and honestly, isn't that inherent unpredictability exactly what makes this whole endeavor so fascinating? But let's be realistic: as long as resources remain finite and our collective appetites continue to run wild, the reality of our existence will mirror the world we live in today: you either learn how to swim, or you sink.

Honestly, we’re already cooked, I really don't think there's any saving us at this point.
if you take a look at human history over the last couple thousand years, everything just keeps getting smaller and more superficial—except back in the day, slaves actually knew they were slaves, whereas today people think they’re free, even though they’re still basically just cogs in the machine.
and most of that comes down to the media and all the constant manipulation, so by the end of it, people aren't even free to have their own thoughts... they’re just thinking whatever someone else decided they should be thinking for them.
fuck a world like that.
I mean, where does a person even start if you want to change anything? Everyone is just looking out for themselves, especially the ones with all the power and the deep pockets, and honestly, there’s nothing you can do against people like that.
education is fine, I guess, assuming you’re actually teaching people how to think for themselves, but what do people actually learn in school? They just memorize stuff from textbooks and learn that whatever the teacher says is gospel, even when the professor is dead wrong.
what people really need is to become a little more aware of their own mortality and how insignificant we all are in this massive universe (not that everyone needs to go kill themselves or stop caring about everything)... but still. You’re born, you live, you die. You were here, but it's like you weren't, and nobody cares. In 10, 20, or even 100 years, nobody is even going to know you existed (unless you’re some legendary inventor or something... but even then, so what? You might trigger some tiny bit of progress for humanity, which is already less than a speck of dust compared to the scale of space, and that's just that).

Morgan Bishop4 said:Honestly, we’re already cooked, I really don't think there's any saving us at this point.
if you take a look at human history over the last couple thousand years, everything just keeps getting smaller and more superficial—except back in the day, slaves actually knew they were slaves, whereas today people think they’re free, even though they’re still basically just cogs in the machine.
and most of that comes down to the media and all the constant manipulation, so by the end of it, people aren't even free to have their own thoughts... they’re just thinking whatever someone else decided they should be thinking for them.
fuck a world like that.
I mean, where does a person even start if you want to change anything? Everyone is just looking out for themselves, especially the ones with all the power and the deep pockets, and honestly, there’s nothing you can do against people like that.
education is fine, I guess, assuming you’re actually teaching people how to think for themselves, but what do people actually learn in school? They just memorize stuff from textbooks and learn that whatever the teacher says is gospel, even when the professor is dead wrong.
what people really need is to become a little more aware of their own mortality and how insignificant we all are in this massive universe (not that everyone needs to go kill themselves or stop caring about everything)... but still. You’re born, you live, you die. You were here, but it's like you weren't, and nobody cares. In 10, 20, or even 100 years, nobody is even going to know you existed (unless you’re some legendary inventor or something... but even then, so what? You might trigger some tiny bit of progress for humanity, which is already less than a speck of dust compared to the scale of space, and that's just that).

From within.

Look, at the end of the day, it all comes down to the individual because any social system is just something humans built from scratch. It doesn't matter how perfect a system looks on paper if it falls apart when people actually start using it. A society needs leaders who genuinely care about making things better—and let's be honest, that's a never-ending job since there’s always room for improvement—rather than people who just grab for power out of pure self-interest. Unfortunately, the reality is that most people running the show are just looking out for their own skin, trying to squeeze every last cent out of the system while they can. You look at politicians here in the States, for instance, and it honestly takes a special kind of talent to be that incompetent, backward, and hypocritical. They can't even guarantee the bare essentials for the average person—things like food, housing, or basic healthcare—let alone build a standard of living that actually lets everyone thrive. And yet, they stay in power, just swapping seats every few years regardless of which party they belong to. The public bears some of the blame too, because we don't push back hard enough; we just sit there and swallow whatever crap they feed us. To be perfectly blunt, given the state of things globally and right here in America, I think the only way out is through a violent revolution. And I mean violent—not just shouting slogans or marching with signs that change absolutely nothing, which is all we ever seem to see.

Anyone who leads a nation toward ruin, lies to the people, or steals from the public deserves a draconian punishment, period. People like that should never be allowed near a position of leadership again. Politics is basically a magnet for parasites, which is why it attracts them and why they seem to run the place. But one of these days, when the weight of all this bullshit finally crushes the people, that's when the revolution will truly happen. Down the road, once things have stabilized a bit and people are a little more aware, these current politicians will be looked back upon as the greatest criminals in history, standing alongside names like Hitler and Stalin. Even our current version of democracy and capitalism will probably be viewed as one of the darkest eras humanity ever endured... I have spoken!

As long as someone’s actually "in charge," they’re never going to be happy. Grab enough power and you start feeling untouchable. Humanity just evaporates. People turn into nothing more than pawns—just tools to get what you want. We need a massive shakeup.

Zachary Reed said:Yeah, at the end of the day, it’s all about the people—because any social system is just something humans built, right? It doesn't matter how a system works on paper if it fails in the real world. Society needs leaders who actually give a damn about making things better—which is a never-ending job, since there's always room for improvement—rather than people just chasing their own agendas.

Is it just an unavoidable fact that power goes to those acting out of self-interest? Does getting a taste of authority automatically turn someone into a bad person—like some kind of universal rule? Or is it that voters just keep picking the wrong people? If that's true, then every single system that grants individual authority is fundamentally broken. That leaves us with anarchy, where—in my view—people will still bully each other, it just won't be organized.

I don't buy the idea that power inherently makes people evil.

The thing is, good people often don't even *want* to get into politics. Why? Because we've been conditioned to see politics as nothing but lying, demagoguery, and corruption. But decent folks are often interested in civic issues—they start nonprofits, they write political blogs, etc.—yet they always seem stuck on the sidelines. How do they stay sidelined? Are the major party leaders actively keeping them there? If so, how? We live in a democracy where everyone gets a vote, so why does the average citizen trust a crook or a liar more than someone actually decent? Maybe it's the demagoguery, the propaganda, or the media spin. If that's the case, shouldn't we be focusing on teaching people how to think for themselves? But honestly, how do you even pull that off?

Ever heard of that experiment where they split "normal people" into two groups—some playing prisoners and others acting as guards? After a while, the guards turned brutal and they had to shut the whole thing down. It just goes to show: circumstances dictate how you act. Is there anyone out there who’d actually swim against the current? Probably. One in a million.

Power corrupts, and absolute power? That corrupts absolutely. 🧐

I’m not sure if I’m hitting the mark here, but anything goes. We started down a messy path, and maybe in another thousand years, we’ll finally find the right one. Then again, we aren't exactly "wrong"—we’re just a massive, chaotic melting pot of different influences.

Take the water system, for example. Looking at it today, the infrastructure is already there and fully paid for. The only real cost left is maintenance. At its source, water itself doesn't cost a dime.

So, think about it: how much does maintaining the national water supply actually cost per day? If you took that total amount and divided it by the entire population, that would be the fair way to handle it for every citizen.

But instead, just look at the mess we have... from the political maneuvering to the endless sales tax on everything...

Honestly, don't even stress about it. Just close your eyes and carry on. If an opportunity ever comes your way to take something for yourself—something that would actually make your life better—take it.

Morgan Bishop4 said:Honestly, we’re already cooked, I really don't think there's any saving us at this point.
if you take a look at human history over the last couple thousand years, everything just keeps getting smaller and more superficial—except back in the day, slaves actually knew they were slaves, whereas today people think they’re free, even though they’re still basically just cogs in the machine.
and most of that comes down to the media and all the constant manipulation, so by the end of it, people aren't even free to have their own thoughts... they’re just thinking whatever someone else decided they should be thinking for them.
fuck a world like that.
I mean, where does a person even start if you want to change anything? Everyone is just looking out for themselves, especially the ones with all the power and the deep pockets, and honestly, there’s nothing you can do against people like that.
education is fine, I guess, assuming you’re actually teaching people how to think for themselves, but what do people actually learn in school? They just memorize stuff from textbooks and learn that whatever the teacher says is gospel, even when the professor is dead wrong.
what people really need is to become a little more aware of their own mortality and how insignificant we all are in this massive universe (not that everyone needs to go kill themselves or stop caring about everything)... but still. You’re born, you live, you die. You were here, but it's like you weren't, and nobody cares. In 10, 20, or even 100 years, nobody is even going to know you existed (unless you’re some legendary inventor or something... but even then, so what? You might trigger some tiny bit of progress for humanity, which is already less than a speck of dust compared to the scale of space, and that's just that).

I only see one way out, and that's through a solid system and some real transformational leaders.😎
these are leaders who actually appeal to morality and a sense of collective identity.
I guess they're the only ones who could actually move the masses and push for change.
they should be intellectually stimulating people, encouraging critical thinking while also demanding that people take responsibility for what they do.
trying to wake up the public through the people themselves seems impossible to me; people have never had such massive
access to information🤷

Fidel Castro might love power, but he's clearly the only leader without offshore bank accounts in Switzerland.🤷

George Carlin really hits the nail on the head when he starts tearing into politicians and the whole political circus. I honestly can't recommend watching this enough; even though he's dissecting the American system, his insights are so universal they’d apply just as easily to any government structure you throw at them. It's pretty eye-opening stuff:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIraCchPDhk

I can't help but feel that people are far too slow to react when things start shifting around them; it seems like the masses are just mindless drones, drifting along without any sense of direction. So much of what happens in this country is simply beyond our individual control, isn't it?

The typical American is absolutely obsessed with shifting the blame onto someone else..
whether they are pointing fingers at the system, the politicians, or just someone in their own backyard..
..and honestly, it is so easy to sit back and judge..
primarily targeting the politicians...—sure, they are almost universally corrupt and exist solely to serve big capital....(which feels even more blatant in our current neoliberal framework than it did in previous eras)..

but, if we are being truly honest, the average citizen is no better.. whenever there is an opportunity to cut a corner, people will grab it.. if they don't resort to outright theft (often driven by nothing more than the fear of getting caught), they simply refuse to perform their jobs ethically—which, let’s face it, is practically the same thing as stealing..

take, for instance... how the entire public sector serves as our greatest "cash cow"..
children are shivering in freezing classrooms, yet there are luxury estates on the outskirts of Beverly Hills that look like palaces for emperors; high-end boutiques and trendy bars pop up everywhere, while hundreds of local schools can't even afford a basic gymnasium....
...meanwhile, the employees behind those government counters are just looking for ways to maintain the cozy comfort of their positions—doing the bare minimum—so that in the middle of a massive line, they can slip away for a coffee.. or worse, they might patronize someone they deem "lesser" by refusing to clearly explain the necessary procedures...
or consider the police officer who decides his paycheck isn't worth the risk of chasing down a robber who might be carrying a gun..
yet, he is somehow too exhausted to bother telling kids not to set off fireworks in restricted areas..
and for anyone who hasn't realized it yet, money has long since become more valuable than human life (more so now than ever before).. and consequently, more important than the integrity of the system itself..
you see plainclothes officers staking out banks—not, of course, because they actually want to prevent an innocent person from getting hurt..

and after presenting these observations (of which I have perhaps one thousand), I find myself reaching no real conclusion.. except perhaps that, almost everywhere you look, appearance consistently takes precedence over substance...
and besides..
..I suppose I should probably silence my own criticisms with a bit of old wisdom..
"let him who is without sin cast the first stone."

The nature of things is such that there will always be those who dominate and those who are dominated... and it simply is... whether we are talking about this system or any other, and now... we can certainly "fight" against the establishment and advocate for some "better" way of doing things, but if we truly examine all the systems in history, none have ever been significantly better than the one before them... human consciousness remains fundamentally unchanged, even if we love to boast about our supposed technological breakthroughs... there have always been the brilliant and the foolish... there have always been the compassionate and the monstrous... there have always been the honest and the deceitful... and no "system" is ever going to fix that once and for all...
and honestly, I don't see anything unnatural about the world we live in... I'm not saying whether it's good or bad, it's just inherently natural and there's nothing you can do about it 😉

People are the issue, not the systems. If we weren't such a mess, we wouldn't even need rules to keep us from tearing each other apart. At the end of the day, everything boils down to greed, selfishness, laziness, and just plain stupidity. We don't need minor tweaks—we need a complete mental and societal overhaul. It’s easy to point fingers at politicians and act like they’re the sole villains here, but let’s be real: who puts them in office? We do. And we keep doing it, over and over. That says more about our own character than anything else. By voting for them, we give them legitimacy; by staying silent, we basically give them a free pass. The problem isn't just that top 1%—it's the 99% that keeps letting them get away with it.

Scandinavia and Australia are arguably the most organized and economically stable regions out there. They offer exceptional social safety nets for the elderly and the vulnerable, highly efficient healthcare systems, and a solid balance between agriculture, manufacturing, and general industry. Their export sectors are strong, their food supplies are healthy, and pollution levels remain low. In those places, everyone has a roof over their head and can afford regular meals—provided they don't want much more than that basic standard of living.

I suppose this represents the absolute pinnacle of what is achievable in our world today, and perhaps ever.

Given the current collective state of consciousness on this planet, nothing could be fairer or better. That isn't to say we won't evolve as a species toward becoming better people—less greedy, more honest, more tolerant, less aggressive, and more respectful of those in need, which might eventually allow us to inhabit even superior systems. Of course, it also doesn't mean we won't collectively degenerate into new conflicts, wars, destruction, and anarchy. Whether we face evolutionary growth or revolution, progress or decline—something new is always happening on this planet. History suggests a somewhat comforting pattern where each successive system built upon the ruins of its predecessor (moving from slavery through feudalism to capitalism) has been marginally better than the last.

For now, if we set aside utopian fantasies, the only viable model—which is certainly not perfect, since the people living within it aren't perfect either—is the one already established in the countries I mentioned.

It isn't just about the individual or the system; it’s the intersection of both.

Regarding Scandinavian countries, specifically those further north, one noticeable characteristic is a certain social tendency toward racism. Take Norway, for instance. The same applies to Australia, which has pursued anti-Asian policies in recent years. I might single out Iceland, though; regardless of everything else, they seem to be doing the best socially. However, it is true that the aforementioned countries have some of the best systems for managing social welfare.

Conflict and war will always exist, I suppose, because someone will always try to push their interests at the expense of others. It is a lie to claim there is no crime or tension in Scandinavian countries or that their states are perfectly organized. The same goes for Australia, where the indigenous population is often marginalized or cast aside; even the government didn't grant them a voice until a politician recently changed things, but it’s still nowhere near how Australia is portrayed. Australia is incredibly unwelcoming to the true owners of the continent. For a white person with a middle-class income, Australia represents opportunity; for a Chinese person, it’s an unreachable dream; and for a Native American, it is a source of struggle and poverty. Australian society simply doesn't want them.

As for communism, it didn't fail, nor was its end particularly ignominious. Research suggests that communism is arguably the best ideological way to organize a society, and it’s been proven that former America had the most profitable and effective version of such rule—one that was higher quality than what we currently call democracy. The issue wasn't communism itself; the flaw was the lack of a mechanism to select a capable leader. The entire society was beholden to a single person and their ambitions; if that person wasn't enlightened or competent, you ended up with situations similar to what happened in Korea, Russia, and so on.

Communism is a highly effective way to structure society based on social equality, where the integrity of the community, the state, and its institutions and companies was preserved. I don't quite understand why they didn't work on improving the leadership selection process, but modern democracy seems to cause more harm, more poverty, and more intolerance. It has allowed for class divisions that are valued differently, creating hierarchies of people.

Communism was essentially wiped out by the rise of capitalist society. As you can see, the spread of democracy has actually led to increasing inequality and conflict, even fueling nationalism to the point where neighbors clash just because of their existence. As Canadian explorers once said regarding American communism: "An unrepeatable utopia, an unreachable goal for democracy!"