As humans..

Just a friendly question, I want your opinion,whether you believe I'm a dumb, random, stoner, or agree with me.

Also, please keep in mind this Is called "Toke N' Talk" , so yes, I was high while writing this.

Why do we as humans focus on the negatives of things rather than the possibility of improving them?

This was my main thought during my last smoke session on Pensacola Beach.

Probably a common question, but why do you believe people are so narrow minded?

This thread is NOT specifically for marijuana, however, it is going to be used as my example.

Marijuana, we've discovered all of these wonderful effects, but people CHOOSE to look upon it negatively.

Most people wouldn't even give it a chance, why is that?

Why would we focus on why we CANT or SHOULDN'T use marijuana, rather than.. How can we change what people dislike about it,
To improve it?

We can apply this question to so many things, yet we CHOOSE the easier route, which I've found is to ban something, or ignore it.

I said this is not for ONLY marijuana, so I suppose we could use alcohol also.

Alcohol is defined as a POISON to your body! Why do we focus on how it's a NEGATIVE, instead of how we could possibly alter it to be used as a positive?

I'm a pessimist. Negative thinking is pretty much all I know. It comes from experience though. I've been robbed more than once, beaten bloody on several occasions, verbally abused my whole life, and even run for my life at least once. Because of that, I see things generally in a negative fashion.

It's hard to see the good out there when all you know is the bad.

Tis easier to focus on the negative for the simple fact that less effort is required. Harder to stay positive, because there is work involved, sometimes very intense work indeed. Truly a peculiar facet of human nature.
my .02

Peace

Asmallvoice

PS: I agree with you in the sense you are stoned and inquisitive, both are way kewl in my book

Most of the rules and norms of a social group are actually based on what to do and not to do to disturb the peace and well being of it's members. As a society highly influenced by the judeo-christian culture and myth, we are constantly reminded of what not to do rather than of what to do. The Mosaic law, or the 10 Commandments for instance, describe a bunch of acts that are not to be done. Permission and prohibition, guilt and pleasure.
I believe the focus on the negative aspects are a logical attempt to justify the prohibition, to explain the wrongfulness of the act itself.

Part of it, imho, is the superficiality of contemporary living. I choose to be happy and it does take effort, like a smallvoice posted above. It's ironic how, atleast in the U.S., this sense of individuality is pushed to the top of our collective consciousness. Meanwhile that "cool hat" that makes someone oh so unique was apart of 2 million units moved last week. People seek outside things for their happiness, when having an understanding of our universe and how absolutely small we actually are should initiate a feeling of wonder and awe that can translate into appreciation. Instead, it's more important to have the newest gadgetry, sneakers, and have the coolest hipster beard. People should understand the fleeting nature of each moment and know that we suffer because of our attachments. Realizing this truly can have a wonderful effect on a persons psyche.

People don't 'choose' to view issues which are not overtly negative or positive, negatively or positively. They are 'told' what to think.

It's part of the bigger picture. As humans, we are by nature, social animals; social animals by definition, due to evolutional factors (increased ability to reproduce) have competitive instincts which results in social hierarchies. The alpha's get to the top, the best women get with the alphas and everyone else falls into line. We have come to depend on this order to make sense of our lives, and this has lead the creation of nations and governments.

Now that governments are in place, they need ways in which to maintain control of their subjects. This is done through the use of the military, the police (and law), politics and the media.

If the government has an agenda, it will in general use a combination of the media and an armed force to achieve it. - We set our agenda, we tell the sheep what to think by placing sensationalist news stories in the media (moral panic) and then we will enforce it through coercion (threats of prison or violence).

If we look at the example of cannabis, it's a perfect example

We set our agenda - cannabis must be outlawed as it is a threat to the plastics, fuel and pharmaceutical industry.

We tell the sheep what to think - cannabis makes you go deranged, it encourages negros to sleep with white women, it causes schizophrenia.

We enforce - we send out our armed milita, (the police) to oppress users of cannabis and ruin enough lives so that people begin to do as we say.

The overall picture is cannabis was legal before this and elicited no negative feeling from the general population, but all it takes is for the people at the top to change what is being mediated and boom.

because people don't like change. once they find something they think is efficient they keep with it. and don't like to think twice about it. look at the whole oil and alternative fuel source problem.

radicaldank42 said:

because people don't like change. once they find something they think is efficient they keep with it. and don't like to think twice about it. look at the whole oil and alternative fuel source problem.

Click to expand...

So you are assuming it is the "people" that are pertinent to the oil/ alternative fuel problem?. It is the government. If the government wanted it, we could all be living with solar and wind power. They could ring in the changes in a matter of years, and proliferate stories of "evil oil users" , make laws against users of oil and everyone would jump on the wagon. The truth is it serves no one at the tops interest to do that and they are better served pumping billions upon billions into weapons systems and fighter aircraft so they can control other parts of the world.

They say, we do. That's how it works. Though most do without questioning what is really going on. They assume "we" and "the people" have some sort of influence on the matter. We don't. Case in point, Prof Nutt in England, Top drugs advisor to the govt was sacked for stating cannabis was safe. Now he's gone, the govt put one of their puppets in that role and everything keeps going their way. Imagine if the prime minister said " ok, here we have a professor of high standing, and expert in the field of drugs and health saying cannabis is safe. I hereby declare cannabis safe and is now legal." The negative public opinion would disappear very quickly. Nothing to do with people's collective opinion, people believe what they are told.

yes but the people are still in charge of the government. so people refuse to switch.

when I mean in charge people run the government. like the prime minister is a person. counts as people.

t.v. and the money.money is the reason of negative focus..t.v can make money forcefeeding you images of the gun fight..
who really sees anything on the news about the guy who mowed the elderly persons yard?
and that my point.

It is my opinion that when (WE) the growers, smokers ,cooks, bakers the care givers of this wonderful herb become the majority instead of the shunned potheads that movies, media and law enforcement have made us is when the tides will turn and we can finally share what we've known for years about this plant we call marijuana and its amazing properties !
We've already moved in a direction in my state that I thought would never happen its actually being discussed openly on the TV in a positive light.......that's where it all begins and I hope that before I draw my last breath that I can enjoy openly the fruits of my labor without the thought or fear of being arrested or incarcerated that for me would truly be a great day !!!

The people are in charge of the govt. Man... to a point. They may claim to be elected representatives, but once they are up there they work for themselves, not us. Like the point of the op, we have millions of people with a negative opinion on cannabis, because why? Because some shmo in the 40's or 50's came out and said It causes negros to have sex with white women, reefer madness. Easy as that. The people didn't decide it.. they were brainwashed,(verrrrry easily)

I've learned so much here today

Its better to plan for the worst and only get good surprises