Did Breivik act alone?

[Cartoonsyndicate]

While there are no nations, nor citizens of any nation, who are thoroughly innocent of depraved exploitation of both their own citizenry and/or the peoples of foreign countries, I think we can all agree that the energetic little Social Democracy of Norway is among the closest of all to such a high ideal. So it is natural to assume, and the police have mostly established, that this mass murderer, Breivik, acted alone. That he represented no clandestine and pernicious cell secreted within the body politic. I believe this to be the case also. And so, then, why even broach the question of accomplices?

The reason is this;

The world has no shortage of hateful ideology, bigotry, exploitation, greed, racism and... evil. And even though it may be the case that such depraved true believers are dispersed and disorganized it is also the case that their abject spirit of ill will is also unified in important and profound ways. Ways that are enabled by a universal system of amoralism, nihilism and despair. In our own times we've seen such fury enacted by thousands upon millions. The vestiges of American racism, the Final Solution, the invasions of weak nations by the stronger for the procurement of natural resources, or just plain tribal hatreds... all this we we have witnessed in our own short lives on this planet. Can we not, then, consider this utter display of amorality to be organized. Are those who would prey upon the innocuous sittings and doings and beings of the peaceable loungers of humanity not then a coterie of evil- one that does not act alone? Are we then not languishing in an illusionary world free of the conspiracy of Breiviks, and worse?

Of course these considerations occur to me especially upon this special commemoration of the acts of 911. And of course the 911 killers were Breiviks though and through. But I believe that is also the case that Breiviks are bred, not born. And so I believe also that we must, as the aggrieved, also acknowledge the furtile fields in which such evil germinates and grows. For civilization to prosper, for happiness to be possible, we need to search out the Breiviks that exist in the souls of those whom we consider innocent. Ourselves.

I'll sa no more about this critical contradiction, but rather let you contemplate it for yourselves. As the great Socrates said, "The unexamined life is not worth living.". Perform some self examination then. And discover the Breivik that hides in little corners of your own souls. As Arthur Afterburn so famously said, "We are complicit in our own captivity. Consider everything, believe nothing."

[Pam]

You are so right, it is sad really.

[Egg]

This is the way it's meant to be.

[TraumaT]

This is the way it's meant to be.

What do you mean?

[TraumaT]

Perform some self examination then.

Good advice. But those who need it the most, are probably the ones less likely to do it...

[Egg]

This is the way it's meant to be.

What do you mean?

I don't mean any instance particularly but that if there's a point to anything in this existence it is the struggle, in part at least. Without a-holes and evil people we'd have no way to test our beliefs.

[TraumaT]

This is the way it's meant to be.

What do you mean?

I don't mean any instance particularly but that if there's a point to anything in this existence it is the struggle, in part at least. Without a-holes and evil people we'd have no way to test our beliefs.

OK, I understand. And I guess you are right.

[Egg]

My perspective on things is changing as I get older. HAHA!!

[Pigeon]

As a person gets older, it should be easier to understand that almost everything can effect a person in one way or another. The push for global this and that is shrinking the buffer between parts of and actions in the world.

Trying to run the world only invites it. MO.

[Pam]

I feel like I am learning something new every day. I didn't pay attention when I was younger.... I just lived in my own world and it seemed perfect.

As I got older I started looking around me more, got a job, went to work, read the newspapers and suddenly I realized it wasn't perfect