Insubordination among the servants

I'm digging on Derrick Jensen's "Culture of Make Believe" book again now that the semester is done and I can read unassigned material with happy abandon. The title for this post comes from a discussion on the religious origins of the justification of slavery. I am wondering at the moment how our minds become colonized, how norms are chosen, how the value consensus becomes a consensus (or does it ever and is this perhaps a further lie we are told such as the idea of an agreed upon "morality"?) I realize that there are different theories as to how this happens such as Marx's notion of the superstructure, ideological proliferation and domination through dominating mass media, religion and education (one of the TWO questions I GOT WRONG on the soc theory final because I read too much into the question!) Ok. So I realize this. I also realize though that there are people in the constant process of disconnecting/pulling the plug, "freeing their minds" and I'm wondering how it is you can be so aware of how the propaganda system works, so aware of all the bullshit you're being sold, so aware of so much and yet still remain part of the system. How do you get out of it? Can you? How do you disconnect your children and protect them from it?

The root of this happy rant comes from Jensen's brilliant analysis of the word "common sense" and how what is taken to be the norm is simply what we've agreed upon as normal. So if we get together and agree that war, corporate corruption, torture, slavery, racism, sexism, homophobia, heterosexism, hegemonic masculinity, abuse, domestic violence, rape, environmental degradation, sweatshop labor and sex slavery are all wrong, can we end it?
There are enough people who feel this way but apparently not enough to make it stop?
For example, there are frequent stories detailing the raw horror endured by those "detained" in Guantanamo Bay right now and despite prison pictures, despite horror stories, despite everything people here go, oh, well I'm SURE that what is going on down there is just. A necessity. A reality. Well WHY? Why is it? Because we do nothing. Because we say nothing. Because by God we have our OWN lives to live and shopping to do and our families to protect.
Right? WRONG! This stupidity is flat wrong and the fact of the matter is that if it were you or your husband or your wife or your loved one there you'd know it was wrong and you'd hope that the pictures, stories, and court cases would make people wake up to the reality that torture is not just nor is it successful in the stated purpose: to illicit confession. So how do you make it stop? That IS the question for me. How do I as an individual bring about the kind of changes I want to see in this world? When I know you feel the same way, how do we change it? Jensen writes books and does tours. Some teach. Some preach. Some get involved in their various causes. I try to educate myself and others and bring people together to address issues in an open and respectful forum. I don't think this is enough though and so I'm looking for my niche. If you find it, let me know. Until then, I'll keep looking and questioning and invite you to question/reflect/puzzle/ponder/argue with me.

I think I want a shirt that says "Will Agitate for Change" I also like the title of this blog: insubordination amongst the servants. May you never lose your resolve to fight for social justice.
I like the idea of a thought revolution. I think that's where we need to start. A thought revolution. So many people can climb a soapbox and give a great rant but until we find a way to articulate progressive politics in an inclusive way, will we have a chance at making what should be common sense, common? Or will we continue finding ourselves in that stupid rut of being labeled "idealists" and nothing more?

peace!