I found this video on Huff Post. I do not believe it is a Saturday Night Live spoof, though perhaps it should be. On the one hand it is funny, and perhaps people who watch television have been exposed to this kind of stuff more than I have, and it may well be old hat to them. On the other hand it rather freaks me out. These are people who believe without evidence, and the same kind of conspiracy theory nonsense came from my side of the aisle as George Bush came down to the end of his second term- that stuff about martial law and an end to elections and all that. The endless lack of faith in the US Constitution and that binds us all together.
But beyond the general, unanswerable malaise expressed by these inarticulate Sarah Palin supporters, what we hear in this video is the voice of belief over empiricsm, the certainty of knowing without knowledge, the yearning for an America that never was, that has been promoted by the banksters and the traders and the clever operators who have traded these people's real work in factories, in sweat shops and mills and sold them a fantasy instead and sent their labor to the cheaper markets of the Far East. And now they lose their hold on reality because if they look reality in the face their America was taken from them by Americans and replaced by a bunch of false idols. What a nightmare. And the President isn't going to toss these yeast people (see J H Kunstler) a life belt. They drown in the rust belt of their dreams.
Call me a dreamer but this video summarises for me why I am ashamed of what our leaders, all of them, are doing to this country. Look into the eyes of these true believers and ask yourself if anyone really gives a shit about what they want or care about or believe in, be it nonsense or not. I don't think Sarah Palin cares anymore than President Barack Obama has shown any sign of giving a toss about them. I wouldn't have a clue how to reassure them that they can ever have America back, because as I go off for yet one more overtime shift at my secure job, I have no idea what the future holds for any of us, except that Goldman Sachs doesn't have anything good planned for us, that is for sure. And what do you suppose Sarah Palin's relationship to Wall Street might be?
But beyond the general, unanswerable malaise expressed by these inarticulate Sarah Palin supporters, what we hear in this video is the voice of belief over empiricsm, the certainty of knowing without knowledge, the yearning for an America that never was, that has been promoted by the banksters and the traders and the clever operators who have traded these people's real work in factories, in sweat shops and mills and sold them a fantasy instead and sent their labor to the cheaper markets of the Far East. And now they lose their hold on reality because if they look reality in the face their America was taken from them by Americans and replaced by a bunch of false idols. What a nightmare. And the President isn't going to toss these yeast people (see J H Kunstler) a life belt. They drown in the rust belt of their dreams.
Call me a dreamer but this video summarises for me why I am ashamed of what our leaders, all of them, are doing to this country. Look into the eyes of these true believers and ask yourself if anyone really gives a shit about what they want or care about or believe in, be it nonsense or not. I don't think Sarah Palin cares anymore than President Barack Obama has shown any sign of giving a toss about them. I wouldn't have a clue how to reassure them that they can ever have America back, because as I go off for yet one more overtime shift at my secure job, I have no idea what the future holds for any of us, except that Goldman Sachs doesn't have anything good planned for us, that is for sure. And what do you suppose Sarah Palin's relationship to Wall Street might be?
4 comments:
Dear Conch:
Stupidity is the new American paradigm. It is generally marketed in two distinctly different packages with the same basic ingredient: herd mentality consensus.
The variety depicted in this snappy little video is conservative consensus, which is best defined as the comfort food of inarticulate bovines, who all have some basic idea of what they want, but no concept of how to express these wants in a concise, cohesive manner.
Furthermore, pin-point questioning reveals that these bovines are unable to define things like "foreign policy, cap and trade" and specific aspects of "spending," which is part of a technique used to imply they are incredibly stupid -- and therefore, unbelievably unsophisticated and insignificant to the future of the nation.
It is no longer necessary -- nor useful -- to isolate groups of US citizens by the degree of their stupidity. Stupidity is so widespread throughout the US that neither party can claim the exclusive right to detect it in the other. Jay Leno was one of the first American's with access to a nationwide media outlet to capitalize on the stupidity of the average US citizen.
Leno's "Jay Walker" segments revealed that the average men and women on any US street have a vegetable's command of history, geography, social sciences, and world events. No political demographic was ever introduced as a qualifier. By the same token, Maury Povitch has made a long-term career calling in the hogs from America's vast trailer-park resources, without ever attaching a label defining political orientation to the DNA reports that constitute his enduring story line.
The sophistication of Maury's guests -- and their apparent endless number -- should be keeping the nation's geneticists up at night; but they ain't. (Nice colloquial touch there, don't you think?)
The truth is that if you wallowed into most urban areas, and herded the respective party faithful into pods, they would have more in common through stupidity, obesity, and self-serving interests than anything else. For every person worried about future job stability in the US, you will find ten who regard banning stem cell research, promoting gay marriage, removing any reference to abortion from government programs and banning guns as more important.
Eliminating the stupidity and obesity pandemics from the US aren't even on the list.
I think it would be far more interesting for the few remaining smart people to stop attempting to prove who's dumber and fatter, and spend more time trying to promote saner, well-thought-out policies that might put the country back to work.
But that's just me.
Now I did not get into the other kind of consensus, the liberal/intellectual mindset that establishes parameters in a different way... By determining that anyone who does not adhere to a totally redefined social package, espouse every aspect of a political agenda written in vapor, and share equally filmy notions that New York, LA, and Chicago are the cornerstones of American thought (or -- gasp -- discourse) are undoubtedly stupid, lacking in sophistication, and probably fat.
Conservative consensus bovines are easily identified by their huge, heaving asses, who now constitute an ineffective minority in Congress. Liberal lamprey intellectuals can be easily spotted by their quivering gill slits, or a tendency to hide their heads in the nearest hole when queried about program results. Regrettably, they shit from the same holes.
I sincerely hope this analysis has been useful for you
Fondest regards,
Jack • reep • Toad
Twisted Roads
How is it news that the people who show up at Palin book signings are made to appear inarticulate by producers at New Left Media? This clip is simply red meat for liberals and Palin haters.
How many of us are willing to give up two prominent "socialist" programs.....social security and medicare?
When you rob Peter to pay Paul you gain the support of Paul.
Scary stuff. Conch your summary was devastating. It make me think it's possible that Kuntser is right and certain areas of the country will become some kind of Pentacostal corn pone Nazi regime. I hope not. Even here in New York, I know some people who think like those people in the video. I wonder what percentage of the country is in this state - 30%? Perhaps the so called "dirty thirty" who always approved of Bush?
I hope the other 70% of americans can stay in a reality based school of thought because the country really needs it.
Best regards,
Sal Paradise
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