Wednesday, November 03, 2004
briefly bitching
Okay, I know my dear reader, that we are all really sick of this topic and on some level are all relieved that it is finally over. However, I have a few more thoughts to share. I'll be brief.
Much as I tried, I could not bring myself to vote for Kerry. The lesser of two evils is still evil. Not that he's evil. It's just a metaphor. However, I am disheartened and disappointed, although sadly not surprised by the outcome of the election. (I am surprised it's over. I thought for sure the drama would drag on for a few weeks.)
That being said. . .
What the fuck just happened here? How? Why?
Granted, my animosity towards the reign of dubya turned personal last May, when the current regime turned the life of a friend and coworker upside down and caused her to flee in fear of her life.
But really now America, come the fuck on! How? Why?
This afternoon I heard an editor of "The New Yorker" magazine on the radio. He too, is quite baffled by the election results. But he had an interesting take, he reflected it back on himself. In essence, he took some responsibility.
He called it a "failure of the imagination" that he could not understand how the majority of people could vote for dubya. He also suggested it is a "failure of the imagination" for those who most strongly support dubya to villify and dehumanize those with differing viewpoints.
He's right, you know. As was Jon Stewart on "Crossfire".
Debate, discourse and discussion have been replaced by the fine art of screaming talking points at each other.
The marketplace of ideas is being put out of business by a philosophical Wal-Mart: mass-produced and mass-marketed ideas lacking in substance but slickly packaged and cheaply priced. Have an unpopular or controversial opinion? Not here you won't.
Is that what has happened? Is this what is becoming of us?
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Much as I tried, I could not bring myself to vote for Kerry. The lesser of two evils is still evil. Not that he's evil. It's just a metaphor. However, I am disheartened and disappointed, although sadly not surprised by the outcome of the election. (I am surprised it's over. I thought for sure the drama would drag on for a few weeks.)
That being said. . .
What the fuck just happened here? How? Why?
Granted, my animosity towards the reign of dubya turned personal last May, when the current regime turned the life of a friend and coworker upside down and caused her to flee in fear of her life.
But really now America, come the fuck on! How? Why?
This afternoon I heard an editor of "The New Yorker" magazine on the radio. He too, is quite baffled by the election results. But he had an interesting take, he reflected it back on himself. In essence, he took some responsibility.
He called it a "failure of the imagination" that he could not understand how the majority of people could vote for dubya. He also suggested it is a "failure of the imagination" for those who most strongly support dubya to villify and dehumanize those with differing viewpoints.
He's right, you know. As was Jon Stewart on "Crossfire".
Debate, discourse and discussion have been replaced by the fine art of screaming talking points at each other.
The marketplace of ideas is being put out of business by a philosophical Wal-Mart: mass-produced and mass-marketed ideas lacking in substance but slickly packaged and cheaply priced. Have an unpopular or controversial opinion? Not here you won't.
Is that what has happened? Is this what is becoming of us?
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