I was in school during the Iran embassy crisis. I mentioned the latest events of the day to a girl and she said "why should I care? It's got nothing to do with me." She went on to explain that it didn't affect her ability to go to the mall and shop, or go out on dates, or anything, so why should she care?
That's the attitude we're facing here. The average American simply doesn't care about anything unless the impact is felt personally, via money from his pocketbook or personal discomfort or both. America has become a land populated by narcissistic nihilists who believe nothing is important except themselves. And this isn't new -- that was, what, 1979?
Reagan/Bush/Bush II was a symptom, not a cause. And even after this, the average American will have no problem with "drill, baby, drill!" because the average American does *not* live on the Gulf Coast and thus this doesn't affect him personally. Dead zone on the Gulf Coast? Bummer for those who live there, but why should I care? Ah yes, America in a nutshell...
- Badtux the Cynical Penguin
This is what I have been seeing for a long, long time. Everyone believes themselves safe from the effects of anything more than six feet from their persons and wallets. This is why I often feel like almost any action is wasted; that people have become stupid enough that nothing will remedy the situation except the large dose of suffering from going over the falls in the nail-lined barrel of the "Stupid" that has been under construction for the last few decades. I sometimes wonder, in those worst moments, whether people are actually still capable of learning!?
ReplyDeleteWhat Labrys said! I would have said it with more spittle and venom, which would be bad for my karma. WASF, and we deserve it.
ReplyDeleteI grew up in Houston, went to Galveston on occasion. but too often their were clumps of tar on the beach from oil spills here and there. If Americans had any sense they give those BP boys a Mussolini. I find it hard not to wish a plague or worse on my fellow countrymen.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. If the American people are stupid enough to put Republicans back in charge, then, they deserve the royal screwing they will get. Big time.
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