Assholes – is it just me or is there an increasing number of assholes these days? I’m being totally serious here. Latest example: just last night, I was crossing a street, with the light/little white walking pedestrian, and I was almost run over by a big ass 70s-style SUV turning the corner.
I stopped in surprise/fear/dread/etc., the guy barely stopped in time to avoid hitting me, and so I continue on my way, a quick glance and frown at him, and then walk off shaking my head, silently cursing Mr. Can’t-Be-Bothered-To-Pay-Attention, and he speeds around the corner and yells out something at me I can’t quite catch save for the word ??? but clearly slamming ME for having the effrontery to be in the crosswalk with the right of way when he needs to turn a corner. I mean, WTF? As “evil” as I am, when I fuck up like that, I at least have the decency to apologize or—at the very least—be abashed and do/say nothing. But no, this guy has to be an asshole about it. And, like I say, this is only a tame example, but the most recent.
I’m sure anyone reading this can up with more examples of recent dickhead behavior, but what I want to know is what is it that has led to this? I’m not naïve enough to think there have been halcyon days in the world when there were no assholes—and certainly never such a time in America—but it honestly does seem like the “per capita” percentage has increased. WHY?
Anger – sort of in conjunction with the above, and perhaps at least a possible explanation (or, alternately, simply a chicken-egg loop), is the marked and oft-noted explosion of ANGER. Everyone just gets SO. ANGRY. SO. EASILY.
I myself am admittedly guilty of this, but I am able to rationalize it thusly: the things that *I* get angry about are “bad” things like racism, homophobia, hypocrisy, torture, etc. Yet, incredibly, the people who rant and rage and vent their STUPENDOUS anger the most loudly are the very folks engaging in such things as I am angry about: hypocrisy, torture, etc. It’s kind of surreal.
Apples - Mmmmmm, Apples
Americans - I’m tired of people trying to play “the American card” when talking about immigrants or how Obama is trying to destroy the “real” America or whatever else seeps into the gaping maw that passes for their brain. And I’ve noticed that the people most often likely to play said American card are the ones who think they are the “real” Americans and people like me who complain about some of the outrageous things our country does should just “love it or leave it” and are obviously UN-American.
What makes it most appalling (to me me me) is that I could stack my “American credentials” up against virtually anyone in this country and come out on top: I have multiple branches of my family tree spreading back to the very early days of this country - in fact well before it even became a country! I’ve got German blood, Irish, Dutch, English, Austrian, Canadian, Scottish, etc. Hell, I even have Cherokee Indian blood on one side and am descended from Pocahontas on another! I’ve “served my country” (albeit in Peace Corps, not in the military), I’ve “progressed” from humble roots/living on welfare, I vote regularly, contact my elected representatives regularly, don’t bitch about paying my fair share in taxes to keep the country’s infrastructure and safety net going, etc. etc. etc.
And yet, SOMEHOW, *I* am “un-American” coz I want our leaders held accountable for illegal activities (conducting torture, leading us to war under false pretenses, etc.), because I think the Constitution actually does include such things as “promoting the general welfare” of our citizenry as laid out in the fucking preamble to the fucking document, coz I want our Democracy to be beholden more to the lesser amongst us rather than artificial entities like corporations. I mean, seriously, what am I missing here?
When did “American” suddenly start meaning “Angry Asshole”???
HUH?? WHEN??
(running from the room in tears)
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