So I just wanted to get some thoughts out into the ether as this whole THING continues to devolve. Like many others, no doubt, my thoughts are getting increasingly dark. On the Covid front, as the church debate raged, I thought, "Fine! Open the churches, you stupid, STUPID humans! Go flock and congregate and hug each other and spitilize each other with your holy Covid while you cry about the rapture....but don't you DARE go to the hospital after. Just stay home and pray, and I promise to send you some thoughts, as well, until you die, drowning in your own lungs, secure in the knowledge that you dun skooled dem liberals! Go to the beaches! Go slobber ALL over your hillbilly, knuckle dragging, mouth breathing, racist, homophobic, xenophobic, misogynist, inbred cousins at a 'freedom lunch' - take yourselves out of the gene pool, and off the voter rolls!"
But then I think about my friend Kathie, who served our country with me in the Peace Corps, and who is now working on the front lines in a Chicago hospital. The precautions she has to take, the get up/PPE she has to wear for TWELVE HOURS is, insane. And she has to risk her life so you can get your fucking roots done or run to the Wal-Mart for a new pair of stretch leopard print pants? Fuck you! So the moral question for the day is: How can I "root" for all these dumbasses to take themselves out of the gene pool while still making sure heroes like Kathie remain safe? I really wanna know.
I mean, god knows the planet is actually LIKING this shit! All kinds of environmental markers are improving due to the global slowdown. And the way Covid is mutating - and the SHITTY way we're responding - maybe that means this is "The Plan." You wanna call it from God, you wanna call it Karma, Fate, payback, whatever, maybe enough of humanity will eventually be wiped out that the earth's ecosystem will regain its equilibrium. Probably not, but nice to hope.
And NOW we have the country on fire after the latest outrageous, murderous assault on the Black community. Combined with quarantine fatigue, and an insanely ignorant antagonizer-in-chief, we are that much closer to complete chaos. And yet, while my disgust and contempt for the hatemongers continues, my shame for the ongoing atrocities committed in this country continues, my patience for "armchair progressives" is fast disappearing, as well.
So many "good people" I know are decrying the ludicrous excuses and whingeing from "patriots" about how their "freedoms" are being assaulted by being forced to wear a mask. Rightfully so, these good "progressives" sneer at these people too lazy and privileged to "inconvenience" themselves for the overall betterment and protection of society.
And yet how many of these "good progressives" continue to validate and utilize Facebook - an entity that ALREADY had so. many. reasons to stop being used before Zuckerberg's DISGUSTING rationalization of leaving up Trump's latest outrages - after even TWITTER tagged it?? I've heard all sorts of lame, lazy, rationalizations on why it's okay for them to still use such a morally offensive platform - and then turn right around and slam those "ignorant rednecks" for using eerily similar rationalizations on why they can still go out without a mask.
Ditto for Amazon. I know from personal experience it is MUCH easier to wean yourself off of Amazon than people think. But, again, I hear tiresome shit like, "Oh, it's so much more convenient, and it's a little cheaper (not true) and blah blah blah." Again, basically you think you don't have any responsibility to try and make the world better for others - your sole responsibility is living your life in the way most convenient for you you you and fuck the general public or any millions of people that may be damaged by your personal CHOICE.
Look, I know I can come off as a moralizing little prig. Call it a character flaw. And while I'm sometimes late to the party (e.g., I didn't dump Amazon and Facebook until the past year), I was still raised to believe you need to "walk your talk" - and so I've tried to do that by working non-profit, rather than corporate; by serving my country as a U.S. Peace Corps volunteer in one country and working for them in another; by being a foster dad, an adoptive dad, and a guardian ad litem; etc. And I would never presume to suggest everyone else needs to do all those things - but for God's sake, at least don't be a fucking hypocrite about your "progressive values." Like, for example, smugly pontificating about how you refuse to use "self check out" because it takes jobs away, but then continue to shop at Wal-Mart which has killed MILLIONS of jobs by simply making it more convenient for you to get poisoned meat and cheaper slave labor tube socks in the same place.
Or the "pragmatic progressive" shaking their heads in judgement over those uppity rioters destroying small businesses, muttering platitudes like, "They say they're protesting the way their community is left behind, but look at how they damage the small business in their community! No sympathy!" And then that same "pragmatic progressive" will order tons of useless shit on Amazon - which has been, and continues to be, devastating to small and local businesses--due in part to hypocritical progressives.
Finally, how many "good people" decry the coarsening of the national debate, rant and rave over how easily disinformation gets spread, or hate speech, and yet continue to use Facebook because, well, by golly, how will I see what my sister had for breakfast and it's just too "difficult" and "inconvenient" for me to give it up right now, but look over there at that asshole who can't be bothered to wear a mask for the greater good?
Seriously, I am OVER your excuses, otherwise "good" people. Hyperbole aside, never has there been a much better time period for the phrase, "If you are not part of the solution, you must be part of the problem." By all means, continue to speak out against institutional racism, march and protest and lobby your legislators to address the economic inequity in the country, blast the continuing control of ever fewer entities in our oligarchy--causing untold damage on multiple levels to the vast majority of the populace. Just don't expect me to smile and nod along with you without first asking, "And what, EXACTLY, are YOU doing to address some of these issues?" Seriously, I'm listening!
And judging. Coz lord knows I've got PLENTY of judgement to spare!
But then I think about my friend Kathie, who served our country with me in the Peace Corps, and who is now working on the front lines in a Chicago hospital. The precautions she has to take, the get up/PPE she has to wear for TWELVE HOURS is, insane. And she has to risk her life so you can get your fucking roots done or run to the Wal-Mart for a new pair of stretch leopard print pants? Fuck you! So the moral question for the day is: How can I "root" for all these dumbasses to take themselves out of the gene pool while still making sure heroes like Kathie remain safe? I really wanna know.
I mean, god knows the planet is actually LIKING this shit! All kinds of environmental markers are improving due to the global slowdown. And the way Covid is mutating - and the SHITTY way we're responding - maybe that means this is "The Plan." You wanna call it from God, you wanna call it Karma, Fate, payback, whatever, maybe enough of humanity will eventually be wiped out that the earth's ecosystem will regain its equilibrium. Probably not, but nice to hope.
And NOW we have the country on fire after the latest outrageous, murderous assault on the Black community. Combined with quarantine fatigue, and an insanely ignorant antagonizer-in-chief, we are that much closer to complete chaos. And yet, while my disgust and contempt for the hatemongers continues, my shame for the ongoing atrocities committed in this country continues, my patience for "armchair progressives" is fast disappearing, as well.
So many "good people" I know are decrying the ludicrous excuses and whingeing from "patriots" about how their "freedoms" are being assaulted by being forced to wear a mask. Rightfully so, these good "progressives" sneer at these people too lazy and privileged to "inconvenience" themselves for the overall betterment and protection of society.
And yet how many of these "good progressives" continue to validate and utilize Facebook - an entity that ALREADY had so. many. reasons to stop being used before Zuckerberg's DISGUSTING rationalization of leaving up Trump's latest outrages - after even TWITTER tagged it?? I've heard all sorts of lame, lazy, rationalizations on why it's okay for them to still use such a morally offensive platform - and then turn right around and slam those "ignorant rednecks" for using eerily similar rationalizations on why they can still go out without a mask.
Ditto for Amazon. I know from personal experience it is MUCH easier to wean yourself off of Amazon than people think. But, again, I hear tiresome shit like, "Oh, it's so much more convenient, and it's a little cheaper (not true) and blah blah blah." Again, basically you think you don't have any responsibility to try and make the world better for others - your sole responsibility is living your life in the way most convenient for you you you and fuck the general public or any millions of people that may be damaged by your personal CHOICE.
Look, I know I can come off as a moralizing little prig. Call it a character flaw. And while I'm sometimes late to the party (e.g., I didn't dump Amazon and Facebook until the past year), I was still raised to believe you need to "walk your talk" - and so I've tried to do that by working non-profit, rather than corporate; by serving my country as a U.S. Peace Corps volunteer in one country and working for them in another; by being a foster dad, an adoptive dad, and a guardian ad litem; etc. And I would never presume to suggest everyone else needs to do all those things - but for God's sake, at least don't be a fucking hypocrite about your "progressive values." Like, for example, smugly pontificating about how you refuse to use "self check out" because it takes jobs away, but then continue to shop at Wal-Mart which has killed MILLIONS of jobs by simply making it more convenient for you to get poisoned meat and cheaper slave labor tube socks in the same place.
Or the "pragmatic progressive" shaking their heads in judgement over those uppity rioters destroying small businesses, muttering platitudes like, "They say they're protesting the way their community is left behind, but look at how they damage the small business in their community! No sympathy!" And then that same "pragmatic progressive" will order tons of useless shit on Amazon - which has been, and continues to be, devastating to small and local businesses--due in part to hypocritical progressives.
Finally, how many "good people" decry the coarsening of the national debate, rant and rave over how easily disinformation gets spread, or hate speech, and yet continue to use Facebook because, well, by golly, how will I see what my sister had for breakfast and it's just too "difficult" and "inconvenient" for me to give it up right now, but look over there at that asshole who can't be bothered to wear a mask for the greater good?
Seriously, I am OVER your excuses, otherwise "good" people. Hyperbole aside, never has there been a much better time period for the phrase, "If you are not part of the solution, you must be part of the problem." By all means, continue to speak out against institutional racism, march and protest and lobby your legislators to address the economic inequity in the country, blast the continuing control of ever fewer entities in our oligarchy--causing untold damage on multiple levels to the vast majority of the populace. Just don't expect me to smile and nod along with you without first asking, "And what, EXACTLY, are YOU doing to address some of these issues?" Seriously, I'm listening!
And judging. Coz lord knows I've got PLENTY of judgement to spare!
David,
ReplyDeleteI think it is sometimes better to take the high road rather than to stoke the argument with belligerent stereotypical cannon fodder.
Indicating instead that the true repulsiveness of Americans is such a concern for themselves that even the slightest of inconveniences to them must be avoided as part of their general democratic rights and freedoms, coupled to the abject dismissal of any concern for the general welfare and responsibility that any socially capable adult might be able to maintain, is the real failure here rather than suggesting the lure of leopard print leggings to hill billies.
One can obviously make points with people of your tribe, who align with your pandering talking points. The real question at the heart of social media for me is instead whether your comments or arguments would commend themselves to those outside this narrowed and narrowing circle. I think you are smarter than your resorting to cliches and culture war weaponry suggests.
How's your Facebook protest going David, do you suddenly feel cleaner or proud, I view your disposition with a degree of skepticism. I hope that this comment might make you think further and maybe deeper. Boycotting Facebook in the world of social media is in my view a little like protesting petrochemical companies and deciding to no longer drive on asphalt roads because they were made with petrochemicals. Not sure if your idiosyncratic protest is really your being the change you want to see in the world, but I do sympathize with your suggested intention.
ReplyDeleteOkay, you convinced me - seven months later! ;)
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