Is This Us?
In the summer of 1955 I spent a considerable amount of time with my stepfather in a semi just traveling around and seeing places and things. It was a great time for me. I loved my stepfather and the time we had together and travel was my thing. We wandered around through Louisiana and Alabama and while we were on that portion of the trip a hurricane was building and as we traveled through the south toward the Atlantic coast everywhere we stopped all anyone was talking about was 'the hurricane'. The hurricane was named Connie and turned out to be a vicious one, and even more than that was followed immediately by another one called 'Diane'. When things cleared the two together had devastated an incredible amount of real estate and killed way over two hundred souls. When we got back home to Rogers Arkansas and I started talking about the hurricane I was amazed that not many had even heard about it.
Someone said all politics are local, meaning, I'm sure, that local was what drove National, and therefore was more important, and that was once true, but no more. As a child, news was basically a local affair too, but my how things have changed. Now our politics are worldwide and has to do with everybody else first too much of the time and us last. One of the most dangerous and destructive things about how we are is that we are now media driven. In 1955 when I was so surprised that everybody hadn't heard about hurricanes Connie and Diane, I could have never imagined how media would become so unbelievably powerful and control how we think and act. While in 1955 not many just a few hundred miles away had even heard about the storms that killed hundreds and demolished so much property, through the media's power the Nation almost came to a standstill because a bridge fell in Minneapolis. On that same day many more died in car accidents over the country, yet we stopped to hurt and share emotion over the dead from the bridge.
Our mental health, and the way we feel about 'things', has become the media's power and we are the sucklings that thrive on it. The Government has become our keeper and protecter against all things in life and as such is also our oppressors and we are its prisoners willingly, eagerly, with heart body and soul.
This is devastating to our spirit and does nothing but make subserviant morons out of us who promote more of the same while burying our grandchildren beyond recovery. There was little notice as we gave ourselves away, and no one will be sure just when we give our last thought away. But we're being trained properly. Simon Cowell tells us who will be our next singing stars on American Idol, and we accept that. I wonder if Johnny Cash could've made it past Simon. Then 'America's Got Talent' tells us who will entertain us on an American Show judged by two Brits and an idiot, and we'll sign on to that. Then there's the 'Last Comic Standing' who's judged by three misfits who are twisted and will provide us with the main one who will make us laugh. The fat folks have their show to cling to in 'The Biggest Loser' and we give a new house to some kumquat every week on 'Extreme Makeover' most of whom are basically too damn lazy to work, and we broaden our horizons and understanding by switching wives on 'Wife Swap'.
All in all we're just a sorry damned lot and will remain so till the inevitable occurs, and we no longer count for anything, which will probably be in my lifetime...............
Someone said all politics are local, meaning, I'm sure, that local was what drove National, and therefore was more important, and that was once true, but no more. As a child, news was basically a local affair too, but my how things have changed. Now our politics are worldwide and has to do with everybody else first too much of the time and us last. One of the most dangerous and destructive things about how we are is that we are now media driven. In 1955 when I was so surprised that everybody hadn't heard about hurricanes Connie and Diane, I could have never imagined how media would become so unbelievably powerful and control how we think and act. While in 1955 not many just a few hundred miles away had even heard about the storms that killed hundreds and demolished so much property, through the media's power the Nation almost came to a standstill because a bridge fell in Minneapolis. On that same day many more died in car accidents over the country, yet we stopped to hurt and share emotion over the dead from the bridge.
Our mental health, and the way we feel about 'things', has become the media's power and we are the sucklings that thrive on it. The Government has become our keeper and protecter against all things in life and as such is also our oppressors and we are its prisoners willingly, eagerly, with heart body and soul.
This is devastating to our spirit and does nothing but make subserviant morons out of us who promote more of the same while burying our grandchildren beyond recovery. There was little notice as we gave ourselves away, and no one will be sure just when we give our last thought away. But we're being trained properly. Simon Cowell tells us who will be our next singing stars on American Idol, and we accept that. I wonder if Johnny Cash could've made it past Simon. Then 'America's Got Talent' tells us who will entertain us on an American Show judged by two Brits and an idiot, and we'll sign on to that. Then there's the 'Last Comic Standing' who's judged by three misfits who are twisted and will provide us with the main one who will make us laugh. The fat folks have their show to cling to in 'The Biggest Loser' and we give a new house to some kumquat every week on 'Extreme Makeover' most of whom are basically too damn lazy to work, and we broaden our horizons and understanding by switching wives on 'Wife Swap'.
All in all we're just a sorry damned lot and will remain so till the inevitable occurs, and we no longer count for anything, which will probably be in my lifetime...............
posted by Bo at 8:08 PM
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