6 thoughts on “The Four Great Hypocrisies of the Debt Deal”
@Carrie — YES, to your point of independent thinkers being averse/not used to group endeavors. Sort of the other end of the spectrum, no? And I would add that there are many so-called “independent” (“liberal”) thinkers who are as dogmatic as those they rail against. I know, I used to be one of them! It can be very difficult to come to any kind of consensus or compromise; people who are so independent often are not willing to subordinate their own interests to the group’s.
This makes me think back to my college days when I was part of a dining co-op. It was a large & well established organization on a rather liberal campus with a membership of I think about 25% of the student body across 6 or 7 co-ops. The more politically engaged ones would vote on *everything* (“Can we stop buying bananas from Guatemala? Didn’t you read Bitter Fruit?”) and making a decision could take seemingly forever and try anyone’s patience. There was a joke about certain co-ops needing to vote on how they’d vote, and I saw this in action more than once.
@zerosity — ha, I too have been talking to people in my area when they make statements I consider simple parroting of sound bites or unconsidered opinions, though I live in a heavily “blue” area. It’s blue on the outside, at least, though I’m aware of the stirring of a good number of people who are tired of the knee-jerk liberalism so prevalent here.
I wonder how social media will help shape our society and its responses to the issues we’re writing about here. I heard a social media commentator say that he sees more and more online groupings of people by interest. I wonder if we as individuals will be part of several of these groupings/communities, and how they might differ from the more geographically local & face-to-face groups we might join or currently be members of.
I know that for myself, going out and protesting would only take up time that is in short supply in my life. I do all those good things mentioned as well but it is not enough. I have tried getting people to stop buying (yes that shrinks the economy even more but what else can anyone do when they are cash-strapped?) which would allow them to instead try to save their cash in case things got worse.
More of us are working toward sustainability but in my own case, I know few people here who seem willing to band together to help one another. What I found instead was that those people who already were not religious, who are free-thinkers, who march to their own drums, have a hard time doing anything that requires group-think or cooperation. Part of the reason the GOP is so good at organizing is because they have the Religious Right backing them and those religious folks are USED to group-think and getting together on a regular basis (church). Most independent thinkers are USED to being alone and having to “go it alone.” So getting them together to commit to a group endeavor is like herding turtles or cats; it just fizzles out as the people all go their own, separate ways.
How do we change that? I don’t know and I have been trying to make it happen within the secular homeschool community for a couple of years now with no success. I am not the only one; another secular friend tried for five years and had to close the group this year for lack of participation. How sad it is that independent thinkers are so used to having to be different that they cannot even band together for a collective cause. It isn’t that they cannot agree on the cause, it is that they cannot seem to get used to the regularity of meeting and commitment that such work requires.
I watched this on Tuesday evening as it was broadcast live; recorded it and watched it again Wednesday evening. At the Current website, you can also get a transcript of Keith’s statement and watch Al Gore’s analysis of what is wrong with the system.
I had wondered if Olbermann had lost his passion while on hiatus, but he hasn’t. And, I am very glad he is back on the air. Very powerful, KO. I hope that many will see it and be energized.
Like baycyn, I too am ready for something. Yes, I shop local independent merchants, I belong to a CSA, I shop the local Famers’ Market, I vote, etc. I’m working on the inner work. But, it’s time for something more. I live in a heavily “red” area, and have finally started calling out people when they make stupid or superficial statements (the most recent popular one is to blame the entire deficit on Obama…duh…apparently they not only can’t add, but don’t recognize dates in linear time).
(As a side note, I was sad to hear that the Michigan voters have given up already on the attempt to recall Gov Snyder until next year. One can only wonder what damage he will do in that time, now that he’s done with teachers, has his “emergency financial manager” law, but by yumpin’ yiminy, he has a “balanced budget.” At what expense?)
So, I guess it’s time to “notice and choose, notice and choose”. Pay attention to what is going on locally, and speak up and get involved. Learn from Wisconsin. Michiganders protested but not as loud, not as long. Energize. Find like-minded people and protest.
JannKinz
So what *will* it take for us to get fired up and active? Are we so hypnotized, beaten, drugged, and distracted, so focused on simply making it from day to day, that we have nothing left?
Is political “power” so concentrated and impenetrable that we can’t see a way? Do we see no way out of this asylum run by the most lunatic? (with apologies to dear Moon)
I’m not sure what I can do (in addition to my own inner work), but I’m ready for something. I don’t want to go the route of protesting *against* something — been there, done that. Focusing on what I don’t want seems only to entrench that very thing and my sense of powerlessness.
I want to stake my claim *for* something. Any ideas of how to do this besides the usual lifestyle practices? (E.g., I shop at my local farmers market, I buy other things locally as much as possible, I bank at a credit union, I vote, I support charities/causes, etc.)
quit/restart browser; close windows; go to Current TV directly and find it there; reload page
xxef
I’d love to check out this clip, but I can’t seem to get past the advertisement. Any ideas?
@Carrie — YES, to your point of independent thinkers being averse/not used to group endeavors. Sort of the other end of the spectrum, no? And I would add that there are many so-called “independent” (“liberal”) thinkers who are as dogmatic as those they rail against. I know, I used to be one of them! It can be very difficult to come to any kind of consensus or compromise; people who are so independent often are not willing to subordinate their own interests to the group’s.
This makes me think back to my college days when I was part of a dining co-op. It was a large & well established organization on a rather liberal campus with a membership of I think about 25% of the student body across 6 or 7 co-ops. The more politically engaged ones would vote on *everything* (“Can we stop buying bananas from Guatemala? Didn’t you read Bitter Fruit?”) and making a decision could take seemingly forever and try anyone’s patience. There was a joke about certain co-ops needing to vote on how they’d vote, and I saw this in action more than once.
@zerosity — ha, I too have been talking to people in my area when they make statements I consider simple parroting of sound bites or unconsidered opinions, though I live in a heavily “blue” area. It’s blue on the outside, at least, though I’m aware of the stirring of a good number of people who are tired of the knee-jerk liberalism so prevalent here.
I wonder how social media will help shape our society and its responses to the issues we’re writing about here. I heard a social media commentator say that he sees more and more online groupings of people by interest. I wonder if we as individuals will be part of several of these groupings/communities, and how they might differ from the more geographically local & face-to-face groups we might join or currently be members of.
I know that for myself, going out and protesting would only take up time that is in short supply in my life. I do all those good things mentioned as well but it is not enough. I have tried getting people to stop buying (yes that shrinks the economy even more but what else can anyone do when they are cash-strapped?) which would allow them to instead try to save their cash in case things got worse.
More of us are working toward sustainability but in my own case, I know few people here who seem willing to band together to help one another. What I found instead was that those people who already were not religious, who are free-thinkers, who march to their own drums, have a hard time doing anything that requires group-think or cooperation. Part of the reason the GOP is so good at organizing is because they have the Religious Right backing them and those religious folks are USED to group-think and getting together on a regular basis (church). Most independent thinkers are USED to being alone and having to “go it alone.” So getting them together to commit to a group endeavor is like herding turtles or cats; it just fizzles out as the people all go their own, separate ways.
How do we change that? I don’t know and I have been trying to make it happen within the secular homeschool community for a couple of years now with no success. I am not the only one; another secular friend tried for five years and had to close the group this year for lack of participation. How sad it is that independent thinkers are so used to having to be different that they cannot even band together for a collective cause. It isn’t that they cannot agree on the cause, it is that they cannot seem to get used to the regularity of meeting and commitment that such work requires.
I watched this on Tuesday evening as it was broadcast live; recorded it and watched it again Wednesday evening. At the Current website, you can also get a transcript of Keith’s statement and watch Al Gore’s analysis of what is wrong with the system.
I had wondered if Olbermann had lost his passion while on hiatus, but he hasn’t. And, I am very glad he is back on the air. Very powerful, KO. I hope that many will see it and be energized.
Like baycyn, I too am ready for something. Yes, I shop local independent merchants, I belong to a CSA, I shop the local Famers’ Market, I vote, etc. I’m working on the inner work. But, it’s time for something more. I live in a heavily “red” area, and have finally started calling out people when they make stupid or superficial statements (the most recent popular one is to blame the entire deficit on Obama…duh…apparently they not only can’t add, but don’t recognize dates in linear time).
(As a side note, I was sad to hear that the Michigan voters have given up already on the attempt to recall Gov Snyder until next year. One can only wonder what damage he will do in that time, now that he’s done with teachers, has his “emergency financial manager” law, but by yumpin’ yiminy, he has a “balanced budget.” At what expense?)
So, I guess it’s time to “notice and choose, notice and choose”. Pay attention to what is going on locally, and speak up and get involved. Learn from Wisconsin. Michiganders protested but not as loud, not as long. Energize. Find like-minded people and protest.
JannKinz
So what *will* it take for us to get fired up and active? Are we so hypnotized, beaten, drugged, and distracted, so focused on simply making it from day to day, that we have nothing left?
Is political “power” so concentrated and impenetrable that we can’t see a way? Do we see no way out of this asylum run by the most lunatic? (with apologies to dear Moon)
I’m not sure what I can do (in addition to my own inner work), but I’m ready for something. I don’t want to go the route of protesting *against* something — been there, done that. Focusing on what I don’t want seems only to entrench that very thing and my sense of powerlessness.
I want to stake my claim *for* something. Any ideas of how to do this besides the usual lifestyle practices? (E.g., I shop at my local farmers market, I buy other things locally as much as possible, I bank at a credit union, I vote, I support charities/causes, etc.)
quit/restart browser; close windows; go to Current TV directly and find it there; reload page
xxef
I’d love to check out this clip, but I can’t seem to get past the advertisement. Any ideas?