Trump, and I do blame him, showed millions of Americans that it was alright... even Presidential... to be an ass. To be stupid and crass and vulgar on a 24/7/365 basis. And all this from the party of “character matters”.
At my most pessimistic, I would go so far as to say she doesn't do these things because they make her happy but because they make others UNhappy. I think we're giving her too much benefit of the doubt. It's not just selfish - it's aggressive. The guys rolling coal aren't doing it because they love exhaust so much - they're doing it because they love to see other people choke on it. This is what is energizing the MAGA base: normalized aggression.
Yeah, I think you've nailed why all of it feels so depressing. There is a lack of empathy with a lot more people than I truly expected to exist out there in the world, and they are multiplying like gremlins. Do they not stress about trying to be a good person, trying to help others?
Is it more so than ever before? Or are these folks amplified by the reach of social media?
"I ask for forgiveness, not permission," a woman told me as she allowed her child to enter an off limits area of a play school we were at. Her smile didn't quite meet her eyes, "All I'm really doing is empowering my kids."
That was 19 years ago.
Forgiveness not permission. I had never heard that phrase before. Now it's said or implied every time some jerk pulls a dick move.
Those little kids grow up to be super assholes. And then they get elected.
This started a while back, the notion that you can do what you want in the pursuit of self-satisfaction. There have always been affairs, shady deals, and disgusting behavior amongst public figures. Most often it was done in the shadows. The general public may have suspected misdeeds but they weren't on the front page. Drum roll, Arkansas' Wilbur Mills, and the Argentine stripper Fanne Foxe frolicking in the Tidal Basin in their undies. That was quickly followed by Rep. John Jennrette from SC having sex with his second wife on the Capitol steps behind a column. Busted.
America, any country, has its share of shameless public figures including many of its elected officials acting out. The difference between then versus now is that the officials were shamed, shunned, and lost elections. Today there's an element of voters who believe this is fine if the politician is against abortion. (Or publicly state they are against abortion.)
We are in a terrible culture. No one can be shamed for aberrant behavior. In fact, they may have a laurel wreath placed on their heads. I hate where we collectively are. We laud the worst of the worst.
It isn't just politics. In the 80s Carl Icahn and Michael Milliken went to prison for screwing over the financial industry and us only to make millions in speaker fees after they got out. We love bad people. Here we are now and bad people are revered as "one of us." Boebart probably will get a ghostwriter to chronicle her sorry life and damn, people will buy it.
"The problem is we’re living in a nation of Boeberts. So many of my fellow Americans have become defiantly, stridently selfish."
The Me First Generation has made this statement accurate, scary, and disheartening. When one is as young, uneducated, powerful, and clueless as the Congresswoman, thinking of others becomes even less important.
"Do you know who I am?" seems to resonate more often in actions than it has in the past.
My issue with it was that her first statement said “yes but I definitely wasn’t vaping”, then video was released of her vaping. So her next statement said “I forgot I vaped”, but it was her vape pen. It’s not like someone handed it to her. When is someone held accountable for straight up lying? I don’t care about anyone wanting to vape, rules or no rules, but just blatantly and knowingly lying says something about her character and also says she thought she would never be found out. For a politician with considerable power, that kind of brazen attitude towards truth and accountability is so dangerous.
Re: vaping - as a full-blown vapist, I still adhere to generally socially acceptable behavior as to where & when I use my nic-stick (ie, I Would Not Could Not on a Plane, on a Train, or other enclosed space). When using outdoors I try not to exhale towards people in my vicinity, & hope other vape-users try to do likewise. If someone (anywhere) blew cigarette smoke directly in my face, or into the back of my head, I’d retort w/ strong words & possibly more. IMO vape smoke is only slightly less offensive than cig smoke.
The video shows the Congresswoman to be dumb & uncreative, as you say. She made no attempt to be discreet vaping, just blew her big ol’ cloud straight into the row in front of her, in a crowded theater. If one was so desperate to get a sneaky puff, a person w/ any amount of judgement would blow it down at the floor, or down their date’s pants, rather than be so conspicuous. She does know and doesn’t care. In vaping & in politics, she is a blowhard.
What does this say about the people who voted for her? And the laundry list of Paxtons, Greenes, Gaetzs, et al? What is more important than discussing how “individual desires take primacy over collective desires” and how this country is going to hell in a handbasket? Thank you Michael Ian Black.
Well, she would be a perfect next girlfriend for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. I keep thinking that she and Marge gotta be fraternal twins separated at birth. As a man born of the Whisky Tango line, but who has worked hard to rise above it as his parents and family have, LB could work a little less hard at proving how trashy she is.
Trump, and I do blame him, showed millions of Americans that it was alright... even Presidential... to be an ass. To be stupid and crass and vulgar on a 24/7/365 basis. And all this from the party of “character matters”.
At my most pessimistic, I would go so far as to say she doesn't do these things because they make her happy but because they make others UNhappy. I think we're giving her too much benefit of the doubt. It's not just selfish - it's aggressive. The guys rolling coal aren't doing it because they love exhaust so much - they're doing it because they love to see other people choke on it. This is what is energizing the MAGA base: normalized aggression.
GREAT ARTICLE!
Yeah, I think you've nailed why all of it feels so depressing. There is a lack of empathy with a lot more people than I truly expected to exist out there in the world, and they are multiplying like gremlins. Do they not stress about trying to be a good person, trying to help others?
Is it more so than ever before? Or are these folks amplified by the reach of social media?
Tell us how it was this summer in Italy, Mike. We all need a collective boost of joy in this nation. Please tell us it was wonderful.
"I ask for forgiveness, not permission," a woman told me as she allowed her child to enter an off limits area of a play school we were at. Her smile didn't quite meet her eyes, "All I'm really doing is empowering my kids."
That was 19 years ago.
Forgiveness not permission. I had never heard that phrase before. Now it's said or implied every time some jerk pulls a dick move.
Those little kids grow up to be super assholes. And then they get elected.
This started a while back, the notion that you can do what you want in the pursuit of self-satisfaction. There have always been affairs, shady deals, and disgusting behavior amongst public figures. Most often it was done in the shadows. The general public may have suspected misdeeds but they weren't on the front page. Drum roll, Arkansas' Wilbur Mills, and the Argentine stripper Fanne Foxe frolicking in the Tidal Basin in their undies. That was quickly followed by Rep. John Jennrette from SC having sex with his second wife on the Capitol steps behind a column. Busted.
America, any country, has its share of shameless public figures including many of its elected officials acting out. The difference between then versus now is that the officials were shamed, shunned, and lost elections. Today there's an element of voters who believe this is fine if the politician is against abortion. (Or publicly state they are against abortion.)
We are in a terrible culture. No one can be shamed for aberrant behavior. In fact, they may have a laurel wreath placed on their heads. I hate where we collectively are. We laud the worst of the worst.
It isn't just politics. In the 80s Carl Icahn and Michael Milliken went to prison for screwing over the financial industry and us only to make millions in speaker fees after they got out. We love bad people. Here we are now and bad people are revered as "one of us." Boebart probably will get a ghostwriter to chronicle her sorry life and damn, people will buy it.
Ayn Rand is on steroids.
"The problem is we’re living in a nation of Boeberts. So many of my fellow Americans have become defiantly, stridently selfish."
The Me First Generation has made this statement accurate, scary, and disheartening. When one is as young, uneducated, powerful, and clueless as the Congresswoman, thinking of others becomes even less important.
"Do you know who I am?" seems to resonate more often in actions than it has in the past.
My issue with it was that her first statement said “yes but I definitely wasn’t vaping”, then video was released of her vaping. So her next statement said “I forgot I vaped”, but it was her vape pen. It’s not like someone handed it to her. When is someone held accountable for straight up lying? I don’t care about anyone wanting to vape, rules or no rules, but just blatantly and knowingly lying says something about her character and also says she thought she would never be found out. For a politician with considerable power, that kind of brazen attitude towards truth and accountability is so dangerous.
Re: vaping - as a full-blown vapist, I still adhere to generally socially acceptable behavior as to where & when I use my nic-stick (ie, I Would Not Could Not on a Plane, on a Train, or other enclosed space). When using outdoors I try not to exhale towards people in my vicinity, & hope other vape-users try to do likewise. If someone (anywhere) blew cigarette smoke directly in my face, or into the back of my head, I’d retort w/ strong words & possibly more. IMO vape smoke is only slightly less offensive than cig smoke.
The video shows the Congresswoman to be dumb & uncreative, as you say. She made no attempt to be discreet vaping, just blew her big ol’ cloud straight into the row in front of her, in a crowded theater. If one was so desperate to get a sneaky puff, a person w/ any amount of judgement would blow it down at the floor, or down their date’s pants, rather than be so conspicuous. She does know and doesn’t care. In vaping & in politics, she is a blowhard.
What does this say about the people who voted for her? And the laundry list of Paxtons, Greenes, Gaetzs, et al? What is more important than discussing how “individual desires take primacy over collective desires” and how this country is going to hell in a handbasket? Thank you Michael Ian Black.
I'm looking for stories that aren't already on mainstream media. Sorry
Yet here you are, reading and responding...
He’s okay. You can ghost him. It’s super easy.
Please take me off your email list. There are more important existential issues facing this country.
Didn't you sign up for the list? Figure out how to take yourself off. Have some personal responsibility, man.
If selfish arrogance by an elected public official in a public space, contrary to public rules is not an "existential issue," what would be?
I apologize. You're probably looking for the "most important existential issues facing this country" Substack.
For me, this is that very Substack.
Me too.
Also, it comes to mind that “Love means never having to say you’re sorry.”
Well, she would be a perfect next girlfriend for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. I keep thinking that she and Marge gotta be fraternal twins separated at birth. As a man born of the Whisky Tango line, but who has worked hard to rise above it as his parents and family have, LB could work a little less hard at proving how trashy she is.