I think it's a wave crest that's been building for some years, no matter which party's in office. It feels like there's a collective undertow beneath humanity, especially the west, that we almost WANT to watch the world burn, like we've been expecting to do so for some time. Maybe too many have become resigned to dancing among the flames. I dunno. But it certainly feels like a self sabotage, a self fulfilling prophecy. It's too deep and primal for conscious acknowledgement to most, I think. But I wouldn't be surprised if that's the case. The trend is of course reflected in our entertainments. I'm guilty myself. So much of our escapism is based in dystopia or post-apocalyptism.
I like Bernie but have discounted him often. I was wrong. Here is Bernie 21 years ago, and he was 100% correct. File it under "explain it to me like I'm five years old." Then no more annoying video clips from me.
Yours is the first article I've read post-election. I can't watch, read or listen to any news, pundits, or opinions on anything that has happened since I last turned off the TV at 2:30am Wednesday. I feel sick with fear and dread and can't shake these "I can't believe this is happening again - again" thoughts. That freight train that's been roaring toward me/us since 2015 is still on a direct path with our existence. I'm a white, middle-aged, middle-class, college-educated female living in a blue state. While I'm not exactly in the cross-hairs of Trump and his team's policies, more just one of the anonymous masses that keep the gears grinding, the cruelty and perversion of his ideas and policies, supported by millions of Americans, have cracked my psyche, my soul, my hope. It's hard to imagine feeling righteous when, a few years from now, the Trump Administration's policies will have rendered our nation into unrecognizable rubble. There'll be no place to say "I told you so" to Trump voters since we'll all be in the bread line together.
This clip is definitely NSFW. The speaker is angry, disgusted, likes the F**k word, and goes hard on the Trump voters. But she was a guilty pleasure right after the election this week.
The two things getting me through it right now are the knowledge that the people around him now are the second- and third- stringers who have no idea what a spectacularly enormous job it is to run a country. When I was a know-nothing db in college and law school, I also convincingly talked big about things I knew absolutely nothing about, as if I were an expert. I've worked in medium and large organizations with names you'd recognize -- best and brightest, etc -- and the amount of stupefying incompetence and backstabbing even there was shocking.
Second, Jerome Powell deadpanning the questioner and saying "No" to whether he planned to step down when asked, and "No" to whether it would be within the president's legal rights to force him down, gave me a bit of hope as well. There are plenty of people who really do know what they're doing, who won't just roll over for that buffoon and his confederacy of, excuse me, pricks.
A million years ago, I kept a blog. I happened to watch the day Trump announced his candidacy the first time around, and immediately vilified people crossing the border. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing, and I wrote a post declaring my eternal opposition to Trump. From the very first, he’s been different. Do not gaslight yourself. He is not a part of any American tradition. He exists outside of who we have been, but most unfortunately embodies who we have turned into—largely because he himself gave us a mold to pour all of our worst instincts into. That Trump-shaped mold is capable of creating irreparable harm. But! Despite all of that, I’m not sad. Because the future is not written yet, and surprises undoubtedly are in store.
Unfortunately, it is ours. All of ours. This is what I learned in the service. No matter what you think of the Captain, the Engineer, First Lieutenant, the ship is going there – wherever that is. It'll perform the tasks set to it, expend its ordnance, resupply, take damage, repair, plough through storms, rest easily at anchor, hopefully not sink or touch bottom, but through all of it, I'll clean and paint it. You will too. Unless you miss the last liberty launch in Bali.
All the worst possibilities that journalists, scholars, pundits, lawyers, etc. come up with give them more ideas. I wish people wouldn’t help them add to their list.
This talk was helpful for me:
https://youtu.be/t-FQLn9oRrU
Yep x Infinity.
I think it's a wave crest that's been building for some years, no matter which party's in office. It feels like there's a collective undertow beneath humanity, especially the west, that we almost WANT to watch the world burn, like we've been expecting to do so for some time. Maybe too many have become resigned to dancing among the flames. I dunno. But it certainly feels like a self sabotage, a self fulfilling prophecy. It's too deep and primal for conscious acknowledgement to most, I think. But I wouldn't be surprised if that's the case. The trend is of course reflected in our entertainments. I'm guilty myself. So much of our escapism is based in dystopia or post-apocalyptism.
You are definitely not alone. I’m glad you wrote this piece. I have thought the same exact things. Every one of them.
Great to connect with someone who expresses honesty! Please continue your task!
Same feeling here! The future is unclear at this point! Maybe the Trump crowd will implode!
I like Bernie but have discounted him often. I was wrong. Here is Bernie 21 years ago, and he was 100% correct. File it under "explain it to me like I'm five years old." Then no more annoying video clips from me.
https://www.tiktok.com/@couriernewsroom/video/7434720493091015967
Yours is the first article I've read post-election. I can't watch, read or listen to any news, pundits, or opinions on anything that has happened since I last turned off the TV at 2:30am Wednesday. I feel sick with fear and dread and can't shake these "I can't believe this is happening again - again" thoughts. That freight train that's been roaring toward me/us since 2015 is still on a direct path with our existence. I'm a white, middle-aged, middle-class, college-educated female living in a blue state. While I'm not exactly in the cross-hairs of Trump and his team's policies, more just one of the anonymous masses that keep the gears grinding, the cruelty and perversion of his ideas and policies, supported by millions of Americans, have cracked my psyche, my soul, my hope. It's hard to imagine feeling righteous when, a few years from now, the Trump Administration's policies will have rendered our nation into unrecognizable rubble. There'll be no place to say "I told you so" to Trump voters since we'll all be in the bread line together.
This clip is definitely NSFW. The speaker is angry, disgusted, likes the F**k word, and goes hard on the Trump voters. But she was a guilty pleasure right after the election this week.
https://www.threads.net/@out5p0ken/post/DCGKyVfuaYv?xmt=AQGzYlSbT-6_5JFKOb7TaF2Cyj9_535Kbl5hBK6A53q27g
The two things getting me through it right now are the knowledge that the people around him now are the second- and third- stringers who have no idea what a spectacularly enormous job it is to run a country. When I was a know-nothing db in college and law school, I also convincingly talked big about things I knew absolutely nothing about, as if I were an expert. I've worked in medium and large organizations with names you'd recognize -- best and brightest, etc -- and the amount of stupefying incompetence and backstabbing even there was shocking.
Second, Jerome Powell deadpanning the questioner and saying "No" to whether he planned to step down when asked, and "No" to whether it would be within the president's legal rights to force him down, gave me a bit of hope as well. There are plenty of people who really do know what they're doing, who won't just roll over for that buffoon and his confederacy of, excuse me, pricks.
Thanks. Yours is one of the voices I can stomach reading right now.
A million years ago, I kept a blog. I happened to watch the day Trump announced his candidacy the first time around, and immediately vilified people crossing the border. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing, and I wrote a post declaring my eternal opposition to Trump. From the very first, he’s been different. Do not gaslight yourself. He is not a part of any American tradition. He exists outside of who we have been, but most unfortunately embodies who we have turned into—largely because he himself gave us a mold to pour all of our worst instincts into. That Trump-shaped mold is capable of creating irreparable harm. But! Despite all of that, I’m not sad. Because the future is not written yet, and surprises undoubtedly are in store.
Unfortunately, it is ours. All of ours. This is what I learned in the service. No matter what you think of the Captain, the Engineer, First Lieutenant, the ship is going there – wherever that is. It'll perform the tasks set to it, expend its ordnance, resupply, take damage, repair, plough through storms, rest easily at anchor, hopefully not sink or touch bottom, but through all of it, I'll clean and paint it. You will too. Unless you miss the last liberty launch in Bali.
Thanks for making me laugh. I really appreciate your posts.
All the worst possibilities that journalists, scholars, pundits, lawyers, etc. come up with give them more ideas. I wish people wouldn’t help them add to their list.
Please keep writing, so many of us need it.