Today is my birthday. I will likely have too much strong drink and will be in no fit state to write. Have a good weekend all!
Friday, March 26, 2010
Shameless lack of work ethic
Today is my birthday. I will likely have too much strong drink and will be in no fit state to write. Have a good weekend all!
Thursday, March 25, 2010
The Latest Sign 'O the Apocalypse.
The Associated Press is reporting that former Alaska governor and conservative media creation Sarah Palin has inked a deal for a new reality show on The Learning Channel to be called "Sarah Palin's Alaska." The press release states "The series tells stories of some of Alaska's unique features as seen through the eyes of its former governor." The former governor was quoted as saying, "I look forward to working with Mark (Burnett, the producer) to bring the wonder and majesty of Alaska to all Americans," in a statement released by Discovery, which holds the rights to the series. Burnett is known for producing the reality shows "Survivor" and "The Apprentice."We at The Vagabond Way are eagerly looking forward to this series and have a few suggestions for episode titles and content. We would also like to encourage our readers (all four or five of you) to submit their ideas in the comments section below.
The Vagabond Way recommendations:
"The place where I can see Russia from" - detailing the Palin family back yard/early warning post.
"Tina Fey is goin' down" - one on one grudge match action.
"The Palin family moose massacre" - a heartwarming tale for hunting enthusiasts.
"Wasilla nightlife" - may not be enough material for a 30 minute show.
What do you guys think?
Unforseen Consequences
The mob is a sort of bear; while your ring is through its nose, it will even dance under your cudgel; but should the ring slip, and you lose your hold, the brute will turn and rend you.
- Jane Porter
It is the proof of a bad cause when it is applauded by the mob.
- Seneca (Lucius Annaeus Seneca)
An open letter to the Republican National Committee:
Demagoguery is exhilarating, isn't it? There is nothing quite like the feeling of holding a crowd in your sway, feeding their anger and fear, controlling their collective emotions and inciting them to do your bidding. You start to feel that, with this kind of influence and power, you can accomplish anything. The crowd worships you, repeats your words, chants your slogans, denigrates your enemies and exerts your will. Your exhortations alone can trigger it's power, manifest it's menace. Yes, with the masses behind you, all of your aims will come to fruition . . .
As much as I hate to intrude on your little daydream, I just want to remind you of the reality of your situation. If you continue down this road, it will end badly. Not just for your organization, but for all of us.
Consider a few examples from history:
Alcibiades: Ancient Greek demagogue, political opportunist. His oratorical skills and ability to play upon the base emotions of the crowd allowed him to lead, at various times, Athens, Sparta and Persia to military disaster and famine. He died when his house was surrounded and set on fire by a Spartan mob, causing him to flee the flames . . . into the daggers of the waiting arsonists.
Maximilien Robespierre: French revolutionary, leader of the Committee of Public Safety. Despite a reign of terror that resulted in the formal execution of 16,000 French subjects and the mob lynching of perhaps 40,000 more, he failed to stabilize the French economy and raise the standard of living. He was executed in 1794. The political climate he helped to foster virtually guaranteed the death of the fledgling democracy and fostered the military dictatorship of Napoleon Bonaparte, leading to a further 20 years of war.
Adolph Hitler: Rose to power in Germany by exploiting the ethnic and nationalistic prejudices of the populace. Upon his appointment as Chancellor, Erich Ludendorff was prompted to remark to Paul Von Hindenburg (President of the Wiemar Republic and the man who appointed Hitler), "By appointing Hitler Chancellor of the Reich, you have handed over our sacred German Fatherland to one of the greatest demagogues of all time. I prophesy to you this evil man will plunge our Reich into the abyss and will inflict immeasurable woe on our nation. Future generations will curse you in your grave for this action."
You see, at some point, the crowd that you incite, the mob whose fears and prejudices you have played upon, will expect results. Not just legislative results, but real world, "my life is better now" results. How are you going to deliver that? What is your plan? Where is the vision? Thus far, all we've seen is obstructionism, scare tactics and invective. What are you going to do when the mob you've created comes to you for results and your basket is empty? What will that mob do when they realize they've been used and manipulated for cynical gain? What will happen when they understand your true agenda?
You are creating a monster you cannot possibly control. By defining cooperation and compromise as "treason to the conservative cause", by encouraging your own fringe radicals to set the course for your party, you are poisoning the political process and popularizing hate. You have driven all of us who value moderation and compromise out of the party. What can anyone possibly stand to gain in the end?
Pulitzer Prize winning author Timothy Egan writes of this topic much more elegantly than I. His opinion can be found here.
This is a dangerous precedent to set, a perilous road to travel. It will have consequences none of us can foresee. Please stop while you still can.
- Jane Porter
It is the proof of a bad cause when it is applauded by the mob.
- Seneca (Lucius Annaeus Seneca)
An open letter to the Republican National Committee:
Demagoguery is exhilarating, isn't it? There is nothing quite like the feeling of holding a crowd in your sway, feeding their anger and fear, controlling their collective emotions and inciting them to do your bidding. You start to feel that, with this kind of influence and power, you can accomplish anything. The crowd worships you, repeats your words, chants your slogans, denigrates your enemies and exerts your will. Your exhortations alone can trigger it's power, manifest it's menace. Yes, with the masses behind you, all of your aims will come to fruition . . .
As much as I hate to intrude on your little daydream, I just want to remind you of the reality of your situation. If you continue down this road, it will end badly. Not just for your organization, but for all of us.
Consider a few examples from history:
Alcibiades: Ancient Greek demagogue, political opportunist. His oratorical skills and ability to play upon the base emotions of the crowd allowed him to lead, at various times, Athens, Sparta and Persia to military disaster and famine. He died when his house was surrounded and set on fire by a Spartan mob, causing him to flee the flames . . . into the daggers of the waiting arsonists.
Maximilien Robespierre: French revolutionary, leader of the Committee of Public Safety. Despite a reign of terror that resulted in the formal execution of 16,000 French subjects and the mob lynching of perhaps 40,000 more, he failed to stabilize the French economy and raise the standard of living. He was executed in 1794. The political climate he helped to foster virtually guaranteed the death of the fledgling democracy and fostered the military dictatorship of Napoleon Bonaparte, leading to a further 20 years of war.
Adolph Hitler: Rose to power in Germany by exploiting the ethnic and nationalistic prejudices of the populace. Upon his appointment as Chancellor, Erich Ludendorff was prompted to remark to Paul Von Hindenburg (President of the Wiemar Republic and the man who appointed Hitler), "By appointing Hitler Chancellor of the Reich, you have handed over our sacred German Fatherland to one of the greatest demagogues of all time. I prophesy to you this evil man will plunge our Reich into the abyss and will inflict immeasurable woe on our nation. Future generations will curse you in your grave for this action."
You see, at some point, the crowd that you incite, the mob whose fears and prejudices you have played upon, will expect results. Not just legislative results, but real world, "my life is better now" results. How are you going to deliver that? What is your plan? Where is the vision? Thus far, all we've seen is obstructionism, scare tactics and invective. What are you going to do when the mob you've created comes to you for results and your basket is empty? What will that mob do when they realize they've been used and manipulated for cynical gain? What will happen when they understand your true agenda?
You are creating a monster you cannot possibly control. By defining cooperation and compromise as "treason to the conservative cause", by encouraging your own fringe radicals to set the course for your party, you are poisoning the political process and popularizing hate. You have driven all of us who value moderation and compromise out of the party. What can anyone possibly stand to gain in the end?
Pulitzer Prize winning author Timothy Egan writes of this topic much more elegantly than I. His opinion can be found here.
This is a dangerous precedent to set, a perilous road to travel. It will have consequences none of us can foresee. Please stop while you still can.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Winners and losers
I was just watching the coverage of President Obama signing the health care reform bill into law. I have to admit that my relief at its passing is tempered by a large amount of ambivalence regarding the entire process that led to this historic event. I wonder what the price to this country will be, not in terms of money, but in terms of the endemic unwillingness to allow reason and compromise into the debate. I don't think I've ever seen this amount of divisiveness,or such rabid, bestial behavior on both sides of the issue. To be certain, there have been polarizing issues faced by this country's legislators from the very beginning. Independence from England, the place of slavery in this country, isolationism, taxation, civil rights and separation of powers are just a few of the issues that have caused deep political rifts and spawned epic debate and, eventually, sweeping change for this country. Is it just me, or does this one feel way over the top in terms of ridiculous hyperbole, race baiting, fear mongering and hate? How did we come to this? Who is responsible? How do we make it stop?
It's all too easy to apportion blame, to point the righteous finger and condemn those with whom you don't agree. As any reader of these posts can see, I am as guilty as anyone. I see examples of the most ridiculous opinions being stated as fact, pronouncements of impending doom from both sides of the aisle, and I cannot help but ridicule and belittle the hubris and sheer numskullery I see and hear. I count on my readers to recognize the sarcasm and, when they have a differing viewpoint, to express it. I do my best to consider their views and respond accordingly. I recognize and expect that not everyone will agree. I readily acknowledge their right to their own viewpoint. The sharp point of my sarcasm and scorn is saved for those who revel in ignorance, parrot the spews of pundits, engage in stereotypes and reject independent thought. Until recently I assumed that, media hype and punditry aside, most of us who possess the power of thought did the same.
That is, until yesterday. Yesterday I realized a corner had been turned when a person I've had a friendship with for 12 years allowed our frequent email correspondence to turn ugly. Though this person (a highly educated, highly decorated retired military officer and published historian)and I have widely differing views on politics, we have kept a spirited debate on that subject friendly, and have discussed history, golf, literature and other diverse subjects warmly. Until yesterday. The exchange yesterday rapidly became dysfunctional, insulting and disturbing. This highly educated, intelligent person began to spout the same hate filled invective you can hear nightly on a certain "fair and balanced" network (or, to be fair, the other network affiliated with the evil software giant as well). Read out of the moment and with no context, these emails are laughable and a little sad. In the moment and in full context, they become tragic. A noble force for reason and analysis has surrendered to fear and hate. A scholar dedicated to investigation and unbiased fact has abandoned both. His example is the most glaring to me, but he is far from alone. I speak to my friends and acquaintances and hear varying degrees of the same malaise. Many of us take the easy route, no longer gather facts before forming opinions, surrender reason to hype and spout whatever our favorite pundit says. There is no discussion, negotiation or compromise. Decisions are made based on ideology, not practicality. As we watch, or read the news, we are indoctrinated, not educated.
How did it come to this? How can we make it stop? History teaches us that stagnation, inertia and partisan deadlock in government leads to revolution, anarchy and tyranny, often in a repeating cycle. The Greek City States, The Roman Republic, Ptolemaic Egypt, Bourbon France, Tsarist Russia, Wiemar Germany, the communist bloc and many more governments have failed with disastrous results for these reasons (among others). Is this our future? Is this how it starts? The surest way to destroy anything is to be indifferent to it. Too many of our elected officials have become indifferent to effective governance. They have surrendered to partisanship and become prisoners of the radical fringe. If we, as voters, allow this attitude and behavior to stand then we too are guilty of indifference. Republican Romans felt that their society was immune from tyranny and monarchy because they had cast out their monarch at the founding of the republic. The Roman Senate allowed itself to become hopelessly mired in partisan politics and abdicated any kind of role in the effective governance of the city and its possessions. Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus Augustus showed them the price of that conceit.
I wonder, are we laying the groundwork for our own Augustus? Will we see the warning signs in time?
It's all too easy to apportion blame, to point the righteous finger and condemn those with whom you don't agree. As any reader of these posts can see, I am as guilty as anyone. I see examples of the most ridiculous opinions being stated as fact, pronouncements of impending doom from both sides of the aisle, and I cannot help but ridicule and belittle the hubris and sheer numskullery I see and hear. I count on my readers to recognize the sarcasm and, when they have a differing viewpoint, to express it. I do my best to consider their views and respond accordingly. I recognize and expect that not everyone will agree. I readily acknowledge their right to their own viewpoint. The sharp point of my sarcasm and scorn is saved for those who revel in ignorance, parrot the spews of pundits, engage in stereotypes and reject independent thought. Until recently I assumed that, media hype and punditry aside, most of us who possess the power of thought did the same.
That is, until yesterday. Yesterday I realized a corner had been turned when a person I've had a friendship with for 12 years allowed our frequent email correspondence to turn ugly. Though this person (a highly educated, highly decorated retired military officer and published historian)and I have widely differing views on politics, we have kept a spirited debate on that subject friendly, and have discussed history, golf, literature and other diverse subjects warmly. Until yesterday. The exchange yesterday rapidly became dysfunctional, insulting and disturbing. This highly educated, intelligent person began to spout the same hate filled invective you can hear nightly on a certain "fair and balanced" network (or, to be fair, the other network affiliated with the evil software giant as well). Read out of the moment and with no context, these emails are laughable and a little sad. In the moment and in full context, they become tragic. A noble force for reason and analysis has surrendered to fear and hate. A scholar dedicated to investigation and unbiased fact has abandoned both. His example is the most glaring to me, but he is far from alone. I speak to my friends and acquaintances and hear varying degrees of the same malaise. Many of us take the easy route, no longer gather facts before forming opinions, surrender reason to hype and spout whatever our favorite pundit says. There is no discussion, negotiation or compromise. Decisions are made based on ideology, not practicality. As we watch, or read the news, we are indoctrinated, not educated.
How did it come to this? How can we make it stop? History teaches us that stagnation, inertia and partisan deadlock in government leads to revolution, anarchy and tyranny, often in a repeating cycle. The Greek City States, The Roman Republic, Ptolemaic Egypt, Bourbon France, Tsarist Russia, Wiemar Germany, the communist bloc and many more governments have failed with disastrous results for these reasons (among others). Is this our future? Is this how it starts? The surest way to destroy anything is to be indifferent to it. Too many of our elected officials have become indifferent to effective governance. They have surrendered to partisanship and become prisoners of the radical fringe. If we, as voters, allow this attitude and behavior to stand then we too are guilty of indifference. Republican Romans felt that their society was immune from tyranny and monarchy because they had cast out their monarch at the founding of the republic. The Roman Senate allowed itself to become hopelessly mired in partisan politics and abdicated any kind of role in the effective governance of the city and its possessions. Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus Augustus showed them the price of that conceit.
I wonder, are we laying the groundwork for our own Augustus? Will we see the warning signs in time?
Hiatus over . . .
Hello fellow (and very missed) travelers. Vagabond's apologies for the long time span between posts. Just a few other things going on in life like, starting a new job, moving and, oh yes, the news that Mrs. Vagabond is expecting our first Li'l Traveler. As I've been in my self imposed sojourn, the world has moved on and portentous events have transpired. I'll have more in depth later, but I thought I'd start with a bit of a chuckle at the expense of those lovable, right wing fanatics who hate them some commies! Much hilarity can be found here. We'll talk again soon . . .
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
