03-27-2022, 11:24 PM
(03-27-2022, 11:03 PM)JasonBlack Wrote:(03-27-2022, 03:34 PM)Eric the Green Wrote:(03-26-2022, 08:57 PM)JasonBlack Wrote: This one is going after pretty much all of American culture, from boomer to Gen Z and from socialist to Randian: being a "rebel without a cause" is the height of immaturity, and a desire to be aggressive for no reason.
It's okay to question authority. It's okay to think for yourself, express yourself and generally do what you want, but rebelling to just to rebel isn't much different from throwing a tantrum. What? You think we can build a society just be constantly "rebelling"? You think that's ever going to foster a sense of community? structure? rationality? If you don't like the system then
1) work to change it through legitimate channels
2) debate people in earnest without grandiose provocations
3) become a leader yourself...and accept the responsibilities that come with it
American society overall needs to grow up. It needs to stop rebelling against the authority and instead become the authority you wish to see in the world. Otherwise, you're just throwing a fit and picking fights with people who didn't do anything to do.
One thing I notice is that when I write or speak out or make points as clearly as I can, I am usually ignored.
That seems to be the condition of humanity. What we've got here is, failure to communicate. So, we get it. We get beat.
It seems like what we've got in America is not rebellion so much as authoritarian fanaticism. It is this that supports the outsized right-wing in the USA, and THEY are the source of our problems as far as I can see. The Left "rebels" in this country are mostly center-left, and they offer constructive policies that solve problems and concerns and support constructive institutions. Yelling about a few extreme or immature rebels on the Left who are marginal in numbers seems to be the irresponsible thing to me.
It's more than a few extremist on the left. In fact, it's more than the left (though I'd argue they're generally worse). Look at any major media network where two people are debating (anything from The View, Fox News or anything in between)....now look at some clips of people debating 40-60 years ago. Notice how much more calm they are, how their passions, though readily obvious, are reigned in for the sake of civility.
counter example: Tulsi Gabbard. regardless of your views on her politics (which, to be honest, are usually pretty reasonable in my opinion)the way she manages to be passionate and assertive and maintain composure...that bitch has class. This is what a leader looks like, and hopefully, she is closer to the future of what communication in America looks like.....
I can't agree with your respect for Tulsi. She is a conspiracy theory trafficker. Especially in her views on Syria. I discussed her in this thread here: http://generational-theory.com/forum/thr...l#pid41380
Leaders need more than composure, I'm afraid. We need effective communication and leadership, but most of all we need good policy that moves the country forward toward prosperity and fulfillment for all. Those who uphold authority are generally blocking real solutions. The authorities are the problem. And as George Carlin would say, the real owners, the wealthy business interests who make all the important decisions.
Your point is well-taken regarding better communication. I don't think that is the same as "rebelling against authority", which in general is what people on the Left do. And I'd argue it's the pundits on the right who are the most outrageous and uncivil. The worst right now seems to be Tucker Carlson, but others on Fox News are naturally bad too.
If you want more civil discussion and punditry, slightly to the left notwithstanding, go PBS. The View I would categorize as very superficial celebrity stuff. We used to have many more news and panel shows than we have today. Now the ones on network TV are scheduled opposite each other on Sunday morning so that we see less of them. But I choose Meet the Press because my local station puts it on at 5 PM. The most uncivil discussion and failures to communicate are found between regular folks (and trolls) on social media and in person. Cable TV is probably worse than network media too, but I only watch it occasionally on youtube videos. The bosses who own the media want us either to argue with each other so they get our eyeballs (social media) or to keep us uninformed and focused on total trivia (like on The View and The Talk). An informed citizenry is not in the best interests of the bosses who want us to ignore what they are doing to us.