Let's make fun of Trump, bash him, etc. while we can!

[Bob Butler 54]

(11-05-2016, 10:19 PM)Galen Wrote:

(11-05-2016, 09:50 PM)taramarie Wrote: Hmm well I dunno tbh. I hardly know anything of the missionaries except I hear they were far more grounded and stern than boomers which sounds more like kiwi boomers. Ours knew what needed to be patched up and worked with what could be patched up..for example relations with the maori, women's rights and the environment as well as teaching the young that these things are the norm in culture now. I was one of the wee ones experiencing that type of teaching learning European/kiwi culture and Maori too and both languages to build an understanding between the two. Some boomers in America stun me with how strong their unrealistic ideology is and some are so angry about the fact they cannot put that ideology into society. The anger is shocking. I do not know tbh also about how boomers thinks about spiritualism. Personally I would rather hear them out on what it means to them individually. I think they may have just felt stifled in a culture that was not theirs. I am of the opinion as long as it was mutual meh have at it. I do not support non consensual sexual advances.

It takes time and experience to get a feel for an era from the historical record.  It is worth the effort.  What you get in school just isn't going to be enough.

The New Age movement are basically made up of people who are variations of Eric the Obtuse.  That is pretty much what the spiritualism of the sixties evolved into and it is pretty empty.  

That anger is pretty typical but is getting worse.  Probably because they are reaching the end of their lives.

You are having a nice little conversation with Galen, but don't assume he's any more representative of all Americans than Eric.  In my youth I flirted with several variations of New Age and spiritualist practice, from Taoism to Born Again Christian, to Wiccan.  There was a good deal of variety and growth, at least if you accept that the goals of spiritualism can lead to growth.  If your values aren't compatible with spiritualist goals and methods, as Galen's aren't, it is easy to reject spiritualism as 'pretty empty'.  Then again, if one is deeply partisan in any set of values, others pursuing any sort of conflicting values would be perceived of as 'pretty empty' or worse...  Far worse.  Just ask Eric if living one's life without using spiritualist means to seek enlightenment and wisdom would be 'pretty empty'.

Me, I chose science over spiritualism, but I can quite understand others making other choices.

I would note many Red Boomer's pursuit of fundamentalist religion includes using the government to harass and oppress those with conflicting values.  This is in strong conflict much of the Blue Boomer's religious and spiritual diversity.  What you see with Hillary welcoming minorities while Trump flirts with racism is part of the red/blue divide.  It exists in religious perspectives as much as it does in race and gender.  The various flavors of blue tinted spiritualists will be happily doing their own thing, while the red tinted fundamentalists will be trying to use the law to force their religious beliefs on everybody.

And again, anyone who generalizes about all Boomers is going to miss the point.  They don't get it.  The Red Boomers and Blue Boomers are very much different, especially in how they accept diversity.  This is also hardly unique to the Boomers, you can see it in the other generations as well.  One would like to think that the notion that America is a white christian nation is unique to the Ku Klux Klan, but it isn't.  It's a common part of the red perspective.  It's the difference between "If I'm right, and it is beyond question that I'm right, then everyone who disagrees is wrong" and "Let's all do our own thing."  There is a theme, visible in Trump's message, that everyone has their place, and the place of the white christian males is on top.  This is an old element of America, but not part of the values of everyone in America.

Also, stereotyping any group as being just like Eric would stand as example of vile stereotyping.  This isn't to say Eric is necessarily vile, but to say that bunches of people are just like him is vile stereotyping.  Eric is quite unique.  Galen might be deep enough into partisan stereotype thinking that he can't perceive a difference between various flavors of spiritualism and various practitioners of spiritualism.  "They all look alike to me."  No.  Spiritualists are unique and diverse too.  Real people.  They ought to be respected like real people.  (I know.  In Eric's case, this might require more spiritual enlightenment than most people possess...)

And yes, I've got some anger management problems.  Bigots make me angry, whether they are focused on race, gender, religion, culture, or what not.  Well to do people trying to make sure less well off people don't have health care makes me angry.  After Bush 41 and Bush 43 ruined the economy by pushing trickle down economics, those who want to go with trickle down again makes me angry.  Politicians who habitually and casually lie make me angry.

There is much to be angry about.

And that may be one thing that the Boomers did learn in their youth, if a whole bunch of people don't get angry, then nothing will change.