02-01-2022, 05:29 PM
(09-14-2021, 01:24 AM)pbrower2a Wrote:Paragraph by paragraph response:(09-13-2021, 10:13 PM)beechnut79 Wrote: Am rejuvenating this thread as I had come to mention the current much worse malaise over another thread where I indicated that much of the fun in life seems to have vanished in recent years, long before the pandemic hit. Will invite anyone to take a stab at crafting a 2020s version of a malaise speech. Began this thread to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the fabled Carter malaise speech, sans the actual word, in July of 2019, pre-pandemic.
We have far bigger problems than America had in the 1970's. Reagan led America into a 3T whose worst tendencies have only intensified with no obvious ways of shaking off. We have political polarization in which America divides neatly into opposing camps that have little in common aside from mutual contempt. Both sides are equally self-righteous. We are deep into a 4T, yet we have yet to relinquish the most dangerous traits of a 3T that preclude any solutions whose basis is a shared agenda unless one side is to obliterate, outlaw, or trivialize the other.
Two days ago I saw a flag that read "F--- BIDEN". What could be more blatantly negative than that? Language of that type used to be transitory, as most people were ashamed of the use of the F-bomb in anger. Keeping it on permanent display indicates a level of contempt that... well, we know where that leads if it gets real power behind it. OK, that is one person, and that banner is manufactured, so there must be a market for such a witless expression of contempt. People on my side did not sell or buy banners that read "F--- TRUMP".
Maybe the differences are built into personal psychology. Heavy use of profanity often signifies a lack of impulse control. I've noticed much the same in homophobia, racism, and religious bigotry. A lack of impulse control implies an inability to hone arguments to defend one's side. Poor impulse control also correlates with academic failure and limits on economic success. It rejects rational thought that isn't always convenient but is necessary for solving problems.
Oh, do we have problems! We have a plague that one side has handled far better than the other has... I doubt that I need to repeat myself.
P1: That is for damn sure. That is why I suggested that a President or something in a high position should craft a malaise speech for the current time. Perhaps we could put our heads together and do it here. In fact I do believe I began one when I first created the thread. Whoever said that the two dominant political factions have created a cold civil war at best and the potential for a hotter civil war to come at worst was spot on. Isn't Reaganomics long past it's sell-by date? Somehow I feel that the reason for this is that the vast majority seem to have accepted it as the state of affairs.
P2: The level of anger portrayed here ought to be reason enough for us to develop enough harmony in order to collaborate with like-minded friends toward a main goal. Many so-called friends of the Facebook variety are superficial at best, and technology created an increase level of isolationism well before the pandemic hit.
P3: I was under the impression that increasing levels of profanity had seen their day in the sun and were on the wane, and that it is much less acceptable than it may have been in the somewhat recent past. There is now a movement to bring more development to areas that have been largely neglected during the past half century and became overrun with violence. However, there is a good deal of fear that such would led to gentrification and its cousin, displacement.
P4: See opening line of P1.