I have always been a history geek. I can spend countless hours reading the history of some obscure moment in the past without the slightest sense of time passing by. The stories of prior lives give so much insight in to the mind of man (or woman), and have been replayed over and over again in new narratives with the same old punch line.
However, things have seriously changed.
"Divide and conquer" has been the subconscious mantra of those who hold power, throughout the scope of human history. This is more than evident in the history of the Americas, and regardless of your political affiliation, today is no different. Wait........before you click off this page due to boredom and an apathetic sense of deja vu, keep reading. There seems to be a new phenomena happening in our states, counties, cities, and very homes. It is now more than ever a time of dramatic polarization, which may lead to the demise of the American collective culture and spirit.
Disclaimer....... I am neither a Republican or Democrat. At thirty years of age, I have lost all hope in the parties of power, and can find no hero to lean on. One side has bastardized a beautiful belief system, and has used the name of Christ in much of the same ways as the conquistadors of the past. On the other hand, the so-called party of hope and change can do little but prop up worthless but charismatic leaders and attack anyone who does not agree with their version of tolerance. To top it off we have a melting pot of various fringe parties that are either such wakadoos or are just plain in bed with the big two.(I could go on and on here, but then I would be guilty of the same disservice towards my country.
In all the "discourse and discussions" going on in homes, between in-laws, cousins, and TV personalities, we have truly lost our identity. In reality there is no discourse, but only opinions and commentaries, more guarded than gold at Fort Knox. We are now a nation that is almost more psychologically divided than the Union and the Confederacy. It seems that one is socially mandated to "pick a side" or else. I mean, turn on one of your favorite "news" networks and observe the magic show. There is now a new form of journalism, called OP ED. Whether tuning in to FOX, MSNBC, or CNN and you will find your favorite guy or gal spouting there "expert' opinion on what we (??) as a nation are doin (or not doing). ITS NOT NEWS, IT IS THE NEW MEDIA. The irony is that even though we posses the most advanced and accessible forms of communication in human history, we are now more than ever told what to think. It is as if the devil figured out that he could create a 1984 world right under our noses. Now relax, I am not trying to get in to a whole trip on big brother. I am merely making the case that we have traded the news for an ongoing movie, with twist and turns that no director could create on a film set.
The saddest point of this new media is that we are now a nation that is continually at odds with one another. Not in the way you would think though. There is now only groups of mouths and vocal chords, with no ears or eyes. It is almost unheard of to see actual discussion and debate. It seems to me that nothing can be accomplished for the good of the nation because we are locked inside our beliefs on either side of the aisle.
Now, as much as I am a true believer in the corruption, acts of genocide, and relentless greed of our many forefathers, I do hold to the idea that there were decades of unified collective consciousness in this nation. Even at the height of the Vietnam war, there seemed to be a sense that the larger group wanted to make this country great. I don't mean to argue that there was not massive anger and division, but we were still living in hopes of a unified nation that held to the positive tenants of Democracy. I mean look at the Kennedy's, Lyndon Johnson, or even Reagan. All of these figures had their enemies, but there was a sense of collective American identity. A sense that we had to sift through our many differences in order to fight oppression and give everyone the opportunity to have their piece of the American dream. They may have failed in many ways, and from what the evidence shows, they were corrupt as well. However, the nation looked at issues with a sense of care and concern. I mean, even if you hate LBJ and his leadership during Nam, look at the poverty and civil rights work that was accomplished under his watch. People were taking sides, but there was an awakening that tied the majority together.
Now I know all the angry and disillusioned people out there, will tell me I am crazy, but hold on. All I mean is that the sense of polarization in politics has now evolved in to a behemoth of rhetoric and spin, spin, spin.......beyond what the great thinkers and even science fiction writers could make up.
Even with the great spirit of hope and change in the Obama-nation, or the nostalgic, "grass roots (?)" movement of the Tea party, we are now more than ever failing as a nation. Everyone from Glenn Beck to Nancy Pelosi, or my anarchist friends to my staunch Republican family have lost the point. The new disease has hit the masses. We are no longer interested in change for the better. I don't even think that the whole corporate greed and big business issues are our greatest
We are all addicts. Our dark allies and seedy pushers our now channel 123 and Mr. Beck. We love violence. Maybe not all of us smile during a horror movie, however we live and breathe violence. We live for the rush of Sarah Palin saying something stupid again, or watching Obamatron not live up to his grandiose ambitions. And, and , and WE LOVE IT. WE suck on the proverbial shaft of division, blame and animosity. America is no longer the focal point. In fact there is no focus. Just look at the post modern- Hipster generation and you will see that there is little that the youth have left to believe in. When coupled with the constant barrage of shit spewed in the media, it is so easy to see the illuminated path we are all on. We have become a nation of hate. Trust me, we all have the disease. Whether you are Mr. prop 8, or in love with Hillary Clinton, you are part of the problem. It is not about identifying the issues, and working to fix problems, but about stickin it to the other side at all costs.
The future of our nation will not be dictated by BP, Obama, The Tea Party, or the Federal reserve, but by the path we collectively choose as the way to be one people.
I just hope we can get our head out of our ass soon.
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