[Some good comments on this one...]
I see over at TPM Cafe that Larry Johnson has canceled his subscription to the Washington Post. Well, it’s about time.
The main preoccupations of the progressive blogosphere seem to be a) electing Democrats, and b) pointing out the propaganda and distortions of the so-called mainstream media. Of the first, I say look at what’s happened since November — I’ve grown so cynical of voting, except for relevant local issues, as the national institutions of government are hopelessly ineffectual and corrupt. And of the second, one wonders why they bother.
The Washington Post and most other newspapers, as well as their corresponding Web sites, television news, and popular news magazines, suffer from a kind of generational corruption — I don’t know what else to call it — wherein government spin is often passed on as gospel. Not that journalism has ever been a wholly honest profession, of course, except in rare and shining circumstances. As for me, I haven’t watched television news in years, only see Newsweek in the dentist’s office, and barely skim newspapers that cross my path. I used to devour the editorial pages, but not any more. I simply can’t abide the lies and blather.
My apologies if this sounds too negative. I do feel sometimes that better things could be on the way, that we’re on the cusp of a tremendous change that has little to do with what most of us were taught. Perhaps in that regard, pointing out the lying could have a therapeutic effect: you know, pry a few people away from the teat, etc. I can’t help but think, though, that the answer isn’t in the noise.
I’ve always been a ferocious news junkie, so this is very difficult for me. What else does one read over morning coffee? Well, I read the Internet. I pick and choose my information sources, mainly blogs, and go from there. But even the lefty blogs are becoming tiresome. I don’t WANT to elect more Democrats, I want them all to go to hell. And reading what passes for real news can be very damaging to the soul. It’s quite a puzzle. Perhaps I should become re-acquainted with actual books and sit outside to listen to the birds.
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I posted this on Nov 3, 2004:
I believe my vote for local judges and sherrifs meant rather a bit.
I believe my vote for local county measures meant something.
I believe my vote for state measures and legislature meant little, but >0. (that’s a mathematical expression, not a smilie, if you’re wondering.)
I believe my vote for senator, state representative, and president were, at best, symbolic.
I expect all of the above to remain unchanged for the duration of my lifetime.
none of which means I will stop. because symbols, after all, are important. once the actual freedoms they symbolize are removed, rendered meaningless, or both, they symbolisim is all you have left.
thank you and good night.
Well Rich, I think you have it exactly right, AND three years ahead of me. The only difference is that I may well stop.
You could also talk people as well as the birds. There may also be room for you in your local representational government. Get to talk to a lot of people.
There may not be much to choose between the 2 political parties (same here in Australia), but when this is the case I think it is a good idea to keep CHANGING them … at least they can’t get quite so complacent.
Anyway, if you DON’T vote for the Democrats, what will happen?
Do you know what I think is the major problem though … most of us think we’ve done our ‘democratic duty’ simply by voting. In between elections we sit back and leave it to the politicians. There have been occasions – in this country at least – when force of public opinion (ie when enough people get off their butts and EXPRESS their opinion) has actually brought about a change in policy.
If I don’t vote for the Democrats, nothing will change. After all, I DID vote for the Democrats, and nothing has changed.
It lowers the blood pressure tremendously to realize that news media are businesses whose aim is to make a profit; it is not the purpose of news media to either tell the truth, or to tell the news that humans really need to hear (apparently no-one in the US had heard of global warming until Al Gore made a movie about it). News media make money by selling audiences to their customers (the advertisers). People (? Ok, let’s give them the benefit of the doubt) who propagate hate and dishonest debate on TV are not hounded from their positions in shame but instead given hefty bonuses because they do their job – make sure viewers’ eyeballs are watching the screen when the customers’ commercials are shown. C’mon, guys, Andy Kaufman figured out what TV was all about long ago!
I like your analysis. Apparently virtually no one in the progressive blogosphere has ever considered these obvious truths, however. Amazing…
Support for the idea that it doesn’t really make any difference which party one votes for.
And another perspective on the same phenomenon.
Of *course* they haven’t – they’re in the same damn game!
I know, but I think a lot of them don’t realize it.
I think here are any number of promising bills circulating at the NM Legislature, including ending the death penalty, medical marijuana, an impeachment of Bush and Cheney resolution, domestic partnership rights, health insurance for domestic partners, minimum wage raise and many others. Many even have a good chance of passing, especially since this year there are more citizen lobbyists than ever before putting the pressure on, in person. It can be very effective to look them in the eyes and speak truth.
I think the trick is to pick and choose your battles. I think talking about “The Democrats” is rather broad brush. Of course there are many awful, cowardly, crooked Dems but there are some who are wonderful, caring and hard working, especially at the local and state levels. And, to me, it’s always worth it to make things less awful with even small accomplishments, like working to get more money for nature preserves, national parks, open space.
Even if the world as we know it goes down the tubes and Big Change happens to create a new paradigm, it still counts that people banded together to make things a bit more easier for their fellow humans or to save and nourish a patch of nature.
At least that’s what keeps me going. Oh, and it makes me less likely to feel like I want to pull my hair out. And you meet some very cool people in the grassroots. Maybe we’ll be able to use that network to help keep one another alive when the big shit hits the fan…
Right on all counts, Barb. We have some interesting thinkers in this state, too.
The main thing with me is that I just can’t tolerate the House and Senate “leadership” on the bloody war. Their timidity is inexcusable, immoral, and pathetic. You could even say treasonous, since they swore to protect the Constitution and aren’t doing it. This is overwhelming. Everything else is just lips flapping in the wind.
I know, I know. Without me and my insights, you’d probably be resorting to reading, I dunno, Chomsky or something.
I don’t read nearly enough of anything that’s worthy. It’s a goddamn scandal.
I’ve learned a lot from these comments. No, seriously. In the midst of some fine new thoughts here.
You’re an artist; you need clarity and space. On the other hand, from the pictures of your old adobe home that you’ve shared with us, and your posts about life with your wife and without her — bless the both of you — I know that you’re also someone who’d be handy to have at a barn-raising.
There’s no shame in being a Democrat, if you do what you can, and contest what needs to be contested. We sure as hell don’t need to watch TV to be citizens.
No, no shame at all. You’re perfectly right.
The attitudes I express in this post are mostly a reflection over what I first perceived to be rolling over on the war, but which I now realize is a commonality of interest between the two parties. And THAT is such a huge, huge moral & strategic failure — for what it means for this country and the world — that I can’t get past it emotionally.
I certainly agree with you about our Congressional “leaders.” They mostly lead the way to more campaign contributions for themselves from some of the nastiest forces on the planet.
When I need a respite from the political blogs and political buzz, I love to visit here for what’s often a lovely, thought-provoking, beauty-filled respite. We need that as much or more than we need political activism!