Before I go on with this short history, let me make a general observation– the test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function.It is possible and even desirable to simultaneously understand both Sanders and Trump: they both represent disaffection. If you cannot understand modern American disaffected politics, you really need to get out of your bubble. Get out of your DC-loving bubble.
One should, for example, be able to see that things are hopeless and yet be determined to make them otherwise. This philosophy fitted on to my early adult life, when I saw the improbable, the implausible, often the 'impossible,' come true.
~ F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Crack-Up*
I noticed something funny happening in Washington, DC, about five years ago when I traveled there. I wrote a bizarre blog post about it back here. It was the physical reversion I noticed -- not the progression.
I'll hold the notion that something can be both progressive and regressive for a while now and see what happens. More tension I suppose.
_____________
*h/t: rcommal for reminding me of the Fitzgerald quote.
19 comments:
My son convinced me to get up at 3:30 AM PST to watch a rocket launch, supposedly visible throughout Southern California.
Well, let's wait a second here shall we? Sanders and Trump won NH both by a substantial amount. They both hover lost Iowa, by fairly insignificant amounts. If they both win SC handily again, then this should put the nail in the coffin of Hillary and prompt Joe to get in and for Trump, it should readily knock Rubio, Rubio, Cristi, and Fiorina out. Now, I'm simply speculating, but it is glaringly obvious that Kassich and Cruz are now going to join the circular firing squad with Trump. If Joe does get in, he'll begin attacking Sanders socialism immediately because he's the more moderate Democrat. However, there may be a wholesale rejection of Biden if people perceive that he's just a filler for The Harpy. The winds of a 3rd party run in the form of Doucheberg have been sounding. I can't speculate on him because he's just a shithead.
I guess the question is, how many Sanders' supporters would leave and vote for Biden, or anyone else? I'd say none.
chickelit- Never understood Fitzgerald as a writer, (I've wondered where is the last chapter of Gatsby- cause the novel just stops- it does NOT have an ending.) but the quote is spot on.
I was mystified by the Hope and Change of the last 8 years- I looked at my fellow americans and wondered if they actually were buying this crap, or was it all fake and they knew it was fake.
But disaffected is a great way to describe it. Why is voter turnout so low? Cause there is no candidate/party that people believe actually represents them. I totally see the Sanders/Trump convergence- their supporters seem like the same people to me.
Great post Chick. Thanks.
This is the essence of my brief encounter with Santa Clause that I told you about. It's always a bit dismaying when someone you admire says something that reveals childish attitudes. But then, he IS Santa Clause. At least looks like him exactly except even more authentic.
He told me he couldn't understand the hypocricy of conservative evangelicals who go for Trump. How can pro lifers possibly endorse Trump? That single thing caused confusion in Santa Clause's mind. That is where Santa Clause stops thinking and stays confused and relates conversationally this stopping blockage.
"Well, It's the result of human's ability to hold conflicting values in mind. It's possible to advance by weighing conflicting values. To adapt. And to act."
[Chameleon: David Bowie said that tag confuses and amuses him. The creatures expend a good deal of energy disguising themselves to fit in and not be seen to predators and prey. It's amusing having the term applied to David Bowie.]
Distressing to me because Santa Clause's blockage is based on trite and wrong generalizations that go conveniently unexamined. And inconveniently for him too, he was talking about moving to Canada when Trump is elected president. From what he knows, as St. Reagan del Cielo said, knows so much about so precious little and all of it wrong, to the point of very inconveniently moving to another country based on what he knows that he knows and all of it's childishly tritely wrong.
The disaffection is real enough to manifest in both parties and yet it's only exacerbated? made stronger by the seemingly middle finger inattention of the governing entities.
In other times, POTUS, in this case Obama, would be making a speech saying I hear you and I'm going to change direction.
Nothing like that can be expected from this president... ergo the disaffection.
The "impossible" is about to come true. President Trump! And don't be a sophisticate and see this as only a manifestation of "disaffection." Trump is The People's choice. Patriotism never went away....to the horror of The Establishment, both wings.
You know who else got elected due to widespread disaffection?
Hey bags, it's too early to play the Hitler card. That's the desperation play after South Carolina ha ha ha.
Hitler isn't the only one. The dynamic in play here is almost always catastrophic. Imagine if you were there at the time. What would you be saying?
It's not that Trump is anything like a Hitler, it's that the support is equally unexamined and unmeasured. People are already adopting the Obama "I won" mindset just because he's winning. There are thrills going up legs, and I'm looking on my calendar for the holiday when David Brooks is supposed to come out of his hole and see Trump's pants crease.
I predict an Armani break.
deb - nice!
South Carolina:
Republicans:
1 and 2. Trump and Cruz
3. Remaining establishment rabble and Carson
Kasich and Carson drop out. Bush and Rubio backers start to flag.
Interesting scenario: Trump becomes the default establishment candidate. Overtures have already been made. A willingness to deal has already been indicated.
Democrats:
1. Sanders
2. Clinton
Stories about Clinton health problems begin to abound.
I'm here all week :)
bagoh20 said...
Hitler isn't the only one. The dynamic in play here is almost always catastrophic. Imagine if you were there at the time. What would you be saying?
It's not that Trump is anything like a Hitler, it's that the support is equally unexamined and unmeasured. People are already adopting the Obama "I won" mindset just because he's winning. There are thrills going up legs, and I'm looking on my calendar for the holiday when David Brooks is supposed to come out of his hole and see Trump's pants crease.
Bag, you are way way off base on this Trump/Hitler comparative. The political and societal issues with Germany at that time are nothing like how they are here in the US now. Hitler set the Reichstag's on fire, nothing like that here. He set himself up as the sole reason to 'vote' for him. We don't have that system here. Germans of the time didn't have much choice. Hitler made a much more compelling argument for his ascension than Trump ever could. The problem here is that people are devoid of the actual historical context which is a real shame because the two are nothing alike. However, that doesn't stop people from making this comparison because it's easy and requires little intellectual thought.
Hell, I still remember the Bush equals Hitler and Cheney equals a fictitious bad guy name Darth Vader. The left loves doing this crap because like I said, it's cheap and it's intellectually lazy. So why are you doing it?
Well, on a further predictive note. It appears that Cristi and Fiorina are out. I suspect that if Rubio does shitty in SC then he'll have to call it quits too. He won't be able to maintain the money to go on. Kassich really surprised me here by the way.
Yes, if you're dissatisfied with the status quo, don't vote. Or, you could be unlike Germany, etc., etc., etc., and vote for FDR, like America did. But I guess it's harder to portray him as the sort of incarnate evil that Buckley's stepchildren have been trying to do for the last fifty years or so.
And BTW, was Churchill evil incarnate also, or just FDR? Maybe we should just suspend elections when times are tough.
Saw the rocket last night. It burned reddish for several seconds before jettisoning it's first stage and disappearing. Here's the mission was about.
Post a Comment