Watching US politics is like watching Evel Knievel attempt a stunt, you know there is a crash coming. Actually, that is an exaggeration that paints Knievel in a bad light, as out of 168 jumps, he only crashed on 19 of the attempts. When it comes to US politics these days, it is a near certainty.
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.
Eleanor Roosevelt
As I was saying to @azircon the other day, it would be nice if politics was about policies, rather than personalities. Alas, we live in a world of the attention economy, and the only way to grab the attention of the masses, is through interpersonal drama, because let's face it, most people are average. But because of culture that has focused so intently on the desires of individuals where people are comfortable sharing a stream of selfies in the hope to get rated by strangers, we now have small minds on average.
The conversation shouldn't be about Trump or Harris, it should be about the government and what is required of it to take the country forward. The face of the government is irrelevant, whereas the policies the government creates and affect people in the country, are very relevant. Any democratic government is not bad or good, but rather a representation of the understanding, behaviors and beliefs of the people. But again, in a world where the desires of the individual are the most important thing to a voter, what kind of government is built?
In the final analysis, a democratic government represents the sum total of the courage and the integrity of its individuals. It cannot be better than they are.
Eleanor Roosevelt
It cannot be better than they are.
That is something I have believed in a long time before hearing the quote. But, I also believe a government can be worse than the people it governs. And in such systems, to maintain power, the government will undermine the courage and integrity of its citizens to bring them down to their level, to condition them to be unable to rise up against the power that controls them.
I believe that democracy is based on the ability to make democracy serve the good of the majority of the people. If it can’t do that, then it should not survive.
Eleanor Roosevelt
"Should not" survive, not cannot survive. There is a difference. In another time in history, the politicians of today would not survive. But, in this strange culture we have created and keep perpetuating as we focus on celebrity rather than strategy, the worst of our behaviors have increased odds to rise to the surface, to take control, to be our face, even if we believe ourselves to be something altogether different. Belief is not reality.
Are you a good person?
When will our consciences grow so tender that we will act to prevent human misery rather than avenge it?
Eleanor Roosevelt
How do you stack up to the groups of people you despise in your country? I am not talking about the worst of them, I am talking about the best of them. If you are comparing yourself to the worst, what does that tell about your standards? The average mind looks a genius next to that of an idiot, but a fool next to that of a true genius.
No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.
Eleanor Roosevelt
So much of the decisions people made is about revenge over someone or group due to some perceived slight, whether real or imagined. It is about getting back at, scoring a point over, teaching a lesson to - instead of understanding how to be better, and then being it. If we are the sum of our behaviors, and we haven't spent time reflecting on our own thoughts, words and actions, what does that tell about our judgement? Are we qualified and justified? Anyone can have an opinion, that doesn't make it valuable. Except, in the world we have created, it is. An opinion. Any opinion. No matter if it is nonsensical or harmful, could find a platform and garner an audience, so as to influence them into thinking similarly, speaking similarly, acting similarly.
Like sheep.
Our obligation to the world is, primarily, an obligation to our own future.
Eleanor Roosevelt
Our own future is irrelevant, because we have misunderstood teachings that have been taught for thousands of years, that life is in the now. We have made an error in our evaluation and have taken it to mean that we should only do what makes us happy now, or avoids unhappiness now. When in actual fact, what it means is that we live in a stream of nows, and if we want future nows to be better than present nows, we have to act now.
- Ideas
- Events
- People
Which do you consume. Which do you think about. Which do you discuss. Which do you act upon.
Taraz
[ Gen1: Hive ]
I do think a big part of the problem in the US is the 2 party system. It SHOULD be about policy, but when there is only two parties that are diametrically opposed - it doesn't come down to policy or personally, it comes down to tradition.
Trump is interesting because he's motivated a ton of people who were never interested in politics - but he's also driven away a lot of people who had always voted Republican. Now so many people are torn because they feel like they'll betray their family tradition and community if they don't vote for him, but they don't like him.
In the US, people's politics are part of their identity which means they'll keep voting against their best interests (ie, Trumps tariffs would devastate many rural communities) - and so politicians don't need to look after their constituents because they'll get the votes anyway.
My prediction is:
It's not as close as the polls suggest, because polling more of an art than a science and the polls tried to accommodate for the "Trump effect" but he's not the novelty he was in 2016.
Not very "democratic" when there is a false dichotomy, is it?
(worth a post)
I know it is over now, but it was likely always trump, because when the media says "it's close" it means the democrats are trailing badly. Trump voters vote - I wonder how many of the celebrity opinion followers did?
Yeah, obviously not enough.
I'm definitely worried about what will happen next in regards to Climate, Tariffs, Europe, Middle East and China - but I'll guess we'll have to see what happens. I can only control what I can control.
It is obvious that he and she are stage actors, and they won't rule the country as well as the world; but those who beyond them will do it.
They are all actors these days, without much acting ability. We are just not very demanding.
People back then were so wise and level headed. It's sad what we have devolved to.
I think it is because they had to do more for themselves, face more for themselves, and overcome more for themselves - they realized things are easier with other people.
Yeah, that is probably the case.
Eleanor was a pretty smart woman and served well as first lady. Back then I think folks had alot more respect for the office, no matter who held it. These days, the office is disrespected by half of our citizens and 90% of the rest of the world.
I detest election years and this one has been more painful than ever. I am always so happy when it's all said and done.
The rest of the world just looks on in with wonder at what a mess it is.
It seems the US is always in an election. 4 years between presidents, two years between the senate or whatever. When is anything done? In Finland, the election cycle is about two months in total.
Here's a few policies for Christmas Eve voters (who, of course, will not be listening to this or to Bill Maher):
Who do you think will win, and what does it say if Trump does win?
I think Trump will win, simply because the majority is not very intelligent. I think the "Idiocracy" movie is here. I did cast my vote for Kamala, not that it would matter as Washington is always goes democratic. But where it will matter is all the cleverly worded republican initiatives in WA that actually would make life of Washingtonians worse I am afraid one or more of those might pass so I voted them all down.
My friend just came back from a trip home to the states (Virginia) and he said by the looks of what he saw, Trump will win.
There is so much complication on matters that could be treated quite simply. And where there are complicated matters, nothing gets done.
What bothers me is that Trump has built his whole career on lies. He is a fake-TV show businessman who inherited hundreds of millions of dollars from his father and is now over 2 billion dollars in debt. Most of the things he says are not true and yet people believe him and think this person is like them where he was part of a fraction of 1% and is in fact nothing like them...
Yes, I agree. There's some kind of admiration based on a fantasy.
Virginia isn't the states. Small little population of 8 million old white people.
Go west, the farther west you go the more passports you'll see, less in-breeding, more education and resources.
I don't know who will win and I think it is a very interesting contest. American politics are skewed through the Electoral College and it seems, repeatedly, to come down to about 500-600 voters in one or other state, often Florida.
If Trump wins, it says a couple of things: on the one hand, there are some very wealthy people involved whose interests are being served. On the other hand, there are sections of the population who are embittered for one reason or another, and feel their prejudices are embodied and voiced by Trump, however irrationally or illogically. And it may say that he won because of those voters who abstained because they found themselves between a rock and a hard place. I can see why people would be disillusioned with politics.
But there is a whole machinery of governance at state and district level and it looks to me, from the limited amount I know, that there are many able and dedicated people working there. We may see opposition galvanised and coalescing where there are shared interests, moderating a Trump administration. There's more than one way to skin a cat.
In the UK, we have a Labour government with a huge majority, but also significant groupings in parliament left and right of the government. The left are already forming a coalition and I'm interested to see how this will play out.
Of course, we're just a small set of islands floating about in the North Sea and neither here nor there in the great scheme of things.
So accurate not just the US i tend to not talk about politics anymore cause its omplicated
Definitely not just the US - stupidity spreads fast with the technology we have.
Lolzzz if you think so
Throughout history, my friend @trazkp, I have observed how the people have been manipulated and led like sheep by those in power. Politicians, for the most part, seem to play their role as masterful deceivers, promising changes and improvements that rarely materialise. It is a sad reality that every people gets what it chooses, and many times, those choices are influenced by empty promises and well-crafted speeches. My position is clear: true freedom and progress will only be achieved when we stop being puppets of political interests.
Unfortunately, even though none of them are too good (my personal opinion), people has no choice other than choosing the best of them. A country like US deserved a much better person, who could not only think of taking the country forward but also contribute to the global peace and economy.
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I'd like to think my political morality is guided by issues, but this is just the illusion of choice once again. We've seen the will of the people subverted by the interests of big corporations too many times over the last two presidencies that it truly doesn't matter what side of the aisle they are on. All the politicians are beholden to the people paying their bills behind the scenes, the lobbyists and corporations they work for. If you don't have the money, it is hard to compete, despite the number of phone calls and letters you send to your local representatives. It will never have more sway than a phat check written off by whatever industry is trying to take more of your individual rights away. Fuck em all!
!PIZZA
$PIZZA slices delivered:
@danzocal(9/10) tipped @tarazkp
Watch this to lighten up :)
We tamed the inflation bitches!! :)
And achieved soft landing and yet no one talks about it! There is no inflation in the United States
Sweet.
I am watching now :)