Tim, I share many of your indignations about an un-self-reliant and overentitled citizenry. These afflicted attitudes are unacceptable, yet they seem to burgeon and swell to the point where their numbers appear to have altered the common sense consensus for the worse, imho. Special interests and personal victimhood actually appear to have become the chic new banner of individual identity. "Consumer" has replaced "citizen" as a noun, suggesting we would much rather take than give to the society. Let's see, when was the last time you saw people marching for their responsibilities?! I strongly agree with your astute point about the confusion between the right to pursue happiness, wealth, etc. and the right to leave out the word "pursue". I do have one little bone to pick with you however. Your reference to "terminally whiny, guilt-ridden, delusional and other liberal, commie, pinko bed-wetters" sounds like a throwback that's equally knuckleheaded: self-serving name-calling of people who might disagree with you. Excuse me, but please do not use the word "liberal" intermingled with your torrent of reactionary invectives. First of all you have mis-identified the faulty attitudes as being liberal positions. The last time I checked they were not identified with any particular band in the political spectrum. As a liberal, I certainly can't hold them if I am in agreement with you! As long as we are discussing the delusional sense of entitlement - if anything conservative ideology has the embarrassing distinction of being attractive to many of those who got goodies and will do just about anything to keep them! If you happen to identify yourself as conservative [as opposed to liberal] and you have another opinion, you need only disagree with the position and can skip the ridicule and boneheaded remarks which only serve to undermine your own credibility and arguments. I've never understood why conservatives always seem to assume they have a corner on the market of patriotism. It just ain't true. And even more perplexing is the habit of many [self-identified] conservatives of unreflective moral sanctimony, as though having a particular political viewpoint entitled them to enjoy the better graces of the deity. Now that's a very strange leap of logic! Sorry to spoil the party, but those on the right don't have a monopoly on ethics, either, buddy. I have liked to identify myself with liberalism in the tradition of Thos. Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, Thos. Paine. These were hardly conservatives, my friend, even though many conservatives love to invoke their memory! If they were we'd still be drinking tea in the afternoon. I'm proud to have an ancestor who signed the Declaration of Independence and at least one who fought against the British in 1776. I do not care how they thought of themselves politically. I'm more impressed with their contributions than their political doctrine (although I do have opinions about the content of doctrine!). To me, courageously standing up for one's convictions, be it "progressive" or "conservative" is the essence of being patriotic. It's oh-so-easy to wave the flag when everyone around you is nodding his head in bovine approval! Doesn't that feel good! What's not easy is opposing entrenched and well-defended positions in possession of gobs of political resources pointed against you! I'm also impressed by the responsibility and maturity shown in how one's arguments are made. I'm particularly unimpressed by ad hominem flaming.
Ideas are "right" or "wrong", depending upon the dominant attitudes of the moment. Later, history puts things in perspective and can be clearer-headed about the subtleties and complexities. But even history has its revisionists! Your [all-too common] mistake is to attack the personhood of the individuals you disagree with, rather than maintaining the focus on their ideas, attitudes or behavior. And then it becomes all-too easy to demonize them. Not too far behind that come galloping some of the same objectionable behaviors and attitudes that you decried in the first place, but are now joined with your moral sanctimony and cognitive inflexibility. These are the true parents of fledgeling hypocrisy, imho. It is undeniable that in the face of maddeningly uncivil attitudes it's hard to maintain one's objectivity and composure, but that's just what is needed to successfully oppose them. Without that we are really no better and earn the right only to keep our opinions to ourselves.
In other words, Tim, you're right, but please try to keep an open mind! <g> SW |
