I have failed to maintain my blog and for that I should be flogged. But today I am pissed. I mean moved to write. Did anyone see my FB post yesterday? I shared the insightful (and well established if little known) observations from the current MJ article: It's the Inequality Stupid. The folks at Mother Jones have started a Plutocracy Now series that's got me riled (I must remember the reason why I stopped subscribing - not good for the blood pressure!!!).
But okay, the MJ article showed up in Yahoo News as I was checking my email. And then this morning I'm reading Thomas Frank's piece in the February issue of Harpers called "Servile Disobedience" which addresses issues of class and the psychology of the very very rich and some characteristics they apparently lack like the ability to listen, read facial expressions or empathize. It is reminiscent of the diagnosis of the corporation as sociopath (for those of you who have yet to watch the documentary The Corporation, you must). Is it any wonder than that our society is so heartless? Those in charge lack the basic human ability - emotion - to care.
So it got me to thinking. Who am I to be? Crusading fighter for justice? Passionate advocate for peace and compassion? Cowed cog content in the lower ranks of the upper 10th? It gets harder and harder to resist clamp down on ignore the call of the soul.
Courage is the mantra for the new job. But courage to what? of what? My convictions? Which ones? To be a passionate advocate for my team? To be a voice for the people?
Is my self-interest best served by speaking truth or by ensuring my kids educational and economic future? And why does it have to be such a stark choice? Where is the third way? Do no harm and live your life empathetically (although not necessarily philanthropically in my case which seems a bit of the pot calling the kettle...)?
An educated citizenry is necessary to the just functioning of democracy so my choice is not faint. The education I want for my children is both to think and to earn. I am to doom them to my dilemma. (And in defense of my philanthropy, I do pay for the best in public education both in my taxes and through my support of public radio and magazines like Harpers & Rolling Stone which have one of the best political reports out there in MT). (And unlike the really really rich I have no options to hide my income).
I am angry and riled and cannot see the way no matter that I can see the true and authentic. We are being absolutely lied to by our media and in our education systems. We are economically threatened or marginalized if we speak or choose activism. Plutocrats - even those like George Soros still exist to serve themselves and their own. He cannot be playing a truly altruistic game can he?
So I am left with only my questions and my fears and my doubts. It sucks to be a liberal and a thinking person.
But okay, the MJ article showed up in Yahoo News as I was checking my email. And then this morning I'm reading Thomas Frank's piece in the February issue of Harpers called "Servile Disobedience" which addresses issues of class and the psychology of the very very rich and some characteristics they apparently lack like the ability to listen, read facial expressions or empathize. It is reminiscent of the diagnosis of the corporation as sociopath (for those of you who have yet to watch the documentary The Corporation, you must). Is it any wonder than that our society is so heartless? Those in charge lack the basic human ability - emotion - to care.
So it got me to thinking. Who am I to be? Crusading fighter for justice? Passionate advocate for peace and compassion? Cowed cog content in the lower ranks of the upper 10th? It gets harder and harder to resist clamp down on ignore the call of the soul.
Courage is the mantra for the new job. But courage to what? of what? My convictions? Which ones? To be a passionate advocate for my team? To be a voice for the people?
Is my self-interest best served by speaking truth or by ensuring my kids educational and economic future? And why does it have to be such a stark choice? Where is the third way? Do no harm and live your life empathetically (although not necessarily philanthropically in my case which seems a bit of the pot calling the kettle...)?
An educated citizenry is necessary to the just functioning of democracy so my choice is not faint. The education I want for my children is both to think and to earn. I am to doom them to my dilemma. (And in defense of my philanthropy, I do pay for the best in public education both in my taxes and through my support of public radio and magazines like Harpers & Rolling Stone which have one of the best political reports out there in MT). (And unlike the really really rich I have no options to hide my income).
I am angry and riled and cannot see the way no matter that I can see the true and authentic. We are being absolutely lied to by our media and in our education systems. We are economically threatened or marginalized if we speak or choose activism. Plutocrats - even those like George Soros still exist to serve themselves and their own. He cannot be playing a truly altruistic game can he?
So I am left with only my questions and my fears and my doubts. It sucks to be a liberal and a thinking person.
