You Can't Make Me

In a year fraught with all kinds of news being spun mercilessly by the media, my lack of political and newsy interest is acute. All folks seem to want to talk about is the election and how vehemently "liberal/democratic" they are, or how excessively "conservative/republican" are their beliefs. And, not only do they want to publicize their own beliefs, but feel it is necessary to stringently condemn those who do not share their beliefs. I don't have a problem with reasonable stereotypes, because they spring from truth, what I DO have a problem with is pigeon-holing based on inflated stereotyping or conjecture. No one likes being flung in a box that just doesn't fit, and crammed into a belief system that is not reflective of years of contemplation and maturation.

Furthermore, how does it behoove us as "Americans" to continue to encourage separatist leanings using politics as a basis for division?? Demographics are already so factional that we feel we must refer to ourselves with an ethnic desciptor preceeding our true heritage as "Americans". Hmmmm, how does that address a basic and fundamental degradation of our society into fractious anti-social bands? On many levels I blame a mob-mentality, spinning media that hypes EVERYTHING so completely out of proportion that reality is left whimpering in the corner. Despite the fact that "reality" is merely a perception anyway and only a general sense of reality can be possible when involving humongous hordes of angry populace.

And where I'm really going with this is that I don't need the news/media to come into my home every day and clue me in as to the severity and frequency of the ugliness that is happening not only outside my very own door, but on a global level. Don't mistake me for being all "Ken Kesey and let's get on the love-bus together", but nor am I a doom-monger looking for any excuse to predict the end of all life as we know it. And maybe what I am really talking about here is my own shortcomings and doing a little transference.

All I know is that there is a pall hanging over our world which makes it hard to find the sunshine sometimes and wouldn't it be nice if we could all just TRY to get along???? Or at the very least not indiscrmminately malign eachother based on the whims of media producers and political poseurs??

***btw, rimmer, just what were you doing up at 3:45am????***