It's genius, really.
Build God, build government, build business in such a way as to allow the builders free reign.
By taking basic Judeo-Christian principles and bending them to allow for the rise of a mercenary cult of malignant narcissism; by seeding government with ideas and ideologues which seek to break the very machinery of government, once for the people but now held in full thrall of corporate interests; to create businesses which exploit resources and people, reaping profits from both yet refusing responsibility when trouble inevitably arises -- this is what comes when a nation no longer regards people as citizens but as consumers, shallow patriot-bots whose habits are consciously coordinated, whose futures are mined, whose hopes are manipulated and ultimately discarded.
A more godless, anarchistic and boondoggling assemblage of architects there has never been. And we watch and react and salute our befouled flag or spew our Two Minutes Hate and then go back to feeding ourselves to the beast. If Orwell or Roddenberry hadn't dramatized it we might never know it's happening.
It is the American Way and it is built solely upon a foundation of greed. Behold the grotesque spectacle as British Petroleum takes its sweet time assessing its losses while the oil industry's congressional catamites hem and haw, the media rakes in the eyeballs and the endorsements, and all the while our planet hemorrhages.
It's a beautiful thing. That is, if you have created a world in which greed, chaos and division are profitable.
Follow Steven Weber on Twitter: www.twitter.com/TheStevenWeber
a greedy and destructive human god.
Now the god has become cancerous,
slowly eating itself into oblivion.
Now we must open or eyes. After spending 30 years making the rich richer and everyone else poorer we have become a neighborhood bully, invading without provocation, torturing, incarcerating without charges, bombing innocents. We have accumulated 13 trillion dollars of government debt in service of nothing: illegal wars and tax cuts for the rich. We stand ready to abandon what few programs remain to help the needy of all ages. We send our industrial jobs overseas. We let people suffer for lack of jobs while the infrastructure decays. It is the decay of our soul, the death of American ideals. I pray the Boomers rediscover their youthful values and help lead us from this pit of greed and selfishness.
Since the tender age of 9, I have thought about how unsanctified and spiritually bankrupt America has become – of course, I didn't use those words back then – I was 9!
With the majority of Americans anestithised, and powerful corporations in charge, spirituality has been clubbed unconscious and hammered into a box buried in Rush's backyard.
The only time low-life roaches run is when you cast light on them. So "bloviating" on blogs or in the city commons is a valid and necessary part of being a compassionate human being. It's also the only hope that more people will start evaluating what they hold dear and perhaps relight the piolt light of their soul.
People aren't individuals. We're all part of statistics, profit calculations etc.
Once again, Web, an eloquently painted word picture. Thank you for bringing our nation's soiled & tawdry linens out into the light of day once again. If enough people start talking about it, perhaps this dirty laundry will finally get cleaned or be replaced!
...this is what comes when a nation no longer regards people as citizens but as consumers, shallow patriot-bots whose habits are consciously coordinated, whose futures are mined, whose hopes are manipulated and ultimately discarded.
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I've tried to comment on the consumer vs. citizen topic before, but was screened for including a direct link to a video from C-Span. So, if you care to, Google "c-span book tv cornered" to pull up a C-span link to a video with Barry Lynn. He discusses how Reagan successfully morphed our self-image as citizen into consumer. He ends on a hopeful note though, given how we are starting to recognize this phenomenon from various corners and sectors within our country.
- Tom
Steven is a very creative writer, and his style throws people sometimes.
At least susanino was polite in her post. Some posters, with an obvious conservative axe to grind, get really snarky with their comments concerning Steven's style, and it always backfires on them.
Representing the people of the United States? Is that what they've been doing?
Jeepers, Al, you coulda fooled me.
"Your voice needs to be heard by ALL Americans!"
I agree with that statement, but it seems to me the best way to get your voice compromised, bought and sold, or drowned out if you won't sell your soul, is to get elected to Congress.
I think I'd rather have Steven right where he's at. Free to speak the truth. There are far too few left who are speaking the truth these days.
Hey, if they make Barney Fwank a Committe Chairman, this guy will be running the place in no time!