I don't know how to change the ossified institutions, rotted by decades of corruption and amoral compromise...long before Trump's emergence.
Those with massive wealth have polluted our food, water, and air, while politicians fundraised. They've flooded media platforms with stochastic terrorism and endless propaganda.
We've normalized income inequality, white collar crime, global warming, political corruption, abortion bans, book bans, racism, xenophobia, and now fascism.
I don't know how this country can be saved when 40% believe in an alternative reality, and half of the remainder are too uninformed or apathetic to vote.
I struggle with the same questions you ask in this comment. A major part of why I write these essays is in hopes that someone will find them and will have cogent action items that I can pursue to affect change.
The 5% vs 25% stat made me want to vomit. I was aware. I have been shocked in the past by this subject. Thank you for the new jolt. We need it. We need to fix this.
And I have been railing for years that the "war on drugs" was a war on people and a gift to the crooks. And a big Xmas present to the companies that run prisons. What kind of society makes "caging people" a profit center? What kind of a society tortures people who are already tortured by addiction and mental illness?
Answer: a society that is run by Oligarchs.
Keep writing Pen. It's important stuff. Thanks again.
We can't convince or should we focus on the MAGA crazies (dumbed down puppets of the Federalist Society and the Oligarchs).
What we can do is convince the Independents (about 50% of eligible voters) that Democrats (as imperfect as we are) actually want an America where everyone has a shot at a good life and freedom from pompous religious neo-nazi zealots.
What we can do is work towards getting Gen Y and Z to the voting booths. They are bright and they were raised around diversity - race, origin, sexual preferences, sexual identity. None of that matters to them. They will respond to a party that recognizes the reality of science and the climate crisis.
Hey Bill - I agree wholeheartedly that we're wasting our time in trying to bring a sense of reason to the unreasonable. Getting out the right voters has to be enough to outdo the voter suppression AND I would add that every intelligent discussion with the - "I've just always voted republican " crowd is another chance at helping them see the light. When the non-frenzied stop seeing democrats as enemies but instead partners working to preserve democracy, we have a fighting chance of moving forward. I like the way you think.
Substack definitely fosters a sense of community, which is great. My problem is that it's so hard to take it all in, and still have the time to write. As a slow reader, I get to read about a third of what ends up in my inbox from substack - but too much good writing to read is a good problem to have.
I'm glad to have you in my neighborhood - keep on keepin on.
Pushing back, then encircling and finally constricting them until they are shoved back into the hole from which they emerged. That is what I feel is needed. Would a nice layer of concrete be to much?
I don't know how to change the ossified institutions, rotted by decades of corruption and amoral compromise...long before Trump's emergence.
Those with massive wealth have polluted our food, water, and air, while politicians fundraised. They've flooded media platforms with stochastic terrorism and endless propaganda.
We've normalized income inequality, white collar crime, global warming, political corruption, abortion bans, book bans, racism, xenophobia, and now fascism.
I don't know how this country can be saved when 40% believe in an alternative reality, and half of the remainder are too uninformed or apathetic to vote.
I struggle with the same questions you ask in this comment. A major part of why I write these essays is in hopes that someone will find them and will have cogent action items that I can pursue to affect change.
You have the nail on the head - we have normalized the levels of corruption and evil that are unthinkable.
"Ossified institutions" have been in the work of concentrating wealth since their inceptions - with very few exceptions.
The 5% vs 25% stat made me want to vomit. I was aware. I have been shocked in the past by this subject. Thank you for the new jolt. We need it. We need to fix this.
And I have been railing for years that the "war on drugs" was a war on people and a gift to the crooks. And a big Xmas present to the companies that run prisons. What kind of society makes "caging people" a profit center? What kind of a society tortures people who are already tortured by addiction and mental illness?
Answer: a society that is run by Oligarchs.
Keep writing Pen. It's important stuff. Thanks again.
Bill,
Thank you for the comment. You are right: profit-driven societies are cruel societies.
I agree with you Bill as do most of the people on Pen's website - but how do we convince the dumbed -down that they're undermining their own welfare?
We can't convince or should we focus on the MAGA crazies (dumbed down puppets of the Federalist Society and the Oligarchs).
What we can do is convince the Independents (about 50% of eligible voters) that Democrats (as imperfect as we are) actually want an America where everyone has a shot at a good life and freedom from pompous religious neo-nazi zealots.
What we can do is work towards getting Gen Y and Z to the voting booths. They are bright and they were raised around diversity - race, origin, sexual preferences, sexual identity. None of that matters to them. They will respond to a party that recognizes the reality of science and the climate crisis.
Hey Bill - I agree wholeheartedly that we're wasting our time in trying to bring a sense of reason to the unreasonable. Getting out the right voters has to be enough to outdo the voter suppression AND I would add that every intelligent discussion with the - "I've just always voted republican " crowd is another chance at helping them see the light. When the non-frenzied stop seeing democrats as enemies but instead partners working to preserve democracy, we have a fighting chance of moving forward. I like the way you think.
Thank you. Discussions like this are why I love substack. I have abandoned most social media. Debating whether to check out Threads.
Substack definitely fosters a sense of community, which is great. My problem is that it's so hard to take it all in, and still have the time to write. As a slow reader, I get to read about a third of what ends up in my inbox from substack - but too much good writing to read is a good problem to have.
I'm glad to have you in my neighborhood - keep on keepin on.
Interesting content, I will keep reading
I'm happy to hear that you find my essays interesting.
The overlords. The billionaires.
Pushing back, then encircling and finally constricting them until they are shoved back into the hole from which they emerged. That is what I feel is needed. Would a nice layer of concrete be to much?
The billionaire class, or the others?
There could never be too much concrete over that hole.