To paraphrase a great American work on the subject of American Politics: "Toto, we're not in Kansas anymore."
In my opinion, the most appropriate guide to what is going on today, south of the border is The Wizard of Oz. Toto, Dorothy's little dog, had the right impulse - to pull back the curtain on this spectacle. We are getting so distracted by a train of spectacle, but all along the important stuff is happening behind the curtain.
Rwanda isn't the U.S., but for weeks before the Rwandan Genocide, the radio in Rwanda broadcast a message in code over and over again. The message amounted to the de-humanisation of one ethnic group, calling them"cockroaches" and calling for their elimination. In the United States we are seeing a dangerous polarization between Trump supporters and everyone else. Trump, "The Great and Powerful Oz” is creating spectacle after spectacle; His followers are listening to him, not to the real press who are now "enemies of the state".
Trump started his campaign with the Birther Lie, then Mexicans, then Muslims. He's building a "Wall" , but it is like the Wizard’s curtain, one that hides one reality from another. The more this wall is internalized the more effective the de-humanization becomes.
Meanwhile, behind the curtain, America is being deconstructed - democracy, the social safety net, education, and scientific knowledge are being jackhammered out of existence by extremist Republicans.
In a post-truth world with alternative facts (to use today's most common cliché), it is increasingly difficult to understand anyone's game plan, even Donald's.
ReplyDeleteIs Donald a closet environmentalist? With climate change it would appear to be more difficult to grow crops to feed a large population, especially in the west, especially on a diet rich in beef! Perhaps, Donald's beef with immigrants is simply to put in place a mechanism to ensure that USA can feed all of its inhabitants, at the standard they are used to.
Is Donald a closet technologist? Perhaps he has begun to understand that he cannot create new jobs, and that Artificial Intelligence along with robotics, will be reducing them. Perhaps he is secretly using his time to invent a substitute for work!
Is Donald a closet socialist? Perhaps he is secretly plotting to implement a universal basic income (along with free universal medical care) so that the great rustbelt underemployed, can finally lead dignified lives.
Is Donald a closet person? Perhaps his narcissism is just a shell, soon to be replaced with real empathy.
Only his hairdresser knows for sure.
I think the "Wizard of Oz" had much more realism in it Brock. Remember the Tornado at the beginning.
ReplyDeleteI think one can draw a line between: Wizard of Oz - Swastika Night - 1984 - the 1984 Superbowl Apple MacIntosh ad - the Internet - V for Vendetta - Edward Snowdon. Yes, we can start with L. Frank Baum's Wizard of Oz, off the press 1900-05-17.
ReplyDeletePatricia's comment on being told the title of this post: "Does Charles mean that we are wandering along the yellow brick road without any sense of direction?"
ReplyDeleteWe have a sense of direction here. It is to stop Donald Trump from creating a fascist United States.
ReplyDeleteReflecting on a conversation with Alasdair about his reading of "Capitalism in the 21st Century" by Thomas Piketty and my own reading of "Utopia for Realists" by Rutger Bregman: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/feb/22/utopia-for-realists-and-how-we-can-get-there-by-rutger-bregman-review
ReplyDeletePerhaps the best thing that we can do in the current situation is to refuse to work and to spend. They both contribute to an elite profiting from us. An elite that is supporting and benefiting from Donald.
My interpretation of Alasdair's interpretation of Piketty's interpretation of an equitable economic distribution, is that labour should get about 2/3 of the pie, while capital should get about 1/3. Currently, a much larger share is going to contributors of capital. There is no economic reason for this. They have simply used their economic and political power to obtain it.
In this spirit, I would say that we have to start making, sharing and consuming entertainment, including music, artwork, video and texts. This should come under the broad category of having fun, and enjoying life. Similarly, we should be growing more food to share with people.