I'm not entirely sure, but social media, Facebook, Twitter, and similar platforms may not be a good thing for society. In addition to increased connectivity and speed of information in the world, they have also contributed to a rise of tribalism never before seen. Not just in America as observed everyday on FB, and Twitter comments, but globally.
Before the internet and before the explosion of social media if you lived in a small town and were prejudiced against a skin color or sexual orientation, you didn't have a platform to connect globally with people who believed like you did. You might be able to find local friends who hated like you do, but you weren't able to reach out and re-enforce your beliefs with like minded people. You created local tribes.
And in your local tribes you probably didn't greet new people and expose your bigotry and hatred immediately. You had to suss out how they would receive it before you released your prejudice. There was a knowledge and a certain sense of shame. You knew what you believed was not socially acceptable. So you hid it only to reveal it when you knew you were safe among friends. When you did tell people your hate you bridled at "Political Correctness." What others might call civil society.
With Twitter and Facebook there is no shame. No acknowledgement you should be ashamed of your hate. Your hate is no longer a just local manifestation which found like minded bigots. You can join groups which share your small minded hate. You can partake in a echo chamber of re-enforcing belief where doubts you might be wrong never arise. No contrary thought you might be wrong is allowed. Anyone who points out you are _______ is ganged up on and shouted down. Bullies win by sheer numbers and do digital high fives in posts when the oppressed leave the field of battle.
You take great satisfaction from calling dissenters "Snowflakes." But when your world view is challenged you react like the snowflakes you make fun of. You say things digitally you would never dare utter at work. You would never dare bully and threaten someone if they were standing in front of you. Thru a keyboard bullies are invincible.
How many people have been in the news because they lost a job for hateful racists or misogynistic things on social media? It happens often. The people become national or worldwide pariahs in an instant of "retweets" or "shares." Their deeply held beliefs which they would have never shouted thru a bull horn in a crowd 25 years ago go around the world on a wave of electrons. They whine about their self inflicted plight with the excuse being, they were just exercising Free Speech.
In America you get to be as hateful as you want. If you deign to put it online you risk a backlash and all the repercussions which can happen. Apologies are hollow. "I'm sorry if anyone took offense." That puts the onus of offense on the person who was offended by your hateful speech, not you who said it. Silently you still think it. Salvaging your reputation is the goal.
In the current climate people are emboldened to speak vile things to the detriment of society as a whole. The coarsening of rhetoric diminishes humans and creates walls that stop us from understanding each other.
There are lots of self feeding tribes. Liberals, conservatives, vegans, hunters, all religions fighting over god. The shouting they do at each other keeps them from understanding each other.
Friday, June 23, 2017
Thursday, June 15, 2017
Everyday
Everyday I wake up and turn on the Today show and wonder what fucking outrage this horribly unqualified president will do.
And it happens everyday the first 15-20 minutes are spent on some scandal or bullshit tweet he has typed at 3 am.
Do you remember when the news everyday was not about the president being and idiot or the government doing something to destroy America?
Because everyday the GOP are actively working to destroy America. They are rolling back regulations for clean air and clean water. They are denying the earth is growing hotter and man is a big part of it. Do they have another planet to go to because as far as I know this is the only one we have. If we fuck it up the cockroaches are going to be the only ones left to live on it.That and rats.
Every fucking day I despair and rage that this can't be stopped. I've called my government more in past 5 months than I did in the previous decades.
Why is that? Because I never thought the government even under the horrible G W Bush was actively trying to destroy the country so they can give money to the rich.
Every person *45 has put into a cabinet job is unqualified or has a hatred of the thing they now oversee. Who does such a thing? An arsonist looking to burn the country down.
President Bannon has said he wants to destroy Washington. And he's doing a good job of it.
So everyday I fight. I call. I comment.
Because I love my country and an orange fool who never wanted the job is destroying it.
And it happens everyday the first 15-20 minutes are spent on some scandal or bullshit tweet he has typed at 3 am.
Do you remember when the news everyday was not about the president being and idiot or the government doing something to destroy America?
Because everyday the GOP are actively working to destroy America. They are rolling back regulations for clean air and clean water. They are denying the earth is growing hotter and man is a big part of it. Do they have another planet to go to because as far as I know this is the only one we have. If we fuck it up the cockroaches are going to be the only ones left to live on it.That and rats.
Every fucking day I despair and rage that this can't be stopped. I've called my government more in past 5 months than I did in the previous decades.
Why is that? Because I never thought the government even under the horrible G W Bush was actively trying to destroy the country so they can give money to the rich.
Every person *45 has put into a cabinet job is unqualified or has a hatred of the thing they now oversee. Who does such a thing? An arsonist looking to burn the country down.
President Bannon has said he wants to destroy Washington. And he's doing a good job of it.
So everyday I fight. I call. I comment.
Because I love my country and an orange fool who never wanted the job is destroying it.
Sunday, April 2, 2017
Black cat update 2017
Yeah. I still haven't had much to say in this blog.
The government is a shitstorm because of the GOP and drumpf. It's 70 odd days into his presidency and the only thing I can really tell is he hates the job. Fucking despises it. Wants to be playing golf. On the campaign trail he said many times it wasn't fun and he could easily be doing something a lot more fun. Being peed on by Russian hookers maybe.
He should quit.
But the little black cat has been coming around pretty regularly. Don't know where he was fed, but he's still alive. I went to England for 2 weeks. He was waiting when I got back.
So I'll feed this little freeloader. It's a very casual relationship. He uses me for food and gives no affection in return.
I let him.
The government is a shitstorm because of the GOP and drumpf. It's 70 odd days into his presidency and the only thing I can really tell is he hates the job. Fucking despises it. Wants to be playing golf. On the campaign trail he said many times it wasn't fun and he could easily be doing something a lot more fun. Being peed on by Russian hookers maybe.
He should quit.
But the little black cat has been coming around pretty regularly. Don't know where he was fed, but he's still alive. I went to England for 2 weeks. He was waiting when I got back.
So I'll feed this little freeloader. It's a very casual relationship. He uses me for food and gives no affection in return.
I let him.
Friday, January 20, 2017
Today America Died
What we once knew as a progressive forward thinking nation died.
The lockdown of information and the rolling back of good things government can do have already started.
It's going to be a long 4 years.
The lockdown of information and the rolling back of good things government can do have already started.
It's going to be a long 4 years.
Friday, December 16, 2016
Little Black Cat Update
Yes. I've not been posting since July. I've been busy. or not busy or I had nothing to say or I had too much to say.
There has been just so much fucked up shit going on in the country and the world I was too disheartened to post funny or scathing rants about drumpf, or the grabbers of pussy party, or Syrian war or the thought that there could be world war 3 because of a tiny handed baby twittering in the White House.
It's all so horrible.
So I'll give you an update on the feral cat I've been feeding for about a year.
He fucked off.
Granted, I was just the human sap who was feeding him when he would show up at my door, but since about mid September he's only shown up twice. I kept going to the kitchen door many times in about a 3 hour period from 4-7 pm looking to see if he was stoically waiting for me. He never meowed. Feral cats don't do that I guess. But he would stand like a statue and then move away as I came out with a dish of wet cat food.
But it became weeks since I'd seen him. I rarely ever saw him in the neighborhood in the daytime, he was that elusive. After about a month I stopped worrying about him. I'd maybe open the kitchen door a couple times in that block of time. But since it's now cold I didn't leave the door open and look for him to come to the screen door like a shadow to wait for food.
I gave up. He was either dead or had found another source of food.
Then before thanksgiving the cat shows up at the door. I still had several cans of food, but you ungrateful little fuck, you could have called to tell me you were alive! Sent a text or something. I gave him the food because I'm not a monster, but I gave it to him ironically.
Then last week I look out my kitchen window and he's laying in the front yard and occassionally looking at the window nonchalantly. Fuck you, cat. You think you can come expect a free meal after you go on a 3 week meth binge?
So I gave him food. Shit! I'm in an abusive relationship with a cat.
Haven't seen him since.
There has been just so much fucked up shit going on in the country and the world I was too disheartened to post funny or scathing rants about drumpf, or the grabbers of pussy party, or Syrian war or the thought that there could be world war 3 because of a tiny handed baby twittering in the White House.
It's all so horrible.
So I'll give you an update on the feral cat I've been feeding for about a year.
He fucked off.
Granted, I was just the human sap who was feeding him when he would show up at my door, but since about mid September he's only shown up twice. I kept going to the kitchen door many times in about a 3 hour period from 4-7 pm looking to see if he was stoically waiting for me. He never meowed. Feral cats don't do that I guess. But he would stand like a statue and then move away as I came out with a dish of wet cat food.
But it became weeks since I'd seen him. I rarely ever saw him in the neighborhood in the daytime, he was that elusive. After about a month I stopped worrying about him. I'd maybe open the kitchen door a couple times in that block of time. But since it's now cold I didn't leave the door open and look for him to come to the screen door like a shadow to wait for food.
I gave up. He was either dead or had found another source of food.
Then before thanksgiving the cat shows up at the door. I still had several cans of food, but you ungrateful little fuck, you could have called to tell me you were alive! Sent a text or something. I gave him the food because I'm not a monster, but I gave it to him ironically.
Then last week I look out my kitchen window and he's laying in the front yard and occassionally looking at the window nonchalantly. Fuck you, cat. You think you can come expect a free meal after you go on a 3 week meth binge?
So I gave him food. Shit! I'm in an abusive relationship with a cat.
Haven't seen him since.
Thursday, July 28, 2016
Fat
I got the chance to hang out with a couple last week for an extended period of time. I was around in those private personal moments where there was seemingly innocent interactions which could really hurt deep down.
The guy was putting on a costume and said, "I'm fat." Now I hadn't seen him in a year or more and he was thicker around the waist as is common in relationships when there's regular sex and good food. People get comfortable. His girlfriend replied, in a sing song reassuring voice, "You're not getting fat."
His statement is something I learned in an acting class a long time ago. You, or a character, will say certain things so there can be a contradictory reply; a reassuring response to the "I'm Fat." comment. People say things like that so they ARE contradicted with a soothing response. Because if someone agreed with them that, "Yes, you have put on some pounds." Feelings are going to be hurt. Or a reply of, "Go to the gym." is just as mean. You are fishing for, "No, you aren't fat."
These little lies keep society and relationships going.
I was walking down the street and 2 men were walking toward me. I heard one of them say, "Tomorrow I'm going to start going to the gym." This caught my attention. I almost blurted out, "No, you're not." Because how many times has that sentence been uttered? Billions probably. And how many people get their ass to the gym? Like every New Year's Resolution, "I'm going to join a gym and lose weight." A valiant statement, but by the end of February most gyms go back to the normal attendance.
It's easy to be fat. It's hard to actually do something about it.
Move more. Eat less.
The guy was putting on a costume and said, "I'm fat." Now I hadn't seen him in a year or more and he was thicker around the waist as is common in relationships when there's regular sex and good food. People get comfortable. His girlfriend replied, in a sing song reassuring voice, "You're not getting fat."
His statement is something I learned in an acting class a long time ago. You, or a character, will say certain things so there can be a contradictory reply; a reassuring response to the "I'm Fat." comment. People say things like that so they ARE contradicted with a soothing response. Because if someone agreed with them that, "Yes, you have put on some pounds." Feelings are going to be hurt. Or a reply of, "Go to the gym." is just as mean. You are fishing for, "No, you aren't fat."
These little lies keep society and relationships going.
I was walking down the street and 2 men were walking toward me. I heard one of them say, "Tomorrow I'm going to start going to the gym." This caught my attention. I almost blurted out, "No, you're not." Because how many times has that sentence been uttered? Billions probably. And how many people get their ass to the gym? Like every New Year's Resolution, "I'm going to join a gym and lose weight." A valiant statement, but by the end of February most gyms go back to the normal attendance.
It's easy to be fat. It's hard to actually do something about it.
Move more. Eat less.
Friday, July 8, 2016
Not A Typical Thursday
5 police were murdered in Dallas yesterday. 7 more were wounded. 2 civilians were also wounded by a domestic terrorist. I'm not going to type his name. Because, fuck that guy.
The news was originally saying there were multiple shooters and had a picture of a guy with a rifle attending the rally. They said he was a person of interest. In Dallas, open carry is legal. Which is weird. What does the guy carrying a gun around gain? Safety? Or does he just scare the shit out of everyone who sees him with a rifle? Because If I see a stranger openly brandishing a gun, I'm going to probably get away from them. I don't know them or their intent. I'm not going to assume he's a good guy with a gun. The police found him and questioned him. He said the rifle he was carrying around was unloaded. Really? Then why are you carrying it around? You just like the freaked out looks people give you when you are walking around with a gun? Can't save the day with an empty weapon, Rambo. What's your motivation? Couldn't legally walk around with your cock out so the gun is a substitute?
But I digress.
The shooter was pissed off about the police shootings this week of 2 black men. So he went to kill cops. When he was confronted in a parking garage the Dallas Police Department talked to him for hours and hours. He said he wanted to kill white cops and white people in general. They could tell he wasn't going to surrender. Rather than having a SWAT team put in harms way storming this guy, they had a robot roll in with a bomb. The bomb exploded and killed him.
This was the appropriate action. No one in the news has said it was the wrong thing to do. But also no one, not one person in the news, has said they were bothered by a robot delivering a bomb to blow some asshole up. I'm totally fine with the police blowing him up. He deserved it. He was evil. But I've never heard of police blowing someone up because it was the safest option. Merry Christmas, the robot has something for you. BOOM!!!
I'm glad he died, but I'm a bit vexed by the cops with bombs thing. Which would be an interesting movie title.
Cops with Bombs.
or maybe
Robot Cops with Bombs.
What a strange world we live in.
The news was originally saying there were multiple shooters and had a picture of a guy with a rifle attending the rally. They said he was a person of interest. In Dallas, open carry is legal. Which is weird. What does the guy carrying a gun around gain? Safety? Or does he just scare the shit out of everyone who sees him with a rifle? Because If I see a stranger openly brandishing a gun, I'm going to probably get away from them. I don't know them or their intent. I'm not going to assume he's a good guy with a gun. The police found him and questioned him. He said the rifle he was carrying around was unloaded. Really? Then why are you carrying it around? You just like the freaked out looks people give you when you are walking around with a gun? Can't save the day with an empty weapon, Rambo. What's your motivation? Couldn't legally walk around with your cock out so the gun is a substitute?
But I digress.
The shooter was pissed off about the police shootings this week of 2 black men. So he went to kill cops. When he was confronted in a parking garage the Dallas Police Department talked to him for hours and hours. He said he wanted to kill white cops and white people in general. They could tell he wasn't going to surrender. Rather than having a SWAT team put in harms way storming this guy, they had a robot roll in with a bomb. The bomb exploded and killed him.
This was the appropriate action. No one in the news has said it was the wrong thing to do. But also no one, not one person in the news, has said they were bothered by a robot delivering a bomb to blow some asshole up. I'm totally fine with the police blowing him up. He deserved it. He was evil. But I've never heard of police blowing someone up because it was the safest option. Merry Christmas, the robot has something for you. BOOM!!!
I'm glad he died, but I'm a bit vexed by the cops with bombs thing. Which would be an interesting movie title.
Cops with Bombs.
or maybe
Robot Cops with Bombs.
What a strange world we live in.
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