Who are these people on television? Every station has at least one fellow whose job it is to tell me what to think. They like to tell America what the 'Heartland thinks'. They don't know. They're all fat Manhattanites for all I know. They don't know what I think; don't know what America thinks. Where did they get their education?
Where did they get answers?
I listened to Air America's first broadcast. Liberal radio. It was terrible. I won't listen again. It was everything that is bad about FOX News, et al, but on the left. I like: opinions, discussion. I don't like: arguments, screaming over other people's opinions.
So I started looking at these blogs. I kept hearing how the future of American politics is on-line. 'Next Publius a blogger' read the headline. There are a lot of people. A lot of opinions. Have some myself. Decided to write them all down; lost courage at last minute because, in the end, I don't know. Anyone who tells you they know is wrong. There are a million, billion, umpteen berdillion people with political blogs. I've read them all. Who are these people?
Where did they get answers?
When I was in college I screamed a lot. When people disagreed, and were wrong, I screamed. I got into fights a few times about politics, and philosophy. But it was different then; we were all drunk, and dumb. Back then, it was US who were screaming. We weren't on television. We weren't the policy makers. We were just young, and angry; and we screamed. No one was listening. I wish someone had been minding the store; no one was, and now I think maybe we're in charge.
I see it all the time. On television. At the grocery store. On bumper stickers, even. My girlfriend and I disagree, and before we know it, I'm fighting myself not to yell and scream. She is, too. I see people at the store, on the highway, at the Post Office screaming; pissing and moaning. Because they can't get their way, or because someone disagrees with them. Who are these people?
Where did they get all the answers?
I wonder if we don't know how to communicate anymore without yelling. I wonder if we forgot how to solve problems, and all we know how to do anymore is yell and scream. Springertainment. Maybe the problems are more confusing, though. Maybe it's not us that are weaker, or angrier, or any of that. Maybe our problems have gotten so confusing there are no right answers, and the winner is the one who screams most loudly. I don't think so. I think we've changed; we're no longer the same people our parents were, or our grandparents. We're different. We have to change.
I don't know. I'm done screaming, though.