America's bickering is becoming boring
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Photo credit - REUTERS/Brian Snyder
Why think big? Small is so much easier.
As we take stock of 2021, the second year of a once-in-a-century pandemic was obviously a time of challenges: Relentless COVID-19, a delayed economic recovery, a whiff of inflation. Did we overcome with grace and grit?
Of course not! We aired grievances and called each other names and looked around for somebody to blame.
The America of 2021 is a nation of snowflakes and bickerers, easily offended and eager to take strong stands on things that barely matter. Scientists gave the world a remarkable gift this year: vaccines against a novel coronavirus that caused a pandemic, developed in record time. Some 38 million adult American have said: "No thanks, I’d rather take my chance with the virus."
For some vaccine refusers, science defiance is an existential mission, a thing that gives their lives purpose. They amass at protests and quit their jobs in solidarity with the virus, as if aligned with the great freedom fighters of history. At least eight states— including Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Iowa, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, and Utah — enacted laws or executive orders prohibiting schools from requiring students or teachers to wear masks. This is what was important in 2021: the freedom to infect.
Floods, fires, and tornadoes wrought unprecedented destruction this year, at least some of it likely fueled by global warming. But reducing carbon emissions might entail higher gasoline prices, so Congress has done little-to-nothing to address climate change. Politics over logic.
The nation is dotted with pockets of “patriots” who swallowed Donald Trump’s bait and stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, hoping to stop Joe Biden’s rightful election. Whoops. The government fought back and more than 700 of those marauders have now been arrested. Had these amateur anarchists tried to join the Continental Army after the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, some would have washed out and others probably would have gotten the boot of the army’s commanding general, George Washington. Jan. 6 proved, once again, that rugged individualism is an American marketing conceit and little more.
I got a lot of correspondence from Americans of all stripes in 2021, and right-wing Trumpers stood out for their petty spite and meanness. A public case in point: At a NASCAR race in Alabama in October, a bunch of Trumpers began chanting “F***Joe Biden,” even though Biden wasn’t there. Some listeners mistook the chant for “Let’s Go Brandon,” as if Trumpers at a NASCAR race would actually cheer the winning driver, Brandon Brown, when they could demean Biden instead. “Let’s Go Brandon” became a G-rated stand-in mantra for Trumpers’ most important priority in 2021.
Left-wing Bernie Sanders supporters can be nasty too, sending me plenty of "F*** you"s as redistributionists who think the corporatization of America justifies any type of crudeness. Many of those left wingers cite Sanders' ongoing call for a revolution, even though Sanders couldn’t persuade Democrats to back his vision of upheaval n the 2020 primary elections.
Many analysts worry that America is becoming anti-democratic, plutocratic, and economically uncompetitive. It’s also becoming boring, a massive family of Bickersons. No issue is too trivial to argue about. If we’ve beaten the matter to death, we’ll gleefully beat it to death some more. As social media has taught us: Never let big ideas stand in the way of a good rant or an epic takedown of the other guy. Stick with what you know instead of trying something new. Criticize rather than create.
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The America of 2021 is a nation of snowflakes and bickerers, easily offended and eager to take strong stands on things that barely matter. Scientists gave the world a remarkable gift this year: vaccines against a novel coronavirus that caused a pandemic, developed in record time. Some 38 million adult American have said: "No thanks, I’d rather take my chance with the virus."
Happy New Year everyone.
HAPPY NEW YEAR, SP!!! SAME TRUCK! "Howdy."
An added "dash" of unity on this New Year Day Celebration 2022.
For some vaccine refusers, science defiance is an existential mission, a thing that gives their lives purpose. They amass at protests and quit their jobs in solidarity with the virus, as if aligned with the great freedom fighters of history. At least eight states— including Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Iowa, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, and Utah — enacted laws or executive orders prohibiting schools from requiring students or teachers to wear masks. This is what was important in 2021: the freedom to infect.
A certain poster had the unmitigated gall to claim that anti vaxers avoid other people. If that were true, there would not be the surge in hospitalizations that there is now.
/s
Many analysts worry that America is becoming anti-democratic, plutocratic, and economically uncompetitive. It’s also becoming boring, a massive family of Bickersons. No issue is too trivial to argue about. If we’ve beaten the matter to death, we’ll gleefully beat it to death some more. As social media has taught us: Never let big ideas stand in the way of a good rant or an epic takedown of the other guy. Stick with what you know instead of trying something new. Criticize rather than create.
Evening Krishna...hmmm all of the above is not really unique to the US.
Take out your politicians names and parties and that is pretty well going on in every country.
We all have our ferals, anti vaxers, extremists, economic problems and anything else the world wants to gripe about...and don't get me started on politically correct drop kicks.
At the end of the day I pick and choose what interests me or concerns me and ignore the rest.
I look at it...if I can't change it, no good stressing over it and just get on with it...
Hope you have a Happy New Year and what ever comes in 2022...so be it... and we will face it...🐨🐨
Hi Shona1.
I think that's definitely true, And worldwide it currently seems worse than usual.
Although in the U.S. its seems to be worse than its been in a long time....
At the end of the day I pick and choose what interests me or concerns me and ignore the rest.
I've been doing the same thing. And I used to spend a lot of time watching the news on TV and online Both right wing sites as Fox News as well as leftist sites, mostly MSNBC. But now I take a quick glance at hadlindlines-- and usually move on pretty quickly as I am mostly interested in the details....
Good for you! (Although that does seem to be a fairly uncommon position on social media sites
.).
Your comment reminds me of a olde bit of wisdom:
Morning Krishna..have that saying stuck on my fridge...
Happy New Year...
I have this 'wisdom' on my bathroom wall (for nearly a decade now)! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
We shouldn't use too broad a brush, shona1, because as George Orwell said "All pigs are created equal, but some are more equal than others." And I might add, some pigs think of themselves as being more equal than others.
BRAVO KRISHNA FOR POSTING THIS SEED. Since I have been chastised for actually saying the same things, it's good to see that an intelligent American says what my opinion, being independent of the USA and its politicization and polarization, has been. Unfortunately America is ALSO populated with those who are criticized by this seed, and for certain they take issue with what was said.
Look no farther than this site to see evidence of mundane bickering. I took a couple months off to concentrate on other things and when I dipped my toe back in I witnessed some of the most petty semantic disputes I’ve ever seen here. Now there’s even a meta article to promote the concept of agreeing to disagree and move on. Maybe everyone should take a couple months off and get their head screwed back on right.
I did the same thing.
I wish it to be 'better' or "best" - but it takes EVERYBODY dropping the dumb 'patty.' Otherwise, what can we do about it? Lies, misinformation, delusion, and deception can NOT be allowed to rule center-court!!!
I've got a lot of problems with you people ..... now you're gonna hear about it.
- Frank Constanza
The author does a great job of being a hypocrite doesn't he? He bitches about everything/everyone he is against. Of course since he is against them, he is automatically correct.
The author is definitely a Brandon. I know he will appreciate that since he took time in his article to rant about it; and still couldn't get the story right.
This is one of my favorites from his article:
Lol .... a whiff of inflation? We haven't had a sustain period of high inflation like this for over three decades and he calls it a "whiff" of inflation? Eight straight months and counting is a whiff?
This guy is a moron, nothing new for a columnist like him ......
This guy is a moron, nothing new for a columnist like him .
Thank you for sharing!
Perhaps you are shopping in the wrong stores?
(Yes, there's some...but I think all these "The Sky is Falling" kerfuffles" are overdone).
Sorry but anyone who says they haven’t been experiencing major cost inflation of everyday items the last year or so is either lying or not paying very good attention but don’t worry. You’ll have plenty of time to notice this “kerfuffle” all this year. Because it ain’t going away any day soon.
Bank on it.
You must be much younger and spoiled by relatively low inflation rates since 1992, the exceptions being
2005 -2007 heading into the crash.
When I started working high inflation was normal.
US Inflation Rate by Year: 1929 - 2023 (thebalance.com)
Low inflation usually means crappy economy and wage stagnation
Since the 2008 crash the Fed has tried to regulate the rate to 2.2% which just has some of us spolied.
People just need to relearn fiscal responsibility and accommodate normal economic changes.
Lol ... spoiled?
People are spoiled becasue they don't want inflation cutting deeply into their buying power?
Buck up citizens, inflation is outpacing your wage increases but don't be a bad citizen and complain. Just buy Ramen instead of steak ......
That said, i agree that the Fed has done way too much over the last decade or so to keep rates down. All the bailouts and quantitative easing is going to be a bitch when it comes due but what do you care right?
You'll probably be dead and only your kids and/or grandkids will have to pay the bill when it comes due.
For all of your know it all partisan swagger & BS,
you do realize that we are all in this together right?
Neither of us personally ran up the debt during WWII either but we helped pay it off.
Right back at you.
This is still the best place in the world to live and these things
(inflation/deflation, increase/decrease in property values etc )
are the cost.
Have a happy & prosperous 2022
I just have to say it. Change (progress) can be good and costly at times. But, costly alone is no reason to not engage in sacrificially moving forward and upward! Your 'argument' for 'doing nothing' (ever) to benefit society as a whole is just plain wrongheaded (and a talking point). You might say to me that it is not what you 'say' -it is at the core of your messaging, nevertheless.
Amazingly astute! Head of the Class!
Of course, sometimes this country will be faced with 'spending (lots of) money to make (lots of) money' - even across generations. Being 'thrifty' relative to world class can only lift a nation so high. Yes! Risk is a factor for new ideas and concepts, but it is the way people develop and achieve new industries and only our federal government systems can direct us properly in this important regard!
STELLAR commenting.
Happy and Prosperous 2022.
A statement that I believe many who live in other countries will say about their own countries as well. For example, I think Canada is the best place in the world to live.
Lol .... partisan swagger and BS? Look in the the mirror if you really want to see that friend. Look in the mirror.
The difference between you and I is I’m fighting for the future generations. And I’ll never stop fighting. Trying to not leave them a can of shit. Liberals could care less about that as long as they get their “free shit” today and/or someone else pays for it.
So you have a hap hap happy new year as well. The first 11 months might be good for you but then you’ll be in for another bad dream ..... bad dream.
Thank you for being a "champion" of the soul d of the country. /s
Define: "Can of shit." - please proceed.
And don't talk about "free shit" as if you have Never-EVER received any BENEFITS in this country. Because if so, that would make you the odd 'one-out' indeed! After all, the recent storms tearing across the country is about to land a plethora of "free shit" for red-states emergency and otherwise usage.
WTF is a "Brandon"?
Nah.
They're just gonna declare an "impasse" (or whatever the latest politcally correct jargon is).
Not accepted in a Festivas for the rest of us.
The airing of grievances must happen so we can move on to the Festivas feats of strength.
Perhaps...???
from Linked In today
LOL, Great parody, and I say that as a person who would have found it exceptionally difficult, and asking to get stuck or have an accident if I didn't drive where I lived in Ontario, Canada, without changing to snow tires for the winter.
That reminds me of the snow tire chains still hanging in the garage in Philly.
My Mother won't part with them for some romantic reason,
but old studded snow tires were the first thing recycled.
In Ontario chains were outlawed because they chopped up the asphalt, and then I think studs were banned as well. The tires with the exaggerated treads did the job almost as well, but everyone had to be super careful on roads that were icy. One of the things that we learned about driving in winter is that when the roads are just wet, if it's a very cold day, the road on a bridge where the cold air circulates under it will be icy and not everyone realizes that they must slow right down before crossing a bridge in that weather condition.
It's all so like Mike Memoli explaining President Biden's agenda dry even! Boring. Get ready-get ready-get ready! Watching hard-cases reset, re-harden, and re-case for 2022! Disturbing.
It's all so like Mike Memoli explaining President Biden's agenda dry even!
You might be right!
That ship sailed a while ago
Happy New Year CB......
HAPPY 2022 NEW YEAR True American Pat!!! (Smile.)
Boring indeed.
Who will be the first to step up and put an end to the bickering, and self-destructive tribalism?
May we all heed the wake up call in this new year!
Happy New Year my friends!
On waking and sitting she will either thank him deeply or slap the taste of his mouth! (Chuckles.)
Well lying in that position for so long can't be doing her back any good...
HA!
Reminds me of this: