61) More Heaven for You

Don't cry, learn stuff. Also, Reddit, and a House Concert

Ugh, here we go.

Soooo. The election.

As a rule, I don’t express my political views on social media much. I don’t enjoy hearing from contrary viewpoints—not because I want to exist in a bubble—but because I have very little interest in opinions. I have a lot of interest in history, theory and analysis from informed and educated academics and experts who devote their entire careers to political discourse. I prefer to research, read and educate myself, and give equal attention to counter arguments opposed to my views. It takes a lot of time and effort to do so and I tend to be skeptical that the average person has done the same. Pushing back on sources and proof rarely convinces me their knowledge was hard won and gathered rather than spoon fed by an echo chamber.

I’ve never had a political discussion with anyone—friend or internet stranger—that changed either person’s mind.

A complete and thorough deep dive is difficult for anyone and nearly impossible for a lazy mind. It’s easier to cherrypick narratives that validate a story the way one wishes it to be told. It’s easier to assume someone else has done the research and decide they are right because it appeases one’s own views.

I’m not unbiased, but I’m certainly not brainwashed or indoctrinated. I want to find a legitimate, reasonable case that makes me question what I believe. I want to have to dig deeper and further to support what I think is right.

What I think is right is very simple: Pay your fair share. Take care of those less fortunate. ¹ At the very worst, tolerate human differences—ideally, accept, appreciate and celebrate them. Don’t fuck up shit that’s not yours to fuck up.² Last but not least, don’t force your religious beliefs on others. ³

That’s it. That’s my world view. (see footnotes)

As it is, my world view is more closely aligned with liberal policy than conservative. My problems with conservative doctrine goes far beyond 21st century neocons like Reagan and Bush—the earliest intellectual roots of conservatism is at odds with my nature. The foundation that all conservatism is based on is a pessimistic and dour one; that people can’t grow and evolve from social and political change. It relies on the fearful premise that people will devolve into a radical, anarchistic chaos if not constrained by traditional and cultural institutions and order. In rightyland, that means church, preferably Christianity. It means: the way it was. Here’s where it gets sticky: enough has changed, and that change has touched enough lives, that many conservatives have no choice but to throw the things they aren’t really against under the bus for the things that they want to go back to the way it was.

I don’t know if it’s possible to let some newfangled things be okay and others not to be. I’m going to trust that I don’t need to expound here and that my readers know exactly what I’m talking about.

I understand that liberal ideas of progress and change are untested, and I get that an attachment to continuity is a safer way to maintain social order. And any dummy can surmise that upsetting an existing social order is going to upset those who hold the power. What I didn’t expect, what I think most liberals/progressives/Democrats never comprehended, was the scorched earth approach that the existing order would take to keep society from changing. It’s reminds me of ancient world conquerers who would sack and burn an entire city, ending up victorious winners ruling over…nothing and no one. I guess is the big prize is: Hey, you’re gone and we’re still here.

Dems are now self flagelating and chastising each other for being out of touch with the heartland, and for being elites who look down on everyone else as being “low info” or backwardsly racist, sexist, bigoted, phobic. I wish they’d stop with all of it. It’s not anyone’s fault, it is a continuum of a trend that’s as old as time. The power is the power and it takes a breakout revolution to change it—see our own country’s history—and in today’s world, revolution is a hell of a lot more dangerous than it’s ever been. And it wasn’t a walk in the park back then—ask the Valley Forge guys or Robespierre or the Old Bolsheviks.

Democracy maybe can’t exist with technology. It doesn’t seem like it. I’m talking about the whole majority-of-votes-people-have-spoken type Democracy, not the theoretical concept of it. It was already questionable whether it could work with PACs and campaign financing. When that devolves to billionaires buying media outlets, hostile foreign countries having ways to help their preferred candidates, significant millions of unparticipating, unengaged populace and an electoral process that can’t be trusted—it might have met it’s end. This is what has happened to many world democracies. Ours is heading to rust. Because as of now, there’s not a replacement for Democratic rule other than Authoritarian.

I would love in my lifetime, to see where this is leading. But people/culture/social change is slow. A fast moving tech world isn’t going to change that.

On the topic of learning: I’ve watched and read and listened to so much bullshit and propaganda it makes my head spin. The amount of misinformation and skewed, out of context “facts,” the lack of accountability, the absence of critical thinking, the lies and fabrications are mind boggling.

I’ve researched countless claims; conspiracy theories, historical sequences, theological, philosophical and political doctrines and ideologies. I’m not an academic or expert on anything, but I try to learn and understand. I’ve studied the earth science that climate change deniers espouse, I’ve compared the statistics and scenarios that anti-vaxers claim, I’ve investigated Wuhan lab leaks, covid hoaxing, 9/11 conspiracies, turbo cancers, chemtrails/weather control, pizzagate. I’ve read transcripts and Wikileaks and seen supposed videos showing known figures “turning into” lizard people. Some of this stuff is so outlandish I have to look at where it’s come from (flatearthers) and some is so cruel and bizarre (crisis actors) I can’t bring myself to look. Then again, occasionally there are grains of truth worth pondering and considering. Mostly though, it’s endless and exhausting. It’s almost enough to make me lose faith entirely in humans.

The place where my faith in humans is often restored is…Reddit. Yes, you read that right. I don’t post, you won’t find me there, but Reddit, in the right subs, the right topics, has some of the most brilliant, funny, quick witted sharp people I’ve seen since the internet came into my life. I’ve been lurking there for nearly ten years—it’s been around a lot longer—but when old, cool cafe society type Twitter started to go downhill, c. 2015 or so, that’s where I found the smart snark.

This morning I swept my bedroom curtains apart and got the first glimpse of blue I’d seen in at least a week. Grey is supposedly a neutral color, but here it feels oppressive, a weighted blanket of sky. Ever the optimist, I cheerlead myself into acknowledging that at least I’m spared the carcinomas that the Texas sun likes to sprinkle onto my exposed skin. But I might have to admit soon that the ratio of drizzly bleak days to sunny ones does wear on my spirits. If you care to raise them, you can do so by making today the day that you….

Thank you with all my sincere gratitudal force —for receiving, opening, reading, sharing, commenting. However you are here, as little or as much as you wish, I’m honored to be given a bit of your time.

I did a house concert for a little group of neighbors, friends, and family. Here’s a little excerpt -(thanks for video from Isabel, age 14)