“Meanwhile, here we are, American riders on the short bus, barreling into the Grand Canyon.”
Things are so completely wrong culturally, politically, economically, spiritually, that I can bear only discussions that contain a strong dose of contemptuous satire. Here’s Joe Bageant’s latest http://www.counterpunch.org/bageant12102010.html. I love the way he lashes into the John Stewart rally: “Progressives also fancy a revolution, one in which they participate through the Internet petitions, and media events such as the risk free Jon Stewart Rally to Restore Sanity, where no one risked even missing an episode of Tremaine. Seeing people like themselves on television was proof fighting the good fight. The Stewart rally was nonetheless culturally historic; we will never see a larger public display of post modern irony congratulating itself.” Hey! Here’s a question for all those rally attenders to ponder: Who were you texting when a Democratic Congress and a Democratic President gutted the progressive tax system?
The light dusting of snow we had a few days ago makes the moonlit nights beautiful, but not even a full-scale blizzard would stop people from sitting in the “last shopping weekend before Christmas” traffic and trolling mall parking lots for the single open space so they can buy something to put under their 50 dollar Christmas tree. The sad reality is that most people are hoping that if they go through the motions of the most accessible elements of Christmas that somehow they’ll receive a moment of grace, kind of like the way you act when you’ve had too many drinks and you don’t want anyone to know you’re three sheets to the wind so you go through the motions slowly and breathe a sigh of relief when no cop pulls you over. Dodging a bullet — is that our definition of success this year?
Consumer saving is up this year only because people are starting to pay their credit card debts. Oil prices are rising due to the zero percent interest rates offered by the Feds to the banks, whose investment managers are once again buying up commodities instead of investing in American infrastructure. Let’s be honest: if you had any money, would you invest it in America? It’s like giving a dollar to a bum. But why should I be judgmental? At least about the bum. About the rich — I can’t help it. Fitzgerald was right: they are different from you and me. Their lying, cheating and stealing is protected not only by the government and its laws but reinforced by the images every available media outlet shoves down our collective cake-holes.
Like any other addict trying to avoid reality, I’ll keep on listening to Louis Armstrong’s “Potato Head Blues” and comparing Dinah Washington’s version of “I Thought About You” to Mildred Bailey’s. I’ve got enough Wild Turkey left for a few more hot toddies, enough chocolate to see me through the dreaded 25th, and enough friends who keep up the fight to live a conscious life. Those are reasons enough to feel grateful this Christmas.