Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
Play louder, guys! I can still hear people screaming….
The Trump cult is doing for today’s America what the orchestra did for the passengers on the Titanic during its final hours: providing a distraction for people who are in extreme peril. They strut across the political stage, juggling shiny objects — abortion bans, book bans, drag-queen bans, gun-law bans, transgender-sports bans, immigrant bans, critical-race-theory bans, on and on — and many Americans, far more people than agree with them or follow them, are thus distracted from reality.
Distraction is not the goal of the Trumpists (please don’t call them conservatives or Republicans, or even right-wingers; they are not informed enough or smart enough to form a coherent ideology. Even Fascism is beyond their comprehension). Their only intention is to raise Trump up, to please him, to anoint him with power so that he can deliver his promised land, whatever the hell that is. But their activities continue to suck most of the oxygen out of American politics, to intimidate the majority of actual Republicans, to dominate the media and most discussions of politics.
Meanwhile the rising seas pose mortal threats to American shores, especially from Norfolk, Virginia to Miami to New Orleans (where, along that whole stretch the water is rising far faster than the most pessimistic climate studies predicted); one quarter of the land surface of the continental US is parched by long-term drought; more than 400 wildfires scorched California alone before the end of March, and the “wildfire season” has not yet even begun there; tornados and hurricanes on steroids are attacking the American Midwest, South and Southeast with ever-increasing frequency and severity; health care costs are rising fast while the quality of health care is dropping just as fast; and nearly half — half — of the US population is living paycheck to paycheck with no significant financial reserves to handle an emergency.
But what about Hunter’s laptop? The stolen 2020 election? The unfair “witch hunt” directed at Der Trumpenfuhrer? The politically motivated indictments and trials? He didn’t rape her because she’s not his type.
Thus they scream, and like the dog in the movie Up who can never resist chasing a squirrel, off we go, down another rabbit hole. (I know, a mixed metaphor. So?) And while we’re paying attention to him — I know, it’s almost impossible not to — the many existential threats we face are gaining on us.
So please. Mr. or Ms. Titanic passenger, never mind what the orchestra is playing; your problem is the iceberg.
It’s clear that America is on the fritz; perhaps even Western Civilization as a whole (Kunstler’s Monday blog offers a good read on this topic). Both the USA and the Titanic might be seen as exercises in Grandiosity. My god, just think about that name – ‘Titanic’; talk about tempting fate!
As for our beleaguered nation, by the 1950’s it had already begun its descent into self-parody. Yes, I well remember the 50’s, with the giant tail fins on the monstrous autos. Some cars even had what looked like tits mounted on the front bumpers. And who could forget the mock machine guns embedded in the hood of the ’57 Chevys – my dad owned one! Don’t get me started on Elvis, Little Richard, purple people eaters, and flying saucers…As child I dearly loved all this nonsense. I loved the 50’s. Of course, I was just a child.
The Titanic was outrageous in different ways, but outrageous just the same. The good news is that the Titanic had survivors. We may have some as well…Who knows?
Well said. I remember the 50s as well, perhaps more kindly than you — but without doubt the crap began to hit the fan in the 60s.
Since this is not Kunstler’s blog, I won’t respond to the reference. Suffice it to say that I prefer the analysis of our host.