The most recent 20 comments posted to Electrolite by MorganJLocke:

Apropo American political demographics, there's a fascinating new study out from the Massachusetts Institute for a New Commonwealth, that divides the populace into ten distinct groups. Pretty interesting stuff, and makes some associations I never would have anticipated, but which make a lot of sense to me.

I love many things about Texas.

They've got a cool culture, some great cities (I love Austin and San Antonio, in particular), beautiful hill country. There is a strain of generosity of spirit in their culture that manifests itself in surprising ways.

But there's also a deeply rooted strain of race-based classism, and an intolerance perpetrated by large subgroups, who have built themselves a way-too-insulated echo chamber around certain social issues -- religion and homosexuality, to name two big ones.

There are many, many people in TX who don't agree with these points of view. But -- Molly Ivins aside -- they are not particularly organized and don't have a voice. The opinion leaders, the business and religious and political influence mongers, the media, all have a certain way of looking at things. There are few channels for people who don't fit that mold to get their own point of view into the mix, and hear it reflected back. In general, they feel rather isolated.

I agree with those who have been saying that this lack-of-coherence issue is a problem for Democrats across the board. I was reading a blog the other day -- I disremember which -- that was talking about the fact that the Republicans have done an outstanding job of branding certain concepts. We Dems have not.

I know a woman who works for a company that helps organizations define and present their brand. The Democratic party leadership would be wise to hire this company or one like it, to help them craft their message better and get it across.


-mjl

Re "Why do people start talking?" -- I'd love Terry's thoughts on this -- but my take would be, fear and loneliness, perhaps. Isolation is dehumanizing.


-mjl

Tony, I think I understand, then. After 9-11, I saw a lot of this, and I referred to that willful naivete we had as our malevolent innocence. Is this what you mean?

I lived overseas for a couple of years in the 80s, and it was a real eye-opener to me, just how insular we Americans can be, and how self-deceived about the nature of the world (and ourselves). We have this whole mythology that we're taught from childhood and we're in this big echo chamber of our own making.

It's always dangerous to generalize too much, because it's not true of all Americans, but there is a strong strain in our culture of ignorance regarding other nations and lack of awareness of our own actions abroad.

I think that when you are powerful, you don't feel impelled to listen to other voices and perspectives. Combine that with a general discomfort with strangeness, and it's a toxic brew.

Invulnerability (real or perceived) makes us complacent.


-mjl

tost: "It’s interesting that, in our outrage, our vehemence and disgust, so few of us are willing to use the one word our warrior President employs to bolster his ratings. Evil."

It was totally evil. Do you honestly think any of us here who have expressed our repugnance see these acts as anything but evil?


-mjl

Tony, I can't speak for others, but I know my outrage isn't a naive assumption that Americans -- or any human beings, under the right conditions -- aren't capable of such behavior. But I'm still disgusted with them.

Just because I know my kid might lie to save her butt, instead of sucking it up and telling the truth, doesn't mean I don't have the right to be angry, when she lies. Just because I know a parolee might violate the terms of his parole and commit another crime doesn't disentitle me to feel outrage when he does so.

And furthermore, I'm horrified and outraged that our country's leaders -- who damn well ought to know better -- haven't done a better job of controlling the abuses. Didn't come down on the perpetrators like a ton of depleted uranium cartridges when the first hints of this began to trickle up. Didn't have better controls to prevent this sort of thing, in the first place. It's their arrogance I find so infuriating. It's the depth of the corruption. It seems to be endemic, with this administration.

Once WMD weren't found, the reason for us going in there suddenly became to oust Saddam and prevent the abuses that his regime inflicted on his people.

Um. Right.

I'm so disgusted and ashamed of my government I can't stand it. If this doesn't make a person an activist, I don't know what will.


-mjl

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