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One other thing that annoys me about US culture (as if there weren't about ten thousand of those things already...)
We seem to have this polarization about our leaders and authorities. We're conditioned to either support and obey them no matter what, or to completely disrespect anyone who is in a position of authority, merely on principle.
Whatever happened to the notion of *questioning* authority? What that means isn't disregarding authority entirely, but auditing it-- making sure that your leaders are qualified to be where they are and are doing their jobs correctly and well. If they *are* qualified and doing well, then sure, follow their lead. If they're not, use what power you have to either get them to change or get them out of their position. That's how our system of government is set up, after all. This whole concept of supporting the president *just because he's the president* scares the living shit out of me. Same thing with blind patriotism (which somehow sounds better than nationalism, but it's the same thing.) My country, my president, right or wrong. Dear merciful heavens, NO. Gah.
But likewise, what's the point of subverting the dominant paradigm if it works?
Meh. I SO want us to get past this binary thinking we're so trapped in. Always Republican or democrat. Always black or white. Always one or the other. Us or them. Men or women. Straight or gay. This country's entire culture is set up on knowing which groups you belong to and considering all groups that you don't belong to the enemy. It's such bullshit.
We seem to have this polarization about our leaders and authorities. We're conditioned to either support and obey them no matter what, or to completely disrespect anyone who is in a position of authority, merely on principle.
Whatever happened to the notion of *questioning* authority? What that means isn't disregarding authority entirely, but auditing it-- making sure that your leaders are qualified to be where they are and are doing their jobs correctly and well. If they *are* qualified and doing well, then sure, follow their lead. If they're not, use what power you have to either get them to change or get them out of their position. That's how our system of government is set up, after all. This whole concept of supporting the president *just because he's the president* scares the living shit out of me. Same thing with blind patriotism (which somehow sounds better than nationalism, but it's the same thing.) My country, my president, right or wrong. Dear merciful heavens, NO. Gah.
But likewise, what's the point of subverting the dominant paradigm if it works?
Meh. I SO want us to get past this binary thinking we're so trapped in. Always Republican or democrat. Always black or white. Always one or the other. Us or them. Men or women. Straight or gay. This country's entire culture is set up on knowing which groups you belong to and considering all groups that you don't belong to the enemy. It's such bullshit.
