It's true that unlike the previous inhabitant of the White House (remember him?), Barack Obama is sane, intelligent, and mature. He's responsive to what others think. He hopes to institute real change in education, health care, the environment.
But even with his great charisma and silver tongue, he's a proper soldier for the system which is ravishing the planet. As he said in his inauguration speech in January, already aware of the huge financial mess he was inheriting, "We will not apologize for our way of life."
What do these words mean? They mean that the mall-i-zation of the planet will continue. They mean that the commercialization of all of life will not stop. They mean that our massive so-called footprint will never be substantially downsized.
And they mean that the force which has erased indigenous cultures and plant and animal species, which has sullied our air and soil and water, will essentially not be called into question, no matter how many of its most glaring excesses may be curbed.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
"We will not apologize for our way of life."
Fred Astaire in the White House
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5 comments:
Ironically, the author of that article said that conspiracy theories "are unprovable distractions, like the belief in UFOs."
The first comment on the article is roundly positive, citing the reasonable and realistic assessment that the author has made of the situation, but notes that "on UFOs, I have a slightly different opinion as I perceive the belief and celebration of extra-dimensional intelligence as a means of liberating the human psyche from the mundane and depressing notion of humans as the most intelligent species in the universe."
What an individual is willing to admit into their personal reality and why are endless sources of interest and enlightenment.
@Chris
I noted the bit about UFOs and had to resist indulging in a tirade.
"What an individual is willing to admit into their personal reality and why are endless sources of interest and enlightenment."
Isn't it, though? :-)
I wonder what would have made anyone think you could be anything but a proper soldier and get elected to the Presidency of the United States.
Michael
It never ceases to amaze me how in the USA they keep thinking that if only they can get a decent guy into office everything will change for the better.
Praise the lord. Oh Bama!
@Michael
I don't think anyone with a brain actually thought an outsider could win the presidency and "reinvent" the position from within. But after W a lot of people were willing to believe anything.
Obama's campaign and election were an interesting and welcome test of my own skepticism. I became somewhat enthusiastic about his probable victory late in the game and was eager for some instant gratification. I even got some (in the form of his opposition to the Bush administration's stance on stem-cell research).
I never thought of Obama as anything more than a politician -- and I still think he's authentically ambitious and idealistic . . . but that's all relative when you're dealing with power politics.
As always, true change will come from the most unexpected sources.
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