Charles Simic, NYR / A Response to ~ 01/01/2014Yesterday, a friend posted this hit piece on FaceBook. Below is my response.
The images to the right include the article's original photo of Sara Palin supporters, along with images of anarchists, Occupy and other anti - U.S. protesters. |
|
Age of Innocence, by Charles Simac
http://www.nybooks.com/blogs/nyrblog/2012/mar/20/age-of-ignorance/
As for me, after 30+ years as a Democrat, I moved on, driven by the extreme liberal hatred I encountered on Baltimore’s Artmobile forum in the mid 1990’s. The motto we used to sport on our vehicles that read, “Hate Is Not A Family Value,” was as extinct as the dinosaurs. If you didn’t toe the party line, you were a pariah.
I’ve had similar experiences with Creationists, but because of my involvement in the arts, I’ve had far more experience with these “progressive” types, who to me represent the epitome of ignorance. They are motivated by “beliefs,” not factual information.
With regard to NYR, one could say that it is the print equivalent of FOX news, though of course the adherents of either one usually can see them only in terms of black and white. But then again, that is only one opinion.
What we see here in Simic’s piece is a form of propaganda known as a half-truth. The deception, what’s being left out, is the fact that Democrats are no better then Republicans when it comes to shortcomings. Contrary to the opinion of some, what you believe does not necessarily make you a smarter, or a superior person, to those who think differently.
As George Orwell pointed out, because the underlying psychology is that: everyone should think as I do: as my party does: as the leader says, that attitude is actually totalitarian and not democratic in nature. A society that is democratic is a society of many voices. Hence, “tolerance” must be applied straight across the board, and not just by political inclination. " 'Tolerance' is when you tolerate things that actually bother you." ― (From “On Tolerance,” by Alex Tabarrok)
Not that a person has to agree with everything, on the contrary, dissent should be encouraged. What’s key is how that criticism is leveled. It is imperative that we treat all human beings as human beings.
When we “Question Authority,” we need to question our own authority as well. It is the only way, and it is exceedingly hard to do – to stand in front of that mirror and confess to the flaws we point out in others (see psychological projection).
The reason we see biased articles like Charles Simic’s, is that in spite of what we’d like to believe, we are quite intolerant of ideas that don’t fit into how we believe the world should be.
The underlying purpose of blame is to divert attention away from our own shortcomings, along with building a false sense of superiority.
Anyone who really wants to change the world has to start with this fundamental issue, and it has to start with the self. Otherwise, all is wasted time and energy.
This whole issue of intolerance, hatred, and blame is in large part responsible for many of the conflicts in the world.
In denigrating Republicans, Simic has ignored liberal counterparts, like Michael Moore and “Fahrenheit 9/11,” that was so skewed in its portrayals, that even liberal columnists like Richard Cohen condemned it. Yet, it won a Cannes Festival award. Point being, liberals can be just as naïve as anyone else.
Then there’s current Secretary of State, John Kerry, who was caught in a number of falsehoods during his run for president. To me, the most amusing was that when giving a speech in Detroit, he boasted of having eight SUV’s, in hopes of enticing the votes of autoworkers. A week later at another speech, environmentalists challenged him on that statement. His response was that he had only one SUV. It was relatives who owned the other seven.
Final, there’s Al Gore and Global Warming hysteria. Yes, global warming is real, but as a four-years honors historical geology student, who also taught for three years at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History's Naturalist Center, I can assure you that this planet’s temperature and sea-levels have risen and fallen innumerable times over the past four-billion years. Climate change happens. There are a number of reasons for this, nothing of which involve human activity.
In spite of his good intentions, Al Gore has inadvertently lead concerned people away from the actual problem.
With temperature and seal level, there are so many variables that it’s impossible to determine weather it’s natural or from human activity.
However, there is something we can see and measure, something that’s been increasing for decades that without a doubt is caused by humans. Pollution.
The reason is because of the ever-increasing population. In 2011 we hit 7 billion. By 2040, it’s expected to be 9 billion. By 2030, India’s population is expected to double and be greater then China’s. That’s only sixteen years from now.
In 2012, National Geographic Magazine devoted all twelve issues to the problem.
Back in the 1980’s, I had much correspondence with the Maryland Geological Survey. Even then, the concern was the depletion of resources, especially water. Seems that the aquifer that underlies the region was already showing signs of being depleted.
At last year’s Annapolis Summit, I asked "progressive" talk radio host, Marc Steiner, if he thought this looming issue was something that Maryland Governor, Martin O’Mally, would be concerned about. Steiner said no.
So here we have a real looming threat, that’s is clearly observable, and has been affecting the planet for decades. I’ve yet to hear any politician, left or right, nor any activist, address it.
So getting back to the article, in the grand scheme of things, what we have is not a Republican problem, nor is it a Democrat problem. It is a PEOPLE problem.
What is curious is that I have a history book, which may be outdated now, that reports the first recorded human conflict to have been between two city-states in the Sumerian empire, a war over the access to water. Pity if that should also be the last recorded human conflict.
01/01/2014
http://www.nybooks.com/blogs/nyrblog/2012/mar/20/age-of-ignorance/
As for me, after 30+ years as a Democrat, I moved on, driven by the extreme liberal hatred I encountered on Baltimore’s Artmobile forum in the mid 1990’s. The motto we used to sport on our vehicles that read, “Hate Is Not A Family Value,” was as extinct as the dinosaurs. If you didn’t toe the party line, you were a pariah.
I’ve had similar experiences with Creationists, but because of my involvement in the arts, I’ve had far more experience with these “progressive” types, who to me represent the epitome of ignorance. They are motivated by “beliefs,” not factual information.
With regard to NYR, one could say that it is the print equivalent of FOX news, though of course the adherents of either one usually can see them only in terms of black and white. But then again, that is only one opinion.
What we see here in Simic’s piece is a form of propaganda known as a half-truth. The deception, what’s being left out, is the fact that Democrats are no better then Republicans when it comes to shortcomings. Contrary to the opinion of some, what you believe does not necessarily make you a smarter, or a superior person, to those who think differently.
As George Orwell pointed out, because the underlying psychology is that: everyone should think as I do: as my party does: as the leader says, that attitude is actually totalitarian and not democratic in nature. A society that is democratic is a society of many voices. Hence, “tolerance” must be applied straight across the board, and not just by political inclination. " 'Tolerance' is when you tolerate things that actually bother you." ― (From “On Tolerance,” by Alex Tabarrok)
Not that a person has to agree with everything, on the contrary, dissent should be encouraged. What’s key is how that criticism is leveled. It is imperative that we treat all human beings as human beings.
When we “Question Authority,” we need to question our own authority as well. It is the only way, and it is exceedingly hard to do – to stand in front of that mirror and confess to the flaws we point out in others (see psychological projection).
The reason we see biased articles like Charles Simic’s, is that in spite of what we’d like to believe, we are quite intolerant of ideas that don’t fit into how we believe the world should be.
The underlying purpose of blame is to divert attention away from our own shortcomings, along with building a false sense of superiority.
Anyone who really wants to change the world has to start with this fundamental issue, and it has to start with the self. Otherwise, all is wasted time and energy.
This whole issue of intolerance, hatred, and blame is in large part responsible for many of the conflicts in the world.
In denigrating Republicans, Simic has ignored liberal counterparts, like Michael Moore and “Fahrenheit 9/11,” that was so skewed in its portrayals, that even liberal columnists like Richard Cohen condemned it. Yet, it won a Cannes Festival award. Point being, liberals can be just as naïve as anyone else.
Then there’s current Secretary of State, John Kerry, who was caught in a number of falsehoods during his run for president. To me, the most amusing was that when giving a speech in Detroit, he boasted of having eight SUV’s, in hopes of enticing the votes of autoworkers. A week later at another speech, environmentalists challenged him on that statement. His response was that he had only one SUV. It was relatives who owned the other seven.
Final, there’s Al Gore and Global Warming hysteria. Yes, global warming is real, but as a four-years honors historical geology student, who also taught for three years at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History's Naturalist Center, I can assure you that this planet’s temperature and sea-levels have risen and fallen innumerable times over the past four-billion years. Climate change happens. There are a number of reasons for this, nothing of which involve human activity.
In spite of his good intentions, Al Gore has inadvertently lead concerned people away from the actual problem.
With temperature and seal level, there are so many variables that it’s impossible to determine weather it’s natural or from human activity.
However, there is something we can see and measure, something that’s been increasing for decades that without a doubt is caused by humans. Pollution.
The reason is because of the ever-increasing population. In 2011 we hit 7 billion. By 2040, it’s expected to be 9 billion. By 2030, India’s population is expected to double and be greater then China’s. That’s only sixteen years from now.
In 2012, National Geographic Magazine devoted all twelve issues to the problem.
Back in the 1980’s, I had much correspondence with the Maryland Geological Survey. Even then, the concern was the depletion of resources, especially water. Seems that the aquifer that underlies the region was already showing signs of being depleted.
At last year’s Annapolis Summit, I asked "progressive" talk radio host, Marc Steiner, if he thought this looming issue was something that Maryland Governor, Martin O’Mally, would be concerned about. Steiner said no.
So here we have a real looming threat, that’s is clearly observable, and has been affecting the planet for decades. I’ve yet to hear any politician, left or right, nor any activist, address it.
So getting back to the article, in the grand scheme of things, what we have is not a Republican problem, nor is it a Democrat problem. It is a PEOPLE problem.
What is curious is that I have a history book, which may be outdated now, that reports the first recorded human conflict to have been between two city-states in the Sumerian empire, a war over the access to water. Pity if that should also be the last recorded human conflict.
01/01/2014