I'll just be honest: I think most people are stupid.

[theatokos]

I'm feeling really disillusioned and a bit despairing this morning. Part of it is reading the news and following, even loosely, politics, particularly American politics. Part of it is the ongoing conversation with my cousin. It's like the conversation with my cousin is the microcosm of the macrocosm that is the news. Basically, people are stupid. People don't think. I'm pretty stupid and don't think in many areas of my life, so I'm not off the hook. My only saving grace is that I can think critically. I'm certainly no less judgmental than most, and maybe only a tad bit more compassionate, but this is a relatively recent development.

I am winding down the conversation with cousin. There's only so much a person can say. If a person doesn't have sound reasoning skills what can you do? And it's way too much work to read through his atrociously written responses. I am disappointed. Because my cousin is a Nice Guy, and I always liked him. But really, he's a sexist. Of course, he doesn't think he is, but he is. He doesn't see the consequences of his lines of reason. He has no excuse, either. It makes me think I'll never make it as a university professor. How do those of you who teach handle it? Do you cling to those students who are brilliant and/or really really try? I'm afraid my low bullshit tolerance will cause me to be rude and demeaning to the idiots. Teaching singing seems sooooo much easier.

I don't think that my cousin is all that unique. I think a lot of people are like him. For a variety of reasons. I recognize that I have a considerable position of privilege that I can sit around and study to such an advanced degree and challenge the status quo. There are a lot of people who have to work longer hours than I do, who have various other circumstances that prevent the navel-gazing I spend much of my time doing. But I also know that it's uncomfortable to challenge the status quo. The powers that be offer us tastes of power and privilege in hopes that we won't challenge them any further. I find this glaringly obvious in feminist politics (and I don't mean political politics only). If I am officially Sexy then I'll go a hell of lot further than if I am not. Sarah Palin is a great example of this.

And then there's just plain ol' politics. Not that I ever thought Obama was the second coming, but I am officially over his administration. We had loads of hope in the beginning, but I've seen no change at all. Just standard Democrat politics. And the recent hoo-ha over the Sherrod firing is disgusting. Instead of really discussing race, it was knee-jerk political correctness. I am no longer convinced that America as a nation can have a debate about anything. It is nothing but sound bites, sensationalism, and status quo rhethoric. Fox News and their hosts are the worst of the worst. I am embarrassed that those entertainers get airspace called 'news' and I am appalled that millions of people (some of them I know to be very nice!) consider that actual reasoning and debate. Where did our critical thinking skills go?? And the 'liberal' media is only a teeny-tiny fraction better. Their bias is veiled but its there. And most people don't seem to worry about this. Most people will eat up anything that's delivered from 'on high'.

I'm tired of xenophobia masquerading as patriotism. Britain, though more moderate than the US in many ways, definitely has its share of racist xenophobes running around. If I hear any more 'mosque at ground zero' nonsense I think I'll hurt some one. (It's not a mosque, it's not at ground zero.) I'm tired of people who don't question the justice system and assume that because 'justice' is in the title it is, actually, just. Basically, I don't think I can handle the masses anymore. Even though I'm getting a little bored here in bucolic west Wales, maybe I can just convince my thinking, creative friends to come join me in a commune?

I'm ready for the anarcho-feminist revolution now. Thanks.

(But not all is lost. It's not raining this morning and I found out this morning, thanks to bravenewcentury that Avatar:the Last Airbender is getting a series sequel. I will die of the squee and of anticipation. Gotta focus on the little things. Also, my son is deadly cute, and deadly whingey this morning, and covered in corn flakes.)

Comments

[msmidge.livejournal.com]

I think some of the media BS is easier to take if you're in the U.S. The people I talk to (a select group, of course; I spend most of my day alone, working at home) are well aware that the media are stupid. The comments on the Des Moines Register's stories, for example, often come from a few nutters with nothing else to do except rant about how Obama is really Hitler, but then there are usually a few other people who say, "Come on. Don't be so ridiculous. Now go take your meds."

Re: teaching, you usually have reading assignments to focus on, so it's not necessarily a battle of your personal views vs. the student's. I think that helps a lot.

[amyura.livejournal.com]

I love this post so hard. I have been getting increasingly depressed at, well, everything lately. I stupidly listen to a little right-wing radio from time to time just to see what they're saying, and it's downright DISGUSTING. Absolute lies that are easily disproven, but caller after caller expresses sycophantic agreement with every word out of the host's mouth. I'm no Obama fan, but when I listen to the criticism of him from the Tea Party people it's just so obviously racist, especially compared with criticism from the left and the middle-- all the birther/Barack HUSSEIN Obama/socialist/communist/nazi stuff isn't substantive criticism at all, and the complaints that the expansion of federal government will somehow result in dismantling federal programs would be ridiculous if it weren't so scary that so many people believe it.

I'm tired of the "these colors don't run" crowd. I'm tired of people who want to cut nonexistent entitlement programs that they think others are getting, but God help you if you cut their programs.

Anyhow, I'll stop turning a comment of agreement into a teal deer :)

[snowcalla.livejournal.com]

Yep I get there too, but usually I'm more upbeat. I don't think people are stupid individually, but in groups people can get interesting. I really shouldn't have read the comments in here, though, because now I'm right there with you, Niki.

It's always their fault. They're the evil ones, the hateful ones. If they would just change/go away/get a brain/light themselves on fire the world would be a much better place.

It's that critical thinking you were talking about. Totally freaking missing. Which is why we, for the most part, are unable to discuss anything - not just race. Because people longer discuss their POV and find points of overlap or agreement or even just agree to disagree - they need to defend all the actions and intents of their side while proving how morally reprehensible the other side is - while ignoring the actual issues at hand.

You know what? My shit also stinks. But there's more to me than just my shit, a whole lot more. Just as there is for all of you.

Oh...and I'm an insane racist, lying, Tea Bagger who needs to be on meds. Or I may just be a fellow human being who is honest, intelligent, and much like you in my hopes, intentions, and actions.

[seaivy.livejournal.com]

I live in a community that 40 years ago had a segregated school system. My older neighbors went to that school system. Underlying segregation mentality is still present in the way things are organized. There are still "black" organizations and "white" organizations.

My neighbors are good people. They would help someone in trouble no matter what their color. But they are susceptible to "us poor whites are asked to do more because "they" aren't doing enough". They are suspicious of government. Their charity is one on one but does not extended to people they don't know. My neighbors can be taken in by braying of people with an agenda.


As to teaching - the students I enjoyed most were not the "intellectuals" but some very honest, not the brightest, ones who didn't understand my course but wanted to know enough to pass. I loved their honesty and their humor. I taught five sessions of the same course. It was a required course. They had to pass it. Some of my "bright" students were bored and resented having to take the course. The reactions ranged from students who asked me to teach an extra session on their own time on a point they did not understand to a student who refused to take the final exam.

Mosque

[(Anonymous)]

You write: "It's not a mosque, it's not at ground zero." I am confused what you mean by this. The Imam's plans do include a mosque, and it is two blocks from ground zero.

A non-hysterical critique of the Imam's plan comes from, of all places, the ADL:
http://www.adl.org/ADL_Opinions/Interfaith/Mosque_Ground_Zero.htm