Post Modernism

Disclaimer: I am highly frustrated after two days of driving in morning traffic, but the overall sentiment, unfortunately, applies to our current day world as I experience it anyway.

The denigration of civil society is in full tilt! I see pantie-waist geeks who through the metamorphic properties of a 3,000 pound car and/or tinted windows become bad asses! Idiots who couldn't keep at job at Burger King, who appoint themselves governors of the road. They actively [passive aggressive] drive to block, check and otherwise attempt to impose their will on others, since having gleefully joined the new fascists, know better than others what is best for those others! And, God forbid, they are not in a position to block or force others to follow them, by cutting people off, or moderating speed to prevent the free flow of other cars - they govern with their horns.

These people would have had their asses kicked in any society, existing pre-car [which along with the Internet provides some level of anonymity, and protection from direct threats], and most would not act this way, but for the new fascist group think of the post modern. They are in full tilt, to destroy the Judeo-Christian ethic of do unto others as you would have them do unto you. No, they want to cut people off, honk and otherwise evidence their disapproval and correction of you, at every opportunity, including situations where anyone with an IQ of 65, can see everyone on a road is moving over, moving at less than 15 mph, and have 2 to 4 car lengths between, but because someone moves over first, they think they control the lane, therefore granting them jurisdiction to decide who can use that lane in front of them.

Bullshit, we live in a society of Pansie asses, who if confronted outside their car, are hateful people, but don't have the backbone to do anything other than be the passive-aggressive jackasses this society is creating at break-neck pace. Of course, I can take comfort, that if they get their most fervent wish, of a Mad-Max, post apocalyptic world, they will be the first to starve, get beat up, or shot - ironic the very people who want these things [like the chap who threw his shoes at President Bush in Iraq], would be the first tortured or killed in the world they romanticize.

Meanwhile, I chasten myself to pray for them, ask for blessing and a change of their heart, but it is mighty hard, having the ability to do so, not to get out of your car, and see if they are really that angry!?

candor dat viribus alas

Big Box Retailers and the Death of Service

Those old enough to recall neighborhood grocery stores, even meat markets and local hardware stores, will have a frame of reference to allow consideration of this comparison.

It was Clarence Saunders who killed grocery stores as they were known at the turn of the last century [or thereabouts]. Previously, customers generally came to the store, handed a list to the clerk who gathered the items and checked them out. Mr. Piggly Wiggly came to the idea [by comparison of another business' example which slips my mind now, that allowed customers to wait on themselves.

Skip to this century and they stores are mostly very large, having mostly forced the smaller family or service oriented businesses into the shadows. People are an expensive asset, and cut into shareholder [dare I suggest Corporate big-wig/executives] profit or compensation. NOW, we have stores that don't want to hire individuals to help others, except in name, and more recently want YOU TO CHECK YOURSELF OUT.

These self-service checkouts are the latest, given the death of Gomer/Goober topping off your car's tank, to "allow" you to help yourself faster. Now if you want help or service you have to find a remaining small store, a rare/unique large store, or become a researcher and get the information [and probably the product] off the Internet. What progress.

Terminator versus Humanists?

First, I like certain science fiction. So, I was watching a Terminator episode. In this episode, the cyborg, beautiful and lithely played by Summer Glau, using the extra powers of analysis and perception granted these future bots, informed a young man in a wheel chair that his bone cancer had returned. Seemingly, no emotion, just a communication of information, believed in her "chip" to be useful to the person, and communicated accurately, clinically, and pointedly.

Compare you run of the mill, new fascist, humanist. This brand (is there another?) of relativism sets great store by non-offensive conduct where they prefer speech auditors and mind police to prevent any group from being criticized, labeled or profiled. If they can't control what you think, so as to conform with their heightened intellect and compassion, they will control what you say. It matters not if any of it conforms to facts, proven knowledge or thousands of years of experience, it must be quashed.

Interesting, to see how we survive when form is elevated so far above substance that meaningful communications are proscribed or at least limited, so that everyone feels good - presumably at least everyone except the victims of the warlords, and dictators they find quaint, and the unborn children who are either convenient or not. When will this logic be expanded to allow the elimination of those, already born who are just an annoyance, or even a burden?

We already see that, once the refuge of honest free thought, college campuses, have become militant conformist. Can stifling those who disagree or have an objectionable, lead to any progress?

The balance between governance and freedom

It struck me as I watched the news today, as the obligatory "new fascist" opined on the need to rein in some capitalist companies effort to publicize its wares.

The offense, selling something consisting of beef with too high a fat count, at a low price. Thus achieving the trifecta of political incorrectness - harming the climate through inefficient production of food - cows we are told are inefficient, cause more "greenhouse" gases than "new fascists", selling for a low price exploits the poor (who presumably are the only ones who

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would buy a tasty, but not expensive burger), and high fat content which should be legislated, since we all know it causes cancer.

Have we arrived at a point in this country's history that someone can support legislation of product offerings on the grounds they might be popular with the wrong people, it is or might not be good for them, or might (whether there is proof or not) harm mother earth?

No irony that these same groups are all about supporting an alternative lifestyle that definitely has led to many having a disease that as yet is incurable?

Regardless, of your opinion, it seems safe to say that Libertarians are dead, as of this writing - everyone should have imposed upon them what "I" think is correct, oh, which changes, unless it is offensive, unless of course, you are some unprotected class.