Social Enigmas in America: How the West was Won

Social Enigmas in America

Facebook is not a source of news or “hard” information.  Many readers seem to forget this, especially during election time, and so in their decision making process as to what candidate to elect, or what “mud” to believe readers/voters turn to Facebook for information.  A very misguided notion.

Facebook is hiring 3000 more staff in order  to pick out false news, propaganda, hate literature, streaming online murders and other atrocities.  Simply stated the social media is social and it is abused every day and therefore one must read the content with extreme discernment, realizing all the while that one is immersed in a form of entertainment open to abuse.  It is a forum for anything.

Recently, I read a “News” story on Facebook about the Trump administration removing subsidies for home heating from the poor.  I have done no outside fact checking and so the story may have elements of truth. It could be a total lie, or it might represent the theme of this new administration.  I was not looking at the facts of the matter.  I was looking at how people reacted to the “facts” as a reflection of their political views and social consciousness.

In so doing I was utterly amazed, but shouldn’t be, at the range of opinions that emerged on this topic.  This article  on subsidies whether real or not served as a catalyst in bringing attitudes on similar issues to the fore. 

Many writers, I assume to be American, were hard hearted, pragmatic, from their point of view, and uncaring toward the plights of the poor, the elderly, the disabled, disenfranchised, in fact the entire “weak” spectrum of society who can not advocated for themselves as they are so buried in the culture of poverty and racism to do so.

Opinions ranged from: “No where is it written in the constitution that people are entitled to home heating.”  This statement can be applied to any “right” including healthcare, fire protection, public education, police protection, flood protection and many more.  

I don’t think the constitution was written to address every contingency of crisis intervention.  Yet, for some, if not specifically stated in the constitution it is not a right.  To the rapture of many Americans gun control seems to be included. Guns are more sacred than health care.

Others had opinions.  “It is economic slavery to have to pay for another persons needs.”

Therefore, with attitudes like this one it is easier to understand why a candidate like Bernie Sanders can be viewed as a threat to the "American order."  Bernie advocates for rights not specifically addressed in the Constitution branding him as a socialist.  After all how could the support for the greater good supersede the rights of the individual?  The American creed seems to be either we are not deserving of rights enjoyed in other industrialized countries, or we feel threatened by the operational position of government in providing an array of rights as it will make them too powerful.  As a result Americans would rather deprive themselves of rights.

Many responders to this Facebook subsidy issue simply categorize all poor people as taking advantage of existing government programs and therefore a total waste of tax payer dollars.

The arguments went on and on, but the theme was clear that these responders thought it is not the role of their government to take care of the weak.  These people exist in society because it is their own fault.  The rest of the healthy, productive tax payers and citizens should not have to be burdened by the social needs of the deadbeats.

As a Canadian, I made a few comments in response and was basically told to “Go back to Canada.”

How does a nation of people become so hardened against the needs of its own people.  America has become a divided nation, mistrusting its own governmental institutions and ignoring the plight of the needy.  America is “user pay” based on a business model of profitability.  There seems to be a reduced regard for compassion, another concept not found in the constitution.  Perhaps, in America, if there was a constitutional amendment that called on compassion to help the needy it might fly...but likely not.

“Obama Care” is on the line.  It could be gone with nothing reasonable to replace it or to meet the needs of the most vulnerable in society.  But, healthcare, as stated, is not enshrined in the constitution.  People are often mistrustful of the powers of government and its involvement with providing social services such as health services.  Such people would opt for trusting for profit insurance companies with their future welfare.

In order to understand these dynamics of self centeredness and exclusion I looked to a historian for answers.

In 1893, historian Frederick Jackson Turner presented his thesis of the Frontier theory.  Turner believed that America was forged into the democracy it has become  through the process of westward expansion and settlement.  Westward expansion served to obliterate the European mindset and eroded the old norms and customs.  The frontier, as an instrument of democratic evolution did not require government controls, standing armies, established churches, aristocrats, or landed gentry from the European Model.  America forged a new model.  This model may form some of America's core values today.

“The frontier is the line of most rapid and effective Americanization," Turner declared. “American social development has been continually beginning over again on the frontier. This perennial rebirth, this fluidity of American life, this expansion westward with its new opportunities, its continuous touch with the simplicity of primitive society, furnish the forces dominating American character....

Westward expansion served to ignite the American dream, create larger than life myths which served to propel America into its present day matrix of attitudes and beliefs concerning the importance of individuality, governmental mistrust, the lack human rights, growth of violence and other core values of the new nation.  No one theory can explain all of the bewildering American behaviours, but it is a good starting point.

According to the Turner Frontier thesis each succeeding generation of American settlers pushing ever further West became more “American”, more democratic, and more intolerant of hierarchies in government and society.  Americans became increasing more distrustful of governments, relied less on science and the arts and more dependent on their own wits and grass roots organizations.

After 1890, the frontier lands were more settled, the future development depended on new frontiers including imperialism, space and technology.  Turner explains the ideologic development, especially the development Republicanism.  Succeeding generations have added to the complexity of the American fabric.  

Today, we are left with a country that offers the world the best and the worst.  A country void of a humanistic foundation is now isolating itself from the world order while looking inward in such a way that there are new hierarchies of rich and poor.  Chasms of social and political divide and a Republican disregard for the most vulnerable aspects of society.  How does a government remove health care from its citizens.  Turner's interpretation explains the tendency toward selfish insular thinking in which the individual represents the revered icon in society,  but certainly greed, corruption, corporations, lobbyist, fear and poor leadership can be added to the mix.

A society can be judged as to how well it serves the needs of those who are the weakest. If anything the Turner instinct is for self preservation of the individual and not for the common good.  Frontier development has not made America great.  Selfish insularity now seems to be the American legacy and documented in social media.

Marty Rempel


any comments???

"Democracy is coming to the USA..."  
Leonard Cohen

Fox News Studio Audience...

Fox News

My wife and I were strolling through Times Square looking for the restaurant used as a set in Sienfeld.  We were moving slowly through the crowds and actually stopping at intersections while suffering the contemputous stares and comments from the locals who walked across any busy street, latte in hand, ear buds connected without missing a beat.  A lull in the movement of pedestrians allowed a young girl clutching a clip board to approach me and ask, “Would you like to be part of a live studio audience?”

I was taken off guard and stammered, “Sure…what studio audience would that be?”

“We are shooting a segment for Fox News to be aired later this morning.”

I never personally watch Fox news as it is diametrically opposite to the Rachael Maddow show on MSNBC that I do watch religiously each evening at 9:00.  Although, I don’t recognize Fox as a source of real News I thought this opportunity to be in their studio audience could not be missed.  I readily agreed and the clipborad girl made an annotation on her board and a second partner, whom I had not noticed earlier, stepped forward to escort us to the studio where the fun and games were to commence.  

We began a multi-faceted screening process beginning with a basic questionnaire.  We were immediately led to a long subterrainian hallway where about twenty other potential guests were already busy filling in the questionnaire.

I think the purpose of this phase one was simply the broad strokes screening to filter out any home grown terroists, Democrats and Rachael Maddow fans.  I was alert to the dangers of being eliminated via this process early on and was therefore ready to lie through my teeth, betray my values and realign my political affiliations in order to hurdle their barriers, as now I decided I really wanted to reach the goal of sitting in their studio audience.

Questions were more a check list.  Which of the following pro -American groups, activities and/or policies and programs do you support.  Please check more than one.

-Tea Party (if so are you a member?)  (would you like to join?)

-Tighter immigration controls on refugees and Immigrants

-Building a wall with Mexico

-Drone technology, general bombing and spy methodologies against Terrorists

-Terrorist internment (with torture) in Guantanamo

-Dismantling of Obamacare

- North Korea is a threat to the American way of Life  T or F

-Sons of Anarchy (trick question, maybe?)

-Do you have a criminal record

-Do you support the recent Cruise missile solution in Syria

…and the list went on.  I checked off everything totally betraying my own values for the purpose of getting on the show.  

On one item I did not compromise, which was a near deal changer.  When asked what State I was from I wrote…  Canada!

The "Canada" response of course, without answering futher questions, labelled me as potentially dangerous, a disident, a trouble maker in a peace-making-kind-of way.   Liberal minded Canadians generally support gun control, high standards of public education, universal health care and are riddled with humanitarian socialists tendancies making them a general nusance to the American way of life.  Some  Americans think health care is not a right, often carry guns, and think well educated people are social deviants. From a Fox News perspective our value as an audience member would be reduced by the very nature of our Canadianism.

I handed my clipboard back to a young intern, who audibly made a gunteral sound after scanning our responses.

However, we were premitted to round two, like double jeapardy with a tougher round of questions, but following the same theme as the first batch… we under went a mini-interview in which, no surprise, our Canadian content was mentioned but seemingly ignored.

Based on our informed consent and the content analysis of our subversive questinnaire answers we had been accepted and assigned a pair of seats stage right on the outer fringe of the audience where no scanning camera lens would ever find us.  There were possibly 150 people in a U shaped seating arrangement around a stage where the desks were set up for the hosts and their guests.  This all skirted by three cameras.

In the next stage those in the accepted multitude would be further grilled and their seats rearranged further. I was wondering about the people who had been rejected, probably any one from the banned 7 muslim countries and citizens of New Hampshire, Vermont and California.  I envisioned their bodies in an alley way.

First, as a audience “warm up” activity an energetic ADD personality type, cheer leading-like young man came forward to tell us a little about the process, the show, some of the themes and topics for the day, told us a few jokes and generally made us feel at home in the Fox Family.  It really worked.  People were relaxed and talking.  In was after all an environment of  mutual trust and honesty.

Next came a woman, but not one of the regualar show hosts, who asked questions of the group at large, but were really intended for those selected in the front and center seats.  These people clearly were not Canadian, had likely voted Trump, may be “carrying” and likely had answered all questions according to the party line.   

“Okay, audience, here’s a possible audience participation topic.  What are your thoughts on this?  Just raise your hand after I read this next sentence.”

“America is and always will be the greatest nation on Earth.”

The hands rocketed skyward, as I held back a choking sensation and bit my tongue simultaneously. 

The answers ranged from: “We are and always have been a generous, noble and honourable people…”

“We believe in the common man, the heartland farmer or the soldier on the front line fighting for our liberty…”

We are great because of our religious fortitude and tolerance.   We have divine guidance and strong leadership…”
"
Our tele-evangelists are chosen people and walk the path of righteousness."

“We feed the world’s hungry, helping the weak and cary the banner of democracy to the world…”

More questions followed on specific issues current to the Trump administration.

“I believe Trump has followed through on his promises.  He’s just ticking them off one by one.”

“His ban on immigrants and his war on terorism is what we should be doing. He is keeping us all safe."

"Pulling us out of the Paris Accords shows the rest of the world that America comes first."

"He's all about jobs and the common man, as a successful billionaire business man married to a super model he understands their needs."

People answering in this vane were relocated to central seating and asked, “If you are asked that or a similar question when we go live could you give the same answer?”

“Oh, sure. I’d be glad to!”

Generally people were thrilled for the attention, like a teacher had selected them as the favourite.

I could see how the live show would eventually play out.  We had been screened and filtered and sat according to our values and the quality of our answers.  Being Canadian, I was never in the the game.  Those front and center were ready to give their impromtu answers when cued and show how the common man satistically supports the current administration. 

There was nothing spontaneous about the show beause when the host went to the TV audience for “random” responses to specific pre-arranged questions they already knew what answer they would get and where these people were seating.  Everyone was primed and ready to go.

“Let’s just get the feel of our audiece members today. You sir…I see your hand.”

“Do you feel the Trump administration is a well oiled machine?”

Is this fake news?

Is the media rigged

My biggest upset for the day was that I had been identified as an American tourist when invited on the show.

"Piss me off, eh!"