Thank you for this! I’ve been struggling, and this articulates the depth of the betrayal of trust that has successively been demoralizing ( literally- “de-moralizing”) our country (from all
Parties). It helps to capture in words what is wrong, so you can find a starting place in action and response
Jane: I am so used to your humorous writing that your post absolutely blew me away. I know I knew you were and anthropology major, but thar knowledge had exited my consciousness.
I understood better why I have been literally agonizing for months. Unsettled is to mild of a word to describe how as I felt, but, as mentioned before, I have been known to be "too intense."
Thank you for adding to my information and point of vew. On a scale of 1-10, your post today is a 15!! Thank you.
Of course, the story hasn't been static from 1776 to now. As someone who has a few beloved siblings on "the other side" - "we" ignore that "their" version of the story got changed on them too, without their consent, by "us".
Their version did start with government by the White Male Slaveholding Landowners FOR the WMSLs... States rights were codified into the Constitution to get the South to come along.
The story changed with Abolition and Civil War, to the objection of half of Americans, changed again with right to vote for people of color and women, changed again with New Deal, changed again big time in the Sixties/Seventies with civil rights, second-wave feminism, the birth control pill, Roe v. Wade, gay rights - these were very big and, to "the silent majority," that is, my parents, very very fast cultural changes, though to the people the changes affected, they were much too slow. In 1995 "they" finally won back the House after 40 years (yes - 40 years!) and began undoing the way "we" had changed their story since WWII, in ways they weren't ready for, didn't agree with, and didn't want. A lot of it done through the courts, presumably because it couldn't be done through Congress.
Too much change, too fast for them. Now "they" are gleefully doing the same to "us."
I'm not saying that those changes weren't right, but I am saying that "we've" been changing the story ourselves, to the consternation of a large swath of people who do not and never have agreed with us. Which doesn't mean I'm not terrified by what's happening too. But it's not that there's no reason for it.
I think youv have said it very well. I am a relatively educated person and I consider myself above stupid. I wonder how come I never thought of it that way. It makes perfect sense and adds a tinge of humanity to 'them"
Sapiens has been on my e-reader for a number of years. I am getting ready to "wipe off the dust" and dig into it. ( There are a few dozen "books" in there that are "getting moldy. ") Thank you. You have enriched me.
This is a phenomenal post, Jane. Thanks. xxx
Thank you for this! I’ve been struggling, and this articulates the depth of the betrayal of trust that has successively been demoralizing ( literally- “de-moralizing”) our country (from all
Parties). It helps to capture in words what is wrong, so you can find a starting place in action and response
Jane: I am so used to your humorous writing that your post absolutely blew me away. I know I knew you were and anthropology major, but thar knowledge had exited my consciousness.
I understood better why I have been literally agonizing for months. Unsettled is to mild of a word to describe how as I felt, but, as mentioned before, I have been known to be "too intense."
Thank you for adding to my information and point of vew. On a scale of 1-10, your post today is a 15!! Thank you.
Yes, this! Thanks you for taking the time to figure this out and write it out for the rest of us.
This!
Just a terrific post, thank you soooo much for writing and sharing this.
I love this! It reminded me of Benedict Anderson’s book “Imagined Communities”.
Thanks for this. I appreciated the look at how story shapes our species to analyze how they're being misused to misshape our country.
https://mobilize.us/s/Vq4IS6
Yes! I’m organizing (another) protest in my town the same day.
That's great!
Sapiens was a good book- good reference to that!
Nails it! What a great diagnosis.
Of course, the story hasn't been static from 1776 to now. As someone who has a few beloved siblings on "the other side" - "we" ignore that "their" version of the story got changed on them too, without their consent, by "us".
Their version did start with government by the White Male Slaveholding Landowners FOR the WMSLs... States rights were codified into the Constitution to get the South to come along.
The story changed with Abolition and Civil War, to the objection of half of Americans, changed again with right to vote for people of color and women, changed again with New Deal, changed again big time in the Sixties/Seventies with civil rights, second-wave feminism, the birth control pill, Roe v. Wade, gay rights - these were very big and, to "the silent majority," that is, my parents, very very fast cultural changes, though to the people the changes affected, they were much too slow. In 1995 "they" finally won back the House after 40 years (yes - 40 years!) and began undoing the way "we" had changed their story since WWII, in ways they weren't ready for, didn't agree with, and didn't want. A lot of it done through the courts, presumably because it couldn't be done through Congress.
Too much change, too fast for them. Now "they" are gleefully doing the same to "us."
I'm not saying that those changes weren't right, but I am saying that "we've" been changing the story ourselves, to the consternation of a large swath of people who do not and never have agreed with us. Which doesn't mean I'm not terrified by what's happening too. But it's not that there's no reason for it.
I think youv have said it very well. I am a relatively educated person and I consider myself above stupid. I wonder how come I never thought of it that way. It makes perfect sense and adds a tinge of humanity to 'them"
Sapiens has been on my e-reader for a number of years. I am getting ready to "wipe off the dust" and dig into it. ( There are a few dozen "books" in there that are "getting moldy. ") Thank you. You have enriched me.
Excellent article, but I must disagree on one point--the feral pig/wild boar is a more likely guardian spirit for the current administration.
Preach it sister!