It is starting to dawn on America's press corps that the Arab Spring is not going to usher in Jeffersonian democracy in the Middle East. The upheaval in Egypt, for example, has not led to rule by educated young Arabs, secularism, women's rights and peaceful pluralism. We find the same military control that has marked the country for decades along with the danger of an Islamic state inimical to Western values, as well as to stability in the region. Nineteen Americans face murky criminal charges. And so it goes. A world with way too many unemployed young men, a world facing scarcity, will fall back on the tribal, brutal and nationalistic.
In America, we await breathlessly the next phase of Occupy. Meanwhile, the super PACs and plutocrats continue to have their way. I return to a periodic theme: What happens here? What happens next? Jim Kunstler thinks we are ripe for a "John Brown moment." Some very smart Rogue readers expect big trouble at the Democratic and Republican conventions this year. And there is endless faith placed in Facebook and Twitter as tools to empower the powerless to overthrow the plutocracy.
I am skeptical but persuadable.
But against this, there is a massive national security state. If Abe Lincoln had it in 1861, the secessionists would have been on their way to Syria for gentle interrogation and if that wouldn't have worked an ICMB strike on Charleston would have cooled off the Southern ardor in a flash, literally. The militarized police playbook used against demonstrators at the 2008 Republican convention — little reported on by the media — will be even more refined in Tampa and Charlotte this year. The whole world is watching? No, America, at least, will be watching Pawn Stars or Keeping Up with the Kardashians. Which brings us to a deeper problem: Accelerating American ignorance. How can political change come when so many are so proudly clueless?
Into the vacuum of ignorance comes our own tribalism and theocracy. At least half the nation is willing to believe climate change is a hoax, we can drill, baby, drill, our way to "energy independence" — meaning keeping the cars and exurbia going at all costs — and the greatest threats to the republic are birth control and the danger that the president isn't a real Christian. The founders would be darkly amused, but even they, realists that they were about the fate of democracies, would be astounded by the stupidity of millions of today's citizens.
So it's rather precious, though not at all surprising, to hear how the new generation is somehow special and the latest technological tools (social networks!) will make all the difference in "empowerment." Sometimes that does happen, although real revolutions rarely turn out as their promoters claim, they eat their children and the blood flows. The closest thing to an exception was the American Revolution. This time, most Americans can't detach themselves from their La-Z-Boys and Xboxes long enough to take back their country back, or even contemplate such difficult concepts as self-government. Those that can, for the most part, believe America was a white, God-fearing land made exceptional by women in the kitchen baking babies in legally-protected wombs, answering to gun-totin' real men, before the socialists made it into today's hell of gay marriage, tree-hugger abortions and Sharia law.
This is our dream walk as peak oil, climate change, China, Israel ready to vaporize Iran, Citizens United and our own self-destructive mania are among the realities that are the real revolution. We're just bystanders.
"I am skeptical but persuadable." U and Phxsunfan?
Arab spring. Folks that believed that would lead to anything buy more tyranny are just as nieve as the folks that in didn't see the evidence in the late eighties and the 90's that 911 was coming.
Ron Paul is half as scary as the two religious nuts.
Posted by: cal Lash | February 21, 2012 at 01:04 PM
From my recent post:
"While there is a structure to any solution that comes about, it is a mistake to think that a pre-conceived structure is required before it does.
"What #Occupy is doing is simply being done. What the emerging systems of cooperative ownership and control are doing are simply being done. There are not a pre-conceived ideologies, a pre-conceived structures, being evaluated and imposed.
"They are simply happening. Yes, they are informed by past experience, but they are mostly being informed by current pressures. This is how things happen in the real world."
Posted by: Petro | February 21, 2012 at 01:50 PM
"Ron Paul is half as scary as the two religious nuts."
A goofy doofy Gordon Gecko, a psychotic Doughboy/Grinch hybrid, and a pukish sick Rantwhoreman. Maybe, Shemp Paul will rescue the GOP.
Posted by: Crank Johnson | February 21, 2012 at 02:22 PM
Interesting commentary, Jon, but what have you got against Frank Gehry? This is the first I've seen anything about the Eisenhower memorial, but the picture you reference looks interesting to me.
Posted by: Christopher Rubicam | February 21, 2012 at 03:07 PM
The spike in oil prices is a reminder to most citizens that we haven't destroyed the planet yet, which forces a disturbing thought: why are enviromentalist wackos holding us hostage?. Whether you frack Earth's bowels, scrape the hills, strip to mine, or boil cold sand, there are solutions to high gas prices! The civilization reset button only needs to be pushed in the direction of yesterday.
American tribalism is mostly an artifact of old age and white victimhood. Yet is shows astonishing resilience when it comes to setting the terms of the national discourse. As network news anchors like to remind us, we're a good and wise people. Accordingly, global warming can't be real because it's cold in January. Government is bad because half of our taxes goes to welfare queens and foreign aid. And the solution to any problem is to unleash the free market, preferably at poor minorities.
I spend way too much time on the Internet, so I have discovered that most people are not pessimists. Indeed, they hold astonishingly upbeat views about unforeseen scientific breakthroughs and fresh miracles of abundance. All we have to do is build nuclear power plants everywhere. Or, correspondingly, deregulate the free market. Maybe Joel Osteen will run for president because Obummer doesn't get us. How could he? He mocks our Aryan Jesus.
In summary, we will not engage a future that challenges us or makes us feel bad about our "way of life". Let Europe build windmills, let China put a billion ants on high-speed rail. We're Americans. We'll drive to the Last Judgment, thank you very much.
Posted by: soleri | February 21, 2012 at 03:51 PM
Spot on, Walter.
Posted by: Petro | February 21, 2012 at 04:04 PM
Soleri and Petro
Poetic logictarians
Posted by: cal lash | February 21, 2012 at 04:11 PM
Excellent column and comments.
The most important, crucial fact of American life is that there are no jobs.
The United States cannot survive with its present policies.
Constant job destruction makes disaster a certainty.
Why would anyone expect engineers who are excluded from employment, and who are told to shut up and die, to be good citizens?
The country just can't survive this. At some point the United States will implode, experience a revolution, collapse, or become dominated by another government.
Posted by: Mick | February 21, 2012 at 04:53 PM
It's a serious identity problem. Societies tend to preserve the romanticized self-image that they developed in their best times. Italy still likes to think of itself as the Renaissance country of fine arts. The Dutch retain the habitus of a former maritime power. The Brits were able to swap 'We defeated the Nazis' for 'The British Empire' -- a convenient 'just in time' replacement.
The US of A have several points of pride in their history. As times become tougher, not only because of self desctruction, the exhortations towards those things become stronger. Thus the invocations of the 'Founding Fathers (tm)' as a civic religion. Thus the yearning for the pioneering days of the 19th century when the shackles of a complex civilization ('gubment') didn't hinder endless opportunity and resources for all. Thus the incantations of 'moon shots', Manhattan projects -- WWII and post-war glory in general. All bound together by the thread of the middle class and the fear of its mortality.
I agree with Petro - things just happen. Count me as a conservative, at least in this way: history is tragic. There are no guarantees. Now, for the first time, the long-term future may be worse than the present. Usually you'd expect Americans to be good at finding a new story. But this moment presents an additional difficulty: it requires non-quantitative solutions to long-standing social problems. Something that hasn't really been practiced very often in this country.
So Revolution 2.0?! I hope so. Would probably be easier with a little shift of the mind. No more fairy tales of yesteryear. If that's too much of a stretch, reality is on standby to beat it into our heads.
Posted by: AWinter | February 21, 2012 at 05:21 PM
Cal - you're credibility will suffer if you compare me with soleri. I'm not nearly as lucid as that gentleman.
Mick - I'm starting to think that you are concerned primarily with unemployment. (When you have a hammer...)
Posted by: Petro | February 21, 2012 at 05:42 PM
The DOW is at 13,000.
The economy is improving.
I don't think so.
Half a dozen friends lost long time jobs this week.
And for the real clincher about the state of our country:
My drinking buddies are switching from Jack Daniels to Evan Williams. Why?
It's about half the price AND more importantly, it's bottled in glass.
Real men don't drink out of plastic liquor bottles.
I bet that commie Babeu drinks out of plastic.
It's a whiskey no-shitter. Times are getting tough. This ain't funny no more.
Posted by: AzRebel | February 21, 2012 at 07:55 PM
How is it that 12 short years ago,we had a balanced budget,low unemployment,low inflation,and a rosy future.Now,both sides agree we are in a death spiral and there is nothing we can do about it.I wish we had a truth teller who would call out b.s. when they hear it instead of asking for a rebuttal from the other side.Some things are so egregious that they don't deserve a discussion.
Of course the big winners in the increased money in politics are the talking heads and the corporate media.At least in the old days you knew what to expect from a newspaper because they were all in sympathy with one party or the other.They did believe in something besides ratings and profits.They now put out an agenda that they believe will bring them the highest ratings and tailor their message to accomplish that.
WTF-Crown Royal is still in a bottle and I get Medicare next month.
Posted by: mike doughty | February 21, 2012 at 09:37 PM
April 1, 2012: let's hope that the most important issue upon which we choose to focus is the political plankton and the awakening of "Occupy" as the weather moderates. I'm beyond scared that the loonies will draw us into another conflict with huge global remifications. All else pales in comparison.
Posted by: morecleanair | February 21, 2012 at 09:38 PM
I bought a long term bus pass this week.
If I'm doing it... we must have reached critical mass.
Posted by: Chris M | February 21, 2012 at 10:07 PM
From Petro, "Cal - you're credibility will suffer if you compare me with soleri. I'm not nearly as lucid as that gentleman."
If U say so Petro, but I find you both poetic songstresses.
As compared to my ERUCTATION's
Posted by: cal Lash | February 21, 2012 at 11:05 PM
Mike, The answer to your question is the felonious George Bush. Just ask prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi.
Posted by: cal Lash | February 21, 2012 at 11:16 PM
After 1776, 1789, 1905, 1917, etc. I hardly think a full version upgrade should be proposed at this time. What about 'Revolution 1.3645.14b'?
:)
Posted by: Rate Crimes | February 22, 2012 at 05:36 AM
Mike, Crown Royal !!
My buds stopped affording that back after the crash of 08.
Now they go to Goodwill looking for the Crown Royal bags. They fill the bags with corn, heat them in the radar-range and put the heated bags on their aching joints.
Posted by: AzRebel | February 22, 2012 at 07:21 AM
Petro: "but they are mostly being informed by current pressures. This is how things happen in the real world."
Wonder if I will be around to see the balloon burst.
Oh say can U see.
Posted by: cal Lash | February 22, 2012 at 10:40 AM
cal - Oh say can U see.
Babeu - Jose can U see.
Posted by: AzRebel | February 22, 2012 at 04:29 PM
AWinter,
There are those who firmly believe that Roosevelt and Friends manipulated events in World War II, in order for the torch to be passed from the British Empire to the new American Empire. To paraphrase you that "stuff happens", you still have to wonder if any of this "stuff" is by design. If the American Empire is to survive, will it do so via slavery (ala Mick) or is there a plan to transfer the touch to a new as yet un-named Empire.
Posted by: AzRebel | February 22, 2012 at 04:53 PM