Thursday, June 26, 2008

The real, terrible, unspeakable reason


why we are so fucked.

I do vote, because working to keep us off the ash heap of history however we can with whatever means we have is vital. For our kids and for our souls.

But while I fault his prescription, I can't find much wrong with Uncle George's diagnosis.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Actually, I don't fault his prescription if the candidates are unacceptable. I don't believe in voting against what you fear, but voting for what you are willing to accept as an alternative, if you can.

Anonymous said...

I'm 100% with you, Driftglass.

Angel Of Mercy said...

I vote...and wouldn't consider NOT voting. It's all I've got and I'll use it every chance I can.

Having said that, I must add that I LOVE Mr. Carlin--saw him twice and sure will miss him!--and I do thoroughly understand his point of view on the matter. His diagnosis is DEAD ON.

RIP, Uncle George.

Anonymous said...

George was a comic genius, but he was also a stone-cold cynic, who often used his cleverness as a substitute for character. But it doesn't take genius to see that an uneducated and ignorant electorate can do more harm than good, and the last 7 yrs are horrendous proof of that. And intelligent people who think they're above the fray and do not vote are just dead wood in a living, growing republic of the people.

It may be comic convenience, but Carlin blames all who vote-- not just those who voted for-- the dick politicians of the past; but the fact that Obama will be the next president is proof that an educated and revived portion of the electorate are responsible for the sea change that's coming, and perhaps along with it an end to the dominance of cynicism and fear. The dick politicians like to mouth that America's best years are ahead of us. Obama is living evidence that those years are here.

WereBear said...

Whoa! WTF?

he was also a stone-cold cynic, who often used his cleverness as a substitute for character

Geez, like all stand up comedians, he crafted a persona which gave his message added impact and created structural cohesion.

It shouldn't be construed as too emblematic of his true personality.

Boris Karloff created the terrifying Frankenstein's monster.

And was one of the most beloved people in Hollywood, for decades.

Caoimhin Laochdha said...

Rarely have politicians touched a level of "character" that George Carlin's, R.I.P., life work represented every day. Sadly, our characterless politicians are a fair reflection of are fair country

For as long as I've been voter legal, every U.S. election has been overwhelmingly dominated by a mass of people whose overriding characteristic is their cowardice, their narrow-mindedness, their ignorance and their inability to empathize or imagine.

While I have no doubt that the Republicans will "LOSE" in November, I have yet to see any indication that a wholesale rejection of their illiberal policies, that rejection of their class warfare or that rejection of their militarism will "WIN" when Congress and the administration change their underwear in January.

The mass electorate (minus scattered exceptions) deserves no faith to the contrary.

slainte,
cl

Fran / Blue Gal said...

I vote, and contribute, and campaign, and write. For my kids and for my soul. To be an example to them and to cling to a very small splinter of the place called hope.

Plus, it's all I have against the bastardy of the Beltway insiders.

Thanks, DG.

Anonymous said...

Great piece by Carlin, and the merits of his position as posited are clear.

He's right in SO many ways.

Thanks for sharing, Drifty.

I was eligible to vote in '71.
I haven't had a decent thing to vote for, then, or since.

But I DO vote. It's just ingrained.

As said, I'm with his analysis. Spot on.
We get what we pay for, and what we schtoop for.

Those who have NOT voted, however, have cost a few elections with leaders who didn't make it.

And the left us with the likes of Nixon (burn in hell), Reagan (rot in hell) and both Shrubs.

I dont think any of this can be saved anymore.

I'm gone jaded, full time.

The 1% got it all, and they got the laws, the WH, Congress, Judiciary, and FISA and more.

Obama, bless him for being a color barrier change agent, is not gonna free us from our masters, though.

I hoped he would, but as of now, I don't think he's for the progressives side of life.

He's for the same o, same o.
But he's a Dem, and I'll vote.

My personal opinion is that in the next ten years, things are gonna go to shit so bad, it won't matter who's in charge.

And we'll ALL be on self survival mode . . .

Best to all.

Rehctaw said...

I'm sure there's a logical explanation why your subsequent posts are no longer visible.

But perhaps it's another, unspeakable reason? What happened to the Supreme Court post?

Are there gremlins in the woodpile? Rats in the wainscoting of Castle Driftwood? Bats in MY belfry?

Likely this last, but would have sworn I saw a puddy tat.

Mauigirl said...

Great rant by Carlin. I'm sorry to say, for the most part, he is totally right about the "garbage in, garbage out." I often wonder where the good people are that should be running the country. Or even our town.

Mister Roboto said...

Well, I disagree that there are no people of intelligence and conscience in our society. The thing is, we live in a society that punishes the living daylights out of people of intelligence and conscience for being so, and as a result, they all kind of end up like me. Feeling too ground down and existentially depressed to be able to whip up very much enthusiasm about anything anymore. I realize I'm rather "victim-whining" here, and as unbecoming as that is, sometimes one must call a spade a spade.