Acceptable registrations in the queue through March 16 at 11:00a ET have now been activated. Enjoy! -M.W.

Terms of Use have been amended effective October 6, 2019. Make sure you are aware of the new rules! Please visit this thread for details: https://www.mibuzzboard.com/phpBB3/view ... 16&t=48619

What's it going to take?

Debate and discussion of current events and political issues across the U.S. and throughout the World. Be forewarned -- this forum is NOT for the intellectually weak or those of you with thin skins. Don't come crying to me if you become the subject of ridicule. **Board Administrator reserves the right to revoke posting privileges based on my sole discretion**
Mega Hertz
Posts: 4265
Joined: Fri Jun 15, 2012 10:09 pm
Location: Brighton

What's it going to take?

Post by Mega Hertz » Sun Feb 10, 2019 3:39 pm

I was watching "My Fellow Americans" with Jack Lemmon and James Garner last night (great movie if you haven't seen it). There's a scene where a laid off paint factory employee (living in his car with his family) says to the two ex-presidents "You've ignored the voice of the people". Jack Lemmon, who plays a former Republican president says, "Voice of the people my fanny...you've got 250 million people all shouting for something different. The only thing you can agree on is you don't want higher taxes".

So, like I asked in my title, what's is going to take to get people in agreement, together, united? Because it sure seems to me that there's a lot of cliche stereotypes these days, where if one person says 'day', the other person has to say 'night'. What's gonna be the point where everyone comes together under one umbrella? And why does there have to be such vitriol? It's almost like some people get off on being a contrarian. Even another 9/11, a catastrophic event, probably wouldn't help. That was a wonderful couple of months to be an American (until the politicizing began).

Have we reached the point of no return?


"Internet is no more like radio than intravenous feeding is like fine dining."
-TurkeyTop

User avatar
Lester The Nightfly
Posts: 1727
Joined: Thu Aug 11, 2005 6:19 pm

Re: What's it going to take?

Post by Lester The Nightfly » Sun Feb 10, 2019 6:36 pm

Mega Hertz wrote:
Sun Feb 10, 2019 3:39 pm
I was watching "My Fellow Americans" with Jack Lemmon and James Garner last night (great movie if you haven't seen it). There's a scene where a laid off paint factory employee (living in his car with his family) says to the two ex-presidents "You've ignored the voice of the people". Jack Lemmon, who plays a former Republican president says, "Voice of the people my fanny...you've got 250 million people all shouting for something different. The only thing you can agree on is you don't want higher taxes".

So, like I asked in my title, what's is going to take to get people in agreement, together, united? Because it sure seems to me that there's a lot of cliche stereotypes these days, where if one person says 'day', the other person has to say 'night'. What's gonna be the point where everyone comes together under one umbrella? And why does there have to be such vitriol? It's almost like some people get off on being a contrarian. Even another 9/11, a catastrophic event, probably wouldn't help. That was a wonderful couple of months to be an American (until the politicizing began).

Have we reached the point of no return?
Perhaps.

I'm glad you were honest in your appraisal of the aftermath of 9/11. Yeah, the bloom came off that opportunity pretty quickly...
Barring some worldwide cataclysmic event, *think* incoming meteor or an all-out nuke-a-palooza (in which case the 1% will already be camped out in New Zealand in bunkers leaving the rest of us to battle it out for the last box of Coco Puffs at WalMart) it's all "Fuck you, I got mine". I mean right now, if there's any existential threat that comes close to that I would say it's climate change and we all see who's for what and how that is being played out.

I just can't imagine a circumstance where either side has enough regard or respect for the other to not just let it all go to shit in a wisp of vapor rather than hold out an uplifting hand to the other side.

Image



Mega Hertz
Posts: 4265
Joined: Fri Jun 15, 2012 10:09 pm
Location: Brighton

Re: What's it going to take?

Post by Mega Hertz » Sun Feb 10, 2019 10:42 pm

The thing is, while I watched more politics and news than the average 16-17 year old, I never knew the HATE that existed. I knew people didn't like Reagan and Bush and Clinton, but my God...I never knew it could be THIS bad. And I see it getting worse before it gets better. I have to believe social media plays a major role in this. You had Limbaugh, you had Berg, etc...but the fact that anyone, anytime, anywhere can make any statement on something...

There's a 78 year old Army vet that lives next door. He's a frail man, but by no means a wuss. When we had that round of snow and ice a couple weeks ago, since I was out shoveling my house, I did his, too. Plus, he has a blower. After the third time he saw me out there, he opened up the door and asked where I liked to eat. He wanted to pay me for doing his walkways. I just told him that I treat others as I want done to me. My grandma is 88. If there's a young, able body that could do it for her, I would want them to. Now, the profit motive says I could have gotten money from him. Or at least a free meal. Fact is, I didn't NEED it. I was just out helping a neighbor. I can only imagine what he's seen in his lifetime. And 20 minutes of my time to help him didn't kill me.

I think if more people stepped back and looked at the big picture instead of thinking they're the most important person on Earth, that would be a good place to start.


"Internet is no more like radio than intravenous feeding is like fine dining."
-TurkeyTop

stopnswop2
Posts: 3106
Joined: Wed Oct 28, 2015 2:08 pm
Location: Novi, MI
Contact:

Re: What's it going to take?

Post by stopnswop2 » Sun Feb 10, 2019 10:46 pm

If yall Stop watching corporate scripted "news" that is here to assist in the "me me me", that might happen.


I should inform you of the 1972 quote by Zbiignicw Brzczinski (I'm sure I spelled that wrong).
"Shortly the general public will be unable to reason or think for themselves. They'll only be able to parrot the information they've been given on the previous night's news"


And look what we have here...
A Political Potpourri of "news" you all heard on tv, that may or may not be nothing but rubbish invented by someone at one of the 6 (soon to be 5) owners of all television stations...
Last edited by stopnswop2 on Sun Feb 10, 2019 10:55 pm, edited 3 times in total.


Music is my life.

Y M Ionhere
Posts: 661
Joined: Wed Oct 27, 2010 9:31 pm
Location: Where the sun no longer shines

Re: What's it going to take?

Post by Y M Ionhere » Sun Feb 10, 2019 10:47 pm

I think there has been an abrupt cultural shift, largely due to comedians and entertainers suddenly being taken as seriously as the true intellectual journalists and pundits. I think we have a slippery slope where are activism is inspired by a comedian or rapper. Plus, anger and political hate just suddenly has more appeal. Agree or disagree with him, couldnt we say that Charles Krauthammer was a much more civil, intellectual thinker than someone like Seth Meyers, Bill Maher or Kathy Griffin? When foul-mouthed or hateful comedians replace intellectual thinkers for our news sources, what the hell do you expect?



Mega Hertz
Posts: 4265
Joined: Fri Jun 15, 2012 10:09 pm
Location: Brighton

Re: What's it going to take?

Post by Mega Hertz » Sun Feb 10, 2019 11:20 pm

Interesting you mention Maher. I am a fan and catch Real Time every week. I don't count him as "news", and take his show for what it is. I don't mistake comedy or opinion for hard news. But, before Thanksgiving, he did a "new rule" about "enough with making everything political", especially at things like Thanksgiving dinner.

Why that was interesting to me is that many folks go out of their way to make things political. I'll set up a playlist on YouTube. Pick any artist, any song. Say..."Black and Blue" by Van Halen. Not Sammy's finest hour, but it's, in essence, a song about screwing. Someone will have to comment "I dedicate this song to Donald Trump". 520 comments later...I mean, does it really have to be this way?

Maher pined for the days where who you voted for was personal, not how you define yourself. He recognizes that it's his bread and butter, but just the average Joe on Grand River, with the 2018 Silverado, black flag with blue stripe, and Trump sticker on the back. It didn't used to be like that, and more and more, people are indentifying themselves as "this voter" or "that candidate". Everyone is happy to be a stereotype.

So the question is...where does it all go from here?


"Internet is no more like radio than intravenous feeding is like fine dining."
-TurkeyTop

Mega Hertz
Posts: 4265
Joined: Fri Jun 15, 2012 10:09 pm
Location: Brighton

Re: What's it going to take?

Post by Mega Hertz » Sun Feb 10, 2019 11:30 pm

Here's a different way of looking at it.

Your little brother lost out on his dessert. So instead of eating yours in another room, you choose to sit right next to him and devour your popsicle. You moan and hum the whole time you eat it, lick the stick and say how amazing that popsicle was. Which is going to start trouble. Then mom and dad come in and, at first, you play stupid. "What? Moi? What did *I* do?" Then you get pissy. "I can eat my popsicle in any room I want! I have a right to eat it right here!"

When, in truth, you could have just avoided the issue and eaten it elsewhere. And now your brother is a cry baby because you had to start shit and it pissed him off. You just had to stir the pot...


Actually, I don't see this thread gaining much traction. Because it's more about finding a solution rather than inflamming a problem.


"Internet is no more like radio than intravenous feeding is like fine dining."
-TurkeyTop

User avatar
ZenithCKLW
Posts: 833
Joined: Sat Nov 13, 2004 11:21 am
Location: Livonia, MI

Re: What's it going to take?

Post by ZenithCKLW » Mon Feb 11, 2019 12:49 am

So many people aren’t able to look inward and recognize when they contribute to a problem. They can only point their fingers outward and blame.

And I understand the irony of my statement.

In addition...

I have become a person that has refused to join a political “club.” I am neither a democrat or republican, although at times I may adopt some positions that align with one or the other. I am always guided by what I think is right, and neither party is always right, as much as they and their die-hards would like to believe they have all the answers. Unless someone is spewing hate, while I don’t necessarily look down on someone for strictly aligning to a party, I tend to place more credibility on someone who can think for themselves, instead of being a Fox News or MSNBC puppet.

None of this answers the question about how to get out of this mess, but it helps me wallow through it.



Mega Hertz
Posts: 4265
Joined: Fri Jun 15, 2012 10:09 pm
Location: Brighton

Re: What's it going to take?

Post by Mega Hertz » Mon Feb 11, 2019 6:55 am

Couple of good points, Zenith.

What helps me wallow through is a forum (not going to link to it; Idk how MW feels about that) that allows no politics. It's a famous mastering engineer where any given thread could be about The Beatles, Kiss' first album, the mix of a Stones album...even on "off topic" section. You can discuss just about anything, but NO POLITICS. No race. No ethnicity. No religion. It really helps get away from it for a while and decompress.


"Internet is no more like radio than intravenous feeding is like fine dining."
-TurkeyTop

Post Reply Previous topicNext topic