I suppose I should be quite ecstatic…or at least quietly comforted.
After all it is not every day that I am told that every breath I take makes the world worse, but that I still am welcome in the free world.
At the very least I should feel relieved…after all somebody who represents the 99% actually said this….and if they represent the 99% it must be so.
So why is it that I feel no comfort from this?
Could it be that I have seen a glimpse of the future of the free world and I don’t like it?
I need to say this very simply so that everybody can understand exactly what I am saying….
The free world that these bozo’s in OWS are promising is a world bereft of flavor, a world bereft of entrepreneurs, a world as bland as oatmeal substitutes and as interesting as explaining the thermodynamic principles that allow paint to dry.
In 1931 Aldous Huxley wrote his 5th novel, Brave New World. Written in response to European fears that American culture was about to dominate the world, Huxley looked into the future to see what it could look like. Based on the moral promiscuity he saw in America in the thirties he created a world that was bereft of taste. A world where workers were fed drugs to keep them happy, where the elite had no emotional bonds and where thought and individualism were so discouraged that anyone who participated in these pursuits were outcasts.
A world of drugged people relying on the trinkets provided by the state to get through their day. A world where sex was relegated to the annals of history and savages, where consumption was demanded to ensure economic stability. A world where test tubes created the multiple classes of humans in the exact ratio to keep the factories running and the elites prosperous.
This was Huxley’s vision of the future.
Almost 30 years later, in 1959, Huxley wrote a non-fiction work, Brave New World Revisited, in which he considered whether the world had moved toward or away from his vision of the future from the 1930s. He believed when he wrote the original novel that it was a reasonable guess as to where the world might go in the future. In Brave New World Revisited, he concluded that the world was becoming like Brave New World much faster than he originally thought.
A glimpse into the future perhaps?
In 1948 George Orwell wrote his glimpse of the future, 1984.
No comfort in this view of the future. Big Brother controlled the people with force, with physical intimidation. A world where knowledge was no longer encouraged, indeed was feared by the leadership. A world where the economy was fed by the continual state of war which also ensured a form of population control. This glimpse of the future shows us a world that I would not want to live in.
Two writers, two views of the future. Neither of which present attractive alternatives to me.
Neil Postman, in his 1985 book, Amusing Ourselves to Death, wrote in the forward….
“What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one. Orwell feared those who would deprive us of information. Huxley feared those who would give us so much that we would be reduced to passivity and egotism. Orwell feared that the truth would be concealed from us. Huxley feared the truth would be drowned in a sea of irrelevance. Orwell feared we would become a captive culture. Huxley feared we would become a trivial culture, preoccupied with some equivalent of the feelies, the orgy porgy, and the centrifugal bumblepuppy. As Huxley remarked in Brave New World Revisited, the civil libertarians and rationalists who are ever on the alert to oppose tyranny "failed to take into account man's almost infinite appetite for distractions." In 1984, Orwell added, people are controlled by inflicting pain. In Brave New World, they are controlled by inflicting pleasure. In short, Orwell feared that what we fear will ruin us. Huxley feared that our desire will ruin us.”
So…who’s view of the future is more accurate?
Let’s quickly look at Neil Postman’s analysis:-
1. Orwell feared books would be banned.
There is no doubt that this has happened. Political correctness is preventing books from being available in American libraries. In fact some books are being rewritten to write out those terms that people today find politically incorrect. Mark Twain is turning over in his grave. In fact both 1984 and Brave New World have both been subjected to being banned. So yes, Orwell is right!
2. Huxley feared no-one would read books, therefor no need to ban them
A quick glance at book sales over the last decade show a reduction in sales volume. Electronic books have increased in popularity but not made much of an impact in creating demand for books. Hollywood and TV have become the replacement for books. The movement away from books is slow but is happening. Harder to see, but Huxley is right!
3. Orwell feared those that would deprive us of information.
That is not happening today, right? Our media is giving us the full story? The news and the talking heads make sure we know the truth? Our politicians tell us the truth? Ummm….I guess Orwell was right!
4. Huxley feared we would have too much information
The internet and email are wildly efficient, but how many people have information overload? How many people post stupid stuff to Facebook….like “tacos for dinner, yummmmm”. This is information overload…this is so much information that we simply don’t care anymore. It is too hard to sort through the crap to find the good stuff, so we simply become uncaring, passive egotists…ie. We think we are so important that other people want to know what we are eating for dinner. Huxley could not have been more right!
5. Orwell feared the truth would be concealed from us.
This administration promised open government but has more closed door meetings and decisions than any other administration in recent history. The lie meter goes off every time a politician moves his lips. Statistics are manipulated to conceal the truth and politicians continually create new metrics that cannot be verified such as “jobs created or saved”. Is the truth being hidden…yep, sure is. Orwell was right!
6. Huxley feared the truth would be drowned in a sea of irrelevance.
In a media world of sound bites the truth becomes hidden behind the “gotcha” statements, the rush to sell media and the need for advertising revenues. Blogs like mine abound…the ones that speak the truth are outnumbered by the ones that hide the truth behind an agenda. The truth is out there but is irrelevant in a sea of dogma, political agendas and, yes, stupidity. Huxley is right!
7. Orwell feared we would become a captive culture.
Americans are awash in a sea of legislation and regulation that prevents entrepreneurs from creating wealth, that keep people employed in wasteful government enterprises and that stifle freedom. Is America a captive nation? Yes, she is. Orwell was right!
8. Huxley feared we would become a trivial culture.
What could be more trivial than a person whose claim to fame was that a sex tape of her was released should capture the imagination of a country…and whose marriage and divorce filing 72 days later is world news? What could be more trivial than the endless hours of television coverage of some loser actress and her legal woes? Has America become trivial? You bet your ass she has. Huxley is right!
9. Orwell believed people would be controlled by inflicting pain.
The current government wants to control people through taxation, redistribution of wealth, regulation, intimidation and downright thuggery. With every new regulation or piece of legislation come penalties if you should dare not comply. The penalties are designed to inflict as much pain as possible without being bad enough to lead to the revolt of an oppressed people. Orwell was right!
10. Huxley believed that people would be controlled by inflicting pleasure.
This is far more subtle, however look at the movement to legalize marijuana…look at the corruption of moral standards, look at the example shown by our leaders….everywhere we turn we are bombarded with messages that tell us to succumb to our senses. Sensory stimulus is now regarded far more highly than intellectual stimulus. The left is moving us away from accountability and responsibility, and moving us toward more pleasurable pursuits. Huxley was right!
So, we see that it is clear that we are moving toward a future that both writers envisaged. What they failed to see was that both their futures are simply two sides of the same coin. The future we are headed toward is a composite of these two views. The steps needed to get to Huxley’s vision follow the exact path of Orwell’s for the ability to endow your subjects with lavish gifts of pleasure cannot happen until the assets of the individual have first been confiscated.
That both visions are happening simultaneously is simply an acceleration of the process.
Do you want to live in a world as envisaged by either of these writers?
Does a glimpse into their future fill you with apprehension and revulsion?
Or do you like the idea of a tasteless bland world where your life is controlled by someone else, where your desires are manipulated, and your freedoms are non-existent. It does not matter whether the new world is a place of pleasure or of pain…it cannot, and will not be, a place of freedom.
Once again the left has successfully duped a large following of moronic non-thinkers to believe that the future the left wants is one of freedom. It is not. It is a future of captivity and serfdom.
The only future of freedom that is possible is one where mankind is freed from the constraints of regulatory control, freed from the constraints of excessive taxation, freed from the constraints of political correctness and affirmative action. A world with truth and honesty, a world that values history, values entrepreneurship and success. A world that views personal achievement with honor and laziness with disgust.
I want a future that looks like that. A future where my success or failure is dependent on my own ability to learn the skills necessary to achieve success…a world where, if I fail I can pick myself up and try again.
To the OWS people who will “welcome me to the free world”….
….thanks but no thanks. I have no desire to be a part of the free world you are so enamored with. You are not promoting a free world at all…you are promoting a world dominated by serfdom.
No thank you. I will fight this so-called free world until the last breath leaves my body….
Who is with me?
…..devereaux
I am. I agree with you as well as Washington who said, "I WOULD RATHER DIE ON MY FEET THAT LIVE ON MY KNEES".
ReplyDeleteJ J Taylor
We have a long and arduous battle ahead of us. The education of the ill informed is way easier than the education of those who are ideologically tarnished. But it remains the only way to stop the cancer that spreads amongst the uninformed and the philosophically challenged.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your support.
.....devereaux
This is a blast from the past:
ReplyDeleteTake a hard look at these criminals below that the ignorant Communist "Garbage Party" never consider along with Chris Dodd and Barney Frank who had oversight. Be sure to read the "where they are now" at the end!
The three former Fannie Mae executives who brought down Wall Street.
Franklin Raines
was a Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Fannie Mae. Raines was forced to retire from his position with Fannie Mae when auditing discovered severe irregularities in Fannie Mae's accounting activities.
At the time of his departure The Wall Street Journal noted, " Raines, who long defended the company's accounting despite mounting evidence that it wasn't proper , issued a statement conceding that "mistakes were made" and saying he would assume responsibility as he had earlier
promised. News reports indicate the company was under growing pressure from regulators to shake up its management in the wake of findings that
the company's books ran afoul of generally accepted accounting principles for four years." Fannie Mae had to reduce its surplus by $9 billion. Raines left with a "golden parachute valued at $240 Million in benefits. The Government filed suit against Raines when the depth of the accounting scandal became clear. http://housingdoom.com/2006/12/18/fannie-charges/ . The Government noted, " The 101 charges reveal how the individuals improperly manipulated earnings to maximize their bonuses, while knowingly neglecting accounting systems and internal controls, misapplying over twenty accounting principles and misleading the regulator and the public.
The Notice explains how they submitted six years of misleading and inaccurate accounting statements and inaccurate capital reports that
enabled them to grow Fannie Mae in an unsafe and unsound manner." These charges were made in 2006. The Court ordered Raines to return $50 Million Dollars he received in bonuses based on the miss-stated Fannie Mae profits.
Net windfall . . . $190 million!
Where is he now? Keep reading.
Tim Howard - Was the Chief Financial Officer of Fannie Mae. Howard "was a strong internal
proponent of using accounting strategies that would ensure a "stable pattern of earnings" at Fannie. In everyday English - he was cooking the
books . The Government Investigation determined that, "Chief Financial Officer, Tim Howard, failed to provide adequate oversight to key control and reporting functions within Fannie Mae,"
On June 16, 2006, Rep. Richard Baker, R-La., asked the Justice Department to investigate his
allegations that two former Fannie Mae executives lied to Congress in October 2004 when they denied manipulating the mortgage-finance giant's
income statement to achieve management pay bonuses . Investigations by federal regulators and the company's board of directors since concluded that management did manipulate 1998 earnings to trigger bonuses. Raines and Howard resigned under pressure in late 2004.
Howard's Golden Parachute was estimated at $20 Million!
Where is he now? Keep reading.
Jim Johnson - A former executive at Lehman Brothers and who was later forced from his position as Fannie Mae CEO . A look at the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight's May 2006 report on mismanagement and corruption inside Fannie Mae, and you'll see some interesting things about Johnson. Investigators
found that Fannie Mae had hidden a substantial amount of Johnson's 1998 compensation from the public, reporting that it was between $6 million
and $7 million when it fact it was $21 million." Johnson is currently under investigation for taking illegal loans from Countrywide while
serving as CEO of Fannie Mae.
Johnson's Golden Parachute was estimated at $28 Million.
Here is the kicker!
ReplyDeleteWHERE ARE THEY NOW?
FRANKLIN RAINES?
Raines works for the Obama Campaign as his Chief Economic Advisor.
TIM HOWARD? Howard is a Chief Economic Advisor to Obama under Franklin Raines.
JIM JOHNSON?
Johnson was hired as a Senior Obama Finance Advisor and was selected to run Obama's Vice Presidential Search Committee.
Yeah, shocking, and these people are not in jail?