The Sadism in American Life

It has often been remarked that we are living in cages not of our own making.

However some cages are nicer than others (just go to a second and third rate Zoo and you'll soon see why this matters ;--))

Of course we humans (at least most of us) don't live behind visible bars. No, we live behind invisible ones. Yet although invisible they are no less strong. Culture, language, laws, and economic system are the main "bars"..try to cross or change any of them and you'll soon feel the growing frustrations of your head, heart, and hands.

Many a foreign commentator has often focused on the American system as one of unbridled egoism disguised as a lust for the maximization of human liberty (exploitation?). Even if this is true, any tangible social consequences of such an attitude have to be examined.

One of the more unfortunate consequences of such a society/economic system has been the disintegration of the human personality and with it a rise in correlated acts of sadism.


I should make clear that the kind of 'sadism' that I'm referring to is a societal phenomenon. Some of its not so invisible reality has been captured by cultural artifacts such as books and films. From the "Scarlet Letter", the "Last of the Mohicans", and even "Moby Dick" to more recent cultural influences such as "Film Noir", Kurt Vonnegut's novels, and popular T.V. shows such as "South Park" and "The Simpsons"--the sadistic element is evident and inescapable.

Yet culture must be a somewhat accurate reflection or a heightening of what is perceived for it to be accepted by more than a few as possibly true. In this case, American artists have accurately reflected a social system that is horribly distorted in so many ways, a caricature of its promise as elaborated by the Founding Fathers, that all that seems to be left are isolated individuals glorifying within an empty cornucopia of formal freedoms while being physically restricted in every way possible by a constellation of an ever growing, ever more distant federal government and economic interests that pay lip service to any and all ideologies just enough to ensure that the economic exploitation of as many people as possible will continue unabated.

It is no wonder that under such circumstances of actual "unfreedom" millions lash out privately in small, mean acts of sadism while releasing their justified aggressions in a dangerously condensing cloud of confused, ever more angry laughter.

The secret whisper of the American Mind is a simple one: "My life hurts, so you hurt. So there. Tough." Yes very.

Gold, All That Glitters?

All that glitters?

Rushing towards gold? A lot of people are lately. Should you really take the plunge? Well if and when you do consider the following points:

1. Gold has already had a spectacular two-year run (even if not exactly as powerful or as high as in the late 70's and early 80's)
2. I know you tire of hearing it—but it bears repeating...gold is a store of value, while stocks are return on value (no chicken little the sky didn't fall and flatten your poor, poultry body after all)
3. Yes, Soros and other Cosmic Players are in it, but will they be tomorrow (stay tuned for the next release of Soros' current holdings—it will be an eye opener)
4. This Fed is not the Nixon Fed: No longer can the US dictate global monetary policy as effectively as it once did—even as recently as 10 years ago (there are new considerably powerful countervailing financial forces such as China, India, and Germany...they will push back on the Fed's dollar Flooding---global inflation will be thwarted)
5. It is true that many of Asia's middle classes have taken a new found interest in gold—but that sentiment could change as soon as their perceptions of the stability and long term trajectory of their and the world's economy change—and that might happen faster than anyone might think possible now—even as soon as the first quarter of 2011
6. And finally it's worth pondering that over long stretches of time, gold never beats a traditionally well balanced stock portfolio

Gold was the poster boy for this century's first truly global financial crisis. As it was for the last century's crises. And I'm pretty sure it will come back again and again with its soothing glitter promising safety and security in an uncertain, fast moving world. But for now:: Buyer Beware!

Top 14 Liberal Blogs

1. TalkLeft - “The Politics of Crime” or “The Online Magazine with Liberal coverage of crime-related political and injustice news.” (www.talkleft.com)
2. Donklephant - Their pitch: “Tired of the rhetoric, bomb-throwing and partisan hackery? Here we offer a respectful, honest forum for people who want to have a conversation about politics, the world and beyond. All we ask is you keep your language clean and your arguments sharp.” (donklephant.com)
3. Daily Kos - Perhaps the hub of the liberal blogosphere, this left wing blog started by Markos Moulitsas Zúniga has a large team of lefty writers and a vocal audience of readers. (www.dailykos.com)
4. Shakesville - Team blog led by Melissa McEwan offers serious liberal political commentary with a good dose of silliness and interesting off-topic conversations. (shakespearessister.blogspot.com)
5. The Huffington Post Politics - While this team blog has branched out in an attempt to be a full-fledged news site, it is still mostly thought of as a liberal blog, led by Arianna Huffington. (www.huffingtonpost.com)
6. Hullabaloo - Each day this liberal blog’s author Digby offers one or two quite long posts on the day’s political events. (digbysblog.blogspot.com)
7. Crooks and Liars - Liberal blog makes it mark thanks to its zealous tracking and posting of videos from political talk shows and other relevant videos. (www.crooksandliars.com)
8. Talking Points Memo - Liberal blog from journalist Joshua Micah Marshall offers regular updates from a writer with plenty of experience in Democratic politics. Regrettably does not allow reader comments. (www.talkingpointsmemo.com)
9. Skippy the Bush Kangaroo - Sometimes serious, sometimes funny, always lefty blog by team of bloggers with strange names, led by the bush kangaroo mentioned in the blog’s title. (www.xnerg.blogspot.com)
10. Eschaton - Influential left wing blog from Duncan Black, also known as Atrios. (atrios.blogspot.com)
11. Americablog - Team of bloggers on the Democrat side offers regular posts on how bad the right is, with plenty of commenters seconding those emotions. (www.americablog.com)
12. Firedoglake - Team blog led by Jane Hamsher is an active forum for left-leaning Democratic types. (www.firedoglake.com)
13. Coonsey’s World - “Stepping outside the box of what’s currently called ‘the news.’” (coonsey.wordpress.com)
14. Perception Managers - Blog’s goal is to stop you from getting played by right-wing propaganda—perhaps to play you with left-wing propaganda? You be the judge. (And be prepared for some potty mouth writing.) (perceptionmanagers.org)

Top 40 Conservative Blogs

m40) Hugh Hewitt
39) The Next Right
38) Stop The ACLU
37) Alarming News
36) Doubleplusundead
35) The Radio Equalizer
34) Tammy Bruce
33) Rachel Lucas
32) The American Princess
31) Cara Ellison
30) Dr. Helen
29) Vox Popoli
28) The Troglopundit
27) Power Line
26) Sweetness & Light
25) Tim Blair
24) The Nose on Your Face
23) Say Anything
22) Betsy's Page
21) Kausfiles
20) Atlas Shrugs
19) Iowahawk
18) Legal Insurrection
17) The Jawa Report
16) Megan McArdle
15) TigerHawk
14) Five Feet of Fury
13) Riehl World View12) Althouse
11) The Campaign Spot
20) Gateway Pundit
9) Michelle Malkin
8) IMAO
7) RedState
6) The Corner
5) Big Hollywood
4) Ace Of Spades HQ
3) Newsbusters
2) Instapundit
1) Hot Air

Farewell University

Why are America's institutions of higher learning so fearful? --John Stossel

Well, for lots of reasons.

Firstly universities long ago gave up a coherent independent vision of higher education in favor of a misguided form of social and institutional self “engagement”.

Put in other words, universities became social institutions not of learning but of self-perpetuation. In effect they work as a closed union or even guild.

When there's no one to watch the watchers—watch out!

Professors at the university are, ever more rarely, engaged in research for research's sake—they're either in it for the benefits, prestige, and, increasingly, as a place to hide from a society they either viscerally dislike or are wont to vehemently criticize—from a highly sheltered perspective of place of course.

It's become a country club for the federally funded inflation of unchecked ideas, faulty reasoning, passe-radicalism or chic posturing, the extravagant milking through brand-name flattery of the middle classes, and a pleasant combination of light chicanery and misdemeanor serving to titillate while deeply hoodwinking their young wards until it's time to throw them to the wolves—uninformed, untrained, and, perhaps what's worse, full of half-baked intellectual prejudices.

To be fair, no one person or group is to blame. However on the other hand a cogent historical argument could be made which implicated the federal government, university administrators, and the complacent, callous, and above all vain, capricious, and fatally insular middle classes representing a constellation of forces hollowing out the university of its traditional character, beliefs, and functions.

But the decline of the American university is alas all of one piece. It is a reflection of a nation, so inured to telling itself the truth about anything, so accustomed to spewing out platitudes and slogans rather than taking up the arduous paths of complex thinking that it will come as no surprise to either outside or future observers that the American university had become yet another monument to the mandarins—a closed window on the world hiding inadequacy, fear of discovery, and above all a fundamental disbelief in anything that is either good, beautiful, or sublime.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2010/11/10/im_politically_incorrect_107906.html