Food for Thought...

-----Original Message-----
From: Citizen X
Sent: Thursday, November 04, 2004 10:27 AM
To: Citizen Y
Subject: -the Election and Heinrich Himmler-

Y'know, as much as people talk about the morals at hand are the important, I've been thinking that it's more that Bush has an in your face, almost consistent morality rather than a "let's look at things, evaluate it, then figure out something," in other words a critical morality.

I've been reading an essay which examines the life of Heinrich Himmler, the head of the SS during WWII. It has an interesting cultural analysis of how back in his childhood (before WWI) then in Germany, people were seen as cogs in a machine and that there was this conception that people and children are supposed to act in a certain way and that it was OK to pretty much torture them to act in that certain way and act all totalitarian authoritative so that essentially they don't have the ability to create their own individual personality, so that they become dependent on some kind of outside source to give their life purpose and to form their morality. Is it possible that, in many ways, in the people voting for Bush, they like his strong, in your face morality because it provides them with guidance and purpose as to how live their own lives because they don't have the capability to form their own identity, face challenges, etc. etc.?

In many ways, this political election was one of culture, not politics. .Is it possible that the country would change if we actually tried to help children and adults have their own mental and critical abilities to form their own identity, purpose, etc. etc. without reference to the other authority figures like their president, the media, advertising, etc.?

Just some primordial starting to think about the topic.

-----Original Message-----
From: Citizen X
Sent: Thursday, November 04, 2004 11:53 AM
To: Citizen Y
Subject: -the Election and Heinrich Himmler-

Even the Devil can quote Scripture:

Very true, he does have that. That was why in my letter to Kerry I mentioned that he might want to be more of a rabble-rouser. I find men, and women, who are more personal and punk-rock (excuse the miss use of the word) in their speech-making tend to be more engaging, and easier to relate to.

I think that's a sentiment held by many people. Look at Doctor King, he was very much in your face with his politics. But with his heart on his sleeve, when it came to how he spoke, he was engaging even to his opponents. Now I am in no way comparing King George the 2nd to Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. But, to an extent, the President has a warmth to his speech making. Almost like a child.

Help, Help, I’m being repressed:

That, I think, is a very common idea that many repressive cultures have in common. And lets face it, most large and influential cultures are repressive. Quite a conundrum isn't it?! BTW if you are looking for a film that captures those repressive feeling you read about in Germany, Austrian filmmaker Fritz Lang's Metropolis does a very good job of it. The 1926 classic is an expressionistic drama about a futuristic slave society (but watch out what version you watch I once saw it colorized with Queen on the soundtrack… yikes!)

Kulture me Political:

I do not believe I considered that, very interesting, viewpoint aside from a passing thought here and there. But I have considered the idea that Bush represents out-of-date repressive ideals, while Kerry may have been a more progressive idealist. Though the notion that Kerry represents a true push to a real, more progressive, social change is as moot as it is debatable. What I find funny is that the white middle and lower class should follow Bush, when he makes things so much worse for them. Is that a cultural comment?

An Aside:

Speaking of the Midwest one of the folks here pointed out that the coasts, where it's more likely to be trouble by any terrorist groups were all pretty much Blue (meaning Democratic) where the Midwest was all red (meaning Republican). He then asked if maybe we could hang out a sign that says "Aim for the corn fields, they supported Bush!"

-Citizen Y

-----Original Message-----
From: Citizen X
Sent: Thursday, November 04, 2004 11:59 AM
To: Citizen Y
Subject: RE: -the Election and Heinrich Himmler-

Couple things:

1- I don't think this election was based on the voters using rational thought, or at least a little bit more than half of them. The conservative right will say that the country is falling apart and has lost a sense of morality, is a vacuum of the immoral world. What better way to attract the attention of those who feel that and what guidance! Probably the worst part, though, is that the type of people who attract the attention for bringing it up is the type of person that will encourage reinforcing that vacuum. Not because of a rational reason, either! Or at least it's rational in that they've been told it and that the ways that this vacuum gets created is thought as ways that will destroy the vacuum, but it only creates more of a vacuum. It's a fucking irrational vicious ideology that people stuck in it really can't get out of unless we teach them to think critically and teach them how to build their own moral code and identity rather than depending on others, and with the emphasis on the building that code and identity rather than forcing it onto other people (which kind of shows my own moral code. . .ahhhhh, ideology!)

2- As for the Midwest, not the whole Midwest, mind you. At least Illinois and Wisconsin voted democrat. I'm really happy about Wisconsin, too, because I figured it to be a bastion of conservatism. My parents came from there, so I've got a bit of exposure to country music, evangelic Christianity, and rural "hickness."

3- (a new point) I'm thinking I may go further into cultural studies/political science to understand the whole ideology side of these things while writing. It's seeming that my thesis will be falling into that territory. Maybe I can bring about change through my writing.

-----Original Message-----
From: Citizen Y
Sent: Thursday, November 04, 2004 1:45 PM
To: Citizen X
Subject: RE: -the Election and Heinrich Himmler-

Okay let's see:

1 - Well I think a lot of this comes back to education:

The ways in which our children are taught, what they are taught, or what they are not taught, as the case may be. Not to sound like I'm taking two-steps backwards here but, there was a time when children were raised by the society they lived in. And that society was very interested in creating productive members. And because of this there was a respect (deserved or not) between the two. And an understanding of the different places each was at.

And there were also ways to be introduced said children into adulthood. Rituals, many involved the passing of tests and the passing on of knowledge. Now, aside from the SATs, we have nothing. And the ideas that can influence what our children see as adulthood are eclectic. Which is the nature of freedom. Differing opinions and ideas coming together, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have set ideals to uphold, and to aspire to.

However, instead of addressing the changes in our society, as they come out, it seems our country has historically found it best to oppress these social and technological changes. Bands, book burnings, and now V-Chips is how they combat. This seemingly easy way out is, of course short sighted for many reasons. For instance oppress, instead of education, can causes every thing from cancer to aids. But the worst part of oppression is they assume.

Now to quote Marshall Mathers (AKA social satirist Eminem) "...marijuana is everywhere where was you brought up?" And it's not just drugs, and sex, and cursing, and socialism, and what really happened to the American Indian that people think they can hide kids from. It's also the fact that adults talk about, or like, these thing that they say children cannot. That double-stander causes a feeling, that when your young, you are being lied to all the time.

I remember that I got in trouble once when I cursed in front of adults, the only authority child know. But when they thought we weren't listening they'd curse up a storm. What did I lean? Curse around your friends, and that adults lie to you. And that wasn’t the first lie. I know I may seem a little extreme with this but it goes back to Santa and it never ends.

Even when you grow up, they lie. The only difference is the authority is not from someone who's older, or can give you a spanking, this time it's from big business or the government. And the circle never ends. That's why we have a large percentage of people in our nation who don't listen, don't understand, and don't care. 'Cause we didn't educate them, we just spoon fed them "Washington sailed the Delaware" and "two and two makes four."

I'm a product of public education (with a short stint in Catholic School) and I'll tell you something, everything I really needed to learn to live I learned on my own or from my friends. The most I got out of pre-college education was the business letter, math, and learning to type about 30 words a min.

2 - Oh don't get me wrong I wasn't criticizing the Midwest, I was only relating an amusing statement I heard. But I will take your word on it, ya' hick ;)

3 - Good stuff. I think that kind of learning is something that should be taught on the high school or middle school level. The kids today can lean, or should I say can understand things on levels we couldn't at there age. But it seems like we're dumbing down there education.

'Nuff Said,

Citizen Y