more fears for the future

Just a thought -- as our Right-Wing-Konservative-Fascist-Overlords continue to break down any form of culture, as they talk about "privatizing" The SMITHSONIAN (for G*d's sake, how INSANE is that???) I'm beginning to wonder if Art will once again become a place of revolution, of true "artistic ferment"?

Will the end of public funding for the arts lead to more or less innovation? Will Corporate Sponsorship take the place of quasi-public support?

Will it get more or less free?

Will it have any effect? Will anyone pay attention?

Of course, art would improve if we did away with all the critics. If we put an end to the "Art Star System" where a few critics and gallery owners can make you VERY rich.

I believe the 60's were unique because we had many factors coming together. It was a time of immense prosperity. It was very easy to eke out a living, put a roof over your head. Kids who would NEVER even think about college today, went. Those who were in college during the fifties saw the tail end of all the vets who went on the G.I. Bill. They were a different breed from us other kids. They knew it was all crap. They wanted a chance at their "gold ring" -- many of them got it. Most were all business -- except when they played. Many played VERY hard.

The 60's kids were softer. They were brought up on ALL the wonderful myths of America -- freedom, justice, equality, "the American way". (What ever happened to that wonderful phrase? Does anyone use it anymore -- without bursting into unrestrained laughter?)

When they began to realize their cherished myths were false, they were incensed. Add to that an insane war, THE DRAFT, lots and lots of kids dieing in Vietnam -- and you had all the necessary ingredients for serious protest.

Things just didn't add up. None of it made sense. Being idealistic Americans -- they did the right thing -- they worked to change what they did not like.

Instead, what changed was the system of indoctrination -- the "education" system. There was a "backlash" against all those "uppity" women, against those who strayed outside their assigned class, against all those who actually THOUGHT we were becoming a "free society".

Education has been watered down. Our politics is now sport. Sport has been coarsened to the point "games" like football have become gladiatorial contests. Crap like MMA plays to the bloodlust of "manly men", who blow off steam by acting like useless dickwad morons. They abuse and disrespect women and those they deem weaker.

All this macho posturing just covers up (or, attempts to cover up) the absolute helplessness, and hopelessness, these poor fools feel every day. Their lives have little meaning. They are not smart enough to even know what they don't know.

As long as they can subjugate women, abuse "faggots", and swagger, they think they are "men".

Any wisdom only comes when they are old enough to be thrown away, old enough to understand they will never be among "The Winners" -- then, it's too late -- and no one listens to those "losers" anyway.

We now seem to have spawned a generation of "pod People" -- iPod, iPhone, iPad, Droid, etc., etc., etc. -- even this damn thing I spend hours at every blinking day. In addition, we are so frightened by the thought of losing the little we have left, most of us are paralyzed.

We tsk-tsk, we do nothing. We don't even know WHAT to do. We don't know what we can do that will not get us all investigated by one of the various "security agencies (AKA: Secret Police, KGB, NKVD, Cheka, Stasi, etc.).

I guess things have to get much worse. In the past, when things got this bad, some upper class political type realized EVERYTHING would come crashing down if they did not make things a little more equal. FDR saved the patrician class. He saved us from revolution, or at least from major domestic disturbances. Unfortunately, most of the very rich are TOO DUMB to understand that. They've bought into a version of "The Divine Right Of Kings" -- where they are the "Kings".

They have made a devils pact with the Konservative-Kulture-Warrior-Religious-Right-Wing-Zealots. Eventually that fire will burn out. Eventually some of their kids will begin to understand all the stuff they don't know. Eventually some of them might just have an independent thought.

What will "The Masters Of The Universe" do when their allies wise up? What will they do when they lose that level of popular support?

All repressive regimes come to an end. No matter the level of repression, it eventually disintegrates. It may be replaced by ANOTHER repressive regime -- but the old order comes to an end.

Our current overlords are too stupid to understand that. They are too stupid to understand that maintaining our Republic is the easiest way to keep THEIR status, their wealth.

we tend not to give a damn how much you have -- as long as we get some -- and mom and dad are not reduced to eating cat food (we usually want little to do with them -- in our "busy lives".

Another New Deal. Another "Trust Buster". Another (actual) "War on Poverty" would go a long way to calm folks down. Some more "a rising tide lifts all boats" stuff might just calm some hard core racists a tiny bit.

Less macho posturing, more "kumbaya" crap, more "It Takes A Village", more talk about COMMUNITY, about the true "strengths of America", might just keep the lid on until things either get better, or we get accustomed to our reduced circumstances.

If we continue on our current path -- I'm frightened by both our short term, and long term prospects.

If we continue on our current path -- get ready to defend yourself and your family -- the future frightens me.