Who Are The New Barbarians And Why Won’t They Go Away?
I admit that “barbarity” is a purely subjective thing, a matter of quibbling over cultural details. To me, the barbarians in the current culture might first have seemed to be the hip-hoppers and the country-and-western elements, who both seem to make such a matter of pride out of their ignorance. To be “different” is one thing; to insist on being “one’s self” is not a terrible thing, either. But I fail to see the point in being so prideful about never having learned anything to start with. And, in the case of some who have learned a little, they hide it, pretend to despise it, talk extra “down-home” or ultra home-boy. Is it homey or “homie”—if they can’t spell it, how can I? It’s all too funky fo’ me.
What makes one “civilized”, I think, is a willingness to absorb a little information—hopefully, the best—from all cultural influences you encounter. But the cultural norm these days is to pretend to never change, to never learn, to never improve. We’re all going to end up as cornpone gangstas with vanilla tastes if current influences and pretenses continue.
That’s the group who are proud to be stupid. The other new barbarians are the people on TV who think that everyone else IS stupid. We are overwhelmed by all the overwrought vulgarians of the entertainment talk shows and all the in-your-face argumentative screamers of the News Talk Shows. I wonder how it all came down to this being prideful about our own shallowness and rude behavior? Some people think I’m rude; but at least I’m not fucking shallow, god damn it!
Test Question: Who is Dopey Dan these days? President of the United States, who else?
Non sequitur remark: What I like on TV is Little People, Big World (Starring the Rolloff family). It’s a way better “reality” show than being forced to go to the bathroom with Paris Hilton.
That's a thought provoking piece, Ron.
ReplyDeleteI agree about the country-western elements. Until I arived in the USA I was an avid country fan. When I saw the attitude, and beliefs, which seem to go along with this genre, I quickly became a lapsed country music fan.
My Dopey Dan nomination is Oklahoma's Senator James Inhofe who still insists that global warming is "a hoax".
It probably pays well for any Dopey Dan to have that deep philosophical conviction in his pocket.
ReplyDeleteIt's all about the coveted dollar.
ReplyDeleteSince stupidity sells these days, that's all we shall see.
Good to know like minded thinkers exist in Texas.
-- P (the cat)
The ol' saying about opinions and defecation orifices and how everyone has one seems to have gone the way of "no, I have one and you will bloody well accept it!" I agree with you wholeheartedly that such an attitude does dumb down the country but hey, we'll put it in a rap song and make it all better.
ReplyDeleteIf you then dedicate the rap song to your truck-driving grandma, you'll have a sure hit! Then we can make some money and go out and buy some dope with it!
ReplyDeletesigned,
Dopey Dan