The title is from a Home Economics class lecture, by Mrs. Armstead in 7th grade. Except for the "fear" part. This country, this society, is so fear-based, such a quivering mass of people who feel powerless. Marketing is fear-based and we're marketed 24/7. Everything these days is marketed. Every. Thing.
And the thing about fear is not only is it likely to stay under your conscious radar and mask in things like worry, no confidence, no trust, cynicism; it'll become an addiction because of the adrenalin involved. A physical need for adrenalin because some part of you stays in Fight or Flight mode. Without the adrenalin, and with a bit more hopelessness, it turns into depression. Have you heard how many people are on antidepressives these days?
So we're Pavlov's dogs, but with fear buttons instead of bells. Does anybody remember when things weren't like this, not like this at all? When neighbors actually cared? When if someone in your community needed help, everyone helped? When anyone who'd yell, "Let him die!" would've been shunned? What the hell happened? Well, September 11th didn't help.
Recognize fear being marketed to you. And then read this article about why the Danes are so happy while we're on Cymbalta:
http://www.alternet.org/story/152673/why_danes_are_so_much_happier_than_americans?page=1
MYSTERIOUS GARDEN
10 months ago
Posts
2 comments:
You are absolutely singing my song.
Well, not really mine - it was FDR who said, "We have nothing to fear, but fear itself" and he was probably quoting or paraphrasing from an earlier bard, no doubt.
I feel as though America this decade has become a great big right wing sociology experiment.
We are the most studied and polled population in history, I think it is safe to say.
With all that data and all the great "thoughts" coming out of right wing think tanks - no doubt ending up at Fox and other Murdoch right wing media enterprises - I expect we are subject to a certain amount of daily emo-manipulation.
What fun.
Paul- Right on, brother. A lot of the TV watchers I know are scared and confused, and who wouldn't be after being told there's something wrong with them all day, everyday?
That FDR quote is my favorite quote of all, wherever he got it. It says it all.
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