There are so many smart, decent people in this country who work for the good of others

[old mark]

and are paid little, get no recognition or respect. A piece of ignorant trash like Sarah Palin comes along with half a brain and driving ambition to be famous and rich and she will make $1 million per episode of a TV show. She has NO philosophy other than self interest, yet she attracts a following, some of whom compare her to a biblical figure-Deborah- and want her to lead them militarily against the evil government they think is in power now.

I really don't understand this, and I am completely in awe of the degree of stupidity of the American people. We seem to lead the world in the number of our people who are shallow, unable to think and proud of their ignorance and stupidity.

I really don't want to believe it, but it is shown to me every day and I am seeing that the problem is much worse than I ever imagined.

Thanks for reading.

mark

[RKP5637]

1. I agree so much. It is so damn frustrating. in fact, really damn frustrating! n/t

[Laura902]

2. My thoughts exactly n/t

[LakeSamish706]

3. And I think you give her far to much credit with the half a brain line. Not sure she

has one at all actually.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

4. K&R, my dear old mark...

There are a great many stupid people, and she empowers them.

[Fire1]

5. Beyond amazing isn't it. n/t

[mike_c]

6. indeed....

Ain't it the truth?

[KG]

7. american is a country chock full of idiots. like, millions of them.

i totally disagree when someone says something like 'the american people aren't dumb....'

um, yeah, they are.

[Greyhound]

17. It's a test;

If you really think that the "average American" is not dull-witted and ignorant of nearly everything not broadcast, then you are most likely an "average American".

[old mark]

8. I expected at least SOME argument....Shit, it must be worse than I thought!!!!!!nt

[BeFree]

11. Ok. A bit, if you will

Americans were brought up to fear. Fear the boogeyman, fear the Russians, fear the ferner, fear death, fear hell, hell, fear life.

Fear is widely ingrained in our society and the authoritarians stoke that fear and use it to hold power.

That's all I got.

[old mark]

13. OK, we have been hating other races and ethnicities since the 1600's -

So has everyone else on earth, most for a lot longer!
Were all our ancestors actually stupid to come here instead of "yearning to breathe free"?

Gotta wonder....


mark

[EFerrari]

14. They got here before the mass media set out to empty our wallets by preying on stupidity.

And here's another bit of argument, we've been fearing/hating the guys over the hill forever if you go by the written record. lol

[old mark]

15. Not just us - look at the Balkans, the English and French, English and Scots,

English and Irish...Most nations hate their neighbors, except for the Japanese, who merely look down on everyone else in the world, but especially the Koreans.

It was the world's passtime before TV.



mark

[EFerrari]

16. Definitely. That's a good way to put it!

I had to read all the plays produced in London between 1595 and 1605. The Italians are intemperate. The French are lascivious manipulators. The Spanish were sneaky and deceitful. The Irish are thieving and the Scots were tempestuous. Catholics and Jews were traitorous. All of these traits were also put on the different classes and every bit of information about the people in the "new" world that went back to London got pushed into one of these slots. The English basically came here and saw the same thing they saw at home. :)

[old mark]

18. Because they were the same people-except for their obnoxious religious

beliefs....so we were peopled by nasty bigots whose religion let them hate anyone different, and incidently were very anti-child and anti-woman.
Children in early colonial times often were sent to live with strangers around age 5 so they would not be spoiled by affection of their own families.


mark

[RagAss]

9. Stupid is the new smart.

[Ardent15]

10. K&R

[Libertas1776]

12. this is sadly just the continuation of human nature

Since time immemorial, good and decent people have been pushed to the sidelines while the masses hitch their wagons to the stars of dangerous idiots.

[Dr Morbius]

19. This line struck a chord with me.

For it is familiar.

There are so many smart, decent people in this country who work for the good of others

...reminds me of my own definition of a hero: a hero is a person who sacrifices, or risks a sacrifice, for the good of others. This is distinguished from sacrifice for self or sacrifice for a cause; that's martyrdom. But when a cop or a soldier puts on a uniform, knowing he or she could well die before it is time to remove that uniform but puts it on anyway, that's a hero. Any idiot can run into a burning building once, but doing it over and over takes a hero. Ordinary folks who take Mom into their homes and care for her, because they cannot bear putting a beloved family member in a nursing home: to me these people are heroes. Anyone can be a hero: just walk yourself down to an old folks home and spend some time conversing with one of the forgotten people residing therein.

I wish more people knew this simple truth. I also wish more people of ambition were ambitious about something besides money.

Thanks for writing.