Why is America so Complacent?

Dear Cappy,

Why is America so complacent?

America doesn't really riot any more. It doesn't get up in arms about important things any more. It doesn't make its elected people work for it. It doesn't seem to know what it wants for itself. Why is this? Initially I thought "Happy-TV" was what controlled people and made them forget about their problems, but other countries have similar television programming and yet they get shit done for the people (France). Then it suddenly occurred to me. "Divided we fall." "Divide and Conquer." How easy it would be to put a population to work for the benefit of a few... Give the people instant gratification while setting the stage with a grandiose bloodless fight of opposing ideas and heaps of skewed truths constantly pumped into the culture and minds of America. It becomes a civil war of identity.

by miloir

Dear Miloir,

Thanks for the question and subject matter for Blasphemes today. Here's my immediate cynical take on it.

First off, America has been bought and paid for many years before we got here. "The 60's are over, Mr. Lebowski. Your revolution is over. The bums lost." Anyone who stood up to take on the establishment has been assassinated or labeled as a kook on the fringe - left and right. So who in their right mind wants to take a stand?

Besides, Americans are fat - meaning they're full. Hungry people riot. People who have nothing left to lose riot. Opportunists also riot. And yes, American Idol is on... The American Karaoke Contest, I like to call it.

Americans that do take to the streets can't even unite under one banner or one single protest - they're a mishmash of differing opinions and hipsters looking to get laid. Protests are ineffectual, we still went into Iraq, and we're escalating the war in Afghanistan.

The most Americans do anymore is bitch on the internet or cutn'paste something about Healthcare on their Facebook status and think that creates a meaningful change.

When Americans do discuss real politics, most of the discourse is so uninformed, you mostly get a bunch of people complaining or screaming at each other about some ridiculous made up talking point that is being propagated by a political activist group. Again, left and right are equally to blame.

However, the real American - the average American, is a guy in a blue shirt and khaki pants. He still believes in the opportunity that his country offers. The average guy has a chance to work in a field that he wants to work in, and one where that work CAN be rewarded. They believe in Sex, Drugs, and Rock and Roll - but still have a set of religious influenced morals and don't mind their job at the Big Evil Corporation, Inc. Well, enough not to rock the boat to get fired. That's the middle ground kind of guy. Kind of a libertarian more than a liberal or conservative. But he'd never agree that he's a libertarian. Just a guy trying to get by.

That's my half cent. I can't afford the other 1 and a half.

Cap'n