Rantings, Ravings, Musings.
Welcome. Just call me Joe. This site is dedicated to social and cultural observations in present America. I'll be discussing politics, health care, education, technology, relationships, Wal-mart, and more. You can contact me at [email protected]. You can disagree with me and call me crazy. That's fine. No profanity or ad hominem attacks. Those email addresses will be blocked.
My background (who is this nut?); currently an adjunct professor of English at a two-year community college in south Florida. Thirty years in corporate America, which, if I am nuts, is most to blame. If you're familiar with Scott Adams' comic strip, "Dilbert", well, it's all true. I used to write fiction: short stories, some novels, a couple self-published, which earned enough to buy a decent bottle of scotch. I love literature and film and writing (and scotch). I suppose a blog is the last refuge of a writer without an audience. As of July '09, this project is barely underway, so many of the pages are not yet written. This is an ongoing project.
DISCLAIMER: These writings and musings are hardly the work of serious scholarship, however, I will try to be coherent and sincere, if passionate to the point of ranting. Much of this is a rant, blowing off steam with dark humor. A good deal of the content contains unqualified assertions, not arguments.
If you are offended by the idea that American civilization is in decline, you'll derive no benefit from reading here. If you subscribe to the political agenda of, say, Fox News, you will probably be offended. If you believe in traditional American values, you will be offended. I would like to believe in American values. The problem is they really don't exist.. If you cannot contemplate the "Abyss", then don't look over the edge. Much of the content here suggests conspiracy theories. Some of it is tongue-in-cheek. I'm not saying I necessarily believe in them. I do imply they're plausible but cannot be proven, which is why they remain theories.
Underlying everything presented here is this: if our economy is in a recession, our society/culture is in regression. The only driving force for change, intentionally or otherwise, is one that is impoverishing middle-class Americans. Our quality of life is being diminished in ways most cannot seem to grasp.
I have attempted to attribute my sources, informally, not in the way of scholarly research. Most images and links are taken from the Internet. If I have unknowingly exceeded fair use or infringed on copyright, let me know and I'll remove the item in question. I will attempt to credit all secondary sources.
My background (who is this nut?); currently an adjunct professor of English at a two-year community college in south Florida. Thirty years in corporate America, which, if I am nuts, is most to blame. If you're familiar with Scott Adams' comic strip, "Dilbert", well, it's all true. I used to write fiction: short stories, some novels, a couple self-published, which earned enough to buy a decent bottle of scotch. I love literature and film and writing (and scotch). I suppose a blog is the last refuge of a writer without an audience. As of July '09, this project is barely underway, so many of the pages are not yet written. This is an ongoing project.
DISCLAIMER: These writings and musings are hardly the work of serious scholarship, however, I will try to be coherent and sincere, if passionate to the point of ranting. Much of this is a rant, blowing off steam with dark humor. A good deal of the content contains unqualified assertions, not arguments.
If you are offended by the idea that American civilization is in decline, you'll derive no benefit from reading here. If you subscribe to the political agenda of, say, Fox News, you will probably be offended. If you believe in traditional American values, you will be offended. I would like to believe in American values. The problem is they really don't exist.. If you cannot contemplate the "Abyss", then don't look over the edge. Much of the content here suggests conspiracy theories. Some of it is tongue-in-cheek. I'm not saying I necessarily believe in them. I do imply they're plausible but cannot be proven, which is why they remain theories.
Underlying everything presented here is this: if our economy is in a recession, our society/culture is in regression. The only driving force for change, intentionally or otherwise, is one that is impoverishing middle-class Americans. Our quality of life is being diminished in ways most cannot seem to grasp.
I have attempted to attribute my sources, informally, not in the way of scholarly research. Most images and links are taken from the Internet. If I have unknowingly exceeded fair use or infringed on copyright, let me know and I'll remove the item in question. I will attempt to credit all secondary sources.
Course of Empire...
This painting is by Thomas Cole of the Hudson River School of Painting which flourished in early nineteenth century America. It is the fourth (entitled "Destruction") in a series of five paintings he created to represent the natural "course of empire", as in the ancient Roman model of historical inevitability. We're on our way, folks. Don't kid yourselves. Frustrated? Angry? Play the video below to see how angry we should be (from the film Network, 1976).