Gotta make this one quick, as deadlines loom.
First, this Open Letter to that 53% Guy featured on DailyKos is pretty much the most sane, rational, logical response I have seen to those who just don't "get" the Occupy Wall Street/We are the 99% movement. Most importantly, it's respectful.
Also? I think it's interesting to note that much of the "stop your whining" notes have been from youngsters who share their experience of making do and making it work, therefore everyone should be able to do so. To these tenacious, tough kids, I would like to say the following: YOUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCE DOES NOT EQUATE UNIVERSAL TRUTH.
For some reason, this is one of the most difficult concepts for people to comprehend. PERSONAL EXPERIENCE DOES NOT EQUATE UNIVERSAL TRUTH. Tattoo that on your forehead.
And finally, I'd like to introduce you to Christine, my new favorite human on this planet. She has a great blog called Home Sweetening. She's Canadian, but sure talks like an American. Prior to "meeting" Christine, I thought that Canada was full of disturbingly polite people who never cursed. Quite honestly, it freaked me out. Alas, she has soothed my soul with her fire, her occasional foul language, and her mad skills in all things plant-related. With all her plant knowledge, I can't help but think that she's a healer from an older order of life, where we trusted the land and wise women to hold us in health and strength.
Happy reading, folks! I hope you have a wonderful weekend. I am going to do my best to write several posts in advance, so that I can pepper your cyber world with more consistent lunatic ramblings. You have been warned.
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16 comments:
That open letter is beyond fabulous. Great logic and very respectful.
Oh, I so agree that YOUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCE DOES NOT EQUATE UNIVERSAL TRUTH. If you only knew how much we have bumped up against this in the adoption community (let alone everywhere else). One of my *major* pet peeves, and one I am happy to remind people of when they start telling me how things should be based on *their* experience.
However, it's been my experience that you are a wonderful person, and everyone better share that experience!
Thanks for putting up the open letter. Reminds me of a James Carville quote I heard about 5 years ago. James of "It's the economy, stupid!" fame said in an interview in which he was discussing more current economic troubles, "I don't want to live in an 'economy', I want to live in a 'society.'"
And I believe the letter very vividly points out the difference between the two.
Once again, thanks for a thoughtful read. I think I need to tattoo "YOUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCE DOES NOT EQUATE UNIVERSAL TRUTH" on my forehead, both to shut some people up and as a reminder to myself.
My personal view is that Merry Is Always Right, but I understand that this has not been universally accepted yet for some odd reason. Until that day comes, I suppose I'll have to keep trying to see other people's point of view.
Sometimes that's hard. Frex, I had lunch with a very nice co-worker at my new job the other day. Very nice man, pleasant, good tempered and kind. Yet he was the one who told me that a lot of the Occupiers in Portland were quoting from the Communist Manifesto and, y'know, the Tea Party people at least Stood For Something.
Sometimes it's pretty damn hard to see someone else's point of view. But at least I could listen respectfully, and I think that helped.
Cate--agreed! (Hi baby! Don't kick yer ma too much.)
Laura--I always feel a little bad when someone's trying to be "helpful" and I just want to kick them in the teeth. And thank you for the compliment! :D
Janeen--Love the quote. So true! It's insane how the market and the effing "economy" are somehow equivalent to society, community, and democracy these days. Oy vey.
scrapper al--me too. Me too! Me too. Oy.
Merry--I have the same view about myself! I am always right. Pity the fools who disagree. :P You make an excellent point about listening respectfully. I try as best I can to do that without interjecting, but lo, it ain't easy. Like, in response to your convo, I want to start in on a rant about "Stood For Something," but I will refrain. ha!
I just finished reading Ron Suskind's book about the Obama administration. It was an eye-opener for me, and very frustrating to read. I won't begin to summarize all of my "take-aways." But one vivid take-away was when members of Obama's economic team went to visit a hedge fund manager/convicted felon during the process of crafting new regulations and asked him what should be done. He essentially said, "Honestly, you need to issue about 300 Federal indictments on a Friday afternoon, walk right onto the trading floor, do a huge televised perp walk and get serious about embarrassing them." (Paraphrased, obviously...)
With respect to the current Occupy Wall Street Movement and the disaffected everywhere, the book points out several missed opportunities in which the administration could have put the hammer down and didn't.
My view -- the Prez surrounded himself with some of the wrong people. Larry Summers and Geitner were a total disaster. Elizabeth Warren is a keen observor and policy savant. She should have been there from the beginning. The admin. hasn't been a very comfortable place for women.
Missed opportunities.... so frustrating and angering.
Yeah, Janeen, I'm pretty convinced Obama is just a tool for Wall Street. There are so many aspects of his administration I find frustrating. I should probably read that book, but I don't want to become even more irritated. I am so tired of elections being a choice between two corporate puppets. Insert dramatic sigh.
You probably should avoid it. It's a real pisser. There's quite a bit of evidence that the people around him have managed him rather than the other way around. Geitner is a Wall Street insider who will totally cowtow to his old pals. Very disappointing. I think Obama was politically naive, but then I also think we were dealing with the "B" team on both sides of the political aisle. Our best and brightest aren't choosing political office. It's an arena for celebutantes.
I would love nothing more than to see a response to that letter. Thanks for sharing the link. It was just as you said: sane, logical, rational, and above all, respectful.
You make me smarter;)
R
I'd like to create blinders for several people that I know and I would write "YOUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCE DOES NOT EQUATE UNIVERSAL TRUTH" on the inside of them. Although, blinders without a muzzle might not remove my irritation with them. Sometimes it is easier to just leave the room.
Thanks for the link to Christine's blog. I like it!
On a side note: Coming from a fairly large family means that now, as we are all adults, we are all over the board politically/religiously/etc. Our parents could only influence us so far and once we chose our paths, it became apparent that we would have to call truces at family events. It's mind-boggling to me at times just how firmly we all hold to our own beliefs. Family, friends, whatever, we all just want to be heard some times. Respected for our position, whether someone else agrees with it or not.
Rachel--actually, it would be cool to see if the kid actually read it and what he thought about it. Me wonders. And I had nothing to do with this! The guy who wrote it is the smarty pants.
Mary--this comment from you could not come at a better time. Some of my family just joined farcebook and made a rude comment about the occupy movements. This is the side of the family that has some pretty scary racism that they refuse to admit. So, I responded, but also need to realize that these kids have grown up in a very specific culture that does not encourage investigation, critical thought or dissent. So, me getting frustrated instead of realizing that we were raised in radically different ways doesn't help much. We have to learn to agree to disagree! Oy. Thank you so much for posting this comment. You always are so respectful and level headed! Next time, I'll just remember to leave the room. :)
Leaving the room is often my best option. It is sad to admit, but the people that annoy me the very most are the people I share the most beliefs with and the ones I have the most in common with. Why oh WHY are so many Christians the most obnoxious people I know?! The most important message I find in the Bible is GRACE and yet, half my family doesn't seem to realize that we should be practicing Grace, not just accepting it for ourselves!
Sorry to go off on a tangent. For me, politics and religion are pretty much the dividing factor in our family. So, one leads to the other and then back around again.
Those are the big doozies, right? Politics and religion. Oy. I too get frustrated with my own kind. Now, wouldn't it be so much better if we could just control everyone else? ahahah
In other news, I love your new photo! Gorgeous!
Thanks, girl. Hope you are having a fabulous weekend! How is the cooking going? Any plans to start that soon? Let me know if I can help with any ideas. :)
Mary! I will harass you via email, 'cuz that's how I roll.
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