everybody knows
I have a problem with some of those "everybody knows" type things. This is a topic I've thought about a lot through the years. Recently what brought it to mind was discussing with my girlfriend our favorite vocalists.
This transitioned into a discussion of over rated folk. I mentioned Billie Holiday, whom I view as a vastly over rated singer, who often tops lists of best singers. From what I've seen, she's often mentioned as a great singer by people that have never even listened to her.
Regardless of your opinion of Holiday, you've no doubt seen this situation elsewhere. Some people are considered the top of their field...and that then becomes engraved in stone. People a generation later will parrot that "greatest" rating when they barely know who that even is. For example, JFK is considered a great President yet the majority of the people in this country weren't even alive when he was assasinated.
I think many people make these judgements on the person's reputation, not on what they actually did. So Picasso becomes a great painter even to people who've never seen any of his work and Bach is a great composer. I'm not saying that these people aren't some of the best in their fields--I'm just saying that most people rate them as being great without direct experience of their work.
Here's comes a plot twist. The phrase "everybody knows" is a standby for conventional wisdom. By that standard most people here in the US think that democracy is the best form of government and that here in the USA that's what we have. Of course our government is actually a federal republic and not a democracy. Furthermore, the aspects of our govenrment that are most democratic are the ones most often ridiculed and even despised by the general population.
To me it seems that most people respond well to strong displays of authority like the President and not well to more divisive forms of govenrnment like Congress. That strikes me as preferring autocratic forms of government like monarchy. Too bad we had that pesky Revolutionary War to rid ourselves of just that institution. LOL As much as we in the US laud the founding fathers of our country, like Jefferson, their vision of government isn't really very popular. Pity.
Anyway, this is very topical these days due to the power grab that Bush, along with Cheney and the rest of the neocons, has made. The office of the President is now more powerful than at any other time in the history of our nation. This scares me in the short run due to the inadequate personalities of those in charge. But in the long run having that much power located in the Executive Branch can lead to serious problems. There was a reason that the framers of the Constitution formed three branches of government with checks and balances amongst them.
At this point in time I worry about our government being reclassified as Fascist eventually. Heil Bush?
This transitioned into a discussion of over rated folk. I mentioned Billie Holiday, whom I view as a vastly over rated singer, who often tops lists of best singers. From what I've seen, she's often mentioned as a great singer by people that have never even listened to her.Regardless of your opinion of Holiday, you've no doubt seen this situation elsewhere. Some people are considered the top of their field...and that then becomes engraved in stone. People a generation later will parrot that "greatest" rating when they barely know who that even is. For example, JFK is considered a great President yet the majority of the people in this country weren't even alive when he was assasinated.
I think many people make these judgements on the person's reputation, not on what they actually did. So Picasso becomes a great painter even to people who've never seen any of his work and Bach is a great composer. I'm not saying that these people aren't some of the best in their fields--I'm just saying that most people rate them as being great without direct experience of their work.
Here's comes a plot twist. The phrase "everybody knows" is a standby for conventional wisdom. By that standard most people here in the US think that democracy is the best form of government and that here in the USA that's what we have. Of course our government is actually a federal republic and not a democracy. Furthermore, the aspects of our govenrment that are most democratic are the ones most often ridiculed and even despised by the general population.To me it seems that most people respond well to strong displays of authority like the President and not well to more divisive forms of govenrnment like Congress. That strikes me as preferring autocratic forms of government like monarchy. Too bad we had that pesky Revolutionary War to rid ourselves of just that institution. LOL As much as we in the US laud the founding fathers of our country, like Jefferson, their vision of government isn't really very popular. Pity.
Anyway, this is very topical these days due to the power grab that Bush, along with Cheney and the rest of the neocons, has made. The office of the President is now more powerful than at any other time in the history of our nation. This scares me in the short run due to the inadequate personalities of those in charge. But in the long run having that much power located in the Executive Branch can lead to serious problems. There was a reason that the framers of the Constitution formed three branches of government with checks and balances amongst them.At this point in time I worry about our government being reclassified as Fascist eventually. Heil Bush?
Comments
not only is the US not a democracy, but the USSR wasn't communist either (it was State Capitalist if you follow maxist theory properly).
IMHO Democracy is far from the "best" way of running a country. Things will get done faster & better with a dictator {see my utopian world:-)}. The problem is that dictators are rarely benevelant, loving, conscientious, intelligent people! democracies are harder for one person to corrupt.
It is one of my (many) big worries about the war in Iraq. what right have we to waltz into another country & tell them our way of doing things is morally correct? History may well show democracy going the same way as the many other political systems that are now considered repugnant to us! (slavery, devine rule, Serfdom, theocracies.....)
Sorry for the political rant, but I feel it is important we remember that the US in 2006 is not the peak of human civilisation!
I also worry about too much power concentrated in one area!
Judy, I knew we wouldn't agree on this post and you're very sweet to be so polite about it. Thanks!
Teresa, nuh-uh.
"The median age in America reached its highest point ever at 35.3 years, up from 32.9 years in 1990, according to recently released data from Census 2000. By "median age," the Census Bureau means that half of the American people are now older and half younger than 35.3 years."
Since I was 2 when JFK was assasinated and I'm 44 then anyone under 42 wasn't born yet when JFK died. Half the people in the country are under 35 years old. You do the math. So there!
Michele sent me.
Not that I am a worldly person. Far from that by any means. But I know when to stop and ask about something.
As far as Bush, I am hoping to close my eyes and wake up when his presidency is over. Heil Bush? Hell No!
btw, here via Michele's tonight!
Michele sent me...
I totally agree with you that Bush and his cronys are going for a complete power grab, and they don't seem to understand the balance of power our constitution supposidly safeguards. The only thing we can hope is that congress grows some cajones and starts indicting en-masse and impeaches that moronic Texan and his best buddies Rove and Cheney. When about 8 people contain all the power in the country and some of them weren't even elected, we've got a real problem, folks.
Michele sent me
unfortunately, i don't think this is going to change anytime in the near future. people are too lackadaisical when it comes to their information.
came via michele's tonight! :)
*snet* That's another example of that adult-onset dyslexia I have.
Visiting from michele's today.
smooches from yer apolitcal pal, (whom 'everybody knows' is gonna be a bestseller someday, hehehe)
You made some good points, but the majority of people aren't interested in good points. The like simple words like "freedom" and "liberty" and phrases like the "war on terror" ...
Keep up the good work.