America’s paranoid irrationality
How paranoid have we become? Here’s what Allison Kilkenny of Alternet has to say:
The culture itself is sick, which is why America has a military budget that is almost as much as the rest of the world’s defense spending combined, and is over nine times larger than the military budget of China, and yet Americans feel more afraid, and more paranoid, than ever. Everyone is against us, we’re told. Everyone hates our freedom, and our amazing culture. China wants to overtake us. The entire Middle East wants us dead. Europeans laugh at us, and think we’re stupid. Emperor Penguins are plotting something. Canada is about to attack.
And then there’s Iran. Don’t even get us started on Iran. Until Americans decide to break this addiction to “The List,” this cycle of irrationality will continue into the foreseeable future.
And see this post, for the best friend of America’s politicians: peddling nightmares.
I watched my DVD of “V for Vendetta” last night and realized that many of the characters in the story were styled after politicians of the the Bush-Cheney regime.
The backdrop to the story line is a not-too-distant future society (set in London) headed by a religious conservative who rose to power by saving the masses from a catastrophic event which he created, partnered with a depraved, self serving second in command, in control of a government based on spreading fear, and paranoia to the people.
It’s one of those flicks you need to watch more than once to see the story within the story.