I’m an avid listner of The Ozone Nightmare, a regular podcast on all sorts of things by two regular nerds, Joe & Lando.
On Saturday, 12th May they ran the show, ‘Forced Perspective‘.
This week Lando and I are discussing the disturbing increase in people who are losing their perspective on the things that matter. Nitpicking on party affiliation instead of working to fix the problems in Iraq, sitting and back and relaxing without holding governments accountable, choosing sensationalism rather than truly hard news…there are times where we seem to want someone else to just take care of the big issues, ignore them in favor of assigning blame, or we simply can’t seem to focus on what they are. And what’s with that silly Electoral College anyway
After reading the following comments, I felt compelled to offer my own thoughts.
Most of my mates in Australia see the American Army as a bunch of ‘Trailer park trash’ that have no alternative other than join the army due to your lack of welfare system. Australia also sees America as a bunch of uncaring individuals were money takes precedent over the community. They treat their poor with contempt and as a burden especially with the recent and ongoing treatment of the blacks in the Mississippi floods etc. America should be ashamed at its minimum wage, lack of health care, imperialism war state like aggression and corporate greed. Unfortunately Australia is following your lead…I know this is a very broad overview but like you feel like the little people like us mean nothing anymore. I agree that political parties are no longer run by the working man but just puppets manipulated by bigger fish… If the Environment survives their is hope
posted by: Carl on Tue, 5/15 06:49 PM EDT
You mean I could have stayed with mama in her trailer and drank Fosters all day instead of keep those Godless East German Communists Bastards of the Warsaw Pact at arms length from the Free World? If only I’d been born in Oz.
“Any people that would give up liberty for a little temporary safety deserves neither liberty nor safety.” Benjamin Franklin
posted by: darwingodwin on Thu, 5/17 09:46 AM EDT
Hahaha, classic. I think the above effectively pinpoints the ignorance of Carl’s remark. It should be obvious that anyone who would so readily generalize stereotypes to a whole nation is NOT, speaking for ‘all his mates.’
I think most people would be genuinely surprised how much in common they had with their counterparts in countries all around the world that are selectively vilified, manipulated and ‘filtered’ by the media and the elites with whom we share the least common ground except geographic location.
This is why it is so refreshing to hear some ordinary Americans speak passionately against the administration that (purportedly) represents your country. You only have to look at the polls to see that you’re not in the minority. If only this was the case before the war. Of course there was public opposition before the war here in Australia but not enough of it, and like John Kerry due to ineffectual political opposition we voted back in our Prime Minister in 2004.
So the elites takes our countries to war and misrepresent their people with the power of a manipulated media. Why wasn’t there enough opposition in the US or Australia or the UK? Because people got sucked into believing this was the same fight as Afghanistan. That this war was a continuation of helping defend our allies after the unprovoked attacks of September 11. People still don’t really appreciate the difference, because as support for Iraq drops, so does support for Afghanistan. Hell can anyone point to a mainstream source that published the offers that Saddam Hussein was willing to negotiate, including the “unconditional return of UN weapons inspectors”?
Perhaps a point of difference in Australia is the word ‘patriotism’. It has nothing like the kind of resonance it has in the US, we don’t adorn ourselves or our buildings in the Australian flag and our mythologizing of our armed services is limited to the bravery shown by the ANZACs (who were ordered to die by their superiors). Our force is too small to even consider things like ‘military families’ or much of a military culture and no public figure as far as I’m aware has used the ‘support the troops’ line. Our country’s ethos could never be “we’re the greatest nation on Earth”, if anything our national character attempts to be humble and suspicious of those in authority but supportive of our friends/mates no matter what. At least that’s what it says on the coffee mugs in the tourist shop.
Perhaps ordinary opinions by ordinary people can help breach these filters imposed on us, and people will see something more worthwhile than that laughable ‘objectivity’ of the mainstream media in podcasts and blogs such as yours.
Hey there Illusive. I just read your comments on the war-perspective show and realized for the first time that I could click on your name. I always love it when a new corridor reveals itself in the vast edifice of the the internet. I just wanted to say that Joe and I appreciate your support and your commentary as you are one of our regulars. I understand why you felt the need to comment. When some one makes general statements about what Americans think I get a little defensive because they usually do not cover what I think or feel. A country is a mass of people who are all thinking different things. A person who says Americans think this or that, or any country for that matter should stop and think about if its their country or their own opinion that they are candy coating with the idea that everyone thinks so its okay to think it. Did that make sense? I hope so. Thanks for listening. By the way, checked out some of your music on maketunes, I think the site is called that, and enjoyed “Perserverance”. It was a neat track. You take it easy and watch that six. Over and Out.
Ok, I made it clear that i made a very broad statement and i am not so stupid to categorise all Americans in one basket. As i noted this is the general Perception spouted by left wing media and to some extent true. America shafted us with the Free trade agreement we signed with them in 2005, their own allies they screwed to the wall admittedly with the aid of John Howard. Is Capitalism worth more than mateship with its little brother country Australia? If this is the way it treats Australia, how does it treat its enemies?
September 11 was the main Catalyst for the invasion of Iraq but the way it was handled was atrocious. From reasons to weapons of mass destruction, Saddam Hussein and then war on Terrorism to justify it…If it really is war on Terrorism would it not make more sence to give aid and Infrastructure to the country instead of bombing the hell out of it and stealing its oil???Yes that will make the population respect America and take recruitment ammunition away from the radicals. I know if some bastards killed over 3000 of my people i would want to take revenge but invade a whole country and cause more problems????Thats like saying your brother killed my brother so Im going to kill off all your family and friends. Terror cells are mobile amd war will not stop unstable people. I agree that the American Army despite its current trend of invasions has done allot of good as well “All that needs to be done for evil to prevail is that good men do nothing”.
“You mean I could have stayed with mama in her trailer and drank Fosters” If you are on Welfare it does not mean you just sit home drinking and dont read, educate and do Volunteer work. It is obvious that any system that has a limited welfare forces people into jobs they normally would not do. People who join the Army are heroes and i do regret stating “American Army as a bunch of ‘Trailer park trash’” I apologise for that statement.
No point calling people Ignorant if they voice a view different to yours without giving them the option to reply. The main thrust of my original ramble was that money is number one, the rich get richer and poorer get poorer and with only one life we all should get a decent life and my perception is America is leading the charge of corporate greed and individualism.
Hi Carl,
Thanks for the reply, which you have every right (and the option) to make. I don’t disagree with many of the points you make about what is wrong with America, but I distinguish that from what is wrong with Americans.
I doubt you think your views are adequately represented by Howard and co. or any of the corporate elites in Australia who would gladly follow in their American counterpart’s footsteps.
We’re both angry and disgusted by the actions of the American government on a range of issues, but there’s no reason to rant at people who mostly agree with you, which I think Lando & Joe do.