Welcome
a Secret Subject Swap. This month 5 brave bloggers picked a secret
subject for someone else and were assigned a secret subject to interpret
in their own style. Today we are all simultaneously divulging
our topics and submitting our posts. Read through mine and at the bottom
you’ll find links to all of today’s other Secret Subject participants.
My subject is: If you could change one thing that is wrong with America, what would it be and how would you fix it.
It was submitted by: Rena of Wandering Web Designer and Technology Therapist.
Put succinctly, what we need is spontaneous trouser inflammation.
Of course, I put nothing succinctly and leave it at that, so let me treat you to the thought process:
There is so much wrong with this country right now, I don't even know where to start. But I've written about many of the issues that weigh on me fairly frequently, especially during the trump debacle, on this blog. In all honesty (I'll get to that soon), I think the level of my despair is partially that so much of the behavior that was previously surreptitious has now become blatant. But I also have to admit that part of it has been my own naivete.
I have an understanding of how our political system is supposed to work, including the checks and balances to safeguard integrity. But I now see how our party system has steadily chipped away at the crevices in the framework. Then came trump, who didn't chip away, he came in with a wrecking ball (sorry, Miley). What was once concealed, based I'm sure, on some level of (now long vanquished) shame, fear of public backlash, is now the bold, and blatant.
Boosted by systematically compromised federal agencies and cable news personalities espousing the same agenda without any regard for the truth. Emboldened by the segment of society that not only eats it up whole, but seems to believe that conquering is all that matters, and rules are for the other side, conspiracy theories are now mainstream. Lies are truth and truth is lies.
If I could change one thing, though, it wouldn't be our political system.
Overwhelmingly, what I see is that we are exactly as we're characterized throughout the rest of the world. We are a lazy, entitled, egotistical, inconsiderate society. If we want something, we buy it. If we can't decide, we buy both. If we don't like it, we throw it out. We believe what's convenient. We acquire what we want, take what we want, go where we want, wear what we want, eat what we want.
Crockpot Chicken and Pork Dinner
Never have I seen the embodiment of stark selfishness as what I saw during Covid. People who would not wear masks because they didn't want to be inconvenienced just to protect others. People who would not and will not get vaccinated for the same reason. Both politicians and media personalities publicly inciting fear while actually not just getting vaccinated themselves, but being first in line. Doing for themselves not only what they will not do for others, but actively, publicly, and consistently discourage vulnerable people from doing. Selfish. Stunningly egotistical.
There was a time, when I was raising
my kids, that selflessness was the goal. Actively doing for others. Truth is,
it's not one or the other, there's a vast chasm between selfish and selflessness. You can not be
selfish and also not be selfless. When it comes to our society at
this point, I'd settle for the midpoint. If we could all just function outside of the realm of narcissism and take a step towards the center, a sort of do no good, but do no evil either place. I'd call it a win.
But the selfishness isn't what I'd change either. We need to go way down deep, to the roots.
If
I could change just one thing, if I had to start somewhere, I think the
core of the issue is a basic moral principal, honesty.
Was the election stolen? Tell the truth.
Did the covid deniers get the vaccination? Tell the truth.
Was there a violent insurrection against our government? Tell the truth.
What I can't help but think about is the movie Liar, Liar. You
know, the lawyer who had no moral compass, lost all of his personal
relationships in order to build his legal reputation. Until one day, for
24 hours, he could only tell the truth. If only I could blink my eyes
(OK, moving on from Liar, Liar, to TV shows like Bewitched or I Dream of
Jeanine), and force everyone to tell the truth. Even if it's only for
24 hours.
How would I do it? Liar, liar, pants on fire. I don't have the power, of course, to enact a spontaneous combustion consequence to dishonesty. I bet if I did, C-Span would find itself bolt to the top of the ratings chart. But if I could, that's what I'd do.
Spontaneous trouser inflammation. It's a start.
Here are links to all the sites now featuring Secret Subject Swap posts. Sit back, grab a cup, and check them all out. See you there:
Wandering Web Designer
Climaxed
What TF Sarah
Part-time Working Hockey Mom
Crockpot Chicken and Pork Dinner
©www.BakingInATornado.comPrintable RecipeIngredients:2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
about 1 1/2# pork tenderloin
1/4 cup Italian salad dressing
1/4 cup creamy parmesan salad dressing
2 TBSP olive oil
1 can golden mushroom soup
1/2 packet (or 2 TBSP) dry onion soup mix
1/2 cup white wine
1 clove minced garlic
1 small red onion, sliced6 oz mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
2 small potatoes, peeled and sliced
Directions:
*Cut the chicken into about 1 inch cubes. Trim the pork tenderloin and cut into about 1 inch cubes.
*Whisk together the Italian salad dressing and the parmesan salad dressing. Place into a sealable plastic bag with the pork and chicken cubes. Massage to cover all of the meat with the marinade. Refrigerate for 2 - 4 hours.
*Grease the inside of the crock pot. Whisk together the olive oil, golden mushroom soup, onion soup mix, white wine and minced garlic and pour into the crockpot. Add the meat (with marinade), onions, and mushrooms.
*Turn crockpot on to low. Cook for 4 hours, stirring now and then. Add the sliced potatoes and cook for 2 more hours.
That would be interesting 24 hours for sure. Are we ready to hear it all though? The truth may be even dirtier than we thought?
ReplyDeleteMy attempt at "fixing" what's wrong would be to tackle education. Teaching the ability to think for yourself, to differ between fake and fact. And Geography. Let them know there are other countries and cultures beyond the U.S.
What time is your crockpot dinner???
I agree, the narcissism is definitely a road block.
DeleteNow that's a C-Span I would watch!
ReplyDeleteAs my Dad used to say, "Liar. Liar. Thy pants are ablaze!"
I'd be glued to C-Span if that were only true. Pure entertainment.
DeleteThis would be really interesting to watch. I'd love to see the truth come out about sooo much stuff!
ReplyDeleteAnd not just for a day!
DeleteI think we would suddenly see a rise in below the waist nudity, that's for certain, once people caught on to their pants catching fire. I hate to agree with your observations about American society, but I think you are spot on. In a crisis, humans tend to revert to their true selves, and...enough said. And your dinner and "pork" in politics - and what chickens are a symbol of- were those meats an intentional choice? On another train of thought, think of what would happen if a hacker put truth serum in the DC and state capitals' water supply. Alana ramblinwitham.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteI hadn't thought of the pork and chicken thing, but now I'm smiling at the lines you've drawn for me.
DeleteI would certainly turn in for spontaneous combustion!
ReplyDeleteI know, fun, right?
DeleteAn interesting thought but what would we see or hear is anyone's guess
ReplyDeleteVery true.
DeleteIt's a fascinating idea, and i agree that the self-centeredness is awful. It's what i wish i could change, maybe by sending everyone in the country to do a month of volunteer work in a poor nation.
ReplyDeleteI think that's a great solution. Too many people in this country have taken on jobs supposedly in service to the people but have turned them into service to themselves.
DeleteYou need to read "Grandma's lie soap" an old Science fiction written by Robert Abernathy in 1956.
ReplyDeleteHere's a link on how to find it: http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?58521
Thank you, Charlotte, I'll take a look.
Deleteyour political talk is intriguing. I got into a conversation with some people about 'the Gene' and embreyos and if politicians had their say in creating the ideal race, and the talk became this idea that they would not create smart educated people but dull lazy ones who would follow them to the end of the world.
ReplyDeleteI agree. Right now they're not creating them, but they sure are corralling them.
DeleteYou know I agree with you on all of it! It's a sickening mess is what it is!
ReplyDeleteYes, and sadly doesn't seem to be getting any better.
DeleteThere's a ricky gervais movie from several years ago called The Invention of Lying where he lives in a society where no one can tell a lie. of course since Ricky Gervais is kind of a raging asshole about religion, he turns out to be the one who invents lying and it calls out christianity, really any religion with a deity, but the rest of the concept is interesting. I think there are times when politicians might have an outright need to lie. But if we're going to get past where we are right now, we need some truth telling to happen. I think part of the problem is they have lied so much, they believe it. Fully believe it. what happens then?
ReplyDeleteI think you're right. I used to think the lying was to try to convince the easily convinced, but now I think they believe some of this bull themselves. Which is worse? I'm not really sure.
Delete