My recommendation for addressing your own personal survival during the trying times ahead: buy stock in media corporations.
In the mean time -
I am reevaluating my commitment to the futility continuing this blog. Added to that, I logged in today only to discover the "new and improved" blogger interface. They were nice enough to include a little "Send Feedback" link in the lower right-hand corner. My feedback essentially said: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". I have little doubt, though, that Google/Blogger will afford me the same level of concern and responsiveness as does the Representative Republic in which I supposedly live.
21 comments:
I sure hear a lot of complaints about the new system and not sure why it's not causing me grief. I am wondering if there is something I didn't add that everybody else did. I updated to their new version but didn't get what they called the interface. Is that where the problem is?
I certainly hope you don't give up your blog because I really enjoy hearing what you have to say.
As for voting, I don't. I think it is pointless. I don't tell most people this but I've come to think that more people should consider whether it actually makes any difference. At all. I quit voting after Al Gore won the popular vote and Bush became president. Ah well, just call me a sore loser. :)
Rain I use the term "interface" to describe what I have to look at on the screen. I am not anti-change by any description, but I don't see why they changed a system that was working well already. Probably to justify no laying off programmers... donno.
Rubye I am beginning to look at my vote as being as impactful on my life as buying a lottery ticket. In researching articles for this blog I have come up with posts like this: The Myth of True Democracy and articles from seasoned political insiders such as this: Jerry Brown on Money, Politics,
and Who Really Runs America.
As long as it is driven home in our national psyche that we are all "individuals" we will all hang separately. For me deciding which party wins the Oval Office or Congress merely serves to determine the 'rate' or our inevitable world decline as a nation. My only consolation is that people our age will be 'checking out' about the time things go really to hell.
Blogger is a terrible platform. I double post to Wordpress and will eventually phase blogger out. I hope you don't quit blogging. You have a lot to say that needs to be said.
Imagine if we spent all that PAC money on teachers and education.
I vote to avoid guilt from not exercising my right to vote, but I don't believe it matters in a practical way, just philosophically. My family always maintained that those who don't vote have no right to complain, and I have a lot of complaints.
I think more effective than voting is helping raise awareness about the manipulation of the system by groups like ALEC, or misinformation think tanks like the Heritage Foundation, the CATO institute, and by boycotting anything owned by the Koch brothers. It's the least I can do, and my conscience demands that I do something.
Mel Thank you for your kinds words and encouragement.
I disagree with the feeling that those who don't vote can't complain; as I have posted before about the vote being really a huge manipulation; a political science professor from Oregon State University explained to me that our vote exists merely to give the impression of legitimacy to our political process. Real power is wielded by the access to the rule makes by lobbyists and corporate donations. Anyone who thinks there is no quid pro quo must be living on the moon.
The overwhelming majority of people get their information about candidates and issues from 30-second TV ads. Mix this with the fact that the median IQ in America is 100. What this spells out for me is that any hope for improvement in the lives our our citizenry can likely be expected to benefit only the 5 to 10 percent of the wealthiest.
I had issues with Wordpress so I went with Blogger. Republican, Democrat, frying pan, fire, it seems more and more to be same s**t, different day.
Jono Yes, my concern as well. To me the election will determine only the rate at which out nation falls in world status, not "if".
I don't like the new interface - it confuses me. But partly that's because I don't want to have to put thought into the technical side of blogging - I just want to be able to post as I always did.
SecretAgent If Blogger had instituted some remarkable improvement I would feel differently. But often sometimes change simply for the sake of change is unproductive. Like I said, "if it ain't broke..."
i haven't noticed any change in blogger, i guess ignorance is bliss.
i'm getting a little tired of google monitoring everything i say and read but as tony soprano used to say, "whata'ya gonna do"
i just ran into this new blogger layout and found it very frustrating. i don't like it and might just take a long break.
I'm with you. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. I did not ask for the new blogger platform. It just showed up and now I'm dealing with.
For feedback, I asked if they could return my blog to it's original configuration. No response, so I guess that's a NO.
Keep on blogging. It's good to get those thoughts out there.
Billy New and Improved... whether it's an improvement or not, apparently.
Kitten I would be extremely surprised if any of us received any response to our "feedback". It's their Blogger, after all and we don't have to use it. [sighs]
The worst thing people can do is give up.
There is power in numbers and that's what we have.
I'm disappointed in the global state of things, but see improvements elsewhere.
The new interface is worse, not better, if enough people complain or leave they will do something.
You can temporarily switch back by clicking on the gear icon on the top right. For about a month.
Cryptos There are small semblances of populist movements, the Move to Amend, for example. But corporate interests are so deeply entrenched in our system, I believe change will only happen if change somehow serves that interest.
" I have little doubt, though, that Google/Blogger will afford me the same level of concern and responsiveness as does the Representative Republic in which I supposedly live"
Perfect. ;)
I feel the same way about the new interface. Especially since it doesn't seem to improve the ability to post from Ipad at all, which I sorely need.
Don't leave! :(
Dawn I guess if the worst complaint I have at the moment is about a stupid Blogger interface, I guess I can try to hang on a bit longer... at least until I completely lose my grip.
I don't like this new fangled blogger thing they installed without asking me permission. 'Keep Jerry Confused' must be their new mantra.
I'm really gonna' be pissed if you reevaluate in the wrong direction. You are one of the few that I learn from. If you go away...I may have to turn to Rush or something. And it will be your fault.
Yep, I believe America is in decline. The system reinforces and protects itself. But there needs to be those that point out the obvious to dunces like me...and I suspect quite a few others out there.
The fact that the power-brokers who run things behind the scenes put so much money into advertising (aka propaganda) reinforces the fact that they require favorable public opinion to survive. That gives me a glimmer of hope because it proves an informed public is an empowered one.
On the downside, an informed public is an empowered one ... and we live in a society where a sizable demographic believes (for example) Rush Limbaugh is brilliant; and one of the fundamental qualifications for public office is an unquestioning belief in an invisible man who lives in the sky.
I hope you don't stop blogging.
I am reevaluating my commitment to the futility continuing this blog.
Ah come on dude, just found your blog and plus, we need everyone to play Edward Gibbon in ever evolving downfall of American and Western Civilization.
Jerry Well, perhaps I can keep chugging on a bit... I certainly can't have you turing to Rush for your information.
Dissenter See, I think the public is part of the problem. I suspect that if we brought the Founding Fathers to the present with a time machine or such, they would be dumbfounded that we gave the vote to the Common Folk! They were the property owners, the corporate culture of their time.
I don't think people today put any more thought into their vote than they do picking grocery items off the shelf in the supermarket. Yes, Rush knows what he is selling and he knows people are buying... classic advertisement.
BeachBum Ok I had to Google 'Edward Gibbon'... ohhhh, I get it. So are you absolutely sure you want a slacker like me continuing taking jabs at our Falling Empire? I guess, if nothing else, it's therapy.
Post a Comment