An Insightful Article About American Culture

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We don't do politics on this blog. However, I do have a posting category for "culture" and another for "Americana." So, I am posting this article by Charles Murray on the evolution of American culture the last fifty years.

Both the Tea Party and Occupy movements sense (correctly, I believe) that "the American Dream" has come off the rails. This article, convincingly, explains why. If we understand problems, we are in a much better position to solve them. 

I highly recommend Murray's article.


Note: Fixed link (I hope). 

Comments

  1. AnonymousJanuary 24, 2012 at 8:16 AM

    Please stop pretending that you don't "do politics," Mike. Half of your links go to Pajamas Media sites, so it's pretty clear which filters you've chosen to sort your reality. Every post about climate change has an unmistakable whiff of condescention and persecution that is the hallmark of the modern American right. You aren't really fooling anybody.

    I so wish you could maintain separate blogs for actual weather coverage and for your climate agenda. The former is fascinating and well executed. The latter is tiresome at best.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Mike SmithJanuary 24, 2012 at 8:38 AM

    "Half my links go to Pajama's Media"? That's news to me!

    Obviously, you didn't see my recent postings at Think Progress Green.

    No, I do not do politics (the art and science of getting elected). I DO do government. I've made that distinction a number of times on this blog.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousJanuary 24, 2012 at 10:42 AM

    Ah yes, government, not politics. That's precisely the sort of semantic judo that makes you so difficult to trust. For someone who doesn't do politics, you sure do talk like a politician.

    As for Think Progress Green, all I see is a post that includes you in the "anti-science wetherguy community." But if you'd like to continue this impartiality charade, by all means, link me.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Mike SmithJanuary 24, 2012 at 10:57 AM

    Anonymous: I never claimed to be impartial. As I have stated elsewhere in this blog several times: If I had to describe myself politically, it would be a Reagan Conservative. I am not a mainstream Republican nor am I a Libertarian as various commenters have tried to describe me.

    I'm simply saying I do not post political items on the blog.

    Above, you'll see a new posting about the utter failure of local government in Alabama to get approved and funded storm shelters built. This I will blog about because it is GOVERNMENT. I don't blog about who should be elected to office or things directly related to politics.

    Understand?

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousJanuary 24, 2012 at 12:08 PM

    Where's your Think Progress piece? I still can't find it.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Mike SmithJanuary 24, 2012 at 1:25 PM

    I answer every question they ask, and then some, here: http://thinkprogress.org/green/2012/01/20/407995/forecast-the-facts-exposes-americas-climate-denier-tv-weathermen/?fb_comment_id=fbc_10151175919635068_29464503_10151177197425068#ffbd5194c

    ReplyDelete
  7. AnonymousJanuary 25, 2012 at 6:04 AM

    Occupy and the Tea Party remind me of the men in an old poem called "The Blind Men and the Elephant," who each touched a different part of an elephant (trunk, ears, tusk, etc.) and mistook it for the whole because they could not see the "big picture".

    Both movements touch upon a different side of the same "beast" -- the decline of the middle class. The Tea Party sees the big government end (taxation, debt, unsustainable entitlement spending) while Occupy sees the big business end (corporate greed, outsourcing, manipulation of the political process). But does either really see the big picture?

    Elaine

    ReplyDelete
  8. Mike SmithJanuary 25, 2012 at 7:24 AM

    @Elaine. I don't care to get into how much either group sees the big picture. I took the risk (see comments above yours) of bringing this to my readers' attention because I thought it was compelling and well-reasoned.

    As to what your comment, it is entirely possible the complaints (as you write them) of both the Tea Party and Occupy are correct!

    ReplyDelete

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