I recently attended a public event. (Not a common occurrence for a quasi recluse.) It pleased me by juxtaposing stupid loud pointless noise with the incredible vitality of the American people. I’ve felt the same way at Sturgis, demolition derbies, hunting camps, machine gun shoots, junkyards, truck stops, rodeos, bars, and backyards. America, deep down inside, encompasses a delightful mix of crazy and brilliant.
Sitting amid the screaming throng I had the following thoughts:
- What I have just witnessed is absurd.
- That was awesome!
The two go together like night and day. They fit. We are truly fortunate to live in such a society. Nobody can take this away from us; not politicians, not lawyers, not regulators, nobody. Nobody in a suit and tie can completely stifle the energy of a people so fully…alive.
Take heart in this. The two parties might jointly encourage gutless dependent losers but we’re not merely blank slates and unmolded clay. For every soulless pasty killjoy with a clipboard counting our calories and lecturing about mass transit there’s a opposing maniac howling at the moon and trying to turbocharge his bass boat. We’re free on the inside and we act that way…with all the crazy foolishness that freedom entails. We’re an entirely different people than controllers imagine.
In honor of this (and because it’s fun); I decided to link to “America Fuck Yeah”…the sure cure for politically induced somnolence. It’s stupid, silly, and not safe for work. It’s aggressive, embarrass the easily embarrassed, makes effete Europhiles sob, it’s spelled wrong, and it is self referencing satire. So what?
One more thing…Wordpress doesn’t seem to like it. Presumably it’s of questionable copy write basis (though I suspect it’s fair use to link to it). I linked anyway because taking orders easily is precisely not an American trait. You’ll have to click twice to see it via You-Tube…so what?
P.S. Regardless of your country of origin or residence, I’m talking to you too. America is an idea, not geography.
If I ever get the chance to meet Jeremy Clarkson, I am going to point out that deep down he is more American than English, for the above reason. Because anyone who chooses Big, Loud, and Needlessly Powerful over Sensible/ Understated is really an American, deep down.
“Democracy; the theory that the Common Man knows what he wants and deserves to get it, good and hard.”
H. L. Mencken
The old boy was an elitist, but at the same time he distrusted elites, despised do-gooders who would guide The Common Man, and reveled in the absurd vigor of the American people. I recommend reading him highly, and his three autobiographical works (HAPPY DAYS, NEWSPAPER DAYS, and HEATHEN DAYS) are a great place to start.