Two Americas By Design?

[porphyrian]

It was suggested that I start a new thread to discuss my answer to the poll, America, anymore, is really two countries in terms of what people want/think? here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=1231865.

There do appear to be two irreconsilable Americas, but it seems that these are the only two being offered to us. If this is by design, is someone trying to start a fight? Is our recent domestic terrorism related?

What do you think?

[a geek named Bob]

1. If America splits into two groups

It is very likely going to be something like:

America #1: the coastal sprawls become the centers for creative, high energy, fairly progressive people
America #2: an inland, third world country, with a diminishing population, and little money

[Scuba]

2. Sorry, no. I buy into the theory that we've been offered two irreconcilable "Americas"...

... but the split isn't geographic. Here in Wisconsin we are highly polarized and evenly divided. Our liberals are over 1,000 miles from the nearest ocean.

[a geek named Bob]

3. Okay... I'm adaptable...

Maybe something more in keeping with the franchised "burbclave" concept, from Snowcrash.

[Scuba]

4. +1 for adaptability!! Not familiar with Snowcrash but "burbclave" connotes some interesting images.

[a geek named Bob]

7. Snowcrash

is a great novel, by Neal Stephanson, which combines the themes of Burbclaves, religious cults, highly applied NLP, Sumerian Mythos, Cyberpunk, Inuit revenge crimes, and a professional pizza delivery company, overtly owned and run by the Mafia.

In this story, our hero, literally named Hiro Protagonist, must stop a computer virus has been been written to overwrite people's minds.

Possibly one of the best SF stories written in the last 20 years.

I, a geek named Bob, give it two thumbs up!

[Scuba]

11. Thank you. I'll give it a shot.

[a geek named Bob]

12. You're welcome

If you'd like another, Try Melissa Scott's Trouble and her friends.

In this book, A separated lesbian outlaw hacker couple are reunited to take down a corrupt chickenhawk data haven owner. Good stuff!

Disclosure: My wife and I have 15,000 books. We're pretty much book pushers with a heavy habit.

[Scuba]

13. Another interesting suggestion....

Yeah, we've got a lot of books here too, although we quit acquiring and now take much greater advantage of our public (socialist) library.

Oh, and welcome to DU!!!

[a geek named Bob]

14. Thank you for the welcome!

Some of the books my wife and I have, our local (equally socialist) library wouldn't touch.

Like
-Brinley's Handbook for amateur model rocketry
-most of the Lindsay Books Catalog
-a few of the now sadly defunct Loompanics Catalog
-a few of the Paladin Press catalog

Down in Maryland, a few of the police were VERY interested in our library, when someone mentioned it to them.

[porphyrian]

6. Ha! It was cyberpunk, and great book. n/t

[a geek named Bob]

10. Also...

It was Cyberpunk with a happy ending.

That's kind of rare.

[porphyrian]

5. That sounds cyberpunk.

I'm not saying that you're wrong; some see it that way now to some degree. What I meant was that it makes me suspicious when the population is being fed two versions of America that don't appear capable of coexistence. Are those really the only two views and our only two options? What are the motives of those pushing these options? Are the American people being played like the worlds biggest reality show, since conflict is entertaining? I don't know, I'm asking, but my Spidey-sense is tingling.

[Baitball Blogger]

8. Porphyrian, if you allow me to, I would love to PM you when I complete a major project

I have been working on. I have been asking myself similar questions for a long time.

This is the quote that I begin with:

"I remember the first time I heard the term, "Two Americas". I thought the term referred to the imbalance created by racial discrimination. Now I would add to the definition. It's not just overt racial discrimination that creates inequities in society. Lesser known is what happens to a community on a long-term basis when government intentionally bestows favor on certain groups, such as the business sector.

"That's what makes this resource file relevant today. Using public records, we will be able to track the activities of a local city in Florida as it began a selective outreach program in order to promote the city’s ambitious agenda. Once the data is laid out, what you’ll see is how social networking took over when government delegated its oversight responsibilities to private individuals and organizations. This is still a concern today because economic development departments throughout the country are still pushing the same objectives."

[porphyrian]

9. Yes, please. n/t

[porphyrian]

15. Anyone else? n/t

[porphyrian]

16. Afternoon people? n/t