I certainly find myself in a "funny" (as in odd) state of mind this year as all of these holidays

[NRaleighLiberal]

approach. I was in my car running stuff to the thrift store today (we are in the midst of a pretty significant change for us - after living in Raleigh for 28 years, we are heading west, to the NC mountains, soon to be living in Hendersonville, a town south of Asheville. The need to get into a one story situation as we enter our mid 60s, and tiring of the ever increasing summer heat and Raleigh traffic are sending us more to our natural roots...the mountains. My wife and I did our wooing near the White Mountains when I was a grad student at Dartmouth in NH - and although we love the outer banks of NC, the mountains seem to call to us most).

Ah yes, back to being in the car. In the Media was the NPR show that was on, and they had an interesting segment about Poland, the move toward authoritarianism (again), and similarities to what is going on not only here, but in many places. That got me to thinking - as I often do these days - "what the hell is wrong with people"?

My wife and I are feeling just bludgeoned and tired - the last three years have been mentally brutal due to trump and the republicans. The work around the impending move is actually a relief - something to get excited about, to anticipate - change! - and a chance to NOT think about politics. Even as to reading and posting here, or reading political articles (we've not watched TV in 10 years, so DU and other websites - TPM etc - are the primary news source) - I just often can't find the energy. It is ground hog day over the past three years, except each day's daily outrage is triggered by something different.

Anyway - what am I trying to say as I babble on? Oh yes - what the hell is wrong with people. Why are they so easily misled by propaganda? Why do they hold beliefs that are not in their best interest? Why do so many want to - need to - be told what to think and what to do? Where does the fear come from? Why are we so incurious about history - why do we learn so little from it? Why is wealth and power so respected, and kindness and decency, intellect, curiosity, arts, thinking - not?

I am thrilled with our coming new adventure - a chance to garden in real soil again instead of our steaming driveway, a nice big fenced yard for our dogs to frolic in, a new town to explore, new communities to become involved in. As I type this, some Max Richter is playing on Alexa, my wife is reading, we are watching a puppy we fostered a few months ago - she is now spectacular and having a blast playing with our two boys, Koda and Marlin. Happiness for sure....but I am not thrilled with the media, with even the most remote possibility of trump winning, of Boris Johnson and the UK mess, of the world wide move toward authoritarianism. And especially with what is coming with the climate. I worry about what my daughters will end up experiencing.I don't worry about the earth - she will be fine once we are gone - but we are squandering so much in a general stupidity and ignorance.

I don't remember a Thanksgiving and Christmas feeling so mentally "cloudy" - but this too shall pass. Thanks for listening - I hope you all had a nice Thanksgiving. I am thankful that DU exists to allow one to spew forth things like the above!

[guillaumeb]

1. Many people are angry, and afraid.

No matter the US corporate media narrative about the "booming economy", people know that they are not doing well.

Personal indebtedness is at an all time high, and people know that many times, they are one unexpected expense away from financial trouble.

40% of Americans could not deal with an unexpected $400 expense.

Nearly 50% of seniors have no savings, and rely on Social Security.

And that anger, that fear, needs a focus.

So the GOP, following a long tradition, focuses on xenophobia. That other, the object of the fear, is generally people of color, and foreigners.

And with a US corporate media pushing the booming economy meme, do not expect the same media to tell the truth about the appeal of xenophobia.

[Yavin4]

24. The narrative about the "booming economy" actually makes things worse.

If one is struggling in a so-called "boom", then how can they ever do well? That leads to more feelings of anxiety.

[guillaumeb]

25. And it contributes to anger, depression, and agression.

And encourages the angry ones to find someone to blame.

[MuseRider]

2. I remember Hendersonville

thinking it was a really nice town.

I get what you are saying. Going to be 66 in a couple of weeks. We got settled early but the fog of this situation here and the worlds situation makes everything seem somehow far away or going away.

Enjoy the adventure of your move. I agree, the earth will heal herself as soon as she shakes us off as the annoying fleas we are to her.

[Siwsan]

3. I have family in Mills River, which is right by Hendersonville

I love that part of North Carolina!

[NRaleighLiberal]

4. we stay in an airbnb in Mills River when we head out there!

[Freedomofspeech]

5. My husband and I feel the same way...

We usually do a lot of entertaining during the holidays...not this year, nothing. I had to force myself to put the tree up and we are known for our interior decorating and we have been on the local Christmas house tour 5 times. All of our good liberal friends feel the same way...everyday is pure hell with this monster in office. We , too, are planning a move in the spring to be near our oldest son. It is a university town and we will be out of this hillbilly hell in SW PA. Everyday I wonder how this nightmare is going to end. Never did I think I spend my retirement years suffering from anxiety and depression. Good luck to you in your new home. May the Force be with all of us.

[smirkymonkey]

6. Thanks, NRaleighLiberal.

It was nice to read your post and I completely relate to it. I ask myself the same questions that you do and wonder if we are ever going to have peace and kindness back in this country again.

I see it everyday in small ways, but when I tune in to what is going on in the political world, all seems hopeless. Maybe we just need to focus on what is going on right around us when we are despairing. We can't ignore what is happening because to do so is to allow it to flourish, but I think every now and then it's healthy to take a little break.

I wish you and your family a very happy and peaceful holiday season!

[malaise]

7. Thanks for this lovely thoughtful post

On the one hand a lot is wrong with people - on the other hand you are an example of what is not wrong with people - happy moving - I love when people prepare for a one story life

[blm]

27. So true

[mnhtnbb]

8. Congratulations on the upcoming move!

Your look see trip recently was successful!

I have been moving myself ever since last weekend. Just upstairs in the same building, same floor plan, but now 12 floors higher with a fabulous view and much less street noise. This move was a decision for me to stay in downtown Raleigh and not go back to Chapel Hill, or buy a condo, or move to another state with a view of water, or move abroad. But I hear, you, too. I barely know what's happened in the world in the last week because I've been consumed with the move. It's refreshing to not be disturbed by the orange con man.

I'm going to have to come check out Hendersonville next summer!

[blm]

28. Please do.

[japple]

9. I lived in WNC for 25 years (Asheville for 7 yrs. and high country for 18 yrs.)

My best friend lives in Horse Shoe. She is very active in the Henderson Co. Democratic Party. I hope you will join. She and hubby are also gardeners and dog people. Sending good vibes for your move to WNC. I hope everything will work out well for you.

[NRaleighLiberal]

10. We will be only a few miles from Horse Shoe!

[Mickju]

11. I understand

and largely feel the same, except I don't think I have an escape. I'm impressed that you listen to Richter.

[spanone]

12. K&R...👍🏼👍🏼

[essme]

13. We are right outside Banner

Elk right now. Love the NC mountains, and know Hendersonville well!

You all will love it

[cilla4progress]

14. Raleigh, couldn't agree with you more!

My husband and I have spent this holiday alone, except for our critters!

I have no interest in shopping/consuming, chit-chatting, or mingling. Everyone seems equally unenthusiastic. We are taking long hikes with our rescue pup (even Jack the cat joined us!) in places where we won't run into people. We did cook a delicious dinner, and only had to think of our own timing and tastes.

Drumpf just makes everything awful. Can't wait till this is over. We are also in our 60s and have a daughter. I'm amazed that people still have the courage and optimism to have babies - as we learned our dear niece will in May.

[Evolve Dammit]

15. Thank you for your wonderful post. Like the other posters, we share similar feelings, especially

during the holidays. I've never seen this level of uncertainty and global authoritarian oppression in my lifetime. And certainly not from within the US, seeking to tear us apart with daily outrages from our orange "leader". I occasionally listen to right wing A.M. radio just to keep abreast of the indoctrination of hatred, victimhood and librul bashing that comprises their messaging 24/7/365. It has been 30 plus years of this propaganda (at work in 1989, all we had was a car with an A.M. radio and I first heard Limbaugh then). I was shocked to know people actually have that much animosity for their fellow citizens and such a skewed ideology of the issues that confront us as a nation. That broadcasting, over thousands of stations, including Armed Forces Radio, accounts for where we are, in my opinion. Now social media and other IT interference are also big factors. I share your concerns for our children and their children if we cannot right this ship.
That said, I hope the move offers much happiness and it looks like you've already got some new friends. Love DU for that community. We've traveled through that section of NC and it is beautiful!

Take care and Best Wishes,
ED

[Botany]

16. A chance to prob the basic questions of the Universe

Black Krim vs Cherokee Purple and is old German, German Queen, and Mr. Stripey really the same tomato?

[NRaleighLiberal]

23. and "will I ever get that third book finished"?

and "raised beds...or dig a garden into the ground"? I can finally put driveway gardening on the back burner!

[erronis]

17. This: "Why is wealth and power so respected, and kindness and decency, intellect, curiosity, ..."

Why is wealth and power so respected, and kindness and decency, intellect, curiosity, arts, thinking - not?

How has the pursuit of knowledge, wisdom been so demeaned?

Obviously other eras have gone through this thow-back period such as the dark ages, or that mysterious billions of years before Adam and Eve.

I think the self-anointed, the rich, the privileged are always threatened by an educated middle class. Therefore they incite the less-well-off to resent the educated middle classes.

So the kings of this generation may live a good life but their necks are always in danger of separation.

Oh, and good luck on your move to the mountains! We moved from the pre-swamp of dump's DC to a much better mountain clime. At least for a while the air is much clearer here.

[mountain grammy]

18. Congratulations on your new home.

I turned 72 yesterday, husband will be 70 in May. We need to downsize and move downhill from the mountains, but we’re at 8500 ft, so it’s getting hard to breathe. That said, summers are heaven.
Every single day I wonder the same thing. What the hell is wrong with people?

[Traildogbob]

19. Be prepared.

I live west of Asheville. Know Hendersonville well. You would think the mouth breatheing racist assholes this way would be a small representation of Trumpism. They are a majority, sad thing is, very very many rich people move here or have second and even third homes here. I live in an area with many of those homes. They were all flying trump flags on the massive getaway homes over the 4th and all the time here during the summer. On the other hand the poorest. trashiest and most gapping mouth breathers have all their trump flags flying amongst the knee high garbage in their yards. Dems are very hard to find. Asheville is a sanctuary city. Outside of That city, There are guns stores, dollar stores and churches in every direction as far as you can drive. All the gun stores have Jesus signs all over them. I stay in the forests, off trail and avoid the masses. Being retired allows me to stay in the Mtns and forests I live here for, but sometimes you have to go where they dwell. Welcome to Western Carolina.

[NRaleighLiberal]

22. thanks...not surprising to read this.

my wife and I are retired as well, and we will be spending lots of time hiking in forests! Thanks for the welcome. Our sanity survival skills are pretty good (I hope!)

[Traildogbob]

32. My favorite John Muir Quite

"The Mountains are Calling, I Must Go." My career was in the woods teaching college students everything about forests and wildlife. Now I stay in them without a gaggle following me. These mountains are so sweet. Other than NPS, there are enless areas to be off trail and explore solitude. Enjoy retirement, go to Asheville to find out kind. Just spent a mouth touring California forests with professionals touring our International Dendrology group. My first experience IN the Coast Redwoods, giant sequoias, Bristlecone pine, and so many amazing trees and forest types. Muir was with me through it all. But, these older firests are special as well. With much more diversity of species. And these bears don't eat ya. Again, welcome to paradise, hoping we turn this criminal GOP in NC around.

[csziggy]

20. You are approaching a major change in your lives

Just that without all the political crap is overwhelming enough!

I don't know Hendersonville but as a child my family visited the John C Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, not far away. Just a couple of years ago my husband and I visited for the eclipse and it is even more beautiful than I remembered. You will love the area, I'm sure.

Forget politics for a bit and enjoy learning a new place to live!

[Aquaria]

21. I get what you mean

But there is no way I can stay close enough to my mother if she really needs me and be in a place where I wouldn't wind up suicidal within a week or two from being surrounded by so much fricking stupid. She lives in Louis Gohmert's district and there's a whole bunch of stupid all around there, for hundreds of miles. Yeah, there's Dallas, but my husband wouldn't be able to breathe there.

So San Antonio is where we need to be and have some semblance of sanity around us, for now.

But I'm waiting for ancestors to shuffle off this mortal coil so that we can move to California, the only place where we would feel comfortable about not living in a huge city. Wanting to move to Sonoma or maybe Santa Cruz County. I have had it with city life in some ways, although I don't want to be too far from it when I need it. Once my mom passes, there will be nothing to keep us in Texas, but my husband would enjoy being closer to his family in California. But not too close. Close enough to get to them when absolutely necessary...but far enough away to give us our space. They all live in and around Sacramento these days, where I will never ever ever live again, so that means we need to be on the other side of SF to feel like they aren't in our hair all the time.

[joanbarnes]

26. I get you completely-same here with a health, job and family crises thrown in...

[orleans]

29. mentally "cloudy" - same here

have fun with your upcoming adventure.

take good care.

smile often.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

30. First off, I want to say that in 2008 when I was looking

at where I wanted to move to because a divorce was in my immediate future, Asheville was one of the places I looked at. A cousin already lived there, which helped its appeal. I liked that it was in the mountains and wouldn't have the kind of hot summers I'd come to despise. In the end, I decided it wasn't the right place for me, but I'm sure it is truly wonderful for many.

But to answer your question "What the hell is wrong with people" I'll offer that most people don't want to think for themselves. And resist doing so mightily. Anyone who is in thrall of a religion has internalized the notion that they must accept authority from outside themselves. And so they aren't willing to think for themselves. And even for many who might be willing to do so, thinking for oneself is genuinely scary. It is so much easier to let someone else do it, whether that's a pastor, or a trusted friend, or someone on a television screen. Actually thinking for oneself is scary. Most people don't know how to do it. And they don't want to do it.

And that's the problem.

[Martin Eden]

31. I love the mountains & waterfalls in WNC

I live 20 miles W of Chicago, and have driven there many times for hiking vacations. I'm 62, and hope to retire in 4 years with enough time to still enjoy hiking & backpacking.

As for all your questions, far too many people have been brainwashed by decades of Fox News, RW talk radio, and what passes for Christianity. When influential religious leaders say Donald Trump was selected by God almighty to lead America -- and millions of people swallow such nonsensical garbage -- it's proof of a widespread mental pathology that includes the racism which has long been the ugly underbelly of American politics.

As for the one percenters, there have always been greedy bastards who do everything they can to acquire more wealth and power. They get away with it by promoting the mental pathologies of the right and by fostering & inflaming the bitter divisiveness between ordinary Americans. They need us to be at each others throats instead of marching together against the malefactors of great wealth.

It's the old strategy of divide and conquer. A great man once said a house divided against itself cannot stand. He was talking about the institution of slavery, but it very much applies to 21st century America. A people divided against themselves cannot stand and work together for their own common interests.

The malefactors of great wealth are not the only ones who can take advantage of a divided America. Our longstanding adversary got his hooks into a talented con man who knew the narratives spun by Fox News and how to push the buttons of discontent, racism, ignorance, jingoism, and fear. Vlad Putin's puppet has been paying big dividends by weakening NATO and America's position as leader of the free world.

Meanwhile, the Republican Party which has long represented the malefactors of great wealth is showing their true colors by fully supporting and enabling the orange abomination who poses an existential threat to the civic institutions and Constitutional rule of law which are the foundation of America's true greatness. They are eager accomplices in transforming our country into a theocratic autocracy, or they are cowards unwilling to risk a furious backlash from the brainwashed voters in Republican primaries.

This picture I paint is not reassuring, but there is still reason for hope. Despite a candidate who was smeared for decades by the right in an election with a strong current against the status quo, Hillary Clinton won the popular vote by nearly 3 million. Two years later a Blue Wave sparked by the outrages of a vile POtuS swept Democrats to control of the House -- despite gerrymandering and voter suppression.

Though it has been said many times over the years, this upcoming election is indeed the most important of our lifetime. Do not despair. Get out and vote. It just may be that tens of millions have been shaken out of their civic lethargy, newly determined to rid ourselves of this pathological liar who is mentally and morally unfit for any position of public trust.

And when that day comes, the path to a more promising future will open before us like the trail to Shining Rock when it passes over Black Balsam Knob with beautiful vistas of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

33. Putin and Putinites (the filthy rich) NEED people to glorify wealth and power

You'll find the subtle and not-so-subtle messages everywhere from social media to tv shows -- you will not be happy with wealth and power, you must submit to those with wealth and power because they know all.