Your Cooperation is Greatly Appreciated

[angrychair]

Americans are, in general, ignorant cowards. Its not our fault to be fair. We have literally been trained since birth to be this way. We are told since childhood to not question authority, obey the rules and do as we are told.
We are trained to sit in a desk, face forward and obey authority for 8 hours a day for 12 years.

To do what?

sit in a desk, face forward and obey authority for 8 hours a day for 40+ years

So that then, for about an average of 5-7 years of retirement you can do a little of what we want but many adventures are way beyond most people due to age and declining health and limited income.
There are always people that buck the system. That forge their own path that refuse to follow the rules. That refuse to consent in advance. but those people rarely live long happy lives. But for them we would be lost though. Our society would have collapsed long ago under the weight of its own oppression. These people drive others to release their chains and to dream. Their presence is electric. Their convictions unbreakable. Their resolve, against all odds, unassailable. You know who these people are, you've heard their names a million times. They were called "subversive" or "traitor" or "rebel" or "criminal" or "gay" or "feminist" or "trans" or "Black" or "Communist" or "radical" or "fearmonger" or "fool".

No one can honestly tell you for certain where this is all going but it doesn't look good. In fact it looks very grim.
We could really use some of those people right now. I still have hope but the ignorant and the cruel and the petty and the cowards, have a huge head start.

[WSHazel]

1. A little cowardice by some might not be the worst thing for this situation

A modest brain drain and capital flight would put some pressure on the market and economy, which would put pressure on the MAGA Party. It would certainly create some uncertainty about what happens next, which could be useful.

[angrychair]

2. Don't completely disagree

But I believe that has limited value. The disdain for intelligence and the sciences in general, is pervasive and practically endemic in our society.
These people do not make the simple connection of the very phone in their pocket and science. Or the million other things people take for granted every day that would not exist without scientists and engineers.
I spent my entire time in school playing dumb (not as smart as I really was) in a desperate bid to fit in that I actually started to believe it. I see it as a huge factor of why, to a certain extent, I "played it safe" most of my life.

[WSHazel]

3. MAGA can reject intelligence all it wants

A brain drain will draw capital out of the country, which will accelerate a capital transition that is already under way. It doesn't matter what anyone's perception of intelligence is, there will be a very real financial impact on our country.

Where perception matters is with our financial markets. The U.S. has the most complex and advanced financial system in the world, and a lot of our country's wealth is dependent on that financial system, which means it is dependent on foreign and domestic investors' perception of our financial system. If that perception changes from one of complete confidence in the best regulated financial system in the world, to one of declining confidence in a system that has an increasingly fickle regulatory environment and property rights are not as secure as they used to be, then capital will start leaving.

An economy and financial system as complex as America's has never faced something like a fascist takeover. I don't know how it will play out. No one does. Everything is just an educated guess.

[angrychair]

5. In part, I don't disagree

It will absolutely cause a brain drain and will absolutely hurt the economy, maybe even permanently.
Regardless, 40% of the population won't care because they are, at least right now, being told that everything that is wrong in this country is because of immigrants and trans people.
Once upon a time it was Black people. Then Hispanic people. Then Asian people. Handicap people.
Its always someone else's fault. Most Americans do not have the deductive reasoning skills to figure it out. They are told "you now hate group X" and they do as they are told because that is the system working as intended.
That it hurts them, personally or financially or both, is all but irrelevant to them.

Never forget the SCOTUS case about an older couple fighting to get the mandate dropped from the ACA. Over the course of hearings the wife got cancer and became very sick and while it was literally before the Supreme Court they ended up having to file for bankruptcy due to medical debt.
She also later died because she wasn't getting the care she needed. Americans will happily work against their own best interest as long as they think the group they are told not to like will suffer more

[usonian]

4. Take heart from people who fought for justice against impossible odds

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100219813493

If our "best" leaders seem silent, take heart from Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who are taking the message to the entire country, including "red" states and districts.



A simple and Powerful message That AOC and Bermie have been sharing with huge, enthusiastic crowds all over the US
https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=20450483

Taking the message to red states and getting great receptions. AOC and Bernie are hitting grand slams.
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100220419050

When we lead, other leaders will follow.

Why we fight. To stop fascism. General Strike? What else is working?
https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=20447822