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First, I keep remembering that ignorance is bliss. There are so many things that I know, that I wish I'd never known. I was happier before I knew them. I see people who don't even realize it, and they just go blissfully about their lives while I cringe.
Another thing- I was talking to the man who owns the local lumber store in town, and we had just unloaded sacks of concrete, so were sitting in my trailer for a brief moment. He started the conversation about where we are headed in politics. And he is Mr. Cowboy, with the boots and hat and just the whole aura. He won't be voting for Bush. His statement was that he doesn't trust "any of them". I am guessing that he is a republican (sorry, I just can't get myself to capitalize that word). And I think the best we can expect from some of these people is that they don't vote at all. They don't know enough to acknowledge the failures and where the responsibility belongs. But I suspect many Bush supporters won't be supporting him this time. I mean, he was adamant about his dislike for what Bush has done. Primarily the deficit.
But my analogy is related to the radio stations people listen to. I used to be a jazz trumpet player. And I also liked to listen to rock. There is a such a thing as musical maturity. And I also believe there is a political maturity. I grew to like Miles Davis. I really didn't like him at first. Now I love his music. I was also introduced to Captain Beefheart's music, and couldn't stand it. But I've grown to love it. Now years ago, I had a friend who listened to punk, and I could not understand why. I, like many people, had a notion that music was supposed to be melodic, and also happy. Sorry, I still haven't gotten to my main point. Eventually, over many years, I learned to absolutely love punk. It's not even the music, but the context. The idea behind the music, that gives it it's quality. I mean, who in their right mind would want to listen to Billy Holiday's "Strange Fruit"? God, it's horrific. But when one realizes that blacks went through a period in this country where they were being lynched, listening to that song is most moving. Sooooo, here's my point- After I began my quest to find more ecclectic music, I discovered college radio stations. And what a discovery it was. HUGE. Not only was the music incredible, but there were NO commercials. None at all. It was too good to be true. It didn't take long before I realized that those other stations on the dial were repetitive, commercial, piles of crap. Same old tunes, just broken up by frantic commercials. And I was totally surprised when I discovered that the majority of radio listeners gravitated toward those awful stations. I know that to find those college radio stations, I had to first think, then find them. I had to rise above myself and search. But it was only after a degree of musical maturity had taken place that I was able to do that. Just like this woman you know listens to Limbaugh and other horrible stations, I believe that there are people who aren't ready to hear the truth, for whatever reason. I mean, why would someone want the same old tired music over and over, AND have commercial ads heaped on top of it all? And especially, why would someone want to listen to Limbaugh? There are many reasons. I think you have hit a very good point when you mention her response to Will Pitt. I think the truth is jaded by these phoneys like Limbaugh. It's just like the rock jocks on these radio stations- they play this phoney game of revving up their voices and keeping the energy going. But really they have nothing. And when someone encounters the real thing, like Mr. Pitt, they are given a ray of light. I'd love to see a good answer to waking people out of their stupors. Example, is the best way to do it.
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