Inkwell: Authors and Artists

    

a zillion people on the interwebs?
  

    
I guess I figured Jon was referring to this conversation. 
  

    


> Well, I love the deep blue bubble of Eugene.

you are living in one part of Eugene's many cultures, axon.

what you might not realize is that even some people who wear tie dyes and
otherwise signal Eugene hippie or post-hippie tendencies voted for Trump.
including one of my dearest friends.

Eugene, Oregon is scattered with many different views and viewpoints,
cultures and subcultures. 
  

    
I'm bombarded with messages from media and social media telling me
how to think. No, I wasn't just referring to this conversation. T
has it right in <551>.
  

    
"Braver Angels is leading the nation's largest cross-partisan,
volunteer-led movement to bridge the partisan divide for the good of
our democratic republic. Coming out of the election, we're bringing
together 'We the People' to find a hopeful alternative to toxic
politics. The American Hope campaign is equipping Americans across
the political spectrum to work together and demand the same of
politicians from both parties."

<https://braverangels.org/>
  

    
>even some people who wear tie dyes and otherwise signal Eugene
hippie or post-hippie tendencies voted for Trump

Undoubtedly. We were just discussin elsewell the astonishing number
of people in the music community who are, how shall one say, low
propensity. But so far they've had the presence of mind to keep it
to themselves.

But I pay more attention to how the city conducts its business, as
directed by voters, to assess the congeniality of the electorate.
While there is always an opposition to various woke af city policies
(Eugene is putting on a clinic on how to respond to homelessness,
e.g.), it so rarely prevails. One downside of that is a critical
shortage of affordable housing, just as one example of too much of a
good thing (reflexive hostility to new development). But even that
is being addressed. I imagine there are more conservatives to be
found in Duck Nation, say, but I don't run in those circles.

In any event, I haven't seen a single Trump yard sign during the
whole election cycle within the city limits. You don't have to go
too far into the surrounding county to find them, but even then, the
Harris/Walz signs represent honorably. Even on the coast, I saw far
more Harris signs than Trump signs. No survey less scientific, I
know.

>you are living in one part of Eugene's many cultures

Well, I'm living in a fairly upscale proto-new urban development in
what I otherwise describe as "the estate sale district"; lots of
senior housing around here (Bethel/Danebo). We've gotten to know a
lot of our neighbors and if there's a seam of deep red residents
here, nobody's heard from them. But it's not like we're in the Whit.

No place on earth is purely either liberal or conservative, but I
feel pretty confident that there are few medium sized cities in this
country as defiantly progressive as Eugene, and those are similarly
influenced by the presence of a major university (Berkeley, Ann
Arbor, Austin, e.g.), and none of them are MAGA free, either. As a
refuge to hold out and see what fresh hell the Blutocrats can
actually mobilize, it seems fairly safe.

I grew up in a college town surrounded by ag (Columbia, MO), and
moved here from another (Chico, CA), so I know that a liberal
enclave still harbors many who resent and oppose the values that
define the cultural gestalt. And that experience with similar
communities informs my perspective. I feel no obligation to immerse
myself in atavistic cultures to "understand their issues". Their
priorities and policy ambitions aren't exactly opaque.

In any event, we're five minutes from the airport, with passports up
to date and go bags packed.
  

    

funny, the friend i mentioned lives in your neighborhood.
  

    


and why didn't this post?

hm.

trying to say i like Ezra Klein and how he repeatedly  holds Dems' feet to
the fire, and explores interesting issues and approaches. all hail critical
thinking!!

a new episode is up. i'm enjoying the intro and will see how the
interview/conversations flow. the blurb for it follows:

The core conflict in our politics right now is over institutions. Democrats
defend them, while Republicans distrust them, and seek, in some cases, to
eliminate them.

This is really bad. It’s bad for institutions when Republicans are elected,
because of the damage they might inflict. And it’s bad for institutions
when Democrats are elected, because when you’re so committed to protecting
something, it’s hard to be clear-eyed or honest about all the ways it’s
failing. And when Democrats won’t admit to the problems that so many
Americans can see and feel, that creates a huge opening for the right. So,
what are Democrats missing?"


link:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ezra-klein-show/id1548604447?i=10006
77890883
  

    
Yeah. Saw that too and will give it a listen. 
  

    
Some (many) of the institutions that Republicans view as "failing"
are doing just fine. They're not perfect, but they're doing their
jobs, and well. For Republicans, that's a problem.

They're viewed as failing because their very mission stands in
contravention to fascist values, and because there's been a false
narrative beaten into thick, low-propensity skulls that they're
failing in spite of evidence to the contrary. 

These institutions are being blamed for inevitable societal shifts,
and for the economic exploitation that's been squeezing the working
class, and strip-mining the middle class out of existence.

Some of these institutions are being targeted because they (the
so-called 'deep state') are the bulwarks against the oligarchy's
ability to mine wealth from labor and taxpayers. Many are targeted
because ginning up the social grievances they can be tied to
provides the electoral fulcrum needed to destroy that bulwark.

Democrats are right to defend these institutions. 
  

    
> Democrats defend them (institutions)

What's funny to me is remembering the left-wing radical rhetoric of
the 60s and getting how similar it is to the right-wing rhetoric of
the 2000s... "smash the state," concern about the deep state,
paranoia about the DOJ, the FBI and CIA, etc. The left wasn't
defending the institutions back then. They were deeply paranoid
about them and wanting to take them down. 

But they were coming from a different place, and would never have
got funding and support from oligarchs.
  

    
I am 100% behind <jstraw>'s <560>
  

    
Here’s a lefty song from the Nixon era. A call to Let It All Fall
Down.

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svc3cIjX1R4>
  

    
Lyrics below(hidden for length)
  

    <hidden>
  

    
While I think there are many institutions in need of reform
forfailing to assist people anywhere near as well as they could, I
also think the facts bear Michael out that our regulatory and social
welfare systems "are being targeted because they...are the bulwarks
against the oligarchy's ability to mine wealth from labor and
taxpayers. Many are targeted because ginning up the social
grievances they can be tied to provides the electoral fulcrum needed
to destroy that bulwark."

Also: There's a significant crossover between the powerful people in
it for the wealth and impunity, with the powerful people whose
values and beliefs run counter to equality and equity for women and
people of color and LGBTQ+ people and Indigenous peoples. 
  

    
I thought Jon Stewart's description of how the Democrats have been
acting since the election was perfect: "The Audacity of Cope."
  

    
jstraw, I'd like to share that whole post on Bluesky - first, for
the very value of what it says; secondly, as an example of discourse
on the Well. With your name or not, as you prefer. Permission,
please?
  

    
Well worth sharing!
  

    
Angie, feel free to share it with or without attribution, as you see
fit. I'm humbled by your desire to do so.
  

    
I'm pleased to get it out there! Thanks.
  

    
It deserves to be shared. May it reach hearts and minds. 

Thank you for bringing James Taylor to this stage, Bill. 
  

    
Anyone here participated in anything from the group <jonl> posted about:
https://braverangels.org/ ?
In particular for a "1:1 conversation?" 
https://braverangels.org/online/1-1-conversations/
  

    <scribbled by seanan Sun 24 Nov 24 08:35>
  

    
I’ve heard only good things about them, but the 1:1 conversations
are (to me) new.