- Pessimism.
- Cynicism.
- Protection of wealth.
- Enervation of motivation.
- Lack of gratitude.
- Lack of humility.
- Seeking power for the sake of power, or "King of the Hill."
- Misanthropic notions.
- Reemergence of ancient irrationalities.
- Deliberate monkey-wrenching.
- Abandoning reasoning, preferring feeling. (Og)
- Choosing to go along with whatever is made popular. (Og)
- The notorious get press; the notable don't unless they screw up. (mts)
Update: Please see Dilemmas Facing Advanced Civilization -Pt2 for part 2 in this series
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How about deliberate obtuseness? THe inability to reason? Here's a different tack:
ReplyDeleteResolved: Anyone who would espouse the philosophies of the mainstream media and the radical left (which is becoming, if not has become, the mainstream left),is,by definition, incapable of reason.
Two things emerge from your suggestions. A choosing to devolve to an animal state. Reasoning is a higher function than instinct alone. Perhaps a by-product of animism?
ReplyDeleteThe other seems to be an abandoning of personal choice to that which seems popular. Whatever slogan MSM pushes becomes the one that is widely adopted? Boy, is that ever an Orwellian's dream!
An orwellian nightmare, you mean.
ReplyDeleteFame from celebrity vs. merit. We always had stars, but fame, and more importantly honor, also went to the Dr. Salks, the Eisenhowers as well as the Audie Murphies, the Einsteins, and the Wright Brothers.
ReplyDeleteNowadays, who cares what the names of our generals and hero soldiers are in this war? Who are the heroes working tirelessly on new cures? How come everyone heard of Dr. Albert Schweitzer 50 years ago, but no one has ever heard of Norman Borlog today? Let's wonder what the hell Paris Hilton is going to eat in jail!
Indeed. News of villains and the vacuous trumps news of the valorous and virtuous every time.
ReplyDeleteHowever, this sounds more like an MSM editorial malfunction than a consumer decision.
And since such a "malfunction" can be a useful to those who currently hold power, the chances of it being fixed is low.
Since top managers fear grassroots leaders ("upstarts"), and top managers pay the bills of MSM, this has a damn good chance of being toppled as the influence of MSM dwindles.
And thus, the "futility of success" that leader-fearing management prefers can be defeated.
Hence, I think this one problem has a ready solution mts.
Publish good news and encourage others to pass it along. I'll be happy to join you.
A widespread fear of being sued, coupled with a widespread cynical view of lawsuits as a legitimate means of gaining wealth. The economic effect of lawsuits is fobbed off as mattering only to insurance companies.
ReplyDeleteMorenuancedthanyou