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Three Puzzling American Traits

Howell Hurst American News, Economy & Finance, People, People Politics, Racism, Trump

FROM MY CORNER

Three American traits continue to puzzle me: the naivete of the American citizen; the escalating larcenous nature of many American corporations; and the acceptance by citizens of the corporate larceny.

Too many Large American corporations increasingly rape markets of their common sense. Too many servile Americans continuously abdicate their citizenship, replacing it with fervent consumerism.

With the rise of the Narcissistic Sociopath, you would think American citizens would see through the corporate looting. Apparently, they do not. Corporate price-fixing prevails coast to coast. Cornering and dominating markets constitutes the norm.

Internet corporate targeting of individuals urges them on to greater spending. Americans’ addiction to consuming leaves scant trace of any sense of personal responsibility for the economically-driven political circus we are experiencing.

Middle class America sits before its TV screens simply assenting to the violation of its once rational consciousness – almost without a word of protest. It is as if the reality of the tangible world they perceive is nothing but a TV drama: grade B.

On the Internet, viewers cannot watch a news video without first obligatorily being required to watch – and pay a broadband fee for! – a commercial. We essentially must financially subsidize commercials just to see the latest news.

Hardly a citizen acknowledges the repeated plundering of the American pocket book. Giant corporations reap tax-free millions of dollars of profits, selling utterly non-essential baubles to luxury-addicted buyers.

The American economy is nearing another decisive point. As it marches undeterred on its way, average middle class Americans sit mute on the TV couch. Are they unaware another economic surprise may be right around the corner?

What has caused American citizens to become so mute? So utterly disconnected from the newly corporatized reality? Why such listlessness? Has this dumbing down delivered American citizens into a state of mindlessness?

All this occurs as creeping tentacles of neo-fascism attempt to permeate the country. As Berlin-like walls are tested to isolate the country from immigrants. As racism openly ferments. As the national debt continues to balloon. As too many Americans remain homeless.

What must happen for middle class America to open its eyes? What will it take to alert Americans to the ill-conceived transformation this nation is heading toward? Do consumers simply no longer care about the concept of country? Or are they just so spoiled by a digital phantasy world that tangible, objective reality is beyond their mental grasp?

You can almost imagine the sound of hob nailed jack-boots on concrete as American consumers visit the refrigerator, avoiding the real show, before returning to passionately view the next eagerly-awaited commercial.

What could they be doing? you ask. They could be organizing nationally in their churches; they could be organizing in Rotary and Lions. Thereby, they could be creating voting strategies to elect candidates willing to protect their rights.

Instead of munching potato chips and popcorn before the endlessly flickering images.

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