Sooner or later it happens. You are talking with someone on a subject of mutual interest, a subject thought to have no controversial dimension whatever. The conversation follows its natural course through relevant points, then, suddenly, this person you are conversing with blurts out some insane liberal shibboleth and looks at you as if you must agree with his declaration, which follows from nothing.
You have two choices: a) advise him that he is a jackass, or b) spend the rest of your life knowing that you are a useless pussy.
But more often this does not happen in a personal conversation (although I have experienced it), rather it occurs on the Internet where people seem always to be microseconds away from losing their grip on their personal demons.
This is the great frustration with being conservative-minded. You would just as soon that politics not be brought into every single discussion, that it be possible to discuss literature, science, music, or rebate coupons without having to react to some tediously stupid received liberal wisdom. I realize this is a gross generalization, but it happens to be true: a liberal can never hold it until he gets home, he must at some point whiz all over his slacks the knowledge that he didn't vote for Bush, sees capitalist conspiracies everywhere, and believes he is living in a police state rivaling the Stasi. . . .
There seems a substantial portion of our population that is sliding into casual insanity. They are capable (barely) of navigating the confusing and frightening adult world as adults, but are subject to frequent attacks of dementia and panic regarding vast areas of mundane life. Credit card terms, laundry soap instructions, food additives – they're all part of a scary, complicated world in which fat white businessmen conspire to murder them or read their junk mail. One wonders with some apprehension where this is all leading. |