November 3, 2011

  • McDonalds Politics

    Suppose that you're in a car full of friends. You have an hour and a half before watching the movie, and need to find somewhere to go eat. No one really has a strong idea of where to go, but Tom pipes up "McDonalds! I want a McFlurry!" He's bizarrely excited about this, and talks about how much he likes a McFlurry and how he never got to get one when he was little. You really don't care for McDonalds, but you're in a relaxed mood and don't want to get in a fight about it.

    Fast forward to McDonalds, where all of you except Tom look at each other with disappointed looks. "How did we get here?" you think to yourself. The fact is, Tom was so passionate, that no one felt brave enough or inspired enough to disagree with him. And so you sit there, picking at your wilted McSalad, wondering how you got yourself into this.

    Lately I've been annoyed at how specialist interests are becoming so dominant in America. Fact is, we've all just become so lazy and so "nice" (quotation marks intentional and facetious), no one wants to seem like the bad guy. So we continue to allow each special interest to push for its pet cause, until the country ends up with a lot of palatable solutions. There just doesn't seem to be any way to stop this trend in a democracy. Is there any hope, or are we doomed to be yanked around by each inspired demagogue and biased industry in turn?

Comments (15)

  • Well, duh, we can't say anything that may be misconstrued as offensive. This is America, land of the free speech! They forget to tell you about that fine print, though. You know exactly what I'm talking about. The fine print that says you're allowed to have free speech as long as you take care not to hurt anyone's feelings ;)

    And for the record, being an awkward person, I've never had that filter. I say whatever is on my mind regardless. Lots of people think I'm too blunt. Honestly, I'd rather offend you with my honesty than make you think I agree with you. Sincerity always trumps politeness.

  • The current PC, walking-on-eggshells political atmosphere is dangerous for everyone.  It would be so refreshing if people, especially those running for office, were assertive enough to say what they mean.  I hate that special interests put a filter on everything. 

  • I'm Tom. I'm that guy!

  • @NCTHope - I agree,  it's a dangerous environment.  I think it is a concerning indicator of how easily the population is influenced to not have opinions and keep what they think to themselves, and most especially to think that they are wrong for having opinions which might "offend" somebody else.  

  • I dig your thoughts, especially when you pick your brain for me. :P

    I hear you on this one - there's a downside being the one who stands up with just as much passion as the guy who picked McDonalds... a lot of people tend to despise you for "causing conflict". So either way I'm dealing with mob rule.

  • i thought most people don't even think of anything even when they arrived at the mcd..  they will just go with the flow, until one day they woke up obese, and can't even push the button of the phone to call for help because their thumb is already the size of the phone

  • kinda like this?

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iD-UoBg-YU

  • Unfortunately not. This is why republics are better than pure democracies, but ultimately, I believe democracy always disintegrates into this when you no longer have a truly informed and educated electorate (which we don't).  People tout Greece as an amazing proto-democracy, but it sure didn't last long.

  • I see what you mean. I don't think it's democracy, I personally think people have been secretly infected with the socialism bug which makes them put other people's interests before your own. I blame Jesus, I think he started it.

  • It's even worse that this is the trend in Christianity today... Jeremiah 7:24, Judges 21:25.

  • Your posts are so consistently smart.

  • Blizzards are way better than McFlurries, but DQ's (Dairy Queens) are only in the south from what I understand

    and yes, many times those who yell the loudest get more attention, even if they are morons

  • Don't hate. You should take your balls and tell them what you want. Silence will not get you what you want. He took initiative and got something done. Pfft. Take risks and you can be rewarded. People with healthy relationships simply give their ideas and if it is not desirable, then don't hang out with those so called friends. Life is just that simple when you set boundaries for yourself and have control. 

    If you are to attempting to relate this to politics in the U.S., then I agree with the fact that a pushy special interest group often wins, but unless the system changes, tough luck for all of us. 

  • Well-said. But as long as people continue to be insanely worried about stepping on other people's toes, nothing will change.

  • i vote for communism.  jk.  but sometimes it seems better to have someone make the big decisions. the question is, how can we know they have the interest of the masses and not only his own?  we don't - we distrust each other wayyy too much.  alas, stuck with "democracy"

Comments are closed.

Post a Comment