Not Joe Six-Pack

[kevin_standlee]

I've been avoiding most mention of politics here, partially because at least as far as the presidential election goes, it hardly matters how I vote, on account of I live in California, and it's a forgone conclusion how this state votes. (Happily, this means we don't have many presidential campaign commercials in our market.) The things on my ballot about which I'm passionate are voting in favor of Proposition 1A (High Speed Rail) and against Proposition 8 (undo existing same-sex marriages and prohibit future ones). But anyway, mckitterick pointed me at an article about "Joe Six-Pack" that resonated with me.

Mind you, I don't drink beer, and I have a B.Sc. in computer science and have a professional job that means that most people would consider me one of the Filthy Rich, despite my being under a crushing debt load and living in a medium-size apartment and not in the lap of luxury. Therefore, I can't be "Joe Six-Pack." Still, I was very taken by the article to which I linked above.

I've been reading a book about the growing anti-intellectualism of the USA. It's depressing reading. I hope we as a people aren't going to say that intellectually incurious people (a phrase I picked up from jaylake) like the current president and the woman running for vice president on the Republican ticket are "What America Should Be."

Comments

[kevin-standlee.livejournal.com]

Sure. Specifically, I'm reading Susan Jacoby's The Age of American Unreason.

You know, my grandparents, who raised me, were not that highly educated. My grandfather dropped out of the tenth grade to provide for his family. My grandmother completed high school and started college but her family couldn't afford it. They were proud of me graduating from college, not resentful.

[peanut13171.livejournal.com]

Jacoby was on Bill Moyers talking about her book a while back and yeah, it was depressing. Bill Moyers almost always has the Best Guests and the most interesting topics! I always make sure I catch his show on PBS.

If you read some of the comments made by the people who are going to vote for Palin, you know how screwed we are. "She's just like me." "She's a mom and can juggle career and kids." Worse, "She's pretty and feisty." ARGHHH!