Pessimism about American democracy may be warranted — cultural observations from Thom Hartmann and William Astore

© 2016 Peter Free

 

15 August 2016

 

 

It ain't all hunky-dory, is it?

 

Last week, I expressed reservation about the future of American democracy.

 

Coincidentally the next day, Thom Hartmann and William Astore explored two institutional reasons to be concerned. Both of these make it unlikely that we will reverse the autocratic swoop-down.

 

 

Regarding our pin-headed news media — Thom Hartmann said

 

Hartmann pointed out that American news media continually fail in their information-providing task.

 

For example, these last few months, news consists almost entirely of the stupid things presidential candidate Donald Trump says. The media consistently ignore substantive issues and facts.

 

Mega-corporate ownership of the media is to blame. What makes money from "faux outrage" stays, everything else gets tossed.

 

These entities also slant news against reportable items that might work against their (i) warmongering, (ii) climate warming and (iii) labor-defeating self-interest.

 

We can infer (from the Lamestream's job performance) that what we do not see and hear will not hurt us.

 

 

See:

 

Thom Hartmann, I'm Sick of the So-Called "News", TruthOut (11 August 2016)

 

 

 

In reference to our herd-thinking military — William Astore commented

 

Retired Air Force officer William Astore wrote about the dissent-avoiding Group Think that characterizes U.S. armed forces. Understandable "careerism" and self-interest "squelch dissent" among the ranks.

 

Even after retirement — with post-career jobs being comparatively limited for veterans — these folks wind up working for high-paying defense contractors. Whose business interests naturally align with continued war-mongering.

 

No one wants to rock the boat by being "difficult" along the way.

 

 

See:

 

William J. Astore, Military Dissent Is Not an Oxymoron: Freeing Democracy From Perpetual War, TruthOut (11 August 2016).

 

 

 

The moral? — We are institutionally screwed

 

An all-volunteer military and a plutocrat-owned press cannot help but act the way that they do.

 

Every motivating economic and social force in American society is set up to keep these institutions exactly as they are.  Mindless avarice constantly has its way.

 

Meanwhile, we sheep acquiescently amble along. In our oblivious, mud-matted way.