Brent Nyitray
Fairlington Blade
Let the mutherfuker burn!
jnc4p
Kevin S. Willis
Michigoose
lmsinca
markinaustin
Arcanaut
novahockey
quarterback
ScottC
yellojktA little uplifting reading for you.
National Journal: In Nothing we Trust
It’s long but covers Americans’ increasing indifference to our institutions — government, churches, corporations, etc.
Filed under: 2012, Economy | Tagged: middle class |
Revisiting the American Dream, or Dusk in America
Posted on April 20, 2012 by novahockey
All Things in Moderation 
NoVA, thanks. This was such a downer.
I would like to supply a category. We have available “Middle Class”, “Economy”, and “2012” that could all fit.
I would like to supply a title. Would you be OK with “Revisiting the American Dream”?
The category and title functions make retrieval easier, at a later time.
In fact, I often categorize “Uncategorized” submissions and I do it for reference, not snark. I would encourage everyone to be familiar with our long list of categories and to use them when posting.
Without Kevin and the Plum Girls this room is often quiet [perhaps, dull]. No offense to all of us who are still contributing, of course.
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Mark:
Without Kevin and the Plum Girls this room is often quiet [perhaps, dull].
Yup. I’ve been trying to keep it interesting, anyway.
qb’s been AWOL as well. We just don’t have as many regularly posting voices at the moment. I know what’s become of the PG’s, but any idea where Kevin has been?
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Forgot the headline — whoops. feel free to edit as appropriate, Mark.
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The anecdote about the mayor is probably applicable to 99% of politicians.
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Shouldn’t citizens have an innate distrust of instistitutions? Isn’t that the whole point of checks and balances? I’d also argue that we’re in this economic mess because we trusted these institutions.
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“shouldn’t citizens have an innate distrust of instistitutions?”
You’d think so.
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” Shouldn’t citizens have an innate distrust of instistitutions?”
When I was young one popular bumper sticker was “Question Authority.”
But all institutions?
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Bsimon, not being a wiseass here, what institution is worthy of your innate trust?
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George, I really admire the work of the Austin Fire Department, the US Coast Guard, and the Travis County Head Start program. I have less than innate trust, however. But earned trust in each case. They all must keep it up, to continue to be trustworthy.
In fact, once we are past infancy, do we maintain innate trust in anything or anyone or any institution?
Are any of us innately trustworthy?
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Mark, maybe we’re defining innate trust differently. I trust the Missouri City Fire Department to put out a fire when called on to do so, but do I trust their pension system and how they go about negotiating with the city over it? Good God no. I trust the Marine Corps can execute succesful beach assault on a hostile shore, but do I trust them to properly vet a high technology weapons system without regard to politics or bribery? No!
And I’m certainly not innately trustworthy.
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I think we are in complete agreement, actually.
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“Bsimon, not being a wiseass here, what institution is worthy of your innate trust?”
I don’t know that innate trust is what i have in mind. Innate distrust is a strong statement, in my opinion. I suspect that many people raised in organized religion, for example, do not innately distrust the institution of their religion.
Is it healthy to approach the world with innate distrust? Can society function if there is an innate distrust of all institutions?
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Perhaps I am confusing distrust with mistrust.
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Somebody famous once said “Trust but verify.”
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