So, there has always been a tension existing between city folks and country folks; the tale of the city mouse and the country mouse being an example. Then there are all those jokes about the city slicker and the country bumpkin, the effete city dweller and the down-to-earth country folk, the books, movies and television series painting the city as a glamorous yet spiritually and physically unhealthy place, the country being dull, desperately boring, backwards, even a bit dangerous … all in the spirit of good fun, mostly. But now we have a new and malignant version, and there is nothing at all fun about it. Here we have the bicoastal enclaves, all drawn as the glamorous and fabulously wealthy, sensitive and with-it woke folks … and then you have the flyover country in between, filled with as the bicoastal see it with those hateful, stupid looser deplorables, clinging to their guns, and religion, and hating on all those with darker skins.
The example linked early this week by everyone from Rantburg to Instapundit is perhaps sadly illustrative, even though it does date from a year ago: Tech Founder: Middle America Is Too ‘Violent, Stupid And Racist’ For New Jobs. (As it turns out, the referenced tech founder is one Melinda Byerley, whose company seems to consist of a rather pleasant-looking yet cookie-cutter website, and her business may be just one of those one- or -two person consulting agencies.) Still, the hatred is rather jolting, especially when combined with the sheer bigoted ignorance on previous display. It looks like her original post has been memory-holed, which belatedly says something for Ms Byerley’s business sense, or at least her awareness that there have been a lot of enterprises and individuals who have, in fact, legged it from the cultured, cosmopolitan and tolerant bicoastal regions for the supposedly violent, ill-educated and bigoted hinterlands.
This is not a good development, this mutual loathing and it has just gotten worse over the last year. It’s not in the spirit of the city cousin and the country cousin having a friendly joshing of each other; it’s outright hatred and condescension from the bicoastal, from their higher perches in management, government, the media and the educational edifices sentiments heartily returned by the residents of Flyoverlandia. The despising by Flyoverlandites was not heard quite as strongly, perhaps because those sentiments were with a single exception broadcast at somewhat lower decibels; on blogs, and in comment sections, and reported only by those media experts sympathetic to their woes and grievances. The exception of course, was the unseen groundswell popularity of Donald Trump in the last presidential campaign, and his election to the highest office in the land to the absolute horror of people like Ms Byerley and other bicoastal elites. In addition to being hated for all our other shortcomings, we are despised for having elected him and for that, we likely will never be forgiven.
Just for fun a pair of graphics Trumpland and the Clinton Archipelago. Whither Trumpland, and the Clinton Archipelago, now? Discuss.
As a fellow resident of small-town Central Texas, I agree with Sgt. Mom about how disturbing –and tiresome–the elite’s contempt for the rest of us is. I’ve been hearing it all of my life, but it is worse now.
But for some reason this post also made me think of “The Stranger’s Return,” a 1933 movie by King Vidor starring Miriam Hopkins, Franchot Tone, and Lionel Barrymore. It’s an interesting and thoughtful examination of the country-mouse-city-mouse theme and a lovely story. It’s on tomorrow morning at 6:00 am EST on TCM. If you like old movies and have never seen it, definitely check it out. Here’s the article on their website: http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/1724/The-Stranger-s-Return/
Seems that 85 years ago, people had a better perspective on this dichotomy than they do today. But then, King Vidor was a Texan. (He survived the 1900 Galveston hurricane.)
OK, I’ll start it out [unless I get thrown into moderation like I have for the last few comments].
1) We are functionally two [or more] very separate and incompatible nations.
2) In the absence of the rule of law, and with the Archipelago inhabitants I refer to as TWANLOC refusing to accept the results of elections that they lose, we are not going to vote our way out of this.
3) Complicating the problem of voting is the fact that as Angelo Codavilla says, we have a Unified Governing Party -v- a Country Class and therefore no organized political opposition party to attempt a non-violent settlement.
4) Political violence by the Left-wing of the UniParty is now the norm and protected by the government in Democrat controlled polities with no legal recourse for those attacked/
5) The areas of the Clinton Archipelago are engaged in massive nullification of Federal law in violation of Article VI, Clause 2 of the Constitution. Particularly in matters of Immigration law and Drug law, but the Bill of Rights is under attack in those same areas. The last time this problem came up, it took the First American Civil War to settle matters. The options are allowing functional secession, legal action against those violating the Constitution, or a Second American Civil War that will mix what happened in the former Yugoslavia, 4th Generation Warfare, and Medieval siege warfare. In passing, I find it interesting and mildly amusing [no, I am not a “nice person”] that the Clinton Archipelago is actively working to make the deadly diseases that aggravated the worst of Medieval siege warfare endemic in their areas. It must also be noted that the Second American Civil War has no set or guaranteed outcome. The good guys do not always win.
6) The best case scenario of attempted legal action to ensure enforcement of Article VI, Clause 2 still may end in the Second American Civil War. I would note one critical point that just came out. The Director of the Department of Homeland Security just asked Federal prosecutors if the political leaders [all in the Archipelago] who are acting to nullify Federal laws may be prosecuted individually and as government entities. This is a necessary step [and I would love to see Jerry Brown perp walked]. But keep in mind that the REPUBLICAN Senate has stalled confirmation of all sub-Cabinet appointments by President Trump, and especially in the Department of Justice it is Obama appointees and their selected civil servants who will be making that decision. If the DOJ rules that there is no legal penalty for nullifying Federal laws on a political whim, war is all but assured.
The default setting for all codpieces should be “buttoned”.
[SB or anyone else: email me if your comments get trapped in moderation. Jonathan]
Kurt Schlichter puts it best: Remember, they really hate you.
Not kidding.
History shows that when groups of people, especially those in power, start using violent, eliminationist language against entire categories of people it must be taken seriously. The first stage is using dehumanizing language which provokes a disgust response, like Lenin calling class-enemies “lice” or Hitler calling Jews “parasites”. Peter Strzok, a senior person in the FBI said he could “smell the Trump voters at Walmart”. The deplorables in flyover country provoke physical disgust among the people who consider themselves morally and intellectually superior. This type of talk is a major shift and should be taken seriously.
The fact is that “one person one vote” destroyed the constitutional system. There always has and always will be massive differences between urban and rural voters, and the Supreme Court decided by fiat to destroy the political power of the latter. It’s not surprising to see contempt for the powerless becoming more and more overt.
I recall the uproar that Melinda Byerly’s tweet generated last year.Unfortunately, most of the websites that referenced her tweets didn’t take screen shots, and she has deleted her tweets. She stated that “middle america” has “a terrible school system.” It is, to say the least, ironic that a California resident deplores “terrible school systems” in other states, given that California’s school system do not compare well with the rest of the country. California Is Home to Some of America’s Worst Public Schools.
Iowahawk pointed out that while Wisconsin public schools have good test results, Texas schools outscore Wisconsin when broken down by “ethnic group.” Longhorns 17, Badgers 1
Off topic, but what the heck.
“History, however, seems to suggest that the age of decline of a great nation is often a period which shows a tendency to philanthropy and to sympathy for other races.”
and;
“The citizens of nations in decline are sometimes described as too physically emasculated to be able to bear hardship or make great efforts.”
and;
“Another remarkable and unexpected symptom of national decline is the intensification of internal political hatreds.”
and finally;
“Perhaps the most dangerous by-product of the Age of Intellect is the unconscious growth of the idea that the human brain can solve the problems of the world. Even on the low level of practical affairs this is patently untrue.”
The above quotes are from Sir John Glubb’s “The Fate of Empires”
It’s a short (24 page PDF). Well worth a read:
http://people.uncw.edu/kozloffm/glubb.pdf
Cheers
It is ironic – in light of Ms Byerly’s post – that companies with serious jobs to offer won’t relocate into Flyoverlandia, the relocation of Toyota’s US HQ from So-Cal to Plano, Texas, recently. Because of the retrograde qualities…
Of course, Plano isn’t a small town, exactly. (A good AF retiree friend of mine and his wife are very big in city management there.) And Toyota isn’t the only one.
Melinda Byerley looks even more like a bigoted fool, with regard to this – https://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/blog/morning_call/2015/11/california-lost-9-000-business-hqs-and-expansions.html
I did a related post here: The Phobia(s) That May Destroy America
California has a small cheering section made of people who mostly live in gated communities and whose children go to private school.
I spent 60 years there and watched it decline. My wife is a third generation native.
For a while, the state seemed to choose GOP governors like George Deukmajian and Pete Wilson so that the legislature did not run the place into the ground.
The last good Democrat Governor was Pat Brown, Jerry’s father, who built water systems and freeways.
Jerry is an odd duck who coined phrases like “Small is Beautiful” and built nothing.
His chief contribution was low volume toilets which are destroying the sewer treatment plants,
I suspect the young lady who posted the obnoxious statement has no children and knows nothing about the state of affairs outside her small circle of bars and restaurants with maybe an art gallery thrown in.
As to whether this polarization is the worst since the 1850s I am ambivalent. I did grow up in the 1960s and witnessed radicals like the Weather Underground bomb facilities. Thankfully we aren’t there yet.
There always has been a condescension among those in the liberal “elites” and the rest of us. The condescension has turned to rage with the election of a man who is determined to tear down a lot of what they have supported. It is ironic that the focal point of their rage is a man who should be “one of them” – a Manhattanite.
As to the contention that California public schools are great – that is laughable. They were through the early 60s – and I attribute a lot of the decline to the teacher’s union.
Mike K is right about Brown. I would make a rather bold contention that California’s decline started with him in his first term – in the 1970s.
Right after Reagan.
It is ironic – in light of Ms Byerly’s post – that companies with serious jobs to offer won’t relocate into Flyoverlandia, the relocation of Toyota’s US HQ from So-Cal to Plano, Texas, recently. Because of the retrograde qualities”¦
Ms. Byerly- born and raised in flyover country- was correct when she informed us that companies will not move to places with “terrible school systems.” She was apparently unaware that California’s school systems are “terrible” compared to most other places: 38th in the country.Which is Better: California or Texas? What the Numbers Say.
If I were moving from California to Plano, I would live in a house with a large basement, which would help moderate the hot Texas summer. Houston’s altitude is too low in most places for basements, but Dallas/Plano is far enough from the ocean to have sufficient distance between ground level and water table.
December 16, 1773 – the Boston Tea Party.
April 15, 2009 – the American Tea Party and the second Great Awakening.
2010, the Republicans take the House.
2014, the Republicans take the Senate.
2016, the Tea Party takes the Presidency.
“April 15, 2009 – the American Tea Party and the second Great Awakening.”
I’m reading (listening to the audio version) Kim Strassel’s book, “The Intimidation Game” about how campaign finance laws have damaged free speech and especially hurt Republicans.
She makes the point that Republicans have pushed the idea of “disclosure” and this has resulted in the left’s campaigns of boycotts and intimidation of donors whose identify is disclosed.
Among examples are the harassment of donors, even small ones, involved in the gay marriage wars in California. Brenden Eich was forced out of Firefox in spite of the fact that he was the founder. Proposition 8, which was the marriage ballot issue a few years ago, was passed by 60+% of the vote but declared unconstitutional by a gay federal judge who then married his gay lover.
Jerry Brown, then state AG, declined to appeal. Donors other than Eich were harassed and some lost their jobs,.
Republicans have pushed disclosure of donors but it has been particularly used against them. The Trump situation is an example of the crazy extremes the left will adopt.
Very interesting book. I’m now listening to the Tea Party story with the IRS. I listen on my commute to Phoenix. Tomorrow, we drive to California for the weekend and will probably finish the book. My wife loves these audio books and will probably want me to start it again from the beginning. We have been listening to a biography of Genghis Kahn but that is about finished.
The Tea Party was the target for a major assault by Obama. Pretty well documented in the book.
Pat Brown was a liberal democrat of his era- meaning he was not a full blown socialist, but clearly admired the idea as an impractical ideal. Reagan was the reaction to his legacy as governor. The moonbeam 2.0 doesn’t fall far from its source.
One of Pat Brown’s “accomplishments” was to begin the slide of California’s educational system. Max Rafferty was the voters’ reaction to the centralization of education at state level which accelorated under moonbeam 1.0. I attended public school in California from 1954 to 1964 and experienced the trend. My parents were very involved in the political issues regarding public education.
When we compare the minimal ranking and test differences between California, Wisconsin, New England and Texas, I hope we realize that we are comparing distinctions that are not important differences. I also taught in an open enrollment community college in Texas from 1998-2008. I saw a distinct decline in educational preparation and serious attitude among my students in each succeeding year. I was also able to contrast the private, parochial and home schooled students with public schooled students merely by observing my classes through two class sessions each semester. I had very few of the former, but without them that job would have been dismal. By 2008 the college was well along in providing remedial classes to a significant number in math, reading and writing that basically retaught junior and senior high basic (not college preparatory) skills. I witnesses little if any positive results. To this day, this community college is ranked at or near the top in the state and has increased enrollment by 50% or more since I left.
Before we get too impressed with many of the state rankings at the top, I think it would be advisable to determine what ideological bent accompanies their marginally better test results and the proportion of English as a second language students they are absorbing.
Death6
“the centralization of education at state level which accelorated under moonbeam 1.0”
I’d love to blame Moonbeam, but of course the real culprit is the California Supreme Court, which ordered state-level funding of schools, rather than local as I believe all other states still do. You would think the courts there could reverse that decision, since it is patently obvious that the current system is even more “unfair” in funding and outcomes than the one they abolished.
I gave up on California schools early on and my kids attended private schools but they have gotten so expensive that I could not afford to send my grandchildren to them.
Fortunately, charter schools are appearing and two of my three grandchildren attend one.
The LA Times is out today, sliming homeschooling parents.
The Turpin child abuse story fits a widespread and disturbing homeschooling pattern.
This is a lie but fits the Times’ agenda of union schools.
“I gave up on California schools early on and my kids attended private schools but they have gotten so expensive that I could not afford to send my grandchildren to them.”
That’s a combination of 1) the insane amount of emphasis now placed on education credentials, even at the primary & secondary levels, as the only means to success in life, and 2) the intertwining of property values and private school costs in CA–people will pay more for houses that get them into better public schools, so as house values skyrocket, the effective tradeoff in tuition costs skyrockets as well.
I live on Cook Mountain on that map, and I can tell you it’s sinking fast. I keep holding out hope enough people will come to their senses and fight back, but I think most of them moved. We just heard a few months ago that Foxconn, Apple’s Chinese manufacturer, is building their first North American plant in Racine, Wi, just across the border. Billions of dollars in capital investment creating tens of thousands of jobs right smack dab in Trumpland, and just far away enough away from the Clinton Archipelago (and Hillary’s hometown to boot) to avoid the strangulation of high taxes and regulations. I imagine I will probably end up there too. The school advantage is overstated. The “good” schools are only interested in college prep and teaching to the test, which means they’re funneling students into a soon to be bursting bubble designed to bury citizens in mounds of debt and few job prospects.
“Perhaps the most dangerous by-product of the Age of Intellect is the unconscious growth of the idea that the human brain can solve the problems of the world. Even on the low level of practical affairs this is patently untrue.”
Typical moronic outlook. It’s obviously bullshit, all that separates us from the rest of the animals is our oversized brain. Technology is our trick and the way we survive, and often prosper in this world.
But it’s certainly true the religions are the main problem. That’s what stands in the way of our solving the problems of the world.
PenGun
But it’s certainly true the religions are the main problem. That’s what stands in the way of our solving the problems of the world.
After all, atheists have done so well in running things. Look at the Soviet Union. The atheistic state of the Soviet Union turned out so well. Truly a model for the whole world to emulate.
:)
Disclaimer: I have never been a churchgoer. In high school I did belong to Liberal Religious Youth.
“The “good” schools are only interested in college prep and teaching to the test,”
Yes and the college thing is probably going to crash soon, as well.
I promised all my kids a college BS degree and after that they were on their own. My stepson is a contractor in Oregon and his three sons are all doing very well. None has a college degree.
With my grandson, I would encourage him to go into the Marines out of high school and hope the present male/female thing sorts itself out by the time he gets out.
I interviewed a young man at the MEPS last week who did an enlistment in the Air Force doing avionics. After he finished, he went to U of Alaska/ Fairbanks and got his BS in Electrical Engineering. Now, he is going back in the AF as an officer. He wants to be a pilot but he is good shape whatever happens.
Good plan. I asked my medical students several times who were going to medical school on student loans. All raised their hands.
I asked if any considered the military, which will pay tuition. None did. Too bad.
PenGun is getting more angry and hateful. Things must not be going well. I skip 90% of his comments.
What separates people from animals is the unifed soul. A component of the soul, divine reason or λογιστικόν, is only possessed by people (and children, of course, Plato was somewhat off on that account). Christians believe a special twist to this theory is that Christ is the Logos.
“What separates people from animals is the unifed soul. A component of the soul, divine reason or λογιστικόν, is only possessed by people (and children,”
Indeed it’s this madness that’s at the heart of religion. There is no soul, yer gonna die and that’s just fine. The only way I can explain my take is simply ‘your precious self, will keep you small’. The universe is one thing. There’s no room for a soul. ;)
There’s no room for a soul.
And you’re living proof. But also the exception.
An interesting post on Trump – and persuasion.
What Trump is doing is attacking their institutions.
http://ace.mu.nu/archives/373421.php
“Typical moronic outlook. It’s obviously bullshit”
If PenGun had actually read the linked essay (Glubb’s “The Fate of Empires”) he/she would have realized that the short quote did not mean what PenGun took it to mean.
Here is a longer piece from that section of the essay:
“Perhaps the most dangerous by-product of the Age of Intellect is the unconscious growth of the idea that the human brain can solve the problems of the world. Even on the low level of practical affairs this is patently untrue. Any small human activity, the local bowls club or the ladies’ luncheon club, requires for its survival a measure of self-sacrifice and service on the part of the members.
In a wider national sphere, the survival of the nation depends basically on the loyalty and self-sacrifice of the citizens. The impression that the situation can be saved by mental cleverness, without unselfishness or human self-dedication, can only lead to collapse.
Thus we see that the cultivation of the human intellect seems to be a magnificent ideal, but only on condition that it does not weaken unselfishness and human dedication to service. Yet this, judging by historical precedent, seems to be exactly what it does do.
Perhaps it is not the intellectualism which destroys the spirit of self-sacrifice””the least we can say is that the two, intellectualism and the loss of a sense of duty, appear simultaneously in the life-story of the nation. Indeed it often appears in individuals, that the head and the heart are natural rivals. The brilliant but cynical intellectual appears at the opposite end of the spectrum from the emotional self-sacrifice of the hero or the martyr. Yet there are times when the perhaps unsophisticated self-dedication of the hero is more essential than the sarcasms of the clever.”
“Typical moronic outlook…this madness”
PenGun illustrates the author’s point regarding toxic hatred.
If I were moving from California to Plano, I would live in a house with a large basement, which would help moderate the hot Texas summer. Houston’s altitude is too low in most places for basements, but Dallas/Plano is far enough from the ocean to have sufficient distance between ground level and water table.
Gringo,
A basement in a Texas home would be nice if you can afford it. Unless you live in one of the few areas of the state with deep topsoil, you will hit solid limestone in no more than 3 to 4 feet and would have to blast or jackhammer out the rest of the basement. I knew a few folks who moved in from up north who insisted on a basement in the Ft. Worth, Big Spring, and Granbury areas and that basement cost more than the rest of the house. This is the reason most folks who do have one there have only a small one just big enough to squeeze in the family in case of a tornado.
An interesting post on Trump – and persuasion.
What Trump is doing is attacking their institutions.
I agree on this and wonder that so much of the right can’t see it.
Ricochet, where I sometimes post comments, has had a hard time coming to terms with this but the light is finally dawning, probably because of the economy and not because of insight.
The lefties are still fixated on the Russia thing and may not even give it up when it is proven to be a hoax.
You Cannot Reason People Out of Something They Were Not Reasoned Into is the usual version.
Reasoning will never make a Man correct an ill Opinion, which by Reasoning he never acquired is the Jonathan Swift version.
Joe Wooten:
A basement in a Texas home would be nice if you can afford it. Unless you live in one of the few areas of the state with deep topsoil, you will hit solid limestone in no more than 3 to 4 feet and would have to blast or jackhammer out the rest of the basement.
Thanks for the info, Joe. I should have known that, having lived in TX now for decades. That reminds me of an HOA story. We were going to rebuild the outside stairwell on a 3 story building. The engineer’s design called for posts 16 feet deep, which added a lot to the estimated cost. We wanted the posts deep enough to hit solid rock. I called an experienced contractor for his estimate in our area how far down you would have to dig before you hit solid rock- ironically also known as “basement.” He said, 3-4 feet or so.
The ability of contractors to work with ballpark estimates reminds me of a 60-something roofing contractor who took a look at our roofs. His eyeball estimate -after a short look on the ground- was 60 squares- 60,000 square feet- which was amazing considering that the actual square footage was around 56,000 square feet.( I recall reading that Donald Trump’s father had a similar ability to eyeball a building and come up with square footage and value.)
My uncle was a superintendent of bricklayers for a steel mill when open hearth was the most common way of making steel.
He told me his father held the same job but he was illiterate in numbers. He could not add up the numbers but he could look at a wall and tell how many bricks it held.
“And you’re living proof. But also the exception.”
What does that even mean? A soul gives you some kind of undeath so you don’t have to really die. I understand it’s a popular concept, but it’s nonsense. ;) The reality is way better, trust me on this!
“PenGun illustrates the author’s point regarding toxic hatred.”
There ‘s no hatred, why would I bother? I am pointing out things I find ridiculous. That people are slaves to these weird ideas, is distressing to me.
“Yet there are times when the perhaps unsophisticated self-dedication of the hero is more essential than the sarcasms of the clever.”
The cynical, the non believers, are the heart of what keeps you honest. Our heroic common man is invariably used, for purposes he would never espouse.
A soul gives you some kind of undeath so you don’t have to really die.
No a soul gives you humanity, which you have not.
“No a soul gives you humanity, which you have not.”
Awesome!
It’s not relevant to the question of the existence of a person’s soul, but it was Will Durant who said something like “a nation’s soul is its religion and seldom survives philosophy”.
Given that it’s my understanding that he tended to agree w/Penny, I’ve always thought that was an fascinating notion.
Yara…interesting quote…I found it here:
https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/168779-our-oriental-heritage-story-of-civilization-1
Will have to pull out my copy of the book and see if I can locate it to see the context.