The question early on was whether we were going to be aware, smart Americans governing ourselves, or the mob, governed by the elite.  Jeffersonian, Federalist, yadda yadda.  The simple like a Czar, or perhaps the fearful would be more accurate.  Classicalist ideals expected a highly educated, aware population to be, well, classical.  We shall all don our togas and go to the local forum to debate politics and manage ourselves.  It doesn&rs...

The last blog I wrote dealt with the media, bloggers, pundits, politicians battering us with material that enrages us, then spinning us around and smacking our butts to go off and be viral marketeers.  Nothing new there, but what is new is the constant presence of the message in the information age.  A lot of the response was that anger is a good motivator for change, to get people angry and spirited so they can get out there and fix stuff, so a purpose is served. I...

People vote against, not for, and making you “against” things is big business.  Politicians, bloggers, cable news celebrities, talk radio egotists, all fit together to create a huge machine whose specific purpose is to make you unhappy, angry, and dissatisfied.  It’s a business model that is as successful as it is backward. Almost too silly to give a damn about, frankly.  Why do we?  Do you particularly enjoy being unhappy, angry, and dissatisfied...