Pour Rubbish Over The Fence

Currently, more and more of those who have a great many goods worth stealing, are forced to lived inside armed fortresses -- gated communities that hire armed guards to patrol the perimeter, stop all who come and go. Surrounding these armed enclaves, these medieval moated cities, are the discontented poor. Exiting from these armed enclaves is so dangerous that when we do so, we seal ourselves inside a sealed steel container, one that travels at very high speed and can kill-if the need arises.

And here is the quotation that triggered these thoughts: "Are we literally going to live in tiny enclaves with individual armed guards, pouring rubbish over the fence in the form of television, or films, or journalism, at an undereducated, increasingly irresponsible society on the outside?" David Putnam.

They are undereducated -- and that is partly our fault. They do act irresponsibly -- and that is partly our fault. But it is totally our fault that television, movies, and most newspapers, are full of garbage that panders to their taste rather than tries to educate them -- and our excuse is that they want this garbage, and we should give people what they want.

Maybe, but then be prepared to live in a jungle in which they want the goods beamed at them on TV -- and you -- your goods, your cash, are their entrance into this world of consumer goods. Many sections of many American cities are jungles: strength (in the form of guns) creates a jungle kingdom wherein those who are "lion-like" simply stalk their prey, pounce and devour.

 

Copyright © 2004   Henry Morgenstein

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