June 17, 2004
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Are YOU a doughnut, too?
Kathy (aka SuSu) turned me onto a great essay by Kurt Vonnnegut (yes, the old fart is still alive and kicking). It was mostly about our addiction to petroleum, but he fluted off onto other topics including politics. He pointed out the dualistic fallacy vis a vis Liberal and Conservative. He said that if you aren’t one or another, “you might as well be a doughnut.” Well dunk me in coffee, friends, for that makes me a doughnut.
I am all for universal health care and soaking the rich, so that would horrify true Conservatives (the bastards). But I am totally in favor of the right to keep and bear arms–hell, I sell weapons for a living and usually carry a gun myself–so that would totally horrify most of my fellow tree-hugging dirt-worshippers.
Labels suck. At best, they are misleading arbitrary conveniences; at worst, they facilitate genocide.
Comments (5)
At last a hint of consolation for my dietary restrictions. I can’t eat donuts, but I can BE one!
Well put! Dunno’ why our inclination is to set up false dichotomies – good, bad – black, white – liberal, conservative. And, yup, love Kurt V’s writing. He’s made me laugh and cry for a long time.
Best and blessings
B.
I agree with you. I don’t fit into a neat little box either. Well, maybe my physical body could fit into a neat medium-sized box, but that’s not the point, is it?
I’m definitely a donught, but only because I LOVE to eat them!!!! You are what you eat.
One must bear arms while living in the great frontier. Where are you in Alaska? I lived in Anchorage as a child and then in Soldotna as a young adult.
lisa