Showing posts with label self-righteousness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label self-righteousness. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Rigorous Introspection (or "I'm Just Like Them...sort of."

During George W. Bush's presidency, I and others of the same political persuasion would be having a conversation about some political event or administration position. Sooner or later someone would pose some variation of the following question:

"How can someone who has

a) lost a job while CEOs plundered 
b) found himself with no health insurance and ended up paying through the nose for private or "risk pool" insurance
c) living on a fixed income with high cost of whatever
d) been forced to work 2 or 3 part-time jobs with no benefits thanks to
the corporate trend of eliminating full-time jobs.
e) some combination of the above

possibly vote for Bush?"

We asked a variant of the question during the last election: "How can someone whose life has been decimated by Republican policy even consider voting for McCain?"

Now I think I know the answer, and it isn't pretty.

During the year or so leading up to the election, I was a passionate constant consumer of political writing.  I paid attention and spent countless hours informing myself.

But ever since the inauguration my consumption of such media has dropped by about 75%. 

At first I thought I had political burnout or a simply too much on my plate, but now I'm investigating an unflattering possibility:

Could I be a blind follower, too?

I have little interest in following issues these days. I no  longer read Huffington Post, Daily Kos, or Wonkette three times a day.  I no longer watch CNN during my time in the kitchen. I no longer read the newspaper regularly.

I am, under this hypothesis, exactly like the individuals on the right I used to castigate.

So I want to ask for your help. 

Will you let me know, in the comments if you (as a conservative) are now consuming more political media or if you (as a liberal) are consuming less?

Please throw your virtual two cents' worth into the fray.