5.21.2008

How Stupid Are You?

While standing in the line at the drugstore checkout yesterday afternoon, this page scanned the magazine rack and noticed a publication with this title: "The Complete Idiot's Guide to NASCAR" No, I am not making this up - "The Complete Idiot's Guide" is a line of how-to books similar to the 'Dummies' series (at least 'Dummies' is little more pejorative than referring to one's audience as Complete Idiots). Why do Complete Idiots need a guide to a "sport" which is only popular with Complete Idiots? What complicated strategy could there possibly be in NASCAR? Get in the car and drive really fast? Be sure to keep turning left?

The fact that stupid publications about stupid and destructive diversions litter our magazine racks and collective consciousness only proves how far we are from any notion of becoming an advanced civilization. The public accepts the stupidity of NASCAR, American Idol, 'Reality' TV, Wal-Mart, Perpetual War and Neoliberal Tax Cut Politics because for the past few decades that this page has been alive, the public has been conditioned to believe that we are Complete Idiots.

This page is haunted by a conversation I had with a friend over the roulette wheel in Las Vegas a few weeks ago. She felt that her dialogue with me was 'an education', but she didn't really feel the need to be involved with politics because, by her own admission, she felt comfortable and compared to other parts of the world, didn't believe life in Canada is all that bad. This friend of mine is anything but a Complete Idiot: she has a PhD, and is simultaneously working on an MBA while conducting some pretty advanced research which, by comparison, would relegate this page to ranks of the Complete Idiots.

Imagine that my friend focused just a tiny bit of her attention more on the systematic corruption and injustice perpetrated by the arrogant criminals who think we live in "The Best Place on Earth". Imagine that she found a tiny piece of her mind, which is otherwise devoted to extremely demanding and worthwhile pursuits, to give to these so-called "leaders". Imagine yourself doing the same thing. Our lives may not be so bad, but there is nothing wrong with wanting better lives marked by compassion, sustainability, and democracy, especially when what we want for ourselves, we want for all. There are enough of us to create real change, unless of course, we are Complete Idiots.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

As an Idiot-American and as the author of The Complete Idiot's Guide To NASCAR, I will allow that your ignorance is most likely bliss but I find your bias against my ethic group disturbing. In fact, I'm so stupid I dare you to buy the book and actually read it ...

ursa minor said...

bt:

First of all, God Bless America, an deliver her from the waking nightmare of the Bush Administration.

Second, what's an ethic group?

Third, I'm big enough to admit I don't like NASCAR because I don't get NASCAR, so you're on - now go cash your royalty cheque.