For The Smartest Guy In The World You’re Really Dumb Sometimes
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The years passed, mankind became stupider at a frightening rate. Some had high hopes the genetic engineering would correct this trend in evolution, but sadly the greatest minds and resources were focused on conquering hair loss and prolonging erections.
Narrator, Idiocracy (2006)
Once upon a time, in a world that looked a lot like America in 2021 (in fact, it WAS America in 2021), the political process was left to those whose only appeal was to the lowest common denominator. Critical thinking was no longer considered a valuable skill because almost half the population reacted emotionally before generating a rational thought.
The ability to believe and advance the Big Lie that Donald Trump actually won the 2020 Presidential election was the primary qualification for admission to this club. The Republican Party, once known as the Grand Old Party, became known for pushing the “Stop The Steal” movement. It mattered not at all that nothing was stolen. Or that the movement never presented a shred of evidence that stood the smell test in a court of law. Millions of die-hard, unrepentant Trumpers KNEW in their heart of hearts that their man would’ve won BY A LANDSLIDE had Joe Biden and his evil Democrat minions not corrupted the vote counting.
In the end, Republican Congressmen were forced to get behind “Stop the Steal.” They recognized that no amount of logic and/or reason would stand the test of Trumpian propaganda and dezinformatziya. They could get on the bus…or get run over by it.
Sadly, many Trumpers would be among the millions who’d refuse to get vaccinated against COVID-19. As a result, many would die because they valued “owning the Libs” over life itself.
The #1 movie in America was called “Ass.” And that’s all it was for 90 minutes. It won eight Oscars that year, including best screenplay.
Narrator, Idiocracy
It doesn’t strain credulity to believe that most rational people would grasp every opportunity to survive and live to fight another day when faced with a mortal threat. If the past 18 months have proven anything, though, it’s that some Americans are so thoroughly, irretrievably dense that they’d believe an article they found on Facebook before they’d believe Dr. Anthony Fauci.
That Dr. Fauci is one of the world’s foremost virologists and someone with more than five decades of experience fighting virulent, communicable, and deadly diseases is of no concern to these intellectual stalwarts. They know what they know…and what they know is that medical science is a vast Liberal scam that aims to enslave patriotic Americans via forced vaccination.
There are red state Governors- Greg Abbott in Texas, Ron De Santis in Florida, Doug Ducey in Arizona, Tate Reeves in Mississippi, and Kristi Noem in South Dakota chief among them- placing their political future over the lives of their constituents. By refusing to institute any health and safety protocol- mask mandates, social distancing, observing CDC recommendations- they’re positioning themselves as “defenders of freedom.”
That they’re doing this as their constituents are becoming gravely ill and dying by the hundreds and thousands is as evil as it is inhuman. Unfortunately, these patriotic, freedom-loving Governors have decided that science is the province of Liberal scaremongers. THEY, however, are going to stand up for the freedom and liberty guaranteed to their constituents by the Consitution.
You know, there was a time in this country when smart people were considered cool… well maybe not cool, but they did things like build ships and pyramids and they even went to the moon.
PVT Joe Bauers, Idiocracy
Instead of recognizing the threat that COVID-19 poses to America, Republican governors blame the pandemic on President Joe Biden and his “lax control” over our southern border. Never mind that Arizona and Texas are the only red states bordering Mexico. And it’s of no import that upwards of 95% of those currently occupying COVID-19 wards are “patriots” who’ve refused to be vaccinated.
That’s not a “Joe Biden” problem. That’s a “personal responsibility” problem for the Party of Personal Responsibility. And until those who continue to refuse to be vaccinated recognize their responsibility, nothing will change. And so we’ll continue to have a two-track pandemic- COVID-19 and a pandemic of stupidity.
We have the tools necessary to get a handle on the pandemic. Tragically, we lack intelligent, reasonable, and rational leadership in Arizona, Mississippi, Texas, Florida, and South Dakota. To say that the Governors of these states have blood on their hands might seem hyperbolic…but it’s not wrong.
They could lay the groundwork for their constituents to do the right thing for the right reasons. Instead, they’re building their brand and engaging in an insidious game of political turd-polishing.
As the 21st century began, human evolution was at a turning point. Natural selection, the process by which the strongest, the smartest, the fastest, reproduced in greater numbers than the rest, a process which had once favored the noblest traits of man, now began to favor different traits. Most science fiction of the day predicted a future that was more civilized and more intelligent. But as time went on, things seemed to be heading in the opposite direction. A dumbing down. How did this happen? Evolution does not necessarily reward intelligence. With no natural predators to thin the herd, it began to simply reward those who reproduced the most, and left the intelligent to become an endangered species.
Narrator, Idiocracy
America desperately needs committed and principled leadership. Instead, we have Tate Reeves, Doug Ducey, Greg Abbott, Kristi Noem, and Ron De Santis.
There are two ways to look at this. One is that COVID-19 employs natural selection to thin the herd by claiming the weak and stupid. That might seem harsh, but there’s an element of truth to it.
The second is that we see what happens when people decide that critical thinking is no longer something of value to America’s future. When the ability to recognize a threat, identify ways to defeat that threat, and then determine how to rebuild afterward is not only devalued but actively ridiculed….
Well, how can we consider ourselves anything but thoroughly and utterly hosed?
It might just be that we’re too arrogant and stupid to save ourselves.
Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible to be kind.
The Dalai Lama
I firmly believe in the power of compassion, but I’ve learned over the past 18 months that compassion is not an inexhaustible resource. While it’s always better to be kind and compassionate whenever possible, it’s a two-way street. One can’t expect an endless supply of compassion to be directed your way if you behave in a manner that is utterly devoid of compassion to those around you.
Getting vaccinated isn’t about “your rights” or “your body, your choice.” It’s not only about protecting yourself (though being protected is an excellent thing). It’s also about protecting those around you and about recognizing that there are times when it’s not- and can’t- be only about you.
There are times when Mankind faces a threat so virulent, so dangerous that it requires a collective response. It can’t be about “I” above all else. For as many as possible to survive, it has to be about “WE.” Yet there are those among us so thoroughly arrogant, ignorant, and self-absorbed that they STILL refuse to do their part. They can’t be bothered to do the right thing for the right reasons…because they don’t believe the science.
Clevon is lucky to be alive. He attempted to jump a jet ski from a lake into a swimming pool and impaled his crotch on an iron gate. But thanks to advances in stem cell research and the fine work of Doctors Krinsky and Altschuler, he should regain full reproductive function again.
Doctor with Trashy Guy, Idiocracy
Here’s the thing, though- science doesn’t give a damn what anyone believes. Science only cares about what it learns and knows. Scientific knowledge grows and evolves as more data is gathered and analyzed. Science isn’t afraid of being “wrong,” because it never is. It’s always learning, evolving, and adapting to new information and input.
You can deny, dispute, and/or disbelieve science as much as you choose. It doesn’t matter what you think or believe. Science will go about its business- learning and trying to discern the truth- which is a moving target in some cases. That doesn’t mean science is “wrong,” only that it doesn’t get caught up in “gotcha” games or political wingnuttery.
I can only speak for myself, of course, but I hope that you can trust me when I say that I don’t want this desperate moment in our collective history to be political. This shouldn’t be about ideology or winners and losers. The ONLY thing that should matter is that we somehow find a way to come together to create as many survivors as possible.
Unfortunately, some in positions of power and prominence are willing to use this pandemic to build their brand. I can only hope that there will be reserved parking spaces in Hell waiting for them…because they’re actively working to make things worse. They’re responsible for what can only be called an American genocide.
I don’t care who you voted for in 2020, nor do I care which side of the political/ideological divide you happen to call home. We’re all human beings, and we all deserve to survive this pandemic…if for no other reason than we have the tools to make that possible.
And while I try to hold my fellow Americans in compassionate regard, I can feel that resource ebbing, which saddens me immeasurably. Perhaps it’s because so many act in ways that display so little regard and compassion for our fellow human beings. Perhaps it’s that so many have so consistently displayed a stubbornly arrogant and ignorant disregard for anyone but themselves and their own.
Whatever the case, thousands of Americans are dying needlessly…and Republican Governors bear much of the blame for this senseless genocide.
America deserves better. Humanity deserves better. Sadly, we’re not demanding it 24/7/365. So thousands more will continue to die. Senselessly. Needlessly. And while suffering horribly.
Because it can’t happen to them, right?
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