"...maybe the best one yet for humanity." When one has to go cherry picking statistics to come up with such "news" as this while the entire world sees what a horrific year it has been, you know you are nothing but a tool for empire. I'll keep my hope for a more honest accounting, duly delivered by PL and many others whose integrity is not for sale. May such writers thrive (with all our help) in 2024.
Someone will hopefully tell "St" Nick that one Steven Pinker was one too many already.
Such audacity and truth-stretching-via-statistics has no rational place in this already mangled world of perception. Their much-lauded printed platitudes are the essence of self-serving of, by, and to their cocktail party class, and remain far from the man on the street, or the one(s) bucking and splitting their own firewood to keep the heat on.
I can't believe I didn't run across your writing until this year, but I've been a very regular reader since I found you! You have quickly become one of my favorites.
It's a pleasure reading your columns as I and others learn new things on current events and occasionally, some pertinent history lessons in your articles.
May 2024 be your best year ever!
May you and Cara have a very Happy New Year, in good health and much happiness!
In 2023 I found a voice I look forward to hearing, and I shared it all around. Thank you, and best wishes for continued good writing, good health, and better times!
Keeping the lamp lit. Or perhaps it's the flickering candles on dank monastic walls where the truth remains even for the agnostic / atheist a religious ideal. It is and has been much battered by propaganda and shows no signs of relenting, rather instead a doubling-down ala Ukraine and the neocons. And not to exclude Gaza by any means, Hell, NO!.
I think our numbers recognizing the threat of what the techno-pharma-military-intel-surveillance complex is actually serving up continue to grow, but the race is on and tight for dissuading our collective cognitive dissonance from overpowering us with "That's just crazy talk," or "It can't happen here," even as there are excessively-monied and empowered forces focused on bringing further poisonous platters-full to their own banquet while already thinking of the rest of us as the main course, or worms, or dogs underneath the table if we yet have some use for them.
Keep prying off the scales on the eyeballs, and the unpeeling of the onion layers, the truth may suck and be abhorrent, but it's ours to address and manage based on our own learned perceptions.
I think the thing that annoys the working class the most (being a member of it) is the audacity of this wealthy, elite class of (in my unlettered opinion) buffoons is that they truly think us incapable of deciding what is in our best interest.
I don’t appreciate mob mentality much and vigilante style justice makes for good action movies but is indeed a mini form of mob thinking.I believe the constitution, if adhered to, is our best hope for general prosperity. Rule of law allows for us all to live in peace.
Corruption is as old as we are and will always be in the shadows.
Peace out and best of everything to you and yours.
Thanks this thoughtful note. May I take respectful issue w/ one of your points?
I don't at all agree that the buffoons class considers working people incapable of deciding matters for themsleves and in their interests. In my view, it is precisely because working people can make up their own minds, as the buffoons are well aware, that we are subject to constant barrages of propaganda so thick most of us cannot see beyond it, while being deprived of authentic choices in the name of democratic choice.
Let is blow into 2024 determined to make the best and most of it.
"Corruption is as old as we are and will always be in the shadows."
I think it has gotten worse, but then maybe not.
In Dr. Michael Parenti's brilliant book, "THE ASSASSINATION OF JULIUS CAESAR" A People's History of Ancient Rome, we le learn so much more of life for the average Roman citizen back then and less about their greatest general, who became a populist for the common people and why the wealthy ruling-elite conspired to "do him in" because he asked them to share their plundered wealth with the working-class.
I like Patrick's answer to you, but I agree with the both of you at the same time. Too many of our fellow citizens don't want to know what's going on and who's shafting them out of their share of the pie. Very frustrating!
Happy 2024 to all of you Floutist supporters and readers!
My thanks for alll these wonderful notes & greetings.
En avant, et ensemble!
Patrick.
"...maybe the best one yet for humanity." When one has to go cherry picking statistics to come up with such "news" as this while the entire world sees what a horrific year it has been, you know you are nothing but a tool for empire. I'll keep my hope for a more honest accounting, duly delivered by PL and many others whose integrity is not for sale. May such writers thrive (with all our help) in 2024.
Someone will hopefully tell "St" Nick that one Steven Pinker was one too many already.
Such audacity and truth-stretching-via-statistics has no rational place in this already mangled world of perception. Their much-lauded printed platitudes are the essence of self-serving of, by, and to their cocktail party class, and remain far from the man on the street, or the one(s) bucking and splitting their own firewood to keep the heat on.
Of course Pinker came to mind. More folks own refrigerators in Africa, and more people everywhere have shoes. Globalism and neoliberalism work, see?
Best wishes to you, Patrick, and many thanks for being a voice of sanity.
I can't believe I didn't run across your writing until this year, but I've been a very regular reader since I found you! You have quickly become one of my favorites.
....and the best to you...with gratitude....
Best wishes for a healthy and prosperous new year for you and yours.
I have found a sane voice with outstretched hand in your elegant writing. Thank you.
Dear Patrick,
It's a pleasure reading your columns as I and others learn new things on current events and occasionally, some pertinent history lessons in your articles.
May 2024 be your best year ever!
May you and Cara have a very Happy New Year, in good health and much happiness!
In 2023 I found a voice I look forward to hearing, and I shared it all around. Thank you, and best wishes for continued good writing, good health, and better times!
Keeping the lamp lit. Or perhaps it's the flickering candles on dank monastic walls where the truth remains even for the agnostic / atheist a religious ideal. It is and has been much battered by propaganda and shows no signs of relenting, rather instead a doubling-down ala Ukraine and the neocons. And not to exclude Gaza by any means, Hell, NO!.
I think our numbers recognizing the threat of what the techno-pharma-military-intel-surveillance complex is actually serving up continue to grow, but the race is on and tight for dissuading our collective cognitive dissonance from overpowering us with "That's just crazy talk," or "It can't happen here," even as there are excessively-monied and empowered forces focused on bringing further poisonous platters-full to their own banquet while already thinking of the rest of us as the main course, or worms, or dogs underneath the table if we yet have some use for them.
Keep prying off the scales on the eyeballs, and the unpeeling of the onion layers, the truth may suck and be abhorrent, but it's ours to address and manage based on our own learned perceptions.
Why I come here and intend to remain.
I think the thing that annoys the working class the most (being a member of it) is the audacity of this wealthy, elite class of (in my unlettered opinion) buffoons is that they truly think us incapable of deciding what is in our best interest.
I don’t appreciate mob mentality much and vigilante style justice makes for good action movies but is indeed a mini form of mob thinking.I believe the constitution, if adhered to, is our best hope for general prosperity. Rule of law allows for us all to live in peace.
Corruption is as old as we are and will always be in the shadows.
Peace out and best of everything to you and yours.
Maureen.
Thanks this thoughtful note. May I take respectful issue w/ one of your points?
I don't at all agree that the buffoons class considers working people incapable of deciding matters for themsleves and in their interests. In my view, it is precisely because working people can make up their own minds, as the buffoons are well aware, that we are subject to constant barrages of propaganda so thick most of us cannot see beyond it, while being deprived of authentic choices in the name of democratic choice.
Let is blow into 2024 determined to make the best and most of it.
& thanks to you & all others commenting.
P.L.
"Corruption is as old as we are and will always be in the shadows."
I think it has gotten worse, but then maybe not.
In Dr. Michael Parenti's brilliant book, "THE ASSASSINATION OF JULIUS CAESAR" A People's History of Ancient Rome, we le learn so much more of life for the average Roman citizen back then and less about their greatest general, who became a populist for the common people and why the wealthy ruling-elite conspired to "do him in" because he asked them to share their plundered wealth with the working-class.
I like Patrick's answer to you, but I agree with the both of you at the same time. Too many of our fellow citizens don't want to know what's going on and who's shafting them out of their share of the pie. Very frustrating!
Happy 2024 to all of you Floutist supporters and readers!