First of all, I have to own up: I was completely wrong. I honestly do not know if I underestimated or overestimated the American people. For a refresher before reading on, have a look at my horribly failed assessment of political things to come, written last August.
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This is clearly the era of Non-Thinkers. I have no expectation the Non-Thinkers will read this, but if any do, and surely they will show it by their anger and attacks, please comment here. I am anxious to see you put it in writing. If there any chance of it at all, no matter how small, try, if you can to put it in rational, logical terms; make a rational, logical, reasoned and coherent argument. If you can. Make a reasoned and well-thought-out, argument. If possible. (And no, I don’t think you can do it. Please prove me wrong.)
But this has also been the season of Preaching to the Choir. None of it matters. No one else in the building even hears you, and if they could, you would not be speaking their language. If anyone does not follow my train of thought here, don’t be worried. You’re just what I consider to be a Non-Thinker. In just about the most direct and offensive way I can say it, it’s like Speaking French to a Hoosier (and no, I do not speak French.) I don’t expect to be able to successfully communicate with you.
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The Big Book says, “You reap what you sow.” Or in my Hoosier-speak, “You get what you pay for.”
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And it is the fool who doesn’t know it; it is the idiot who doesn’t understand it.
I guess the question now is, do you know what you just paid for? I seriously kinda doubt it. I know a lot of you think you know, but I think you’re wrong. And you better hope I’m wrong. So I’ve got one word for you, for all of us: Good Luck.
The Should’s are out, rationality is out. Convention and tradition are out. Reason is out. Rules and civility are out. What anyone might try to argue as the Should Be doesn’t matter. Should no longer matters. None of the Should’s anyone has ever known matter.
The Non-Thinkers are in. And over the next several months we will all learn more about just how many Non-Thinkers there really are. Thinking is not what counts; angry emotions count. Personally, I have no expectation that my hopes for this presidential election will turn out. It is stunning to me that – it seems – an entire country is living and deciding by our guts, our emotions; our intellect completely incapable or completely disabled or ignored.
I guess I will ask my fellow Hoosiers this one serious, but sadly rhetorical, question regarding our corporate choices for presidential candidates this time around: Was this really the best we could do?
The answer? Yes, I’m afraid so.
Well, you get what you pay for. Don’t think you don’t. And don’t forget that I told you this now. As for me personally, I do believe that you get what you pay for. Seems I do. Fools, idiots or geniuses or classic American risk-takers – for all of us – as voters, as a country – time will tell which and what we are. And frankly, I thought I knew, but it seems I was wrong. Completely. I am frustrated, sad, disappointed, and worried, frankly. But if I have any glimmer of hope, it is that I truly hope I am proven wrong. I really do. I desperately want to be proven wrong. Maybe I am the one guy who is completely, abjectly wrong. (Do the Non-Thinkers even know that word, abjectly?) I really want to be proven wrong.
There are many things I don’t know, and many things I am unsure of. But one thing I know I am not wrong about: You do – always – get what you pay for.
Bonus Reading and Viewing
From the UrbanDictionary: Reaping what you sow
The UnEducation of Trump (but it doesn’t matter) . . .
The UnKnowledge of Trump (but it doesn’t matter) . . .
AND FINALLY!
Diamond and Silk Celebrate: In case anyone is sad (including me), maybe this will help.
I understand completely and I’m just as shocked as you are. Keep some faith in people to figure out what they are doing to our democracy and nation with their support of that bastard. Please understand that I won’t glorify him in the slightest way by mentioning his name. I have never understood the fascination with him and never felt compelled to watch even a minute of his television stint. Our media has failed completely and miserably as the fourth estate and given him all the political advertisement he could possibly want for free. I hesitate to call him a politician. What happens next will test the character of all of us – Republican, Democrat, and Independent. It will determine whether we move forward as one nation or splinter at the hands of one man’s narcissism and divisiveness.
Thank you for this sobering writing Mike. All we can do is hope that the American people learn to understand what they are actually putting forward for the world to see in time to stop it.