In A Flap

Anyone who has been to Madame’s page knows she has recently been to a 1920s themed party.  I myself was at one earlier this year put on by some colleagues across the state, one where the ladies were dressed as Flapper Girls, and the men in cool hat wear.  It was a lot of harmless fun.

However, as a historian, I feel I should point out that in the 1920s, there was a lot of partying and diversion going on, speculative behavior in the “markets” was high, the income inequality gap was widening rapidly and markedly, the middle class was stretched to the breaking point, and the wealthy seemed to have all of the advantages and were increasing their already considerable wealth dramatically.

Let us hope that this period is not prelude to what transpired in the period that followed (Depression and World War).

Because I would truly despise it if that “80 year cycle crowd” were even a little correct (and not just because they are so smug, lol). 

Sexual “Excesses” By The Few: Criminal! Poverty and Squalor For The Many: Acceptable.

A Nebraska sensation right now is a woman who supposedly prostituted herself and her largely willing 13-14 year old daughter.  The woman will probably serve close to 40 or 50 years in prison. 

Aside from ignoring history, and aside from the infantile societal infatuation with severely punishing sexual proclivity among the biologically able (the alleged main “client” in the case also faces prison time), as well as punishing what one does with one’s own gene pool, there is another issue.

The woman and her daughter were destitute, homeless.  Society can work itself into a lather for one thing but not about the other. 

Selective moral outrage is not a pretty sight.

Perception or Reality?

Modern young American males, particularly those below age 18, seem a great deal more willing/prone to cry at moderate pain or moderate humiliation.  Have they been feminized by a maybe over-feminized culture?  Or are they simply more free with their emotions, and less likely to internalize needless stress?  Or is it something else?  Or, rather, is the perception (a common anecdotal one) not the reality? 

I will be interested to see what data academia can provide.

What Is Power?

“They take orders from the National Intelligence Priorities Framework, not the President.” (From a news report talking about how the president could be unaware of intelligence activity for 5 years.) Perhaps that’s just political cover, but all indications are that the security and surveillance complex do what they want, get what they want—and temporary politicians are of minor concern to them.

Joking bitterly, Jon Stewart responded to how he could poke fun at such a serious matter:  “I pretend I’m a character actor in a movie about the demise of the country.”