The Year of Our Lord 2008 is a perfect example of why the Chinese feel that "May you live in interesting times" is a curse, rather than a blessing. Personally, I could've done with a far lower level of interest than what we had--though really, I don't have much to complain about on a personal level as far as the year now drawing to its close is concerned.
Really, I should be (and am) grateful at this point in my life. I have a good job that is not likely to disappear overnight, and while it doesn't pay me enough to make me independently wealthy, it does pay more than I require to maintain what I consider a comfortable standard of living. I am surrounded by friends and family members who love me and care about me. I'm studying subjects that fascinate me and which I find terribly engaging--though I would like to be able to do it more at my own pace and in accordance with my own interests, rather than having to conform what someone else tells me I should be doing (but what else is new?). I'm in good health, I have a solid roof over my head, heating that works, food in the pantry and clothes to keep me warm.
But as I leave 2008 behind, I am far from being completely satisfied. The level of bullshit I observe around me seems to grow exponentially with each day that passes. Our so-called progressive president-elect seems to be running as fast as he can to the middle of the road--where, to quote Justice Crouch in a season-one episode of The West Wing, there's nothing but a long line, painted yellow. And our not-nearly-soon-enough-to-be-ex-president seems bound and determined to do as much actual malice to the country as he can before he finally retires to wherever it is that he's going once he's kicked out of the White House. I guess he feels he has to make up for all the alleged vandalism he found when he moved in. Funny that he only seems to feel a need to excel when it comes to failure, never when it's a matter of success.
The economy is in a shambles, and that will have both immediate and delayed effects on me. Meanwhile, the Republicans in Congress are doing everything they can to turn the crisis into an opportunity to stick it to some of their staunchest opponents--the labor unions. I find it hypocritical in the extreme that the same people who previously handed $700 billion to Wall Street with no strings attached suddenly want to attach all manner of terms and conditions when Main Street (in the form of the Big Three automakers) comes calling and asks for a sum one-twentieth of what was handed to other corporate fatcats. It seems to me that either the automakers should get the same sweetheart deal as the Wall Street tycoons, or else the Wall Street tycoons should have to abide by the same terms and conditions offered to the automakers. But of course, that's too sensible to occur to anyone inside the Washington Beltway, and would require the Democratic leadership in Congress actually to have a spine.
I should be happy about the prospects of substantially larger Democratic majorities in both houses of Congress, but I'm not. Unless we change the leadership at the top, all that the bigger majorities will mean is that even more Democrats will be falling all over themselves to give the Republicans in the minority whatever it is their black hearts desire, no questions asked. Funny, but I thought the reason (or one of the reasons) you wanted to win elections was so that you could implement your policies, not trying to outdo your vanquished opponents at their own games.
Of course I'm pissed about the passage of Prop H8. But even more galling is the deplorable indifference to the issue among many people who want to call themselves progressives. To be sure, there was some hateful rhetoric coming out of the gay community in the wake of the proposition's passage (and the passages of similar amendments in Florida, Arizona, and Arkansas, of course). But I've seen comments just as hateful since then from people who take great umbrage at being called a bigot, even though their position on this issue is, indeed, bigotry. Worse, our president-elect couldn't be bothered to do more than write a Sternly Worded Letter (TM) to defeat the measure, doesn't believe in marriage equality himself, and has compounded the insult by inviting a misogynistic, homophobic, anti-choice bigot to give the invocation at his inauguration. I can guarantee you, that's two and a half minutes I'll be fast-forwarding through on my TiVo. And further, I had better see some substantive reparations from our incoming president to make up for this insult. Otherwise, he can forget about getting even the lukewarm support I gave him this time around. I will be shopping for a better candidate in 2012 unless Obama starts putting his money where his mouth is, and doing more than just talking about gay rights.
One thing I am grateful for as we move into 2009 is the fact that it will be at least a year before I have to see another political advertisement. And God grant that we don't have to be subjected to another two-year-long presidential campaign like the one that just ended the other day (or so it seems). I find myself thinking more and more fondly about the European model of electioneering, where the campaign period is limited by law and very short--and negative advertising, of the kind that has become endemic in American politics--is outlawed.
Speaking of Europe and advertising, that's another thing I'd like to see--the ability to opt out, totally, from all the junk mail that seems to be about the only thing (apart from bills) that lands in my mailbox these days. It's quite common, if you walk around in France, to see stickers or plaques on the mailboxes that say "Pas de pub" or "Pas de publicité" ("No advertisements"). Sign me up for one of those! I cringe to think of the numbers of trees that were cut down just to put some glossy crap in my hands that will go immediately into the trash once I get back into my apartment, unread. If I want goods or services, I'm perfectly capable of going online and finding out where I can find them--as and when I want them. I don't need to get umpty bazillion catalogues, charitable solicitations, coupons, and other assorted crap, cluttering up my mailbox and ultimately taking up space in landfills.
I did manage trips to some nice places this year--and hope to do more of the same in 2009. At some point, I'm going to have to go back to France to do more research, though that probably won't be this coming year unless I win the lottery. (I also want to give the staff time to get the archives back in working order, after moving everything from Colmar back to Paris during 2008.)
Now, if you'll all please excuse me, I think I'm going to go get another glass of champagne and pop another movie into the DVD player as I see out this annus considerably less than mirabilis.
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