OTHER AMERICA ASKS WHAT’S WRONG, EVERYTHING’S FINE

The other America sees a problem, but instead of seeking a solution, they tune into their favorite channel to discover if it’s a real problem.

And who to blame. Not fix, but blame. Problems don’t go away if you scream a cry loud and often. Shocking? But, not to you?

An American living in Germany had a good question:

What’s wrong with America? Poor countries around the world are waiting to be vaccinated and people listening to Fox News.

Why?

I’m glad to answer this question.

A large audience needs validation in America.

How large? Around seventy-four million, give or take.

Validated for what? Like getting a parking garage pass stamped in a store? Sort of.

It’s like this: We are inundated with celebrities and sports stars and literary luminaries who are happier, prettier, and richer than everyone else.

And they have social media bonafides to back it up. Millions of followers look for their latest posts, headlines, and photos.

For a moment they all share the same life. But it’s a fleeting moment.

Personally, I like the mix

On the other hand I don’t envy other people, or want their life, or their stuff, or their entourage. But that’s me. Plenty of people want a Kardashian lifestyle, a Tom Brady life, or Leonardo DiCaprio’s date list.

The other America feels cheated at life because their wives aren’t super models, or they don’t live in a famous house, or stand on the Titanic with Kate in their arms.

It doesn’t matter if it’s truth or fiction, they want what they want and blame someone else for not getting it. And they need to blame someone or something for the emptiness they feel.

They’ve got wives and husbands and kids and grandkids, but it’s not enough when they see others enjoying themselves. Why?

This is where Fox News comes to the rescue

Blame the liberals, blame the migrants, blame the government, the commies, the socialists, Obamacare. Blame the librarian for your overdue book, the cop for the speeding ticket, and teachers for creating bad students.

When Fox fine-tunes blaming until it becomes hating, their ratings go up. Preachers pick up the slack and pound hate into their fearful congregation until their collection plates overflow.

Institutions that serve the public good like the mail service, globe news organizations, and a functioning Congress, all get thrown under the Fox bus if it raises revenues, decency be damned.

Decency is not a Fox trait in the other America

The on-air guys seem to come in two shapes: baby fat faces with narrow eye placement and puckered lips, or balding box headed men with huge mouths open.

The women have a certain sheen all across the board, like they know what appeals to their audience. It’s appearance, not content.

The biggest Fox draw is the way the personalities are coached up to make the audience feel inadequate, like they are telling them things they should already know.

And the audience goes berserk waiting for the next put-down, then eat it up.

This is the other America audience celebrated for being under-educated and proud of it; an audience based on defiance, yet yearning to be told what to do. It’s also an audience of covid vaccine doubters listening to medical advice from vaccinated ‘hosts.’

Even more stunning are the rising cases of the virus among the unvaccinated.

“You never give the other guy credit for delivering the vaccine in record speed,” is followed up by, “I’m not getting a shot of that snake oil.”

Looked at clouds from both sides now

Tears and fears and feeling proud
To say “I love you” right out loud
Dreams and schemes and circus crowds
I’ve looked at life that way

But now old friends are acting strange
They shake their heads, they say I’ve changed
Well something’s lost, but something’s gained
In living every day

What do old friends act like when you jump on the Fox bandwagon?

How about when you jump off?

If you’ve gone into the other America and came out whole, how did you do it?

If you joined the insurrection effort and have regrets, what are they?

Lastly, if you’re still in the fold, are you waiting for the moment promised on Jan. 6?

“You’re going to march to the Capital, and I’ll be right there with you.”

How many empty promises, mistakes, mistruths, and out of context talk do you need to make excuses for? How much bullshit does a bullshit artist need to sling?

When is enough really enough?