The author of the editorial below asks the question: ...

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

..."Is this society completely incapable of getting mad as hell?" Well, is it?

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---snip---

The brilliant, award-winning movie of 1976, "Network," a satirical film about a fictional TV network, features Peter Finch as the ranting, neurotic anchor who is about to be fired due to low ratings. He needs to vent his anger about this dire situation, as well as his contempt for modern society and the decay of its morality. And so, one night he no longer can contain his intense feelings and begins to shout, "I want all of you to get up out of your chairs, I want you to get up right now, sit up, go to your window, open it and yell 'I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore.'"

Will we Americans continue to be the silent majority that stood by and watched as the White House war machine launched the invasion and occupation of Iraq? Will we also continue to be the same voiceless, sheeple-like society that will once again watch as this war machine launches an attack on Iran, the current monster/bogeyman now lined up in their sights? What will it take for Americans to finally have their fill of this never-ending madness and say, "We are mad as hell and we cannot and will not take it anymore?"....

http://onlinejournal.com/artman/publish/article_2628.shtml




Clip from the movie:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=90ELleCQvew

[ixion]

1. not incapable... indifferent at this point

until it affects them directly, at which point it will, of course, be too late.

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

2. I think many people are currently more scared than angry, but feel they...

... still have too much to lose if they were to speak/act out in any meaningful way against the dangerous thugs who run this country. I'm inclined to agree that most people must be affected directly, and I would also add that they must believe they have little left to lose in speaking/acting out before they'll actually do it. And you're right, by the time we reach this point it will surely be too late.

[ixion]

3. yep, little left to lose would preceed the watershed

e.g. when the dollar collapses and people can no longer afford the basics.

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

4. Kick for larger sample. nt.

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

5. Kick for larger sample. nt.

[scarletwoman]

6. You must keep in mind the fact that there are hundreds of thousands of liberals who sincerely

believe that electing a Democrat for president will make everything better.

I suspect that they actually outnumber the repressed and ignorant rightwingers who think things are going swell.

sw

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

7. And how would you expect the liberals with sincere...

...unwavering confidence in the ability of a Democratic president to make everything better to vote in this poll?

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

8. "All politics is local." Tip O'Neill

As long as most Americans can comfortably avoid responsibility for their actions, they will.

They will safely do their duty and vote in the most popular flavor of politician that won't challenge their sensibilities or ask them to contribute to society. Then they will pat themselves on the back and take pride in being "good citizens".

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

9. While there is much truth in what you're saying...

...as applied to the collective citizenry, there are many individual exceptions. If some of these individuals could win the popular support as political candidates instead of always being derailed/marginalized by MSM, I think the widespread, self serving attitudes of the many could begin to change for the better over time. Sounds like a pipe dream, I know.