Gravity Zone

In the software I document there is a feature that allows markings to snap to a guide line whenever a marking is moved to within a certain distance of it. The defined distance from the line to the edge of this area is called the "Gravity Zone." It's kind of like bringing two magnets close to each other. At a certain point, they just snap together.

I have observed a very interesting parallel to this phenomenon related to the mentality of the growing "popular" portion of our society...

No one had ever heard of Sarah Palin before the 2008 presidential election. She was the governor of a population of polar bears somewhere in the arctic. Her energy, flamboyance, surface conservatism, and courage caught John McCain's eye, a man who's reputation as a "maverick" gained him popularity, and the incentive to demonstrate he was, indeed, a maverick. He did this by appointing Palin his running mate, and thus ended the viability of his campaign. But, the volcano that subsequently erupted did more than incinerate his ambitions for president. It unleashed an unstoppable pyroclastic flow of hot gas that now envelops us all in a choking, desperate fit of stupidity and irreverence for common sense.

I know when I am being delivered commands rather than arguments. I know when I am being told what to do rather than offered a solution. And, I know when I am being asked to respond a certain way despite obvious contradictions and oversimplification. Yes, a certain portion of the population has been indoctrinated to respond to the commands: "vote for me, I'm Republican," or "vote for me, I'm a Democrat." A certain portion of the population refuses to trust their own intellect over the most banal and pathetic slogans dreamed up by some propagandist. Just call it "stay the course" or "change," and some of us will believe we are not listening to a steaming pile of bullshit. Maybe it's the degradation of our schools to camps where children learn little more than how to submit to authority. Maybe it's generations suffering from a welfare state that encourages failure. Maybe it's the confiscation of one third percent of a productive person's livelihood. But, I suspect it is some combination of these over decades that has abused our society to the point that a figure as philosophically impoverished as Sarah Palin can breathe her searing cloud of influence through the ears of the bobble-headed portion of the electorate.

What contradictions, specifically, an I referring to?

I'm pro-life. I'll do all I can to see every baby is created with a future and potential. The legislature should do all it can to protect human life.

Common sense tells us that the government's attempts to solve large problems more often create new ones. Common sense also tells us that a top-down, one-size-fits-all plan will not improve the workings of a nationwide health-care system that accounts for one-sixth of our economy.

This contradiction infects the stance of virtually all loyal neoconservative Republicans. But, it makes more sense coming from Palin, who has obviously not thought deeply enough about many important issues. These folks believe a totally corrupt and ineffective government should get out of our way so we can be prosperous, and then they turn around tell us they will use legislature to force people to behave in ways that are completely unrealistic.

Anyway, I indulge to editorialize. We all know it's no that simple. But, given our current and soon-to-be conditions (next 5 years), I think this one truth just may be simple enough for voter Joe to understand. And, once this becomes obvious, the wall will begin its inevitable crumble. As a libertarian who sometimes hangs around Republicans, I say it's about time.