“Cynics regarded everybody as equally corrupt… Idealists regarded everybody as equally corrupt, except themselves.”
Robert Anton Wilson
We are in the midst of a great age in human history, at least in my personal opinion. We live in an age of unprecedented potential, where technology has allowed man to become connected, intertwined, and more in touch with one another then ever before.
The idealist would consider this a recipe for greatness, the cynic would simply consider it a time where his own views are panned out everyday.
You see I turned eighteen and rode a wave of wonderful self-discovery. I discovered politics, and I began to take more notice of the world around then ever before.
I had firmly put my organized-religion-is-the-source-of-all-evil-atheist phase firmly behind me in my teen years. I was now entering the “blogsphere”, I was to witness something that would become a revolution in politics.
Finally honesty would become the standard, integrity would be where it had never been before and the dawning of a new political pax Americana was at hand.
Yes I was so green the grass was sprouting from my ears.
Yet then something changed, I began to watch the once pure innocence be corrupted by the very influences we had so valiantly promised to fight.
Now bloggers were becoming just another hired gun for each party, another cog in the machine, and just one more mouthpiece for the “man”.
Oh how could you blogsphere.
Still I soldiered on, I looked for the rare voices of sanity in a sea of partisan drabble. Soon though it wasn’t just the content of blogging that changed, it was the culture.
Bloggers began to believe their own rhetoric, one particular example is the “progressive” site the Daily Kos. These people represent the “nut-root” left of the Democratic party, it’s this paticular wing of the party that drove Lieberman into running, and winning as an independent.
If self-congratulations was an Olympic event, gold medal winners would be flowing from Kos like wine. The entire political blogsphere seems to be made up from the extreme partisans of each party.
Those who demand ideological purity from their candidates, condemn those who don’t sacrifice on the alter of the “net roots” and generally suppress all kinds of dissent thought.
You doubt me dear reader?
I suggest you post a diary entitled “Lieberman, Is he so bad?” or “McCain, Is he so bad?” at Daily Kos, and Red State respectively.
The ideological purists will launch into their tirades, about how A voted once for B and thus C means he’s not a true member of the party.
Still one may ask.
“Does your rambling have a point?”
Well aside from the fact it gives me a chance to vent some long held frustrations, it was meant to give you a sample.
I’m a cynic, these are my ramblings and it’s your choice if you intend to read them.
If my writing strikes a chord, then stick around and read my words.
If my cynicism rubs that idealist inside you just a little to much, then simply click that magical x button and go away.
Because it doesn’t get any rosier from here.
