"Automatic" by Starflyer 59, January 12, 2021

Arrogance is the one trait that will kill any chance of a relationship. I can't stand it. This song by Starflyer 59 takes us back to a time in national pride. Starting out with a reference to Arthur Miller's 1949 work Death of a Salesman and alluding to Henry Kissinger, the Secretary of State serving under Richard Nixon, who was partially responsible for establishing U.S. trade with Communist China. I think that the level of arrogance talked about in the song's lyrics have got to be satire, so I will refer to the the one who says the lyrics as the speaker rather than the singer. This arrogant speaker says he's "right most of the time" and "a messenger like Kissinger," yet "only sees what [he] wants to see."

WHY I CHOSE THIS SONG: An infectious like a disco-era Pink Floyd or Queen (i.e. "Another Brick in the Wall" or "Another One Bites the Dust") rock beat starts off this track, softening the blow of the arrogant lyrics. But on listening to this song with the events that have most recently transpired (march on the capitol) and having looked over some of the most egregious screen shots of posts shared on the indefinitely struck down social media platform, Parler. Threats of violence strewn through selective readings of the constitution and racial targeting left me feeling a little nauseous. Throughout the last five years, I saw the values of conservatism that I had placed in me from a young age erode. 

I'M RIGHT MOST OF THE TIME: After reading short biographies of people that have been involved in the storming of the Capitol, I've noticed a very disturbing common personality trait. They are truly committed individuals who are blinded by a very narrow view of what it means to be American. They say they've lost faith in the democratic process, but support a militia take over of government. When pressed to give specific answers about whose votes count, they will discredit anyone from the other side. They use labels: socialist, communist, Muslims, BLM people, illegals, gays--whatever they can to establish an otherness. You can find non-white, non-Christians in this group of haters, but it seems that the revolution (Civil War 2?) that they are touting wouldn't stop until they cut the fringes off. And they would keep cutting.

THANKSGIVING DINNER WITH A RACIST UNCLE. Growing up in a very homogenous white working class family and culture, I feel like my growth was stunted in terms of diversity. I certainly have lots to learn still, but it's shocking to go back home to North Carolina and hear the comments by family and friends. Things that may have been casual before now shock me. You sit down to dinner with your racist uncle and you realize he has the world's problems solved in his own mind. Do you press him when you hear inconsistencies? Do you try to educate him on his blindspots? "You see [he's] right most of the time. That's the way [he] would self describe."

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. The mainstream right has been eerily quiet since the events of last Thursday. Is it that they know that their ideals were brought to their logical conclusion? Is it that they've sacrificed ideals for power? I hope that everyone takes a minute to inspect the ideals they hold and will be challenged by others to look for inconsistencies. I'm a little scared to do that myself, but if we want to be logical, evolved beings, it's essential.