Why is everyone so Pissed OFF?

[troublemaker]

Almost everyone here seems angrier than usual and more depressed than usual.

My theory:

Politics is about people. We engage politically out of compassion for our fellow citizens or because we fear our fellow citizens. Usually it's a mix of both. The decline of Bush's fortunes offered a ray of hope; not so much hope for the future, but hope that our fellow citizens are,though often confused, basically decent. If they are really decent people inside then we feel better about our compassion for them and definitely feel less afraid of them.

The Ronald Reagan campfire cry-out was a graphic and unmistakable demonstration that 60% of the American people are utter crawling garbage... irredeemably vicious, willfully stupid, destructive, vain, selfish, violent, bigoted, delusional, sadistic, self-righteous, ignorant, boastful, and cowardly ingrates, liars and fools. And if Bush loses it will not be because he's a shrill little Nazi, but because he's a shrill little incompetent Nazi.

That's alienating and infuriating and depressing.

Am I close?

[Robbien]

1. I believe we are all just exhausted

There has been an overload of crises and crimes against humanity and we are exhausted.

[lectrobyte]

2. yeah, that's pretty close. <nt>

[mopaul]

3. don't speak for me, i'm not angry

just kidding, i am.

what am i to do? can't heeeeeelllllllp it.

[Jabbery]

4. As Presdient Bill Clinton said at Maynard Jackson's funeral....

I was there - here's what he said:

"Why is it that us Democrats are happy even when we lose, and the other side is always angry, even when they win?"

Think like that, my friend. We have every reason to be happy, almost no matter what. We are on the side of right. The Republicans who hate our country will never be happy. We can find happiness even in the worst circumstances, like the ones we are in now.

[keithyboy]

10. You are so right. Being on the side of good makes you happy.

Just look and listen to the other side...they are never happy about anything, always smearing, demeaning, lying, cheating, stealing, killing, making enemies, ... I think Clinton nailed it!

[seabeyond]

5. not angry here. actually confident enough

to just shake heads at repugs here and say what a mess bushie boy has created. telling mine oand other children in front of parents, us adults really screwed things up, time for you all to fix. not a single puggy has challenged or snorted.

they are defeated, i feel

[quinnox]

6. Not me

Though I agree there seem to be a lot of depressed members posting lately. I guess the recent gloomy political events is really taken to heart by some. I'm almost always in a good mood, however.

[Stew225]

9. I'm pissed that quinnox is

always in a good mood! Kidding.

[quinnox]

12. lol

[RoadRunner]

7. My theory: It's the low carb diets.

Research shows that carbs are necessary for healthy mood levels. Take away the carbs, people get pissed off. I know that's not all of it, but I think it's a contributing factor.

[whistle]

16. If jobs, a decent wage, proper heath-care, good education and...

...an equal opportunity to get ahead if you work hard are carbohydrates, then yes I agree with you. Being deprived of those things led to unhealthy mood levels. Bushit is a total Atkins diet and most definitely leads to liver and brain damage as well as kidney failure and chronic fatigue syndrome.

[sadiesworld]

8. "60% of the American people are utter crawling garbage..."

Poster, heal thyself.

[troublemaker]

14. Okay, it's only 36% (proof included)

March 25, 2003
The latest poll was taken as the Bush administration began to ratchet up pressure on Saddam to allow United Nations weapons inspectors to return to Iraq or face possible military action.

Most poll respondents said the use of nuclear weapons by the United States would be justified in retaliation for a nuclear attack by terrorists. A slight majority, 54%, said retaliation for a nuclear attack would be the only justification for using nuclear weapons. Just 36% would support using nuclear weapons first.

http://usatoday.com/news/nation/2002/03/25/usat-poll.htm

That poll was taken six months before Bush even started really pushing the Iraq war.

[tjwash]

21. A "USA today" link?

That's the paper version of Fox News.

If only 36 percent of USA today readers said "nuke 'em all and let god sort 'em out", the correct representative number will most definately be a lot lower.

So that's a good thing!!:bounce:

[troublemaker]

25. Newspaper comissioned polls are not polls of their readers

[Francis]

11. Not pissed off

Disappointed
I detest the rancour.
reagan is dead, let's bury him as an ex president. finish.
No one says it should have been a love fest, but hey, dignity and all that.
All repubs are demons,
Rubbish some of my best friends are repubs that come by their view on things honestly and with consideration. We agree on some things and disagree on others, but what happened to civility?
Their point is as valid as mine
Tell you what, the animosity from this site will alienate all but the extreme if this rancour continues

[Eric J in MN]

13. Bush's 50 percent job approval after all he's done, including

Bush's 50 percent job approval after all he's done, including what has been widely publicized, is trying.

[Disturbed]

18. It is real frustrating...

when it seems that millions of Americans support a Right Wing Dictatorship that is ruining America and committing all manner of crimes, exp. War Crimes.

Do most Right Wingers really believe in "democracy".?

[DWolper]

15. 60% ????

60% of the American people are utter crawling garbage... irredeemably vicious, willfully stupid, destructive, vain, selfish, violent, bigoted, delusional, sadistic, self-righteous, ignorant, boastful, and cowardly ingrates, liars and fools.

That's pretty harshly judgmental.

I'm not a total new age devotee, but enough of a humanist to reject the statement above. Life is lived in many different ways. Some people rarely consider politics, but are into caregiving 24/7, some are into spirituality, writing, painting, beach bumming, and whatever else. I sense in your post a hell of a lot of anger at people who are not just like you. I was this way at one time and had to settle down or lose my sanity. Put another way, 100% of the American people are everything you described - at one time or another. We're all just human beings trying to make sense of this experience, and none of us are perfect and none of us are all bad. To put everything into a black & white world of good and evil where you, of course, are an enlightened one makes for a miserable life, in my opinion. Like I said, I've been where you are so don't take this personally, only as an observation as to your statistic. If you really believe that 6 of 10 of your fellow Americans are all of those things, all of the time, you truly are setting yourself up for a disappointing ride on this ball of dirt and water as we hurtle through space together.

[Francis]

28. D'accord n/t

[eaprez]

17. I'm not pissed...

...

[Just Me]

19. I believe we are just involved in a paradigmatic shift,...

,...which is, let's say, very uncomfortable. We are more informed and more aware than ever of what is taking place in our country and our world,...and we are experiencing all which that knowledge and information brings (disappointment, a sense of betrayal, disgust, anger, passion, inspiration, etc.).

I believe that we are in the throws of great change,...which is difficult for everyone. But, it is all good.

[TrustingDog]

27. it's all good

if you can stand the months/years of labour pains to deliver us from evil. It's going to get very hurtsom, but when the pain passes it will a celebration of a new birth.

[mike1963]

20. Confucius say: Better to be pissed off than pissed on.

:evilgrin:

[many a good man]

22. Incompetent Nazi Nation

Six days of no news and Bush's rating goes up five points. This demonstrates the absolute control the media have over public opinion. I bet even the TV executives are shocked.

I think the last three years have been a little experiment for the increasingly concentrated media elite. They wondered if they could persuade the country to accede to the invasion of a much weaker foreign nation. Now they know they can do this and much more.

My real fear upon seeing how extremely pliable the general public has become, is that they could just as easily be turned to Nazism or some form of fascism. The recent decapitations have already been used for their propagandistic value. The great consumer society of all times has also produced the greatest propagandists of all time, too...

[2Design]

23. I have been feeling depressed and angry today....

The stupid catholic church trying to sway so many stupid catholics to not vote for the democrats. They are asking them to vote for their own cattle car to the ovens.

Bush goes and talks to the pope and the pope is vocal on abortion but not bush war and killing in iraq. Not vocal on bush 15x death penalty.... This is downright overwhelmingly depressing...

wonder what country I can move to and work.

Where will it be safe in the world?

Listening to top draft pick from hs is another Religious freak who wants to bring religion to the nba.

Religion has been part of all major conflicts and it sucks.

Rent Robin with Kevin Cosner to see how the Christian vs the Arabs worked out the first time.

I am getting very turned off to ANY Christian and their shove it in your face type of religion.....

On the news the other day, women are running a business doing car washes, in their bikini bathing suits.....and of course they have an interview with a lady who is oppose,,,,,, and she flatly says, I am Christian......

I want to say, so what!!!! or I am sorry you afflicted with stupidity!!! or I am sorry you can not think for yourself.....or if you were you would be more kind.....

I am tired of people saying their religion is the way and then killing everyone who doesn't go along with them....and calling them enemy combatants, or insurgents or whatever the latest word Bush spin wants to put on it....

I am just frustrated with the whole bunch....

Why can't people be nice and play nice without getting in everyone's face about their rights and trying to hijack our constitution, our public schools and every part of our life.....

[Tsiyu]

24. There would have been no revolution

had the colonists not been depressed, pissed whatever. If we don't get angry over what is happening around us, and at the behest of our "fearless leaders" we are destined to sit back having polite conversations while our constitution, our country and our kids are run into the dirt. I'm sick to death of playing nice. It has FAILED.

[salonghorn70]

26. My Theory

We are involved in a very, very close election. We all want to win it more than anything. But we all have different ideas on how to accomplish that. We're just real tense.

[kaitykaity]

29. This pisses me off to no end.

Harris poll Bush 51 Kerry 42 Nader (whatever)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x1821337

The public relations spin whatever the fuck corporate
media bullshit always seems to work.

THAT's why.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

37. I'm going to give you a couple of clues as to why Harris Interactive...

...CANNOT be trusted.

Our Heritage
<http://www.harrisinteractive.com/about/heritage.asp>

Excerpts:

"1969 – The Wall Street investment bank and brokerage firm Donaldson, Lufkin and Jenrette acquire LHA."

....snip....

"1975 – Gordon S. Black Corporation (GSBC) is founded in Rochester, New York, providing high quality business-to-business and consumer research through a full range of qualitative and quantitative custom research services.

The Gannett Corporation, which operates television, radio stations, and publishes newspapers, acquires LHA from Donaldson, Lufkin and Jenrette.

....snip...

"1996 – Gordon S. Black Corporation acquires Louis Harris and Associates."


IMHO, there is no apparent independence in this polling organization.

[kaitykaity]

41. Many, many., many thanks.

I saw those numbers and was like :wtf:

So again, thank you.

[no_hypocrisy]

30. I'd say not getting enough, but that would make us neocons.

[Tamiati]

31. Depression is anger turned inward

Why are we angry?? We live in a constant state of fear.....you saw Bowling for Columbine right???

Fear.......invokes the flight or fight response correct??

So, we become angry yet we have no one to fight, or rather we are not allowed to fight those who are keeping us in this state of fear....(government, media, etc)

So we become depressed.....

Just my thoughts on it.....

[Zero Division]

32. Because, so many are starting to realize that Progress is not guaranteed

Our society has been ingrained with the idea that things will continually get better, that the next generation's lives will be of better quality than the last. And the past few years has been one of those periods where we're all slapped in the face with the very really possibility that things can not only stop progressing, but they can get much, much worse. Whether it's peace between nations, racism, financial well-being, or personal freedoms, all the things that matter to so many of us really can regress, and even worse, apparently a significant portion (I wouldn't say it's 60%, 35% seems to be the unwavering core of it) of our nation's population doesn't even give a damn or actually likes the general direction of things at the moment.

Progress cannot happen without people who will actively support and protect it, hence my signature quote below:

[Norquist Nemesis]

33. I think it's the frustration and fear we all have

knowing this administration has set us on a course of destruction and feeling helpless about it. The election is uncertain...we all know what kind of dirty tricks can be pulled. We're under a great threat to our nation and its citizens now security wise. We've watched the gap between the haves and have nots get bigger while feeling a bigger squeeze on most, if not all of us. And also feel compassion and caring for those who have been negatively affected by the policies of this administration and the Congress.

We know things can and will change...we're just not sure how far the rubber band will be stretched to the far-right before it snaps back to the left and moves all of us forward toward the things we value.

[walldude]

35. I posted this yesterday but it fits in here well so I'm re-posting it

I'm not really angry, I've pretty much become numb. Yesterday on a local moderate talk show the host reported "Yesterday a bomb went off near an Iraqi army recruting station killing 35 men trying to sign up for the new Iraqi army. I just thank god no American G.I's were there." 35 Iraqi deaths, guys trying to work with the "new Iraq", ment nothing to this man. As long as there were no Americans killed he was grateful. Now he got his one death and it's front page news. The lead story on FNC's On The Record tonight was: "The savages have struck again". While I agree this was a savage and evil act it is no more savage or evil than the horrors we have perpetrated on the Iraqi people. Horrors that are kept hidden from us. When a crack in the dam appears and we get a glimpse of those horrors we are told that we are justified in what we are doing. It's... Insane. The terrorists have already won. This latest act of brutality has added another notch to their belt. Americans live in fear. Because of this fear we are irrationally trying to wipe out the terrorists instead of trying to stop terrorism. Terrorism is a weed. Cut it down it grows back. Pull out the roots and it's gone for good. Of course that means I'm sympathetic to terrorists and un-patriotic, and anti-American and a Blame America Firster, and the worst thing of all a Liberal. If I allow myself to get angry or sad or to feel full on emotions about whats happening I might do something crazy.
Now there is one thing I'm really angry about. Rock & Roll. I've seen a few musicians speaking out against the war and the administration but not nearly enough. What the hell happend to Rock & Roll? Pretty sad when the Dixie Chicks are the most outspoken dissidents. I guess I'll have to wait paitently for Roger Waters new album, I'd bet my life if there is a Rock & Roller left who has the balls and the brains to make a protest album it's Roger Waters....

[0007]

34. Why do you feel that it is your job to take the temperature of DU

and then give a lecture?

[Media_Lies_Daily]

36. Someone's stolen my country, gotten it involved in an illegal war,...

...ruined the economy, and has made the rich even richer. Yes, all of that pisses me off, and yes, I'm pretty friggin' angry about it!!

Why doesn't any of that piss YOU off???

[Swamp Rat]

38. Rhetorical questions?

Letting off steam is good and DU is a great place to do this! I feel your pain, but try not to let anger consume you... advice given to me quite often when discussing politics.

I'm going to focus my anger on getting rid of Bush&Co next November, but if they try to steal the next election "all bets are off!"

[terrya]

39. George W. Bush is in the White House, that's why.

I've been fucking pissed off for 4 fucking YEARS now.

[rucky]

40. Relative Deprivation Theory

we're pissed because things are getting better.

There's no longer a sense of hoplessness and we're starting to see the armor crumble - we're ready for change, like, yesterday. Back to Relative Deprivation theory - a sociological theory based on historical analyses of revolutions (French, Russian, Chinese, etc):

http://66.102.7.104/search?q=cache:7PeV0wi1C0wJ:www.infoplease.com/ce6/history/A0841648.html+relative+deprivation+theory+revolution&hl=en
Since Aristotle, economic inequality has been recognized as an important cause of revolution. Tocqueville pointed out that it was not absolute poverty but relative deprivation that contributed to revolutions. The fall of the old order also depends on the ruling elite losing its authority and self-confidence. These conditions are often present in a country that has just fought a debilitating war. Both the Russian and Chinese revolutions in the 20th cent. followed wars. Contemporary thinking about revolution is dominated by Marxist ideas: revolution is the means for removing reactionary classes from power and transferring power to progressive ones.