Americans the Ignorant

Sabina to Mr. Antrobus: "I'm just an ordinary girl. But you're a bright man, you're a very bright man . . . and if you've got any other plans, my God, don't let me upset them. Only now and then I've got to go to the movies" (Thornton Wilder, Skin of Our Teeth, Act III).

How correct you are, Sabina. Ordinary people have no place in working on the world's problems. Nope. They should focus on distractions. Focus on who kissed who on Friday and who wears the skin-tight top the best, Katy Perry or Lady Gaga. And don't forge to spend endless hours watching viral videos so we know who they are when the appear on E! News or The View or another bunch of painted-faced "news" personalities.

And how many problems we have! From our local government--our families even--to international relations, the problems never stop. No wonder the President ages nearly 10 years in one term. I suppose I could help him, we could help him. Two heads being better than one after all. 

I suppose everyone could get educated on the issues and help our future. We could all get away from the TV for a bit, or even analyze and think critically on the stuff that we do hear. Question and search for answers.

But then, I don't want to pay for peace with pulchritude. What a price! Besides, distraction is more fun. I'd rather spend my first born's college fund on movie theaters, watching explosions and beautiful bodies on widescreen. I'd rather sit in front of the TV and imitate the orange-painted buggers get wasted and make bad decisions. I'd rather shake my ass to and/or cry over the latest Top 40 break-up/make-up auto-tuned, auto-everythinged song.

Read the news? You mean Yahoo articles about how to lose weight, get a job, get a love life, or the latest UFO anomaly. What? Foreign policy. Can't I get that from FOX news and The Daily Show?

Songs with deep lyrics? You mean what those high hipsters listen to. Man, their bass never drops like dubstep.

Read a book? Several? I read enough on the Internet, and there I don't have to analyze everything that's said. 

What the hell is NPR?

No, no. I'm not suited to make any decisions. Real decisions. That's time that I don't have. I mean, yes, I do technically have that time, but it's filled like my DVR is filled with Vampire Diaries.

I don't have to think. That's why I vote for the fat cats in the suits and ties. It's their job to be informed not mine. I'm just an ordinary girl.

It's their job to make decisions. Not mine. 

But you better believe I can judge them when the propaganda is so right and their haircut is so wrong.