Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Truthdig - Chris Hedges: "America the Illiterate"

[excerpt] We live in two Americas. One America, now the minority, functions in a print-based, literate world. It can cope with complexity and has the intellectual tools to separate illusion from truth. The other America, which constitutes the majority, exists in a non-reality-based belief system. ... Read more (if you can) at: Truthdig

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

AMERICA, A MONSTERING HORROR...

"We live in two Americas"
Chris Hedges has declared,
But while he makes a careful case
I know which one´s preferred.

"America the Illiterate"
With endless waves of boredom,
Not only inconsiderate
Are people turning more dumb?

Ah, Chris! so we are losing ground,
Our numbers fast diminish
Of who would read--a change profound
To see a culture finish.

Yes, these "core values" you express
Of our society
Devolve to something meaningless
To the majority.

Unless our forces can retrench
Of those who seek the truth,
Not brands sold by a comely wench
In crafted image smooth--

So we must face an awful loss
Or silently bear witness
As words admonishing we toss
To ears and brains sans fitness.

The Mind in this America
Is fast becoming mush--
To our compatriots I call Whoa!
And question, What´s the rush.

Your images belie the truth,
And render substance false:
Though you may seek eternal youth
It´s childishness befalls.

Chris, keep the secret to ourselves.
They scurry into mere
Irrelevance, as pixies, elves
Scatter their stardust drear.

Yet we who love the written word
Or crisp articulation--
Rational logic--have preferred
The truer, if minor, nation.

.