Reply #37: So, it's come down to this....an either-or scenario!!!

[MADem]

(Cue dramatic music...)

Twinkle fingers?

Or.....

The Death of Democracy!!!!!

YOU....MUST....CHOOOOOOOOOSE!!!!!!

Truth is, how things looks to "outsiders" is, in fact, important. If buzz words, insider chat, secret signs and hand gestures are to be the currency of the effort, it might be nice to clue in the people who are actually the working, life-living, baby-ass-wiping, granny feeding, snow shovelling, lawn raking assholes who MAKE UP THE 99 PERCENT in on these little "insider" tricks--so they have a clue as to what is being said in their name.

You don't get very far by insulting the people you purport to support, or getting angry because they aren't leaping aboard the sparkle fingers train like, golly gee, it's just the BEST THING EVER, and anyone who doesn't know about it, or looks askance, is just one of those evil assholes, bent on thwarting the fun.

And you catch more flies with honey.

Don't get mad at people who think it looks stupid, because it actually does look a bit stupid. It looks like first rehearsal of A CHORUS LINE for people who cannot dance. The "negative" sparkle fingers looks like an Italian granny gesturing to the grandkids to come and get some lousy candy. That's not a crime--as a society, we've gotten used to lots of crap that looks stupid at first blush, and even embraced it for a bright and shining moment. Who remembers white disco suits with sansabelt slacks? Gold medallions on hairy chests? For a time, those stupid looking things were the bee's knees. Right now, kids are running around with blue hair and you know they think their shit doesn't stink, that they're as cool as cool can be--years from now, they'll look at pics of themselves and CRINGE. You can't tell them that, though--they're "in the moment" and that's fine and dandy. We've pretty much all done that kind of thing--made a poor fashion choice based on popular styles of the day, or adapted a point of view that sounded good at the time but with the wisdom of years wasn't such a hot thought.

It's all part of living life and trying out new things. Nothing wrong with that. What's not working, though, is expecting everyone else to be "clued in" as well, or getting mad at them because they may not like what you like. There's no rule that says we all have to feel the same way. That lockstep crap is more of a rightwing thing.