Acampamento

Hi Susan.

Seems you aren't really around, but I thought you might want in on this one:

https://www.city-data.com/forum/psych...aspergers.html

Cheers,
Barny

Hi Susan.

What an eloquent response! I'd say it more than "almost" criminal to be poor in the States, judging by the disproportionate rate of incarceration of minorities, etc. What makes me livid is that having watched the arguably failed American experiment playing out in neon, the British government has nonetheless come to the conclusion that the parent should imitate the child. We're now rapidly importing everything that's bad about your country after having started out fairly selectively choosing the good. Cameron and his ilk are systematically privatising as much as they can that was ever public, and building as many McDonalds and Asdas (Walmart) as they can fit so our poor can have the same poverty wages and lack of opportunities as yours.

In other words, I'm not just bashing on your country alone.

What's coming of this is a whole lot of anger, desperation and disgust, such that our populace is increasingly acting as yours does, voting against their own interests so the problem is guaranteed to be self-perpetuating. The only possible intention that makes sense is to return Britain to what it was in its brutally classist history. It's Tall Poppy Syndrome run amok, and we're all marching off the cliff singing God Save the Queen—the lyrics muddled with Our Country 'Tis of Thee. The Colonies' revenge?

My, what cheery banter for starting a friendship!

I doubt Jay will ever jump in if we keep talking politics.

Haha, how's the weather in Portland?

Hi, Barny.

Ha, you're right, it's almost criminal to be poor here. Having been, by my estimation, both rich and poor (in all senses of both), it's far better to be rich. Until I catch my assumptions rising to a norm of "entitlement" and an equally false belief that I "earned" whatever new prize I'm after "myself."

I, and I think many of my countrymen, suffer from some kind of personal relative worth issue vis-a-vis our social milieu. Considering what kind of people came here to begin with---the kind for whom the 15th and 16th century status quo didn't work--it's almost add if we all thought the land would be El Dorado for the deserving, a kind of litmus test that would refute the sense not fitting our parent cultures.

When this turns out to be not a birthright, but an expression of one's ability to cope with one's actual position on an unlevel field, there are problems. When one's knowledge, skills, and abilities don't match the terrain, none of the options are good. The premise is what's flawed: you can make it if you try hard enough, and it's only your fault if you don't. The only way I can square this circle it's by defining what I think success is, but not everyone does that...Or can choose to do without something.

I'll pause here. I'm writing from the phone, and I can only see 5 lines at a time. More later!

I hear you make books. I'd never been aware of artistic book-craft. How did you get into it?

Hi Susan.

The thread I got tangled up in was about American food stamps. I worked on a documentary about your social welfare programs, and found that most people in the States have a fundamental misunderstanding about, well, every aspect of them! So I offered some facts to offset all the fiction. That didn't go over very well.

What good that did come of it was a lovely PM from a girl called Alison. We've exchanged a couple of messages. She's quite bright. She mentioned that she's in touch with a number of more thoughtful and open-minded members here so I've just asked her if they have a chat group. I generally prefer small-group discussion where people are a bit more in tune together.

I intend to explore the arts forums and more intellectual categories. I'll let you know if I find anything interesting. Please do the same if there's something good I should take a look at.

Cautiously venturing out, with a blog post and some commenting.

Barny, I found your comment about the Constitution, which worked its way into another letter, but I didn't see the critical comment about "foreigner" so I've clearly missed some part of that conversation. I would be casually interested in exploring that further, although my heart really lies more towards arts and storytelling.

Looking forward to hearing from you here, as your time permits. Cheers!

Chuckling, ruefully. No, I hadn't seen your entry. I looked up the new citation under the group name. I studied Spanish a little, but I don't read Portugese.

I've been lurking and posting cautiously. Can't say I'm very proud of some of the things I've read here, but I was warned about a "broad diversity of opinion." Which I now understand as, "My, Susan, you do lead a sheltered, fairly ivory-tower-intellectual existence, relative to many people here." But here and there, some real gems.

Wishing you well as the aftermath gets sorted. And very nice to meet you, too, Barny!

Does that quote mean you happened to have read the mire I waded into as my first CDF discussion under my new moniker? I thought I'd start with a bang and jump in a thread about something I have no business in as a "foreigner". My, many Americans do resent their poor.

I'm sorry I haven't come back here until now. Things have been intense on this end. I hope to be here a bit more over he next few days.

It's very nice to meet you, Susan!

Porque llora?


"Do tears not yet spilled
wait in small lakes?


Or are they invisible rivers
that run toward sadness?"


--Neruda, The Book of Questions

Hello. Pleased to have company!