Wednesday, November 05, 2008

How Can One Man Mean So Much To So Many People?

I haven't felt so patriotic in ages. Maybe since 9/11. That feels like a lifetime ago.

For me, that's one drop in the infinite reservoir of amazing takeaways ... America is so incredibly important to so many people. But, why?

Why are we the Apple to the rest of the world's PC? How is this land of Bush, and Enron, and Cheney, and Spitzer, and Flavor Flav, and TMZ and Fashion Police etc. etc. ad nauseam, also the symbol for that inscrutably-human sense of independent spirit?

Look at these pictures, taken from around the globe. How can one man, one job, one country's chosen leader mean so much?

Barack's step-grandmother Sarah Obama in Kogelo , Kenya

At Obama's former school in Jakarta , Indonesia

Manila , Philippines (my favorite)

SHANGHAI


I don't understand; it's so difficult to wrap my aluminum-body macbook around the idea that when the world is spinning its wheels in the, uh, ditch of life or whathaveyou, we're the folks everyone looks to for a plan? What are we, Hancock? The Alcoholic Superpower?

If you were to ask me about America-as-Guiding-Light when I'm drunk and fantasizing about Sarah Palin, in my apartment, telling Katie Couric that she knows how to save Africa because she can see my balls from where she's sitting; I would be like, "How can you talk about some broad 'America the beautiful' stuff with a scene like this in front of you? THAT'S UNAMERICAN! But I do appreciate the conversation, so hold on a second, I'm just busy at the moment." Then in five minutes I would return and tell you that such a thought (America-as-example-for-the-world) is bananas. B-A-N-A-N-A-S.

But yet, it's true. The throngs of people, the wide-eyed faces, the streaming tears... none of them lie. This country, my country, your country is the worlds guiding light. The world's Encyclopedia Brown. The forger of black steel in the hour of chaos. The nationalized avatar of Nietzsche's will to power? Or maybe you prefer, Manifest Destiny. Just Do It. Yes We Can.

This mandate, this refusal to suck, where does it come from? In the last couple years we have bottomed out and taken it for granted, putting up the most pathetic effort we could in the form of George Bush. Seemingly testing our own karma, only so we could feel the rush of the Tao coming back harder and stronger with Barack, the Anti-Bush.

We started this country with no money, only ideals. Then we sacrificed our ideals to build capital. And now, when capital is no longer worth much, we go back to ideals. Willing ourselves to power, by any means necessary.

But where does it come from? Nietzsche wasn't even our dude. Germany should be the world superpower, but obviously they fell in love with the dark side of the force.

And here we are.

And, it's not like we haven't had our fair share of "bad" people.

But here we are. In our bleakest hour, the force provides us our Luke Skywalker to save the day and seemingly inspire the universe. (and he's even better because he doesn't have the sketchy side storyline with the incestuous sister-loving.)

Pretty amazing.

Disclaim: (I just received these pics from family over email, they are presumably of the people, by the people, for the people. if you are/know the source please contact me and I'll properly attribute, or take down... but if you make me take them down, I'm telling Obama on you.)



ATHENS

JAKARTA

JERUSALEM, ISRAEL

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

AFGHANISTAN


INDIA

PARIS, FRANCE

DAKAR, SENEGAL

LONDON
















17 comments:

  1. "Seemingly testing our own karma, only so we could feel the rush of the Tao coming back harder and stronger with Barack, the Anti-Bush."

    Dope!

    What an amazing way to express that thought.

    I thoroughly enjoyed the angle in which you came at this. It expanded my brain...how refreshing :)

    Also dug your comment on Germany and capital/ideals.

    Maybe the sister-loving would keep him on his toes?

    Ha.

    Peace!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous11/05/2008

    Amazing, beautiful photos. Thanks for sharing.

    "This mandate, this refusal to suck."

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'm sending a link to this post to my white South African friend. She's delighted, like so much of the world, with Obama's election, and said as much on her blog. Assorted mouth-breathing Americans complained and don't understand why the world is glad. Listen, nimrods, maybe you're too dumb to understand these things. Why don't you go sit in a box for four (eight) years?

    Thanks for sharing the pictures (even though they're not yours), TAN. It's always fun to cry happy again.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous11/05/2008

    Awesome.

    Awesome pictures. Awesome post. Awesome president.

    Just awesome.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous11/05/2008

    great post!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hands down your most moving and honest post yet- and I thank you.

    The people have spoken.

    ReplyDelete
  7. hot post; thought you had taken a vacation, glad to see you're still here

    ReplyDelete
  8. made me feel tingly all over again...

    pics are from a couple dif HuffPo articles

    ive been rocking an american flag as a scarf, first
    time ive ever touched one with joy..

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous11/06/2008

    I know, right? I never thought a guy in a suit would ever make me cry. I mean in the tears of joy sense. As an official second-class citizen (as affirmed by the fine state of California), I am, albeit grudgingly, finally kind of okay with being American.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous11/08/2008

    just waiting to see if he really can make that "change"..
    peace

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  11. ...it IS amazing how this one man can have such an effect on the entire world...everyone has their own specific reason as to why they are so moved by Barack...but I love your analysis....

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  12. I'm Black, just about as Black as one can get and I voted for Obama. Yet I can't say I see the big deal. The same amount of young Black males were murdered as the day after. Blacks are still learning less than others. Blacks are still among the most insecure people in the world. He hasn't really put forth any solutions to these problems nor will he likely. I certainly see nothing to cry about.

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  13. @ Orange, you are a cock.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Anonymous1/16/2009

    If there's a faster, easier download program, I've never seen it. I can get anything I want at lightning speeds!

    ReplyDelete
  15. you and what you said sickens me. you obviously are incredibly misguided. I voted for mccain, but i will say it definitely means something very important that this country is ready and willing to vote a black man to the highest office in the land.

    That being said, i whole heartedly disagree with all his policies. And I believe that if most people took the time to look past his good looks and sweet speech, they would agree with me.

    this man is not the messiah you think he is.

    thank you for letting me say what i will.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Anonymous10/07/2012

    lol i like how the Afghanistan one is so 'blahh we are just tired at the chow hall'

    ReplyDelete

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