The Half Life of Hate
In CRT technology (that'd be old-style computer displays and the lion's share of televisions still sold today) there is the concept of a refresh rate. An electron beam is aimed at the back of a screen containing phosphorescent material, causing that material to flash bright. The flash, however, lasts only a tiny fraction of a second before the brightness fades noticeably. So in order to give the illusion that it's a continuously-bright spot, the beam must pass over it at least 50 or 60 times per second, the more frequent the excitation, the more solid and less flickery the spot appears.
For most people, when given to their own devices, anger and hate are transient spikes of emotion. Oh, for all of us there are some things, some ideas, some people for which we have a low- or medium-grade slow-burn for or against, but for the most part, negative emotions are a reaction to things done in the immediate present or at least when the immediate present presents a particularly vivid and specific memory.
But there seems to be a chronic aspect to the continued pressing disgust that the neocons have for anyone who doesn't swallow the party line. This non-acute revulsion has to keep their tummies in an on-going tizzy, one would think, to the point where that vague, sad dyspepsia is taken as normal.
I'd love to help, but you know how they react to anything that they don't consider normal.
No, someone must be playing them...a trigger thread with a hook at the end of it, firmly lodged in the tentative tummies, ready to pull them into action, ready to tickle their “sensibilities” with a call to “moral values”. Such fine control over them that the desired effect can range from sour stomach to bilious projectile vomiting. How anyone can so desperately love a pre-person and also so despise fully-realized human beings at the same time is beyond me. But it's also beyond their own control, if I am to follow my own reasoning.
Now, should that be where my Liberalism steps in and decides that they need help and not discipline? That they need treatment and not just 'tough love'? Or should I steal a page from their bible handbook and just spout vituperations?
Or maybe I should get them some Pepto Bismol and ask them to turn off the Fox News Channel?
Comments
We got an LCD flat-panel TV because we thought it might help sheild us from the tyranny of old-school CRT-like neocon dogma. Turns out it can, as long as we keep the cable disconnected. The FOX Blocker (http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000620037771/) was helpful, but only blocked the FOX network, so it was too limited to be really useful.
Posted by: Josh | April 11, 2005 07:09 AM
What a great analogy! These neocons are so rife with self contradictions, it's all I can do to keep myself from thinking violent thoughts. And if any of them had seen the Karl Rove Frontline episode (http://mags25.blogspot.com/2005/04/king-of-smarm.html), would they be offended that Rove dangles at will "the gay issue" in front of their faces like a carrot to get them all riled up? Or would they be pissed off at themselves for being so easily led?
Posted by: mags | April 14, 2005 10:31 AM