Leftist Cosplay, Stuart Smalley, and NPCs
I'm just trying to help people infected with unreality.
There was a “Stuart Smalley” letter to the editor in my former local paper defending against a previous letter that asserted the Park City (one of the richest cities in America outside of the DC suburbs) “No Kings” march was a farce.
She (the author of the latter letter) literally wrote:
“The No Kings protest was valid and meaningful.”
Vintage “I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and doggone it, people like me.” - pure Stuart Smalley baseless self- affirmation. If you have to tell me it was meaningful, it probably wasn't.
The money quote from the latter letter was this rejoinder aimed at Trump and his supporters:
"Have you overlooked the advantages you’ve had? Those securities are being challenged by this current administration as he seeks to weaken the masses by undermining programs that have kept us informed and protected including those that had elevated us to world power and favor. Further, his methods are being used to weaken this nation with fear, divisiveness, racial ideology, and with lies that look to shift the balance of power to his hands alone."
There is just so much projection and cosplay in this letter I laughed out loud as I read it – and then I became sad as I realized just how detached from reality these people are. They are like Ryan Reynolds’ character in the movie “Free Guy” – with the notable exception that they never realize they are the NPCs (Non-Playable Characters) in their own fantasy role playing game. They are never going to get it. Ever. NPCs are incapable of existing outside their own role play.
So, being the helpful person I am, I refuted her points thusly:
Which political ideology constantly promulgates a sense of fear by constantly claiming enforcement of laws they don't lie is akin to having the Gestapo kidnap people? Progressives and Democrats have indulged themselves in "he's coming to get me" performative expressions to justify their own inability to compete in the marketplace of ideas. Rosie O’Donnell made a big deal about moving to Ireland, so she didn’t have to think about Trump and yet posts her thoughts about Trump every day on social media. Newsflash - nobody is coming for any of you, and you hardly get noticed. We just don’t care about your Stuart Smalley cosplay.
Which political ideology divides people by race? Which supports the racially divisive policies of DEI? Which promotes quotas in government, business and academia? Which prevents Asian kids from attending Ivy League schools? Which side believes white people who never owned slaves owe millions to people who never were slaves just because their skin is black? Which one is trying to end the discrimination?
Which believes in Critical Race Theory and the premise that white people are evil oppressors just because they are white? Which believes in self-segregation for minorities and holds race-based graduation ceremonies at colleges and universities across the country? Which side believes black Americans are so inferior they can't compete and need government to step in? Which side counts members who said the children who died in the Texas flooding deserved it because they were white, Christian and their parents probably voted for Trump?
I don't even know how to counter this one because we sit in the middle of a multitude of lawsuits opposing policies that former president's executed without question. We have witnessed a man suffer laws and crimes invented especially for him, two impeachments based on nothing, and yet as as the current president, is bowing to the courts and is following constitutional dictates and precedents set by former presidents.
"No Kings" was based on a self-affirming fantasy, the idea that people who are not now, nor have ever been, oppressed can cosplay as the downtrodden if they just squeeze their eyes closed hard enough, click the heels of their ruby slippers loud enough, and repeat "There is no place like the gulag" over and over and they will wake up in Russia in 1917 in the middle of the Bolshevik Revolution.
So, so much cosplay.
If you can loudly protest that the government is oppressing you then that itself proves that the government isn’t oppressive.
We are perpetually caught in the same bind: that of responding to emotional behavior with rational responses. The girl who wrote about the "kings" demonstration being meaningful had no idea of what is going on but had strong emotions. Cf. to the "from the river to the sea" mentality. Yes, some of them are being paid but at least that is rational behavior. Most of them are frothing hysterics and no attention need be paid to them except when they are in a dangerous crowd -- which they often are. Otherwise the best response is ridicule, not rational argument. They are silly so point out their silliness.