Went To A Cider Party

Who remembers Ricky Nelson? Spent yesterday smashing apples into that sweet nectar (especially when mixed with vodka) with lots of old friends and new acquaintances. They would best be described collectively as progressives and many are actively involved in local Democratic "politics". Naturally most of the conversation centered on the Occupy movement and because I have been captured on TV, radio and video speaking out, I was asked my opinion of what it all means, portends, etc..

Many counter-culture types moved to this remote valley to escape modernity? civilization? over-crowding and alienation? (and I include myself) so some conversation is about impending doom, collapse, dystopia and sounds like naive hippie crap to me. Some is more nuanced (as is the latest thread on Kulturcritc's blog).Basically though, it reminds me of rightwing survivalist discourse. Growing gardens and making cider is a romanticized, privileged, nostalgic vision of what post-collapse life would look like.

On the other side were liberals who see no real crisis at all( just economic cycles), who feel slow and cautious is the way to go. One labor organizer told me "we will still be using gas in twenty years so the Tar Sands might be the best way to a sustainable energy future." ( he wants the Keystone pipeline jobs for his guys). Another wanted me to work in a coalition for incremental reforms. These are good folks, egalitarian, pluralist, humanists who still believe in the Third Way despite the overwhelming evidence of it's failure. Their utopian imagination has been crushed by the weight of pragmatic, bureaucratic, professional/managerial engineer-think.

All they got from me was nods and smiles as we turned the apple press and filled the jugs because I don't have to say a word. They have seen the news. The absurdity of their timid plea hangs in the air like a cloud of putrid gas. It is hard to realize you have turned into the old guard, that it is now you who is standing in the doorway and blocking the halls.

So-called conservatives, who have suddenly vanished from the discourse, are probably chuckling to themselves at the spectacle of Obama attacked from the left. But they are fools, so out of touch with reality and so vilified now that their mothers will soon act like they don't know them. The DOW is on a tear and it's a good time to get out. One lady in Chicago who had withdrawn her money was grabbed by undercover security and dragged BACK INTO the bank. Perfect metaphor for our time!