Not so Simple Concepts Rural Ramblings
As we’re in the world of the populist again. I thought we’d look at some simple concepts that really aren’t that simple or simpler for some but not for others.
The military term “charge,” invoking a fullfrontal assault on the enemy and, of course completely unexpected. In days of old the people giving this order would be up there with you facing the risks. Nowadays, not so much. More than likely they’ll be in the rear in fact, sometimes so far in the rear that they’re in another country. Bad feet perhaps prevent them from joining in.
“Run away” the opposite of charge and usually not really an instruction but a decision of those receiving the “charge” order when events take a turn for the worse. Not entirely unexpected for a full-frontal assault. Ironically, the survival instinct of the “run away ”concept could get one into almost as much trouble as the “charge” order.
“We’re all in this together,” usually stated by one or a group that are by no means “in this together, ”have most likely never had to worry about bills or money and most likely, never will. I kind of put this in with, “we’re all equal,” except of course as per George Orwell’s famous book, “some of us are more equal than others.”
“Make America great again,” or if you like any other country to fit in there. They all work. Except one has to scratch one’s head to figure out exactly when, or indeed if, the country was great and if and when it was what was the effect on the ordinary folk? The Roman Empire could be termed great, but not so much for the slave economy and conquered lands and peoples that propped it up. The British Empire was great too. This time propped up by again, conquered lands, run slightly nicer in latter years than Rome maybe and a huge poverty-stricken work force that were denied many of the rights that we have today. So, maybe “great” for the top echelons but certainly not great for the rest.
“Peace for our time.” When I hear this kind of rhetoric, a la Korea, Russia or China these days. My gut feeling is to head for the hills with a bug out bag.
“Looking after the middle class,” I really scratch my head at this one. If there is a middle class, then one must surely have an upper and lower class, except these rarely, if ever, get mentioned. I prefer the term, “working class,” I’m good with that. If one has to work to maintain a standard of living, then most of us can fit in here. Some work is better paid than others. Except, I suppose working class sounds more down beat than middle class in speeches. If we all work, we can all be in this together. Doesn’t that make you feel great?