Mr. Tuttle,I see no need to defend my post or engage any further in 'non- Lost' (TV show) related discourse.
But – I will say that your definition of 'freedom of choice' seems to be painted in only one color (white?) and dishonestly tries to color itself as a 'one-size-fits-all' attribute of democracy. I doubt that your definition would comfortably fit a single mother with kids working two jobs, making less than a living wage and no health care insurance. You think she can avoid watching TV after putting the kids to bed and being hypnotized by the haircut puppets on the nightly McNews? It seems to me her choices are made for her via the drone of convenience sung by strip malls, fast food and corporate media.
And how about the blacks in the south who while attempting to vote were intimidated by 'men-in-mirror shades' types and prevented from voting? What exactly were they free to choose in this case? Getting physically abused or quietly going home? Not a very good choice nor is it a good example of freedom.
You see, the 'freedom of choice' you attempt to dole out evenly isn't owned by everyone; just those of us lucky enough to come from bourgeois backgrounds. Our job is to show others (good source: Chomsky) how the game is rigged against them, that they should educate themselves and stop voting against their best interests.
And speaking of rhetorical negation, I find it interesting that although you educate yourself with empirical fact you don't care one whit that the military-industrial complex spoon-feeds US citizens their news and information.
I mean, Chomsky cares a whit about how the Military Industrial Complex owns and controls our media...isn't he educated and trying to inform people about how biased and distorted the US media is? He spells out quite clearly in his books and lectures exactly how the masses have been deluded into thinking they've been sprinkled with a magic pixie-dust called 'freedom of choice.'
Methinks your naked lunch is obscured by a rather large pitcher of Kool-Aid! ;)
Commie Martyr On Feb 1, 2008, at 3:56 PM, microsound-digest-help@xxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
Of your lengthy, slightly depressing, and thoroughly ENJOYABLE java- fueled rant, this paragraph is really the only message one needs to come away with. This IS basically what I meant by freedom of choice, and you have validated it here, even though you rhetorically negate it many times in the rest ofthe screed.BTW, as a person who is intelligent enough to educate myself based on fact and empirical evidence, I care not a whit for what GE, Westinghouse, RupertMurdoch, or for that matter MySpace and Last.FM may or may not bespoon-feeding anyone - I eat other food, and am aware of what it is. As uncle Bill said, the naked lunch is a frozen moment when everyone sees what is on the end of their fork. As regards the sad state of education, politics and consumersim in the U.S. and elsewhere (yes- it's growing), I see it as a matter of perspective. As individuals we can choose to do something about it or not. What that is depends on the individual, but the choice is stillthere. Anyway, keep 'em flyin...and heavy on the 30weight! Mr. Tuttle