Why Americans Aren't Rioting

[Sean Hayden]

I think I've figured it out. Or I've found a big clue anyway. Or maybe just a clue, or maybe it's nothing. Do you guys remember "The Monkey's Paw", a short story by W.W. Jacobs? In the story a father wishes for a few hundred pounds to pay off the family home. His wish is granted but at a very high cost. The money for the home is given to him as a payout for the accidental death of his son at the factory where he works.

How does this relate to why American's aren't rioting? Well, without exception, my classmates were either convinced this was an example of greed gone wrong, or that the father had wished for something he should not have.

--let that sink in, I wanna cry...

[Sean Hayden]

BTW, if that came across as me complaining about smarts --which I doubt it did unless you're Dutchy -- that's not what I intended. Instead, it's about the conditioning necessary to get to that place in your thinking. To believe you deserve so little, and that you better be careful about wishing for a life above your station, even to the extent of thinking it's greedy to want to have your modest house paid off!

No wonder they don't demand reasonable treatment.

[Rum]

This presupposes, unless I’m missing something, that Americans have something to riot about. The oracle that is the Orange One tells us that under his watch things have never been better.

[Sean Hayden]

--indeed, and who are you to demand what you haven't earned you greedy little shit.

[laklak]

I think most people aren't rioting because they're not in particularly dire circumstances. They've got jobs, cars, houses, cable, etc., enough money for a vacation each year, a 12 pack in the fridge, maybe a boat. They're living better than 99% of all humans who have ever lived (OK i pulled 99% out of my ass but it point stands). They're not SJWs or Trumpanzees, their kids aren't delinquents or meth addicts, they've got health insurance and enough money to grill the odd steak on weekends.

Maybe I'm living in a sheltered environment, but that's how it looks to me.

[Rum]

Once it was bread and circuses. Perhaps now it’s TV and a power boat.

[Sean Hayden]

It's a good argument for why those people aren't rioting. They're settling for less than they should though. But okay fine, they're content. (I also hope they don't riot for the reason I gave elsewhere, they would only be hurting their peers.)

Still, there are many more Americans who don't have these things and last time I checked they are growing more quickly than those that do. Also, our government has lied to us, about which there is virtually no controversy now, to get us into several wars, and I think can be blamed for having lost --yes lost-- the propaganda wars. The world hates us. The rich are going to suck us dry and bail. The writing is on the wall man, it's on the wall!

[Rum]

Sadly, I agree with you. The tiny fault lines in the amazing documents that your country was founded upon have slowly been pried open, it seems to me, exploited by the greedy and powerful and undermined the ordinary people, who your country used to be all about.

[JimC]

There are still protest marches, right?

I'm glad that they're not rioting in the sense of mindless destruction, as in Paris...

[pErvinalia]

They've got jobs, cars, houses, cable, etc., enough money for a vacation each year, a 12 pack in the fridge, maybe a boat.

All paid for with credit.

They're living better than 99% of all humans who have ever lived (OK i pulled 99% out of my ass but it point stands).

They also have more debt than 99% of all humans who have ever lived.

[Seabass]

There are still protest marches, right?

I'm glad that they're not rioting in the sense of mindless destruction, as in Paris...

Yep, lots of protests since Der Gropenfuhrer was elected. I've never seen so much protesting. Fortunately, not much in the way of property damage...

[pErvinalia]

Rioting seems to be a French pastime.

[JimC]

Rioting seems to be a French pastime.

I blame Svarty...

[laklak]

Meh, bunch of wannabe protesters. Back in my day we knew how to fucking protest, man! We burned buildings and stuff. Of course the National Guard killed us, but hey, can't make an omelet and all that.

[Svartalf]

Rioting seems to be a French pastime.

actually, rioters are small groups that come specially to do damage and pillage what they can, and are only using the marches as cover, thereby staining all marchers with the taint of their actions.