I don't trust Barack Obama.
I don't know much about him. I checked out his senate page, I checked out his campaign page. I've been reading the papers, but I haven't been following the political coverage real closely.
What I do know pushes some very serious warning buttons.
He's always smiling. He says he's in favor of "hope," and against "cynicism." Everyone likes him. He wants to save the union, change the political discourse, rescue Washington itself and America from Washington.
Why does this make me uneasy? Because I know people like this. I know people who are always friendly, who are nice to everyone, who want to make everyone happy. People who are always trying to fix everybody's problems, to improve things, to lead things. Invariably, they end up wrecking something that I thought was pretty good to begin with by trying to make it better.
On a more general level, I don't relate to them. I'm a geek. I get along with introverts, with people who like science and shiny things. My idea of a good time involves using really weird dice and a bunch of textbooks to pretend to be in a fantasy world, fighting evil and exploring ancient kingdoms. Obama doesn't feel like "one of us." He feels like "one of them." Those people who think that they've got better things to do than invent languages and act like pirates. They have important things to do: play basketball, go to law school, become President.
I also don't trust people who say they want to save the country. Or anything, really. Because I remember what I was like when I felt that way. I went through a period where I felt like I had to save the world -- or that someone did, at least. I'd read Ishmael. Nowadays, I feel more like there are some specific things about the world that could use some improvement, but that it doesn't need "saving," per se. And I don't trust anyone who says it does, because they always have an agenda. Even if it's just "look at me, I feel special."
How can someone be against cynicism? It's a little absurd actually.
ReplyDelete