Marvelous! I love Vonnegut and you explained his concepts beautifully to describe our existence in roday’s world! Thank you for the insights and encouragement. I feel fortified for the day!
Apr 12, 2023·edited Apr 12, 2023Liked by Brian Klaas
What a wonderful framework for looking at our tribalism. Though political granfalloonism has always been there to some extent, the breadth of the expressed HATRED connected with it is new since that ride down the elevator. Of course, it did begin to build steam when America dared to elect one of those "other people" as President.
I disliked George W and George Sr. but I didn't hate them, and I'm pretty sure that this was true of many on both sides when looking at someone of the other party. I hated some of their POLICIES, particularly the Gulf, Iraq and Afghanistan wars, but not the men themselves. I hated LGJ's policies on Vietnam, too--but supported him on Civil Rights.
Most of us of a certain age remember when disputes between the two parties were based on policies, and each side could give reasons why their policies were "better." Our families might be a mix of Dems and GOPs but they could discuss politics without even raised voices.
After the Descent On The Elevator, I really started wondering why tribalism was rising so. My initial theory was about something I think of as Remote Fandom. (I'm not a sports fan at all, diving for cover if sports news comes on). Sure, I supported my high school teams and my local university team, and the team of the away college I attended--they all involved people I knew directly and indirectly and I had a lot in common with the other fans for a lot of other reasons.
But when TV sports became a big deal, the broadcasters faced a problem: how do you attract a really big audience of people whose teams don't happen to be involved in the playoffs or Rose Bowls or Superbowls? Sure, some sports fans simply like the championship aspects, but for many, interest waned if your local team wasn't playing.
The answer seems to be a flogging of team loyalties to teams based far from anyone you knew. As I don't like sports, I'm not sure how it happened. But happen it did. And the result was commercially-driven Granfalloonery. Americans developed the HABIT of being in a Granfalloon. And those with an economic interest pushed this habit as if it were an opioid.
This certainly isn't the Total Answer. But I think it is part of it.
You have filled in a gaps for me! For three years now, I have wondered what is it that makes people do this? Why is it at half of my wife’s southern family believe in something so strongly (Qanon), so nonsensical about the entire country even though they have never left their microcosm of the south? where does this all come from? This knitted it together. Thank you, Brian!
Love the Vonnegut reference! Wampeters, Foma, and Granfalloons. That is an apt description of our lives and the absurdity of our political situation!
I can still my teacher walking around the class as we are reading Cats Cradle, grinning and asking as he is doing the cats cradle “See the cat? See the cradle?”
The whole point I got out of it is that life is an illusion, and we see what we want to see. Like the Man U experiment! Like Q is a wampeter for whom so many lives revolve! And Q is a foma that is not so harmless!
I miss the days of being Gator and a Gopher (two degrees from U Mn) as being the most important Granfalloons to which I belonged!
Marvelous! I love Vonnegut and you explained his concepts beautifully to describe our existence in roday’s world! Thank you for the insights and encouragement. I feel fortified for the day!
What a wonderful framework for looking at our tribalism. Though political granfalloonism has always been there to some extent, the breadth of the expressed HATRED connected with it is new since that ride down the elevator. Of course, it did begin to build steam when America dared to elect one of those "other people" as President.
I disliked George W and George Sr. but I didn't hate them, and I'm pretty sure that this was true of many on both sides when looking at someone of the other party. I hated some of their POLICIES, particularly the Gulf, Iraq and Afghanistan wars, but not the men themselves. I hated LGJ's policies on Vietnam, too--but supported him on Civil Rights.
Most of us of a certain age remember when disputes between the two parties were based on policies, and each side could give reasons why their policies were "better." Our families might be a mix of Dems and GOPs but they could discuss politics without even raised voices.
After the Descent On The Elevator, I really started wondering why tribalism was rising so. My initial theory was about something I think of as Remote Fandom. (I'm not a sports fan at all, diving for cover if sports news comes on). Sure, I supported my high school teams and my local university team, and the team of the away college I attended--they all involved people I knew directly and indirectly and I had a lot in common with the other fans for a lot of other reasons.
But when TV sports became a big deal, the broadcasters faced a problem: how do you attract a really big audience of people whose teams don't happen to be involved in the playoffs or Rose Bowls or Superbowls? Sure, some sports fans simply like the championship aspects, but for many, interest waned if your local team wasn't playing.
The answer seems to be a flogging of team loyalties to teams based far from anyone you knew. As I don't like sports, I'm not sure how it happened. But happen it did. And the result was commercially-driven Granfalloonery. Americans developed the HABIT of being in a Granfalloon. And those with an economic interest pushed this habit as if it were an opioid.
This certainly isn't the Total Answer. But I think it is part of it.
Wonderful, loving insight on Vonnegut's existential questioning. 💓
Very interesting thoughts. I always enjoy Brian’s writing, and he is from MN to BOOT. That’s what I am talking ABOOT. Duck duck grey duck forever.
You have filled in a gaps for me! For three years now, I have wondered what is it that makes people do this? Why is it at half of my wife’s southern family believe in something so strongly (Qanon), so nonsensical about the entire country even though they have never left their microcosm of the south? where does this all come from? This knitted it together. Thank you, Brian!
Love the Vonnegut reference! Wampeters, Foma, and Granfalloons. That is an apt description of our lives and the absurdity of our political situation!
I can still my teacher walking around the class as we are reading Cats Cradle, grinning and asking as he is doing the cats cradle “See the cat? See the cradle?”
The whole point I got out of it is that life is an illusion, and we see what we want to see. Like the Man U experiment! Like Q is a wampeter for whom so many lives revolve! And Q is a foma that is not so harmless!
I miss the days of being Gator and a Gopher (two degrees from U Mn) as being the most important Granfalloons to which I belonged!