The Establishment

[Dan Slife]

In the Wood, the establishment can be perceived as a ruling network of individuals whose perceptions of, and collective actions in Lakewood are rooted in an older, by-gone era of industrial prosperity.

The Establishment Status Quo is a mindset. Those caught in its spin consciously perceive only minimal disturbances and or changes in the imagined “Mayberryâ€Â￾ image.

It's a time warp via perception. Those operating in this mindset actually cannot see disturbances or changes in the fundamental community image of the past. It's not their fault, they really can't see it.

As conditions of and on the streets deteriorate, as neighborhoods explode with quality of life degeneracy, as tectonic demographic shifts rip through the socio-economic landscape, the Establish Status Quo will continue to deny what they cannot see... as it doesn't exist to them.

The Establishment Status Quo is a mindset not bound by "elite" affiliation so much as shared affection for a "Lakewood" that, arguably, no longer exists or is on the threshold of extinction.

The Establishment Status Quo includes a diverse group of individuals who deny degeneration and transition from many different ideologically and emotionally grounded thought processes. Again, it's not a coherent elite as much as a diverse group of individuals with a vested interest in ignoring or remaining blind to change. They manage decline, defacto.

It's also informative to consider the clear generational divide on these issues.

The young, not growing up with the spoils of a robust economy have no dillusional affinatey for one. They, like the industrial north, are under capitalized as a class, lacking the economic security of older generations. They cannot identify with the tribalism of the old guard. The problems don't seem insurmountable to them, yet the generations in power won't adequately address the issues.

This is a crisis of sorts.

When we speak about de-industrialization and economic transition in the rust belt, we all clearly acknowledge that industrial strength employment for the working class has exited the region and/or country. However, seldom do we acknowledge that the social and political systems which rested firmly on this industrial economic base, if nothing else, are mis-matched with the actual conditions on the ground. They continue to exist and replicate though are clearly on the out, yet remain in power, for the time being.

We know the jobs are gone. But most individuals are grounded in a psychology born of that by-gone industrial era. This is largely an unconscious affinity for hierarchical and/or tribal modes of collecting, organizing and executing on social, financial and spiritual capital in community.

Insofar as the Democratic machine's rise to power is a political signifier of that industrial strength employment base, a de-industrialized region still ruled by that same machine, by extension, is at least, a case of an out-dated network of political and private relationships tied to a resource/power distribution scheme which is no longer relevant, given de-capitalization.

Capitalized, the Democratic machines of the urban north supported robust civic institutions that were generally hierarchical, authoritarian, male dominated balancing the political demands of the ruling industrialist elite with that of [what was then] “the world’s largest and wealthiest middle class.â€Â￾

De-capitalized, the machines of the urban north have degenerated to tribal, clannish behavior, still-male dominated (perhaps to their detriment), riding the fumes of economic development where union building contracts(highways, green fields, public infrastructure) act as an insufficient replacement for the robust spoils of the aforementioned CAPITALIZED middle class and progressively taxed (out the wazoo) elite. De-capitalized, they oversee the administration of under-funded bureaucracies in shrinking, jobless economies while the federal government moves to regressive taxation structures which further under-fund the over-built bureaucracies.

The issue at hand is globalization and how our leaders and we as citizens deal with it. It will be the hand shaking the national economy for the next several generations, until the transition is complete, and a new, yet incomprehensible, less conceivable, economy is born from the shake out.

The challenge is to face the challenge. No more denying. Tribalism is a clear regression grounded in a magical scheme of denial, ala Gary Rice’s Lakewood is Great photo blog and posts.

Don’t get me wrong Gary, Lakewood is great. And I have much love for you. Though nothing is a given. All things are subject to revision, and all things will be revised in a universe of constant motion, death, transformation and rebirth.

Those who are sensitive to the quality of life degeneration need to continue standing up and acting on their perception.

So do those who deny this degeneration. Only through civic confrontation will some sort of resolve be reached. Confrontation is unavoidable at this point, ala Ed Fitzgerald’s Stunning victory in the primary, a clear indicator that safety resonates while the inaction and denial of the Establishment strikes with dissonance in the hearts and minds of voters.

[sharon kinsella]

Dan -

Nice diatribe.

A couple of issues:

1. Quality of life degeneracy - wow - a new buzz phrase.

2. Assumption that only the young understand the way the world is now.

3. Delineating the elite as the middle class - check yourself there - elite and establishment banished unions, birthed NAFTA (which de-industrialized the north) and are killing a whole generation of your peers in a for profit war scheme that failed in Vietnam - thus proving that doing to the same thing the same way, over and over again fails.

4. Just because something is new does not mean it's better.

5. Your post is almost incomprehensible - if you want to be understood speak clearly.

Many people, besides the young and the dominant, have many great new ideas. But, as in many other things, people are too complacent and apathetic to see the forest for the trees. Too many people are eager to jump on the point and blame bandwagon and look for easy, short term solutions to issues that require systemic change.

There is an old song "No Man is an Island". Sexist title yes, true saying yes. We don't exist in a vacuum and anyone who thinks we do is in for a rude awakening.

[Jim O'Bryan]

IThose who are sensitive to the quality of life degeneration need to continue standing up and acting on their perception.

So do those who deny this degeneration. Only through civic confrontation will some sort of resolve be reached. Confrontation is unavoidable at this point, ala Ed Fitzgerald?s Stunning victory in the primary, a clear indicator that safety resonates while the inaction and denial of the Establishment strikes with dissonance in the hearts and minds of voters.

Dan

And through the murky water the angler fish, zap! another minnow gone.

Have you thought that many are not turning a blind eye, but getting on with what needs to be done.

Does the entire city have to dance around with their panties in a bunch calling out "the sky is falling, the sky is falling..." or could a small group stay focused, and stay working?

Do we all have to over react?

I remember working in a drug drop in center. People would bring in friends freaking out on acid. they would all be crying and carrying on, their friend was dying freaking, over dosing. Those of us on duty would go about our business. Separate the freakers from the freak. Show them something anything to take their minds off their bad trip, so that they could see, it was not bad acid, but bad trippers. After some niacin, orange juice and a couple games of no card. They would focus, see the light, the truth, and know they made it through another day.

Ready for some juice?

Steve get the niacin

Gone to be a long night.

.

[stephen davis]

[Grace O'Malley]

I don't know if Ken and Dan HAD this conversation, but Dan speaks and writes suspiciously more and more like Mr Warren.

[Jim O'Bryan]

Dan,

Do you and Ken remember this conversation?



And you guys mocked ME mercilessly.


Steve

Of course that would be different.



as is this.



.

[Dan Slife]

Sharon,

Your response is perplexingly incomprehensible. Perhaps we have different reference points.

2. Assumption that only the young understand the way the world is now.

3. Delineating the elite as the middle class - check yourself there - elite and establishment banished unions, birthed NAFTA (which de-industrialized the north) and are killing a whole generation of your peers in a for profit war scheme that failed in Vietnam - thus proving that doing to the same thing the same way, over and over again fails.

4. Just because something is new does not mean it's better.

5. Your post is almost incomprehensible - if you want to be understood speak clearly.

I don't have the time or interest to play the "this is what I really said" game with you. I know your method. Take another look at my post, you're inferences are baseless.

Please quote clear statements and clarify your statement
"3. Delineating the elite as the middle class - check yourself there - elite and establishment banished unions, birthed NAFTA ".. as I did no such thing.

[Dan Slife]

Grace,

Ken and I have many conversations. If the content of this post seems to be conceived under his influence, I would take that as nothing less than the highest of compliments. Ken is a brilliant man, with a deep love for this community.

Monkey see, monkey do.

However, if you have real personal thoughts and emotions to express about the content of this post I'd much rather hear that, than attempts to negate the value of my own self-expression.

[sharon kinsella]

Dan - You are still incomprehensible - and I'll give you that you did not say the elite - you said the establishment. Wow - what a HUGE mistake. Then again I may be guilty of quality of life degeneracy.

Good for you that you have no interest in what I have to say. Could it be because I'm not the same voice you "like" to listen to. Or is it that I may be too radical and working class for one of the pseudo-intellectual agents that you may aspire to emulate.

If you want to emulate any men in Lakewood - maybe those old fogies like JOB and Stephen Davis might be able to teach a young whippersnapper like you a thing or two.

[sharon kinsella]

Oh and Dan you can't know my method. I don't have one. I also don't have a personal agenda or anything to lose.

[Dan Slife]

i have no strings to hold me down.....

Maybe I need some more of that VAL Kool-Aid?

And..... we're back to the dodge ball game.

Jim, Steve,

I'm observing from a vantage point. We're all doing this.

I'm a Bullock guy. I voted for Fitz and Summers too. I'm not voting along party or age lines. I want brains and change.

We've got 4 more years. I believe that.

The two of you, Sharon, Shields, TG and many others don't believe this to be so.

Let's agree to disagree.

I have a body of experience that informs my perspective. So do you.

I think I'm right. And I'll stick by that.

Safety first. Doing nothing is no longer an option.

Let's pray that Fitz can pull it off.

Peace

[Jim O'Bryan]

Grace,

Ken and I have many conversations. If the content of this post seems to be conceived under his influence, I would take that as nothing less than the highest of compliments. Ken is a brilliant man, with a deep love for this community.

Monkey see, monkey do.

Dan


I am in total agreement with you on the Ken comment.

But, you know I just have to!

Monkeys, anglefish



.

[Jim O'Bryan]

The two of you, Sharon, Shields, TG and many others don't believe this to be so.

Let's agree to disagree.

I have a body of experience that informs my perspective. So do you.

I think I'm right. And I'll stick by that.

Safety first. Doing nothing is no longer an option.

Let's pray that Fitz can pull it off.

Peace

Oh my young friend you assume so much.

My fear, from what I read, and not you my friend. But those that got nuggies, pink bellies, and swirlies in school seem to panic sooner, than all others.

Nothing, while you are praying, I'll be over here, sweating, working and getting stuff done. Let me know how it worked for you.

_____________
Steve and Jim, the squirrel brothers

[stephen davis]

The two of you, Sharon, Shields, TG and many others don't believe this to be so.

Dan,

Don't be presumptuous. You don't know what I do OR don't believe.

I can tell you that there are a lot of parts to our complex puzzle. Probably more than a few ways to put it together.



Steve

[Bobbie Hendrick]