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Flower Power

Flower Power

October 21, 1967 March on Washington. Photo by Bernie Boston.

Genuine Hippie Sez:

Trump is trolling us all, y'all

There is this Sociologist, Harold Garfinkel, the "Father of Ethnomethodology." Something he is famous for is having students experiment on peers and family by breaking unspoken norms (hang up the phone without saying good-bye; keep saying "Why?" like a little kid; stand too close or too far while conversing with someone) and report on how people react.

Needless to say, hilarity ensues. People become exasperated quite quickly, e.g.: "Why to you keep backing away from me?!"

We have this vast assortment of uncatalogued norms governing human interactions. (And it's worth noting that these norms vary: there is wiggle room, and the proper distance for casual conversation is not universal among cultures.)

But rules are rules and there are similarly rules about how a President should behave. Hippies could hate on Obama for drones, surveillance, deportations, and jailing whistle-blowers, but the guy knew how to look dignified and sound erudite and earnest. Basic civility was natural to him to portray.

After Bush, the lying fake cowboy who ruined everything, Obama became a real hero to a lot of folks. No Drama Obama.

Then there's Trump. He breaks all of the unspoken rules about how to conduct oneself when leader of the free world. Needless to say, hilarity ensues.

To his base it is stand up comedy. To genteel folks it is horrifying and rage-inducing.

What I'm saying is: Apart from any real danger Trump represents-- and I don't discount it-- it's not worth being triggered and getting angry every time Trump is boorish and stupid. It happens too often. Or, if you must get angry, also get over it.

I'm not saying don't oppose him. Far from it! I'm just saying don't let him ruin your whole day. If you do, he's winning.

Peace and Love, baby.