It's been an interesting few months here in the Trecker household. A lot of changes, some good, some not so, and a lot of decisions yet to be made. I wonder where I'll be in a year. I doubt Chicago, and unless we get a radical change in government, I doubt the USA in general. Moving home _ or to Canada _ looks awful attractive at the moment. The crux is, it cost close to half a million dollars to pay for my health care here last year, and I spent a horrific amount (roughly $31,000) out of pocket. I actually wrote an article about some of this, in the newest issue of Lumpen, and you can check that out for more.
What has also been interesting is how change reveals who your friends really are. To date, a grand total of three people (not including folks here on SG, though one of them is) have actually stepped up and pitched in when I needed it. Two other people have at least given me a ring up. A lot of people over the years have asked me for help, be it financial, emotional or otherwise, and they got it. It's funny how silent the phone is now that the shoe is on the other foot.
My email box is filled daily with people's opinions. Fair enough, I'm paid for mine. What's stunning is the conviction and the venom. I still can't get over how people think it is acceptable to insult people based on their viewpoints in this country, and especially over something as silly as sports. Some of them are laughable _ I get the soccer equivalent of people insisting, say, that Michael Jordan is actually a white man from Alaska. But others are kind of sad: they reflect a basic lack of understanding in every sense. The education people are getting over here is appalling, and I'm speaking as someone who was appalled by the quality of my own secondary school education. There's no reading, no rhetoric, and precious little thinking. Information has replaced wisdom, and people don't seem to understand the difference. We're too willing to see opinions as facts. We've created a society where everyone is oracular, and so consequently, convinced that no one else can be correct. This is all reflected in the viciousness of our media and of general public discourse.
I hate to make a leap, but America is now far gone beyond a "coarsening of our culture." There now sits upon us a deep-seated meanness, borne out of a conviction that someone, somehow, somewhere is getting something we're not. It could be money, fame, happiness _ does it matter? But the events of the past twenty years _ the incessant bickering in our governments, the bitter partisanship, the clear abdication of social responsibility and the looting of our society by a new oligarchy _ have embittered this society. We really have become a village _and, as Houellebecq noted, a real village is full of provincial, unquestioning idiots and all the laundry airs in public.
This has much deeper effects. When people don't respect each other and don't care about other people, society crumbles. We've gone from seeing each other as similar, moral creatures, and instead see each other as objects and obstacles. Take a walk around your city sometime with a cane _ it's an eye opener. I actually haven't had to use a cane in six months, but I was reminded of this when I went out with a pal on Tuesday. Basic city services _ and not just for the disabled _ are out of service or in disrepair. In every New York City subway I've ever ridden on, I've witnessed people getting up for the disabled and the aged, I've yet to see that happen once here in Chicago. People joke about New York City drivers, but here in Chicago, they actually try to run you down if you're handicapped, or on a bike, or just walking. Why? Because no one wants to spend any money on infrastructure: We've convinced a generation that one thing public government IS good at _ maintaining public property _ can't actually be done by governments. They're too "corrupt," and "just spending our money." The truth is, in fact, there is a concerted effort out to starve our cities and our government borne out of (what I see as) a misguided ideology that supposes the planet would be better if we all fended for ourselves. Taken to its logical extremes, that boils down to: Take care of number one, and fuck 'em all.
So, anyway: Things have calmed down a bit finally, and with the cold weather, I've been spending time catching up on reading and getting back in the swing of writing. I've got a children's book I'm working on _ something I've been puttering about with on and off _ and I'm trying to finish up a couple of comic book pitches. I also, at some point, have to decide what to write my next book about. Of course, I'm still plugging away at football.
What has also been interesting is how change reveals who your friends really are. To date, a grand total of three people (not including folks here on SG, though one of them is) have actually stepped up and pitched in when I needed it. Two other people have at least given me a ring up. A lot of people over the years have asked me for help, be it financial, emotional or otherwise, and they got it. It's funny how silent the phone is now that the shoe is on the other foot.
My email box is filled daily with people's opinions. Fair enough, I'm paid for mine. What's stunning is the conviction and the venom. I still can't get over how people think it is acceptable to insult people based on their viewpoints in this country, and especially over something as silly as sports. Some of them are laughable _ I get the soccer equivalent of people insisting, say, that Michael Jordan is actually a white man from Alaska. But others are kind of sad: they reflect a basic lack of understanding in every sense. The education people are getting over here is appalling, and I'm speaking as someone who was appalled by the quality of my own secondary school education. There's no reading, no rhetoric, and precious little thinking. Information has replaced wisdom, and people don't seem to understand the difference. We're too willing to see opinions as facts. We've created a society where everyone is oracular, and so consequently, convinced that no one else can be correct. This is all reflected in the viciousness of our media and of general public discourse.
I hate to make a leap, but America is now far gone beyond a "coarsening of our culture." There now sits upon us a deep-seated meanness, borne out of a conviction that someone, somehow, somewhere is getting something we're not. It could be money, fame, happiness _ does it matter? But the events of the past twenty years _ the incessant bickering in our governments, the bitter partisanship, the clear abdication of social responsibility and the looting of our society by a new oligarchy _ have embittered this society. We really have become a village _and, as Houellebecq noted, a real village is full of provincial, unquestioning idiots and all the laundry airs in public.
This has much deeper effects. When people don't respect each other and don't care about other people, society crumbles. We've gone from seeing each other as similar, moral creatures, and instead see each other as objects and obstacles. Take a walk around your city sometime with a cane _ it's an eye opener. I actually haven't had to use a cane in six months, but I was reminded of this when I went out with a pal on Tuesday. Basic city services _ and not just for the disabled _ are out of service or in disrepair. In every New York City subway I've ever ridden on, I've witnessed people getting up for the disabled and the aged, I've yet to see that happen once here in Chicago. People joke about New York City drivers, but here in Chicago, they actually try to run you down if you're handicapped, or on a bike, or just walking. Why? Because no one wants to spend any money on infrastructure: We've convinced a generation that one thing public government IS good at _ maintaining public property _ can't actually be done by governments. They're too "corrupt," and "just spending our money." The truth is, in fact, there is a concerted effort out to starve our cities and our government borne out of (what I see as) a misguided ideology that supposes the planet would be better if we all fended for ourselves. Taken to its logical extremes, that boils down to: Take care of number one, and fuck 'em all.
So, anyway: Things have calmed down a bit finally, and with the cold weather, I've been spending time catching up on reading and getting back in the swing of writing. I've got a children's book I'm working on _ something I've been puttering about with on and off _ and I'm trying to finish up a couple of comic book pitches. I also, at some point, have to decide what to write my next book about. Of course, I'm still plugging away at football.
VIEW 3 of 3 COMMENTS
My friend's theory is that sports give men especially an outlet for something else to talk about that is less personal (although not always) than politics which can be vicious and vitriolic. It's a common ground on which most can relate and do so with things like soccer on a worldwide basis. Soccer was my wingman in Europe, not only because I met up with friends I had met through the sport on a forum I'm an admin at, but because I met so many interesting people on my travels who were fans of the game. It's an instant conversation starter.
However, with anything...not everyone is diplomatic, fair, or even smart in their demeanor, logic and opinions.
If this is in terms of US soccer fans (which I presume it is) from what I have experienced as a fan who has traveled around the country following the team as well as actively following it in the media, the knowledge of the game isn't as widespread here as it is everywhere else. It's still a very cult phenomena. You will have people who follow the team like diehards, and then there are people who will never have heard of Tim Howard.
You have most Americans not even rooting for our own national team. My friend Pete was almost crying with anger when we were at the Ingerlund/USA game in Chicago because of all the American "English" fans. You also have the noveau EPL types ( a new breed here) that really lack the knowledge of their club and talk about things that they have no clue about.
As a sportswriter or really any public commentator you'll get plenty of these goof balls sending that crap, but I wouldn't bother with it.
Just remember you do a great service for the real people who care about the sport, and perhaps you'll get these goofs sending stupid emails to the point where they understand what you speak of, and can debate like an actual adult with you over the various topics of the world game.
As for the education system, being a former education major I must say its not a rosy picture in public schools, but many of the things that can be done to fix it come across political lines and the kids aren't always first...when they should be.
I shouldn't have a junior in a history class that has a 4th grade reading level. How many people failed him to get to that point?
Look at your writing sometimes as being a teacher, because at this stage that's what the sport needs in this country. Education is the key to unlocking most things.
On another note isn't Chi-Town going with an Olympic bid? You're screwed if you have bad public transport for that.
Oh, and for the Books. I can just send that money to the addy you gave me through paypal? That will work? If so I'll do it on Monday. I'll be gone this weekend.
For realz, I find it ironic that the guy (U know who), a fervent supporter of unions (even sez so right in his Newsarama sig!
He gets way too "me first" when it comes to the way he fights for his right to get into long-winded disputes on the message boards.
I feel bad for Troy because it's a recurring waste of his time playing den mother to this "same shit, different topic" from the same guy.