An Intellectual Experiment

I am conducting an intellectual experiment.

I have to do this from time to time to convince myself that I am actually smart, since the way I have lived my life provides no support for such a conclusion.

I am 64, backed into a corner with no means of escape or vindication. So I sit in my recliner, reading, with the hope that occasionally what I read lays testament to a functioning brain.

I recently read Bruce Springsteen's autobiography. It was excellent. Superb in its honesty.

Great story of his life and the road he took to rock and roll royalty. He also admits that he has taken antidepressants for decades and has been seeing a therapist for decades. This blew me away.

The man I see on stage does not appear to have any problems. In fact, the way he performs looks like a form of therapy to me. I cannot believe he has not had a stroke or a heart attack in concert.

But I digress. In the book he said that when he decided to become politically active he needed to educate himself. So he read two books.

"A Pocket History of the United States", by Allan Nevins and Henry Steele Commager. This is a straight ahead history of the U.S starting with the pilgrim landing and running up through Reagan. You know, the typical propaganda we have all been taught.

and

"A People's History of the United States" by Howard Zinn. This book starts with Columbus. It tells our history from the point of view of those who were abused, taken advantage of and demoralized in the evolution of America.

In other words - the truth.

I took Bruce's lead and decided to do the same.

Yesterday I finished "A Pocket History". 635 pages worth.

Honestly it was a good read. It was more informative to read the book day after day than it was to sit in history classes when I was a kid. I learned stuff. I also smirked whenever it went over the top describing the glories of this country and its leaders.

Started "A People's History" this morning. 682 pages worth.

Slapped me in the face right off the bat. Page 1, paragraph 1.

Describing Columbus' landing:

"Arawak men and women, naked, tawny and full of wonder emerged from their villages onto the island's beaches and swam out to get a closer look at the strange big boat. When Columbus and his sailors came ashore, carrying swords, speaking oddly, the Arawaks ran to greet them, brought them food, water, gifts. He (Columbus) later wrote of this in his log:

They brought us parrots and balls of cotton and spears, and many other things which they exchanged for the glass beads and hawks' bells. They willingly traded everything they owned. They were well-built with good bodies and handsome features. They do not bear arms and do not know them, for I showed them a sword, they took it by the edge and cut themselves out of ignorance. They have no iron. Their spears are made of cane. They would make fine servants. With fifty men we could subjugate them all and make them do whatever we want."

What kind of piece of shit would come across an unknown civilization and immediately think about making slaves out of them.

Hence the karma of America. A karma that takes us from 1492 to trump.

I only read around 20 pages this morning. What I read already broke my heart. Viciousness, murder, slaughtered children, stolen goods, burned crops.

I will like this book. I will like it for its honesty. It will confirm what I already know. But it will break my heart over and over again.

We stole this country from its native inhabitants. We lied to them, tortured them, disgraced them and killed them.

And never looked back. That wasn't enough so we decided to embrace slavery. And on and on and on.

I believe this country is on the decline and will one day collapse. Like all "great" empires.

I have no problem with that.

We get what we deserve.