General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsI haven't posted much lately...
Mostly because I don’t feel have anything to contribute, and the sadness the vast number of us feel at this site has been well expressed by many. However, I wanted to relate something which I found ironically amusing.
During this self-imposed exile from cable news, my wife and I have been watching and re-watching series on Netflix, Showtime, and HBO Max. We just finished re-watching Game of Thrones last night and it is the first time for me to have watched the series in its entirety. I found it a rather empty, pornographically violent without verve or reason, and a depressingly predictable costume drama. I know this runs contrary to many who enjoyed it thoroughly, and that is fine: different strokes for different folks.
However, during the final episode, the remaining group of survivors is sitting around, trying to figure out whom to anoint as king, and one of the individuals states that perhaps the leader should be chosen by “everyone“ rather than this panel of royalty and their closest henchmen and henchwomen. There is a long silence… And then everyone burst into raucous laughter which goes on for some time.
For me, this was the most poignant moment in the entire series. The powers that be have no interest in the populace determining their leaders and find it positively laughable. This was the most realistic moment in the 70+ episodes of this series. In a way it was a punchline of a 74 hour joke.
I also want to relate an incident which occurred last night as we were locking up the Dental office. The group of us have been able to bond recently over one aberrant staff member who is disruptive and egocentric, and in addition, is being very stupid about it. Anyway, as we are walking out of the building, one of the receptionists asked me to say frankly what I think of Donald Trump. Now I know for a fact that except for me, the owners of the practice, and possibly one staff exception, everyone else voted for Orangina. At first I demurred but she pressed me and feeling my oats a little bit I said to her, all the while laughing, “I don’t vote for rapists, I don’t vote for thieves, I don’t vote for con men who sell bad steaks, drinking water, wine, and phony diplomas from fake universities, I don’t vote for liars, and you know what, I ESPECIALLY don’t vote for people who soil their pants in public, OK?”
Her retort was simply, “I understand.“ And I replied, still laughing, “I don’t think you really do. And I’m going to tell you that if this man were in your family, you would be thoroughly disgusted and depressed, but it doesn’t really matter because he is all yours now again and everything that happens in this country we are going to hang on his shoulders, OK? Just enjoy your free groceries and your dollar a gallon gas and have a great weekend.”
And I then drove off into the sunset.

Beringia
(4,983 posts)magicarpet
(17,896 posts)..... into a very sharp point and tore off a hunk of flesh. Sounds like she might have needed a tourniquet.
TheRickles
(2,663 posts)barbtries
(30,281 posts)FalloutShelter
(13,209 posts)I had a few moments over the Holiday and I edited my response down to two words “Rapist Traitor.
If you are a-okay with that, I can’t fix you. “
I have also shared my ire for all of the Democrats who blame the party for their performance during the election.
The Democratic Party can’t fix the hole in the soul of these voters anymore than I can.
Trueblue Texan
(3,250 posts)I am so fed up with all the blame heaped on the Democratic Party, when the elephant in the room is shitting on the furniture!
wnylib
(25,211 posts)I am seeing a lot of Dem bashing on DU lately. It's not limited to complaints about the party for losing the election. It extends to trashing recent Dem presidents and candidates, from Biden to Obama to Hillary.
I know that EarlG posted an OP about starting a forum for CONSTRUCTIVE comments to discuss where the party should go from here, and suggested allowing some criticism in the course of those discussions. But as yet, I have not seen that forum established. Instead, I have seen posts that use flamboyant, disingenuous language to trash the party and its leaders. Two that I've recently read sounded like Freepers had taken a wrong left turn in the Internet.
3Hotdogs
(14,044 posts)Unfortunately, we will be the ones stepping in the shit.
PennRalphie
(406 posts)If you know everyone in your dental practice voted for him, obviously they know you didn’t. Have they harassed you about it? Talked down to you? If they have, you would have left. If you felt free enough to laugh at a receptionist while telling her why you didn’t vote for the person everyone else voted for, are you feeling uneasy about what her boss may say to you? Unless you’re the boss. In that case, I would be surprised that you hired anyone who voted for him.
For the life of me, I cannot understand DU members, intelligent, successful people, engaging with people instead of just ignoring him. If you would have said, I don’t discuss politics at work, that may have really angered her into saying something she shouldn’t. Please do let us know what her boss (unless you’re the boss) says if and when she decides to discuss that with the boss.
All of this energy could and should be transferred to your favorite Democratic representative or Senator in DC. They have the power to do something.
Butterflylady
(4,334 posts)In fact I'm going bookmark his post.
Arazi
(7,638 posts)And fwiw, you must be new if you don’t know PCintern’s history as he’s pretty freely shared his real life bio here…
Short version (and I’ll let him correct me), he sold his/this dental practice a couple years ago and now just works on his own schedule helping the new owner and taking care of long-standing patients.
So he’s kinda the boss and an employee iirc - a senior emeritus position if you will and obviously not immune to MAGAt needling.
PennRalphie
(406 posts)Before he sold the business? Or the new owner hired those people and he freely decided to work with them? The ones he knows had the political ideology that would make them likely to vote for trump? I give him credit for that. Those people must have been the best available?
In today’s sue your employer world, it really seems unusual for a boss, even one with a senior emeritus position would willfully answer a political question, instead of just saying they don’t talk about politics.
Since he’s the boss, the receptionist who dared ask the question will probably end up losing her job.
PCIntern
(27,216 posts)Since your post is rather, shall we say confrontational, I’ll do the same. What would make you think based on anything I said that this was an office in which I had any status other than independent contractor/employee? I essentially no longer work in my original practice and there just day a month to babysit my reconstruction patients who need help and assistance of both the dental and psychological variety. I love them like extended family, but I understand my role and got out of there more or less entirely.
I have not discussed any politics at work until yesterday, and when confronted by a Trumpian, I was not going to back down. Our fucking party is losing because we back down to these motherfuckers all the time and I am good and goddamned sick and tired of it. I will not be silenced, I am not afraid and I can do anything the fuck I want because I’m a fucking doctor OK? They need me there and the boss loves me and he and his wife are both liberal Democrats so these fucking people who collect a check every week do not have a leg to stand on as far as anyone is concerned. I produce an enormous amount of money for these people out of the blue, and can convince nearly anyone to have their dentistry done and to pay for it gladly. That is my major asset. In other words, I ain’t getting fired no time soon.
In addition, I don’t take shit from anybody anymore OK? I’m 72 years old and I’m tired of it. The reason I’m working now is because I tried to make friends with everyone rather than have a serious approach to finances and status by being Mr. nice guy. Well, no more Mr. nice guy when it’s appropriate not to be since I got fucked by everybody and I have to work to pay the bills.
I hope I answered your questions.
Response to PCIntern (Reply #17)
Post removed
Arazi
(7,638 posts)That’s what I don’t get about these kinds of posts - you conveniently overlook that the MAGAt deliberately brought it up, not PCIntern…
That some folks refuse to capitulate to their ignorance is a testament to the fact that PC hasn’t given up at least. Not Nazi Germany yet thank god…
And it’s rich that you’re calling him a liar. Fyi he’s been here a hell of a lot longer than you and has definitely built up more credibility than you…
PCIntern
(27,216 posts)And that’s too bad.
Arazi
(7,638 posts)There’s some folks here who refuse to believe that Trump‘s cult thrives on conflict and confrontation. They always assume that we’re spoiling for the fight.
Like you, if one of them wants to get into it I’m not going to stand down and let the lies go on. I know this about myself and it’s why I’ve decided to keep my contact with Republicans to a minimum when I can.
But it’s important we don’t let the lies go uncorrected in my opinion, and that’s going to get very difficult in our new right wing propaganda world going forward. It’s a good thing that some of us still have the courage to take a stand when and where we can. Sharing those stories so we all know we’re not alone will become increasingly necessary because it’s going to get very tough for all of us very quickly.
PCIntern
(27,216 posts)That’s how they became this powerful…we had no guts.
NBachers
(18,413 posts)Clouds Passing
(4,239 posts)
liberalla
(10,380 posts)S/V Loner
(9,294 posts)Has helped me calm down by giving me some clarity about what is going on. Seeing things from a "big picture" view alleviated some of the angst I have been feeling due to the daily bullshit that we see happening around us.
catbyte
(36,647 posts)you can get YouTube on your TV, (or watch on your computer) the Chinese series, "The Story of Yanxi. Palace" is pretty good. It has subtitles and there are 70 45 minute episodes. You should check it out. It was a good escape for me.
PCIntern
(27,216 posts)I shall take a look.
niyad
(122,987 posts)You must understand, that a veteran dental receptionist is impervious to harm. There is no shit that we don’t take in a dental office and after two or three years, you literally cannot be wounded by anything verbal.
In addition, I have the best sets of humor by far of anyone in the office and always have them laughing at my creative schtick.
pwb
(12,252 posts)It is hard to fight back. We could all stop attending sports events to hurt some of them. Imagine the gas saved if all those people in Corporate team jerseys stayed home? It is hard not to watch cable but I am with you. I can always catch the good stuff on You Tube.
bluestarone
(19,350 posts)PERFECT choice of words!! TY.
Hekate
(96,988 posts)Kid Berwyn
(19,730 posts)
Agree about the state of the nation and the ignorance of so many citizens, soon-to-be subjects. I will give them the old what’s for, in every way I can, for as long as I can. Sincerely hope the natsec community knows what the traitor is and move to arrest him, before he sells us out to Putin.
LittleGirl
(8,624 posts)And it's all about the delivery of those truths (that they may or may not have heard before if they are sucked into the right wing silo). You mentioned that you were laughing and saying that at the same time. That's a defensive mode that lightens the dagger of truth you're wielding. Respect sir. When someone asks me, I will use your example as a response and laugh so that I don't have to scream at them. Mucho Respect. Thanks.
defacto7
(14,016 posts)Great answer.
Better yet ... Can I write an opera using that as a theme?
PCIntern
(27,216 posts)Be my guest!
Sparkly
(24,552 posts)
JustABozoOnThisBus
(24,044 posts)The Trump administration has Robert Kennedy Jr, Pete Hegseth, Tulsi Gabbard.
I don't think GOT causes real damage.
PCIntern
(27,216 posts)Horrifying nightmare after nightmare.
Klondike Kat
(874 posts)And I've only seen a couple of episodes of GoT. I'd already read all the books before the videos came out.
Jarqui
(10,613 posts)and I haven't found a good way to do that.
Bluesky and here, as much as I deeply appreciate both for enlightening me, is like preaching to the converted.
X filters my posts so few read them.
The discourse of democracy has been neutered. We have to chat with our own 'kind'. It seems harder to change minds because we can't reach them.
And the media, the great arbiter of democracy, is controlled to such an extent that a lot of journalism is dead. So Bluesky, DU, etc enlighten us but the other side doesn't get to read, hear or see much of that.
It feels like we have to wait two years to find out if they can tighten their control to make electing enough Democrats impossible.
I'm a fighter. I'd like to fight back. But it has to be the kind of a fight where I feel like I'm landing some punches.
I've been at it ~60 years. Never been in a situation like this.