Angry Talk ... (DRATS, Not even Barack Obama can save us now)

NRO ^ | January 2, 2007 | Stanley Kurtz

[IrishMike]

So the Democrats won the election. Is there any less anger in our politics for that? Not as far as I can tell. To be sure, you’ll find some relief on the Left, and a bit of smugness as well (the latter stemming more from our troubles in Iraq than from the election itself). But are we back to sweetness and light, say, on the web? I don’t think so. That is exactly why Peter Wood’s new book, A Bee in the Mouth: Anger in America Now scores a direct cultural hit. America has entered an enduring age of anger, and Peter Wood is the able (and unruffled) chronicler of that epoch. I doubt that even Barack Obama can save us from our anger now. That’s because the anger that lately pervades our politics is more than just an aftereffect of six years of Democratic setbacks (although the strikingly angry Democratic response to their six bad years does call for an explanation). Our political anger is only the most impressive expression of a much wider cultural transformation. In politics, in music, in sports, on the web, in our families, and in the relations between the sexes, American anger has come into its own. Wood says we’re living in an era of “New Anger,” and regardless of who becomes our next president, New Anger isn’t going away anytime soon.

Anger Old and New What exactly is New Anger? Let’s find out by first having a look at Old Anger. Before we lionized all those angry anti-heroes — from Jack Nicholson in the movies, to John McEnroe on the tennis court — Americans admired the strong silent type: slow to boil, reluctant to fight unless sorely provoked, and disinclined to show anger even then. Gary Cooper in Sargent York comes to mind.

[Steve_Seattle]

Compare rock music now to the way it was in the 50s and early 60s. Early rock music had a lot of exuberance and fun - Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, the Beach Boys, the early Beatles, etc. Now, most rock music is morose and introverted and dark. When I see teenagers and 20-somethings these days, they often seem sullen and angry. Maybe it's just Seattle, but they don't seem to be having much fun; there is little joy in them.

[Fresh Wind]

I'm not so much angry as disappointed and frustrated. Tony Snow notwithstanding, this administration has not done a great job at all on the public relations front.

Why has the administration done so little to publicize the contents of the Iraq documents? Why did the administration do so little to counter the blatant lies of Joe Wilson? Why is the administration allowing the MSM to define the debate over Iraq?

Bush owns the bully pulpit, but he could use it much more effectively. Yes, the news conferences help but the average guy on the street never sees them. All he ever gets is the MSM's version, which at best is heavily slanted and at worst, outright lies. All he knows is that Iraq was a terrible screw up and that Bush lied about the reasons to go to war. He has no basis on which to believe otherwise.

It doesn't always have to be Bush himself making his case, but he has be a leader and get his team out there in a consistent and organized fashion to counter the MSM/DNC lies. It's not good enough to do it once in a while, or just before an election. The MSM anti-Bush drumbeat goes on 24/7. The administration has to operate at the same level of intensity.

But intensity is not the same as anger.

Unfortunately, after six years, it's almost too late. The damage is severe.

[pollyannaish]

The angry man, Wood reminds us, was once thought a weak-minded zealot, bereft of good judgment and prey to false clarity.

Some of us still believe this. Interesting article. Thanks for posting it.

[pollyannaish]

As noted, Wood says the Right is angry, too. Yet, as Wood puts it, political anger on the Right is often anger with a guilty conscience, “anger that would prefer to be old anger, but can’t quite recover the old restraint.” The Left’s New Anger turns out to be infectious, at times goading the Right into a New Anger-style counter-reaction.

This can't be said enough.

[pollyannaish]

As noted, Wood says the Right is angry, too. Yet, as Wood puts it, political anger on the Right is often anger with a guilty conscience, “anger that would prefer to be old anger, but can’t quite recover the old restraint.” The Left’s New Anger turns out to be infectious, at times goading the Right into a New Anger-style counter-reaction.

This can't be said enough.

[pollyannaish]

Well, count me among those who are going to read the book. The tone of our national debates has gotten way off track...even here. It has started to really disturb me. To not be able to disagree with someone without feeling absolute contempt and questioning the motives of the person with the other point of view is NOT good for any of us.

[pollyannaish]

I wonder if the difference between "Old" and "New" anger is the difference between "Righteous Anger" and "Self-righteous Anger"

Excellent observation, and imo not an oversimplification at all, but rather an economical use of language. :-)

[sauropod]

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[Democratshavenobrains]

"New Anger is everything that Old Anger was not: flamboyant, self-righteous, and proud."

Sounds like a spot on definition of a DUher.

[oh8eleven]

Early rock music had a lot of exuberance and fun
Boy, you hit the nail right on the head - it made you feel good. Since the late 70's it's been HORRIBLE.

[usurper]

Please, rap nazis. We DO get rap. That's why it sucks.

While I am not a proponent of larger government (read my tag line), we may need to reconsider cutting funding for music education. I can’t take anymore ear poisoning.

[Lee'sGhost]

Gave me an idea for a tag line.

Rap is proof that music education is not working.

[bannie]

bump--later

[IrishMike]

Seems in politics today we have misbehaving brats on one side, and lax parents on the other.
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We're the lax parents ?

[Diana in Wisconsin]

In the sense that we never seem to slap down the misbehaving brats on the left. We're way too nice, IMHO.