I called up lute songs by John Dowland on my computer. Settled down to listen. So what happens? Every 4 mins, it's interrupted by an ad; which I then hafta get up and switch off. What kind of society interrupts great classical music with ads? Ans.: a hustling society. A society of sleazebags, douchebags, and buffoons. I pee on them.
These cops were true Americans. Not being really threatened, they gunned down the kid in the street, like a dog. It is precisely this that has made America great. We can all salute the Boys in Blue.
Last note b4 I hit the sack: Trumpi's tariffs were going to be so damaging to the economy, that w/exception of China, he's called them all off for 90 days. What can we conclude from this? First, that he really has no idea what he's doing. It's all arbitrary, off the cuff. 2nd, that he's a buffoon, a horse's ass, and above all--a douche bag. Poor Trumpalumpi tries to pretend he's cool, but the bottom line is that our president is in fact a douche bag. Once again, consider the fact that History has a sense of humor. It chose Trumpi to be the agent of the American collapse, and the tectonic shift. Isn't that amazing? It chose a total douche bag to carry out these things.
-mb
ps: It does bother me that in their critiques of Trumpi and his admin, critics like Shahid Bolsen do not use the words 'douche bag' or 'buffoon'. While I appreciate their keen insights, I am nevertheless a bit annoyed that they pull back from calling a spade a spade.
Ha ha! But I'm largely ignored. Within the next month, I'll be publishing my 24th bk (another novel). You'd think, as a result, I'd be rolling in dough. Not a chance. My annual royalties amount to slightly more than bupkis. In a word, very few people read my stuff. But consider this scenario, 50 yrs hence: Chinese historians are digging thru the ruins of the NY Public Library, and come across my work. They sit and read various texts of mine, such as WAF, and are completely fascinated. Finally one historian says to another, "This guy Belman had it figured out all along, and he was completely ignored. Why didn't Americans pay any attention to him?" Of course, I won't be there to enlighten them, but I'm quite certain I know why my royalties amount to slightly more than bupkis.
In some of my recent work, I've referred to "The Sopranos" as a microcosm of the American way of life. Recent commentary in the Wash Post echoes this, talks abt the show's writer, David Chase, and says that a major theme of the show, per Chase, was to chart "the day-to-day attrition of a man’s soul"--referring to Tony Soprano. True, but I also think Chase was trying to show the attrition of America's soul; and I think he did a gd job. By the end, nearly everyone has killed off everyone else, and what they have, after a lifetime of hustling, is nada.
And he won't get fired! Trumpi's test for appointees is not competence, but loyalty. So what we got is a collection of buffoons who don't know what they're doing. Which is great, from a declinist pt of view. The US needs to be dismantled. He's doing it. Go, Trumpi!
Being a complete moron, Trumpi has no idea what he's doing. But History knows what he's doing: dismantling the nation, and assisting in the tectonic shift. Go, Trumpi! There is simply no question that w/u at the helm, we will crash and burn.
The author is completely unaware of the two tectonic shifts we have discussed on this blog, and unaware that Trumpi is History's agent for the dismantling of America. He talks as tho the US could somehow have a viable future, when such a possibility is completely foreclosed. I read this sort of stuff, and wonder how it is that the American intellectual class can be so ignorant, so out of touch with the historical processes currently underway. But I suppose that blindness is just one more factor in our decline.
He's jus' doin' his job as assigned to him by History. Of course Hegel had no idea that the Agent of History cd be a moron, a scumbag, and a buffoon. The fact is that he has no idea as to what he is doing; it's all ad hoc, even unconscious. Which makes his Agency even more effective. Go, Trumpi! Wafers and declinists worldwide are rooting for ya.
The chances that Sam is a complete horse's ass are v. high. 2nd, the destruction of the country is in the cards, and 0 can stop it now. Wh/wd be gd for the rest of the world, of course. Anyway, by 2030 the US will have no real power, and the rest of the world will regard it as a turkey country; wh/it does already, really. Note also that the phrase "we'll need each other" is one Americans are unable to understand. Except for Wafers and Native Americans. Read my new bk, "Death by Buffoonage."
-mb
ps: Note that at age 80, I cd croak any day now. I've picked out the epitaph for my headstone: "I kept telling them, but did they listen? No!" Kind of catchy, doncha think?
Quite a discovery, thank you. The notion that tech is neutral (can be used for gd or evil) was debunked ages ago by Marcuse and McLuhan, but everyone still goes around believing in that false, comforting notion. In fact, it comes trailing w/an instrumental ideology, wh/is hardly neutral. For the thesis that it is America's hidden religion, check out WAF ch. 3.
The Dems are certainly finished; they have no idea what they stand for, and probably most Americans have lost interest in them. Meanwhile, I have a feeling Trumpalumpi will try for a 3rd term. His recent comments on the subject are a trial balloon...I suspect. And hovering over all of this is that the US will be effectively dead in the water by 2030. Alive in name only; like England. A Potemkin country, filled w/turkeys, gobbling away. A sad sight, for all the world to witness. Read my new bk, "Douchebag Nation."
Wafers-
I called up lute songs by John Dowland on my computer. Settled down to listen. So what happens? Every 4 mins, it's interrupted by an ad; which I then hafta get up and switch off. What kind of society interrupts great classical music with ads? Ans.: a hustling society. A society of sleazebags, douchebags, and buffoons. I pee on them.
-mb
Joe-
These cops were true Americans. Not being really threatened, they gunned down the kid in the street, like a dog. It is precisely this that has made America great. We can all salute the Boys in Blue.
Last note b4 I hit the sack: Trumpi's tariffs were going to be so damaging to the economy, that w/exception of China, he's called them all off for 90 days. What can we conclude from this? First, that he really has no idea what he's doing. It's all arbitrary, off the cuff. 2nd, that he's a buffoon, a horse's ass, and above all--a douche bag. Poor Trumpalumpi tries to pretend he's cool, but the bottom line is that our president is in fact a douche bag. Once again, consider the fact that History has a sense of humor. It chose Trumpi to be the agent of the American collapse, and the tectonic shift. Isn't that amazing? It chose a total douche bag to carry out these things.
-mb
ps: It does bother me that in their critiques of Trumpi and his admin, critics like Shahid Bolsen do not use the words 'douche bag' or 'buffoon'. While I appreciate their keen insights, I am nevertheless a bit annoyed that they pull back from calling a spade a spade.
Absolutely the worst, most vicious nation on the planet:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/may/20/israel-still-blocking-aid-for-gaza-despite-promise-to-lift-siege-says-un
Black-
Ha ha! But I'm largely ignored. Within the next month, I'll be publishing my 24th bk (another novel). You'd think, as a result, I'd be rolling in dough. Not a chance. My annual royalties amount to slightly more than bupkis. In a word, very few people read my stuff. But consider this scenario, 50 yrs hence: Chinese historians are digging thru the ruins of the NY Public Library, and come across my work. They sit and read various texts of mine, such as WAF, and are completely fascinated. Finally one historian says to another, "This guy Belman had it figured out all along, and he was completely ignored. Why didn't Americans pay any attention to him?" Of course, I won't be there to enlighten them, but I'm quite certain I know why my royalties amount to slightly more than bupkis.
-mb
Laurence-
Personally, I think anyone who gets out is smart. I've been saying that for yrs, and did it myself. Kudos!
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David-
An important factor in the decline and fall of the US is having utter morons in positions of power. Go, RFK Jr.!
Wafers-
In some of my recent work, I've referred to "The Sopranos" as a microcosm of the American way of life. Recent commentary in the Wash Post echoes this, talks abt the show's writer, David Chase, and says that a major theme of the show, per Chase, was to chart "the day-to-day attrition of a man’s soul"--referring to Tony Soprano. True, but I also think Chase was trying to show the attrition of America's soul; and I think he did a gd job. By the end, nearly everyone has killed off everyone else, and what they have, after a lifetime of hustling, is nada.
-mb
Mo-
And he won't get fired! Trumpi's test for appointees is not competence, but loyalty. So what we got is a collection of buffoons who don't know what they're doing. Which is great, from a declinist pt of view. The US needs to be dismantled. He's doing it. Go, Trumpi!
-mb
Jack-
Being a complete moron, Trumpi has no idea what he's doing. But History knows what he's doing: dismantling the nation, and assisting in the tectonic shift. Go, Trumpi! There is simply no question that w/u at the helm, we will crash and burn.
-mb
Wafers-
I'm always amazed when astute political observers overlook what is actually going on in the US, and the world at large. Here's an example:
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/21/opinion/trump-maga-movement-future.html
The author is completely unaware of the two tectonic shifts we have discussed on this blog, and unaware that Trumpi is History's agent for the dismantling of America. He talks as tho the US could somehow have a viable future, when such a possibility is completely foreclosed. I read this sort of stuff, and wonder how it is that the American intellectual class can be so ignorant, so out of touch with the historical processes currently underway. But I suppose that blindness is just one more factor in our decline.
-mb
Laurence-
He's jus' doin' his job as assigned to him by History. Of course Hegel had no idea that the Agent of History cd be a moron, a scumbag, and a buffoon. The fact is that he has no idea as to what he is doing; it's all ad hoc, even unconscious. Which makes his Agency even more effective. Go, Trumpi! Wafers and declinists worldwide are rooting for ya.
-mb
ps: Remember my prediction abt 2030.
From Fenton Johnson's bk, "At the Center of All Beauty":
-“cheapness and convenience have replaced care and attention as our top priorities.”
-“Capitalism tells me I will find myself in things—I will locate my self, literally and psychologically, in and with my phone”
-“capitalism and technology rob us of the satisfactions to be found in a task well done”
-Imagine, that “Instead of conquering nations or mountains or outer space, we set out to conquer our need to conquer.”
Let me add one of my own: an American looks in the mirror and says: "I've had it; I refuse to be a buffoon any longer."
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Black-
The chances that Sam is a complete horse's ass are v. high. 2nd, the destruction of the country is in the cards, and 0 can stop it now. Wh/wd be gd for the rest of the world, of course. Anyway, by 2030 the US will have no real power, and the rest of the world will regard it as a turkey country; wh/it does already, really. Note also that the phrase "we'll need each other" is one Americans are unable to understand. Except for Wafers and Native Americans. Read my new bk, "Death by Buffoonage."
-mb
ps: Note that at age 80, I cd croak any day now. I've picked out the epitaph for my headstone: "I kept telling them, but did they listen? No!" Kind of catchy, doncha think?
David-
Quite a discovery, thank you. The notion that tech is neutral (can be used for gd or evil) was debunked ages ago by Marcuse and McLuhan, but everyone still goes around believing in that false, comforting notion. In fact, it comes trailing w/an instrumental ideology, wh/is hardly neutral. For the thesis that it is America's hidden religion, check out WAF ch. 3.
-mb
Wafers-
This essay reminds me of Zygmunt Bauman's bk "Liquid Modernity":
https://www.noemamag.com/the-call-of-ritual/
-mb
Black-
The Dems are certainly finished; they have no idea what they stand for, and probably most Americans have lost interest in them. Meanwhile, I have a feeling Trumpalumpi will try for a 3rd term. His recent comments on the subject are a trial balloon...I suspect. And hovering over all of this is that the US will be effectively dead in the water by 2030. Alive in name only; like England. A Potemkin country, filled w/turkeys, gobbling away. A sad sight, for all the world to witness. Read my new bk, "Douchebag Nation."
-mb