Aunty 'Murken

[Gerry Storm]

I grow more astonished regularly as I realize that perhaps the greatest
influence on the american male ethic (especially in the west) is the
"'49'er" image.

This had little to do with foreign influence and colonialism as we know it.
It had everything to do with an individual or very small group of men of
European rots seeking wealth from the great mountains of the americdan west,
great wealth. Anyone could particiapate. The laws were somewhat vague and
largely unenforceable for a long time, but there was a code. It is this code
which more or less governed the 50 years or so from the first gold strike in
California (where the ethic was born) to the spreading of the prospectors
all over the west and into Alaska to the final demise of the prospects of
hitting the big one--around the turn of the century. In many ways it is
still the rule.

Although many of the particiapants in this great hunt which ultimately
uncovered great stores of mineral wealth were educated and civil, the code
did not (does not) favor these qualities. It does favor a cussed, determined
attitude driven by the illusion of obtaining great wealth and thus being
free from most laws that purport to rule the society of man. It is
especially against the great threat of "big government" or a well organizied
resistance to the code of "free" men.

The illusion of one's obtaining great wealth and thus living "free", like
the kings, is still very much with us. It still drives many men and there
are those among us who have succeeded in acquiring all the trappings of the
successful 49'ers and the realization of the dream of striking it rich...and
they are the idols of our nation.

Perhaps the best understanding of this code is to be found in the Wallace
Stegner novel "The Big Rock Candy Mountain".

Bush is attempting to play the role of one who is driven by the 49'er code,
the simplistic image of resolutelness and primitive faith above all other
values. In reality he has none of the qualifications. He is not his own man,
nor even his own invention. He has never gotten his hands dirty, never had
to scrape out a living with his wits. He is a puppet from central casting,
and yet, he will probably carry the west again. I guess you have to admit
that he is successful at it, that he appears to play the role to the hilt.
I'd guess that most of his supporters can see him on horseback, riding into
the sunset, shooting rattlers with a 30-30 from the hip, etc. Lord, what a
distortion, what a mess, what a tragedy for the world.
G



----- Original Message -----
From: "Pepi Plowman" <pepstoil@yahoo.com>
To: <austin-ghetto-list@pairlist.net>
Sent: Thursday, October 21, 2004 9:33 PM
Subject: Re: Aunty 'Murken


> I can definitely dig the great colonizing swindle of
> this country, and know why people screamed "americana"
> at me when I walked down the street in Venezuela.  I'm
> afraid we have joined the "Third World," despite
> everyone's denial.  The marauding Huns have been
> reinvented and are tearing the joint up.  To the
> hills! To the hills!
> pep
> --- blacky@cbn.net.id wrote:
>
> > It was amusing to read an account in The Economist
> > of the history of the
> > first British investment in 'the colonies'.
> >
> > Guess who came out on top. Guess who held the shit
> > end of the stick.
> >
> > It would not surprise me to learn that
> > 'anti-Americanism' dated from those
> > early days. Apart from the religious nuts &
> > fanatics, remittancemen, draft
> > dodgers and adventurers, the new land attracted what
> > no prettification can
> > avoid labeling swindlers, more commonly titled today
> > 'investment fund
> > counselors' and such.
> >
> > Most of the investment was in the ag sector. Most
> > lost shirts for Brit
> > investors. But it was the cash generator that
> > started off, with a roar,
> > the American economy.
> >
> > Since WW-II the same thing has been happening of
> > course with American and
> > European investment in fatally attractive 'emerging
> > markets' (aka
> > 'emergency markets') like Brazil, Kenya, and my
> > current home, Indonesia.
> >
> > Locals do swell. Wall Street bloodsuckers do great
> > on commissions, win or
> > lose.
> >
> > But Grandma and Grandpa back in East Dogpatch,
> > having sunk their life
> > savings in those brilliant mutual funds, come a
> > cropper alas.
> >
> > Thus the 'anti-American' resentment at being
> > swindled can now be felt
> > about countries that have in recent years ripped off
> > the wealthy West and
> > Japan. What goes round la la.
> >
> >
> BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB
> >
> >
>
>
>
>
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