Written by: Kevin Berge
That's your president of the United States, enjoying politics to the fullest. (Image Courtesy of: bgr.com)
Has 2017 been the worst year of all time? No, that's an overstatement, but it's been a pretty bad year. I am not referring to wrestling or entertainment, mostly. The in-ring product has been superb even as WWE tries to book talent into the ground. TV has not been fantastic, but movies this year have been great from all sides.
It is the ethical world that failed in 2017, revealing the fundamental problems people in power and gaining power are exploiting that many would assume would not exist in the modern era. No one is expecting everyone to be perfect, but it would sure be nice if there wasn't a growing contingent of people that were proven to be evil.
Evil is a strong and divisive world, a term that is used to describe the fantasy of mustache-twirling villains attempting to destroy the world because they can. However, it seems appropriate for a growing contingent of people who do not seem to understand wrong is wrong.
It is the ethical world that failed in 2017, revealing the fundamental problems people in power and gaining power are exploiting that many would assume would not exist in the modern era. No one is expecting everyone to be perfect, but it would sure be nice if there wasn't a growing contingent of people that were proven to be evil.
Evil is a strong and divisive world, a term that is used to describe the fantasy of mustache-twirling villains attempting to destroy the world because they can. However, it seems appropriate for a growing contingent of people who do not seem to understand wrong is wrong.
I have tried to avoid politics as a whole. I'm not well versed on the subject, and I don't want to slip into the simplified red vs. blue debate that forgets the importance of a middle ground. Donald Trump's presidency though has been the harbinger of a resurgence of the basic ethical wrongs that should have died a century ago.
Almost two years ago now was the last time I wrote about politics with a satirical piece on Trump's agenda, calling it neo-fascist. It simply baffled me that Trump could spew racist comments, showcase fundamental sexism, and promote an us vs. them mentality and find success.
Apparently, this was just a resurgence in fundamental ethical wrongs. I'm not saying he's the whole catalyst for these events, but, since his presidency, countless actors and producers have been revealed as sexual predators and race relations have become more strenuous than ever. Plus there's Nazis marching in the streets. Nazis!
While Republicans and Democrats struggle over health care and tax reforms, Trump's contributions have included attempting to start a nuclear war with North Korea, lifting a hunting ban on elephants (which he quickly reversed after backlash luckily), and a travel ban that was dominated by Islamophobia (and was luckily blocked by federal judges).
Almost two years ago now was the last time I wrote about politics with a satirical piece on Trump's agenda, calling it neo-fascist. It simply baffled me that Trump could spew racist comments, showcase fundamental sexism, and promote an us vs. them mentality and find success.
Apparently, this was just a resurgence in fundamental ethical wrongs. I'm not saying he's the whole catalyst for these events, but, since his presidency, countless actors and producers have been revealed as sexual predators and race relations have become more strenuous than ever. Plus there's Nazis marching in the streets. Nazis!
While Republicans and Democrats struggle over health care and tax reforms, Trump's contributions have included attempting to start a nuclear war with North Korea, lifting a hunting ban on elephants (which he quickly reversed after backlash luckily), and a travel ban that was dominated by Islamophobia (and was luckily blocked by federal judges).
The one nice thing that could be said about Donald Trump is he's not Harvey Weinstein. (Image Courtesy of: money.cnn.com)
Perhaps the most frightening move by Trump that has permeated the United States has been his systematic attempts to discredit the media. If his ideals that got him president came off as neo-fascist, his push to label all media "fake news" is a full dive into fascism.
Likely inspired by Russian government (that has been implicated repeatedly in Trump's election), Trump has turned the consumption of media into a "but what about them?" game where ethics are just a tool to remind everyone that everyone is bad, excusing all ethical wrongs by equivocating.
The Nazis are wrong, but what about Antifa, a group that use violence to oppose them? Racial injustice is wrong, but what about the NFL players insulting our country by kneeling during the anthem? Sexual assault is wrong, but what about everyone else that is doing it?
I don't want this to wholly be a frustrated disparaging critique of the Trump presidency, but it feels so much like the catalyst, revealing the tools to corrupt a society just waiting for a chance to revealing the ethical missteps we all know to be wrong but can be simply tossed aside as just one of many things we all do wrong.
Nowhere has this more been felt than in the recent reveals of just how many men of significant standing have used their position to sexual abuse and assault women. From Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey to Roy Moore and Al Franken, many men have been shown has chronic abusers.
While the cases vary, it should never be difficult for a man to recognize a woman as being a human being. I have two sisters and a mother, but I didn't need to grow up with any of them to know that it is wrong to ever treat another human being, man or woman, as an object.
I just hope that this issue too doesn't get bogged down in the same ethical equivalency that has dominated 2017. Roy Moore and Al Franken have been compared ad naseum by political parties, but neither should be excused. Both cases need to be considered separately and judged for the ethical wrongs committed.
Likely inspired by Russian government (that has been implicated repeatedly in Trump's election), Trump has turned the consumption of media into a "but what about them?" game where ethics are just a tool to remind everyone that everyone is bad, excusing all ethical wrongs by equivocating.
The Nazis are wrong, but what about Antifa, a group that use violence to oppose them? Racial injustice is wrong, but what about the NFL players insulting our country by kneeling during the anthem? Sexual assault is wrong, but what about everyone else that is doing it?
I don't want this to wholly be a frustrated disparaging critique of the Trump presidency, but it feels so much like the catalyst, revealing the tools to corrupt a society just waiting for a chance to revealing the ethical missteps we all know to be wrong but can be simply tossed aside as just one of many things we all do wrong.
Nowhere has this more been felt than in the recent reveals of just how many men of significant standing have used their position to sexual abuse and assault women. From Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey to Roy Moore and Al Franken, many men have been shown has chronic abusers.
While the cases vary, it should never be difficult for a man to recognize a woman as being a human being. I have two sisters and a mother, but I didn't need to grow up with any of them to know that it is wrong to ever treat another human being, man or woman, as an object.
I just hope that this issue too doesn't get bogged down in the same ethical equivalency that has dominated 2017. Roy Moore and Al Franken have been compared ad naseum by political parties, but neither should be excused. Both cases need to be considered separately and judged for the ethical wrongs committed.
Imagine telling Ray Bradbury, George Orwell, and Aldous Huxley that their dystopian futures were pale imitations of the real thing coming now. (Image Courtesy of: io9.gizmodo.com)
If there is a bright spot in these sexual predators being brought to light, it is that it should finally cause a change in culture, an open conversation about how all these scandals were hushed for so long. Even if not everyone is punished as they should be, everyone seems to agree that this is a wrong that must be fixed.
Well, except those that refuse to believe it. 2017 opened the door for a frightening reality, and it creeps into every aspect of society. By creating the "fake news" stigma, anyone accused can simply call out the media and accusers of lying and find support in the common populace.
While it is possible in this time where so many accusations are being raised that false accusations can sneak in, nothing is more dangerous than turning against an accuser without giving their claim a fair hearing. The National Sexual Violence Resource Center reported that 63% of sexual assaults go unreported while false claims are between just 2-7% of total reports.
We live in a society now where doubt can reign supreme which is dangerous because it invalidates everything. If too many people turn against accusers rather than hearing them out, it only enables abusers. This also applies to other fake news accusations.
If the first response to news is to ignore it rather than attempt to prove or refute it, those who do wrong get away with ethical wrongs more than ever, convincing more people they can err and not be punished. This applies to everyone from entertainers to the common public.
Perhaps more frightening is where this can start and end. Politicians are at the heart of all these issues. At one time, a simple mistake could cripple a campaign because morality should always be important for those with the power to change policies. Now there's a man at the helm of the US with about as questionable morals as possible.
The dangerous trends of this year trend toward some of the most frightening dystopian novels ever written. Farenheit 451 certainly comes to mind as the current US climate continues to push against the written word, not even mentioning the recent loosening of FCC limitations on companies owning multiple media stations.
We cannot allow 2017 to be a trend because that trend is pushing toward a climate of ethical corruption protected by discredited and disrupted media. I'm frightened by what has recently come to light, but I hope it's the start of a better trend toward revealing corruption rather than hiding it behind equivalency.
Well, except those that refuse to believe it. 2017 opened the door for a frightening reality, and it creeps into every aspect of society. By creating the "fake news" stigma, anyone accused can simply call out the media and accusers of lying and find support in the common populace.
While it is possible in this time where so many accusations are being raised that false accusations can sneak in, nothing is more dangerous than turning against an accuser without giving their claim a fair hearing. The National Sexual Violence Resource Center reported that 63% of sexual assaults go unreported while false claims are between just 2-7% of total reports.
We live in a society now where doubt can reign supreme which is dangerous because it invalidates everything. If too many people turn against accusers rather than hearing them out, it only enables abusers. This also applies to other fake news accusations.
If the first response to news is to ignore it rather than attempt to prove or refute it, those who do wrong get away with ethical wrongs more than ever, convincing more people they can err and not be punished. This applies to everyone from entertainers to the common public.
Perhaps more frightening is where this can start and end. Politicians are at the heart of all these issues. At one time, a simple mistake could cripple a campaign because morality should always be important for those with the power to change policies. Now there's a man at the helm of the US with about as questionable morals as possible.
The dangerous trends of this year trend toward some of the most frightening dystopian novels ever written. Farenheit 451 certainly comes to mind as the current US climate continues to push against the written word, not even mentioning the recent loosening of FCC limitations on companies owning multiple media stations.
We cannot allow 2017 to be a trend because that trend is pushing toward a climate of ethical corruption protected by discredited and disrupted media. I'm frightened by what has recently come to light, but I hope it's the start of a better trend toward revealing corruption rather than hiding it behind equivalency.