I now have the fastest Internet in Austin, a sizzling 300 megs/sec download speed. That’s assuming the routers and hubs and Sony Walkmans in between me and the source can hande that, which is debatable. And what does this technological wonder deliver to my virtual front door every, damn day? Very little glad news, no end of bad news, lots of sad news, and news which is beyond sad, as it speaks to our very fitness and worthiness to survive as a species.
To wit, the world needs more religious fundamentalism like a pack of starving grizzly bears need rabies. The problem being, grizzly bears with rabies are, mostly, just a funny thought, whereas this shit where kids get killed for daring to be in school, especially women, really happened and keeps happening:
Reuters — POTISKUM, Nigeria, Nov 10 (Reuters) – A suicide bomber dressed as a student killed at least 48 people, most of them students, and injured 79 others at a school assembly in the northeastern Nigerian town of Potiskum on Monday, a hospital official said. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack in Yobe State, a territory close to the stronghold of Sunni Muslim Boko Haram militants, who have staged a five-year insurgency. …
Boko Haram has intensified its attacks since the Nigerian government announced a ceasefire agreement last month as well as the imminent release of more than 200 school girls kidnapped by the group. Boko Haram’s leader denied a ceasefire deal had been reached and the school girls have not been set free. The group whose name means “Western education is sinful” in Hausa, has attacked schools, abducted hundreds of students and killed thousands in its fight for an Islamist state, and is seen as the main security threat to Africa’s leading oil producer.
Yes of course, education is evil. It must be stopped! I realize I’m just blogging to the faithful at this point, but how’d that edu is evil shtick work out for Muslims the last time? Say between 5 or 10 centuries ago?
At this point, I almost pine for North Veitnamese or Stalin-era public relations efforts. At least those guys cared about facts and knew to try and appear to be humane. Not only is this crop of violent religious maniacs not humane, they wear their intolerant, murderous inhumanty as though it were a badge of honor.
Hardcore, fundamentalist, and violent serves their interest int he short term. In the long term it will tend to build resistance which typically leads to the downfall of the cause.
On the other hand these folk have at least one thing going for them: A whole lot of people in the west have found that in the free-market capitalist world their only roll is to be an object lesson on what not to be or do. It is hard to imagine the truth that in the 50s and much of the 60s pretty much anyone who could fog a mirror could get a decent job. Add a little dedication and a few skills and the pay and benefits from a single 40 hour earner could support a family of five and allow them to own a house, and a car if they were reasonably careful with their money.
Now, even with two full time workers working 50 or 60 hours it is all most people can do to make rent and keep a car going. There is little or no hope of things ever getting better. Just an endless run on a treadmill making other people rich. It is this reality that youth between 17 and 30 see. They feel unwanted, paid attention to until the money runs out, they feel rejected and useless.
On the economic front they know that every offer and smiling face is a trap. There are no honest deals. Just variations in the degree you get screwed over. All around they see people spouting ideals like freedom and democracy and while using those slogans to justify their favorite wealth gathering routines.
They are desperate for a cause. So desperate that they are willing to risk their lives, health, and futures for a cause. ISIS gives them a cause and makes it easy to join and a well greased chute to get them indoctrinated and into the ISIS system. And with their first participation in an atrocity their loyalty is locked in place, forever.