Reason magazine’s Nick Gillespie – writing in the WSJ – has a nice article up about how the ‘Noughties (sorry, I cannot think of a better term) have been generally miserable ones for those concerned about liberty and constraining government. He also has a few predictions for the next 10 years. Even leaving aside the response to 9/11 attacks and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, governments have lost few chances to find reasons, or excuses, to tax, monitor and generally annoy us. I love this paragraph:
“As a sadly appropriate parting gift to this grim first decade of the 21st century, a period so debased that the Boston Red Sox managed to win not just one but two World Series, we can thank Nigerian would-be suicide bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab for robbing us of our inalienable right to use a cramped bathroom at 30,000 feet. Indeed, we can only await Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano’s directive that all frequent fliers must now go commando as a condition of air travel.”
Nudity as a condition of air travel. There’s an idea to conjure with on this cold Sunday afternoon.
From the article: “Few things engender flop sweat faster among upper-class Americans than the idea that a lesser nation is on the fast track to economic domination.”
Which planet is Mr. Gillespie from? The US has an entire “upper class” working assiduously to lower living standards in the US and transfer wealth & jobs to other countries.
US Supreme Court Justices vacation in Europe rather than in their own continent-spanning country. Former President Clinton is a proud citizen of the world. Bill Gates spends the fortune he earned in the US supporting charities in Africa. President Obama has publicly refused to cite the Pledge of Allegiance.
Not Mr. Gillespie’s best work.
the ‘Noughties (sorry, I cannot think of a better term)
How about the zeros, as in big fat zero
or, they are trying to take us back to the year zero!
Yes, control does seem to be the aim. As soon as I heard “breaking news” on the undie bomber I thought, yes, now they have the green light for nudie-scans.
One does not have to be a conspiracy freak to see the ridiculously inept way that certain criminals get through the system, and the effective, rigorous handling that stops others.
Is it all about bread queues, humiliation, control-through-stress, breaking of the will?
What future technology dreams have they got lined up for us and how will they engineer the justification to implement them?
Whatever, I am sure it will all make good, sound sense at the time.
And the noughties were also a glorious decade for the sustained advancement of the socially liberal mores so prized on this website.
Some day, perhaps, some synapses might connect somewhere on this website and allow you to see the elephant stomping all over your head.
Though not if this is representative.
Nudity as a condition of air travel.
Nooooooo!!!!!! I don’t mind me being nude, but because I’m a nice guy who gives up his seat for the pregnant lady, or for the old couple, I’m ALWAYS stuck in one of the cattle car seats!
The though of porcine nudity would lead to a very prolonged period of agonizing erections.
(too coarse for this sight?) I understand.
Really? Are you doing your usual strawman schtick, Gabby? Try and name a few advances if you can. Most of the improvements in the freedoms enjoyed by women, gays and non-whites already occured long before the Noughties; as for lifestyle issues such as tobacco, drinking, etc, the past decade saw a generally more nannying, authortarian approach. Censorship of views considered non-PC has increased.
Of course, in reality, Gabriel would like the UK to return to the social mores of say, 1950, although that was probably a tad too liberal for him!!!
At Birmingham airport on the way to work this morning a thought crossed what’s left of my mind that whoever ends up manning these scanners is going to face days when they really earn their money! I had enough trouble looking at my fellow travellers (is that what I mean?) fully (ish) clothed – I would not want to see any more of them. Come to think of it, after the festive excesses, I’m no oil painting myself at the moment (that said, I’m no oil painting when I’m at my best, but I am worse than standard right now)
A slight correction: “going commando” is to travel about with no underwear in order to avoid dampness-driven crotch rot. I think I did see a nude commando one time, though – there was a bachelor’s party at a strip club and the performers had an interesting tale on the application of camoflage makeup…
The “social mores” of 1950 J.P.?
If you mean the culture (not all the laws – for example the laws making homosexual acts a criminal offense, which should be none of the business of the law) then count me in on that one.
For all its MANY faults the culture (the Civil Society) of 1950’s Britain and America (and pre 1950’s Britain and America come to that – as Frank Johnson was fond of pointing out the working classes had a level of culture that most of the “elite” do not have now, an understanding of good music and art and how to dress and …… but these are minor things compared to a fertility rate compatible with long term survival and a basically stable family structure) WORKED.
The oft attacked Talcott Parsons was correct – 1950’s culture was at least “functional”.
Modern culture does not work, it is not functional – in fact it is wildly disfunctional.
Paul, I was making a slightly mocking remark – directed at Gabriel – who seems to imagine that we have become much freer in certain social ways in recent years, and he has attacked this, in his customary fashion.
The problem, however, is not an extension of freedoms into any sphere per se – which I regard as generally a good thing – but the fact that freedoms have been extended, but responsibilities for accepting the consequences by those enjoying those freedoms, have not. As usual, the gorilla in the living room is the modern Welfare State, which has infantilised parts of society.
It will be great to watch World Series: Boston Red Sox,i have bought tickets from TicketFront.com looking forward to it.