Karma for Renner

A couple years ago, Jeremy Renner (and Chris Evans) got a lot of flack for referring to Scarlett Johansson’s character in their superhero movie as a “slut” and “whore.” What was completely ignored was Renner’s ableist remark that came a couple dismissive breaths after the sexist quip: “She has a prosthetic leg anyway.”

It’s subtle, but has the same tone.

Well, now it seems Renner has fractured both arms doing a stunt. Although his tone still bites from Napoleon, he seems to have some sort of reference point now that he isn’t able to perform some daily tasks as he did before his injury.

“It affects how I get dressed in the morning. I can’t tie my shoes, but outside of that and everything else, I can kind of get by.”

Perhaps he can use this as a learning experience, and grow some empathy somewhere in his compact frame.

Majority / Minority

If anyone wants to know a secret about perspective on macro economics, think about a city like Chicago. The majority of Chicago is not in the upper classes, so the minority actually influences and controls the city. Those top 5-10%ers are the ones paying the lofty taxes, so they have a say, the schools, and the police. I’m on the other end of the spectrum, and am a minority on a few levels in the United States.

There is no middle class. There are destitute, poverty-stricken, barely making it, and squirreling away a meager savings. If you’re a Baby Boomer, you’re fortunate to get your Social Security to supplement any retirement savings. If you’re a Generation X or younger, you’re fucked. You better hope you’re a minority of the majority because if you’re a majority of the minority, you’re fucked.

one of millions

It had to be said. Things need to be communicated. We lack it. We exist in this seemingly chaotic society, but have little knowledge or understanding of each other. We assume our impressions, based on advertising, television, and movies. The media of the Internet is a sea of shit, with the most absurd and sensational floating to the top for everyone to consume.

It appears emotion drives everything, and minds have been lost. Every group is a victim of every other group, and with gods dying, the population of individuals are pretending to be martyrs, touting false sacrifices. They assumed the role of an Agrarian god, but the Hollywood version, where everything ends well, and all is forgotten, and the people wait for the next story to be told. Perhaps it’s millionaires sharing their manufactured struggles with a made-up medical condition that can’t be proven to actually exist. A desperate need for sympathy, for people who lack the perspective that makes empathy possible. The next day, it’s what they bought, or where they went on vacation, and like all good marketing, the consumer is told to be envious of the celebrity lifestyle.

We watch as ignorance is applauded, as education is rejected. We watch as hypocrites shame others. History is forgotten by intellectuals, the ignorant are incited by the fallacies of the past.