Risk Aversion and WWJFKD?
Posted by: admin in Modern American Risk-Aversion, John F. Kennedy, Plus ca change plus d'art échoue..., Art rants, My published arts writing, Decline of human culture, Artistic failure in AmericaBeen distracted with late-summer shenanigans lately — so posts have been relatively scarce on CAFA. I did manage to post a piece earlier this week on The Thousandth Word.
It’s a rant – called “We Choose to Go to the Moon” – about how whimpily risk-averse we’ve become in this country and about how we need to go back to the age of John F. Kennedy. (These were thoughts that popped in my head after stumbling on a public art piece in Brackett Park in Mpls.)
Here’s a sample:
Certainly, the Brackett rocket offered an important object-lesson to any kid who managed to climb into the exalted, rarified nose cone: If you overcame your fears and dared to make the climb, then you were rewarded — especially if you lived to tell the tale. I wonder if the same could be said today about a country too long pampered and protected, about privileged citizens living ever-cushier lifestyles, about politicians who fear administering any sort of necessary, but vote-draining, pills — have we simply grown afraid to face the numerous challenges of the future? Does anyone other than me wonder how John F. Kennedy might have suggested we deal with any of our sundry contemporary dilemmas: Unaffordable housing and health-care, a devaluing currency and ever-ballooning trade deficit, a looming energy crisis, rising ocean levels and increasingly environmental stress, loss of industry and job, increasing inflation, a growing divide between haves and have-nots, and on and on?
What’s great about this new incarnation of the Brackett rocket is that the sculpture has the power to evoke the spirit of a bygone era and point out every important difference between then and now. It hints at a better version of ourselves — the nation of risk-takers and achievers who made, despite the great dangers surrounding the country, “know how” and “can do” everyday expressions, and an everyday approach to living life.
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August 22nd, 2008 at 5:19 pm
I remember that speech. And we knew we (US) would do the moon shot. I remember sitting in assembly before that speech and watching in shock as the Vangard rockets blew up on the launching pads. In 1969 I was in Winnipeg on vacation, draining a beer when kids ran upstairs and said we were landing on the moon! and to hurry to the TV. And there I saw what Kennedy knew we could do.
It’s been a long time since Americans got their collective psyche together. I believe today it cannot happen. We have been deliberately segmented by political forces that now seem out of control. And it hurts this nation, and I believe it makes some politicians grin.
The changes needed are not more of what has subsumed this thing called America. This thing which no one can define. God help the gen Ys. SEe you at the fair.
August 25th, 2008 at 1:39 am
not that this has anything to do with anything but the dirt under my nails, as no ones has replies for zeros like myself these days. when i was sixteen and higher than a kite on acid, my best friend and girlfriend first love were at the top of that rocket when a frat party of about 20+ college fucks ran up on us and were like “are they down with us: noooooooo” we had a hatchet as we were pursued in general by an extremely large rival crew (graffiti) that had ties to vice lords pretty damned directly. we’d already known stabbings of peoples who had thwarted these guys. my friend ultimately moved out to the suburbs because of all of this, but i, having no options took some ten to one ass whuppings always coming up, although bleeding, saying “fuck you”. they asked me to join them several months later and never got with my hand styles either. welcome to amerika. the cops came very soon after words, very deep and lined us all up. the frat fools got the shake down and it was obvious we were not with them so they let us walk on. luckily we ditched the hatchet. geeked outta minds… according to a bronx tale, i still have one of those ole girls left somewurrrr.