Do American's care more about Money than Freedom?

[Raydawg1234]

I guess you can only be free in this country if you make enough money. The rest of us have to work and support our families.

With the word freedom being blurted out so carelessly I am beginning to forget what it means. Is it just a catch phrase, or does it have any reel meaning? Can anyone come up with a good definition?

[NVMojo]

1. "We are the BORG, resistance is FUTILE!" they said loudly to the masses!

[Clara T]

2. Nothing Left to Buy n/t

[serryjw]

3. Doesn't mean anything

When does the 'average' american exercise a freedom. Is freedom buying at Best Buy? The average american has become a slave to corporate indulgences. They control all your money, an ability to make livable wage, buy a home, educate your kids,feed yourself, have health care coverage and some day retire and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

http://www.lompocrecord.com/articles/2005/12/11/opinions/121105b.txt

[tularetom]

4. I don't think it's the "land of the free" anymore

and it sure as hell ain't the "home of the brave". A lot of people I know would give up all their freedom not for money but for a false assurance of security from terror attacks. In my opinion they aren't worthy of that freedom.

[Erika]

5. True, Our kids are dying so some can perceive a false sense of security

As pushed by the Bushies.

[OneBlueSky]

6. we're conditioned to think that way . . .

by the government and their house organ, the corporate media . . .

[Protagoras]

7. McMansions, McDonalds, McJobs,

McSUVs....

[yurbud]

8. we're not getting either

[Sapphocrat]

9. I thought freedom was...

...just another word for nothing left to lose. In which case, most of us are free as bloody birds.

Seriously? Republicans care more about money than freedom, definitely. They don't resemble real conservatives, who are just as concerned about government intrusion as they are anything else. To hijack a thought from Ben Franklin, today's Republican is more than willing to give up his liberties in exchange for a lousy $300 tax rebate.

[MalachiConstant]

10. once upon a time...

politically speaking to be conservative implied a desire to be free from government. the only freedom they really care about now is freedom from taxes.







postscript:

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http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x4430590

[Tesha]

11. Yes. WIthout a doubt. (NT)

[Cats Against Frist]

12. They care more about STUFF than freedom

and it takes money to buy stuff, so...

Seriously, we could all do our part to live much more moderately, without having to go to some sort of mimimalist extreme. We don't. It's killing us.

[sinkingfeeling]

13. Yes, the ideals of democracy have been replaced by consumerism.

[Loonman]

14. Only communism can save us now!

:boring:

[no_hypocrisy]

15. "Freedom's just another word for nuthin' left to lose." Kris Kristofferso

[Toots]

16. Not necessarily money but instant gratification

We want and we want it now.....The hell with everyone else on Earth. We are superior and we deserve what ever we want...

[Ezlivin]

17. Money is tangible, as is the things it can buy. Freedom is just a concept

to most people.

Freedom to them means a very limited subset of the freedoms delineated by our Constitution and Bill of Rights. That's why they can so easily let laws eroding civil liberties get enacted.

[ComerPerro]

18. I don't think they care about either

If they cared about money (therefore thier own self-interest) then most Americans, about 98%, would not vote for Bush.

If they care about freedom and keeping America safe, then they certainly wouldn't vote for Bush.


So what do they care about?


I think I have derived the answer:

Their most pressing issue is their own sense of self-satisfaction.


Imagine:

They hear something on Limbaugh or Faux News or wherever. It might be an outright lie, but they are too lazy to check, and so they take it as literal fact. They hold and cling to this fact, and build their entire philosophy around this one lie.

Now, when something comes along to challenge that lie, or worse yet outright exposes it as a lie, they realize that their whole world and philosophy is based on a lie.

They can't accept that.

So, rather than face up to the truth and try to set things right, they find its easier and more self-satisfying to work to erase any evidence of the lie, to make it true again.

That's why 30% of the country will always cling to Limbaugh and Bush and the lies of American Conservatives and Republicans.

Because its easier.


After all, if Bush is an evil, elitist, arrogant asshole, and they support him, what does it make them?