Trailer Park Logic

In his article, "Greetings From Idiot America" in this month's Esquire magazine, Charles P. Pierce writes, CREATIONISM. INTELLIGENT DESIGN. FAITH-BASED THIS. TRUST-YOUR-GUT THAT. THERE'S NEVER BEEN A BETTER TIME TO ESPOUSE, PROFIT FROM, AND BELIEVE IN UTTER, UNADULTERATED CRAP. AND THE CRAP IS RISING SO HIGH, IT'S GETTING DANGEROUS.

He goes onto state that Idiot America (one would think that the title of his article owes a little to Green Day for what that's worth) is essentially a war on expertise and the "...breakdown of a consensus that the pursuit of knowledge is good." and that "In the place of expertise, we have elevated the Gut. And the Gut is a moron."

It's a comprehensive, humorous and well thought out lambastication of, well, Idiot America.
Of course, Pierce is preaching to the choir with me, but it's a fun read nonetheless and isn't there always some pleasure in seeing your own incomplete thoughts coaleseced on the page? Sure there is.

The thing is, while I was reading his piece, I kept on thinking that I'd heard or thought these thoughts before. Not his exact thoughts, but his overall sentiment and this third premise of Idiot America - 3) Fact is that which enough people believe. Truth is determined by how fervently they believe it.

I knew I heard or thought of that before. Then it came to me.

Trailer Park Logic!

Well before Green Day or Pierce used the term Idiot America, I'd witnessed more than my share of what I call Trailer Park Logic. You cannot defeat it. That woman in the stained blue ribbed tank top with the jelly roll spilling over the exhausted elastic stretchband of her lycra leopard skin capris might as well be Daniel Webster. Present facts to her. Offer arguments. Bring a flip chart and Power Point presentations. It's moot. It doesn't matter if the topic is the death penalty or Elvis vs Johnny Cash. Whatever the point of view is - you cannot change it. And forget nuance. You are defeated and she will subjugate you to her superior will.

Fact is that which enough people believe. Truth is determined by how fervently they believe it (Pierce, Esquire, 10/05).

It seems the logic has left the trailer park and made it to the White House.

Like Mr. Pierce I am perplexed and concerned and disconcerted. How is it that we seem to have moved from a rational secular culture to one where intelligent design is being put side by side with science?

I don't have an answer - but as a person who is a fan of Thoreau, Emerson and Mills I hope we shift back.