More Touching Tales Of The Season

Pre-Thanksgiving, Walmart encourages employees to donate food to "associates in need."

Post Thanksgiving: arrests of strikiing Walmart workers.

Hurrah for good news: "Calm Black Friday: Only 1 Death, 15 Injuries..." Attributed to Big Shopping Day.

Steve M. analyzed publicity around a firearms ad rejected for Super Bowl broadcast—

... in this man's world, there's country (represented by the flag and the military) and there's family, but there's nothing in between. There's no community. His posture is that he's a soft-focus loving dad, but he's also a lone wolf. It's him against the world.

The point of Bowling Alone is that America has become a nation of atomized residents who no longer join bowling leagues and other voluntary associations. I think there's some truth to that -- but this ad reminds me how much right-wing propaganda cultivates that sense of atomization, by portraying American society as debased and not worth participating in.

This guy comes home and regards the society beyond his property line as full of hostile figures who either want to hurt him precious family or deny him the means to defend his loved ones. This strikes me as a specifically right-wing worldview -- I can't think of an analogue for this on the left. If that's how you see society, no wonder you're bowling -- and gunning -- alone.

Well, are they really alone? Like the relatives around the holiday table who, by temperament or by the volume of the propaganda, are lost to wingnuttery, they'll always have their Rush, their Fox Friends, and the gun lobby voices in their heads.

And right on cue: elderly Alzheimer's victim killed by fearful and stupid gun owner.