Give Darkness an Inch

Yesterday I posted a link to an obamapologist that blegfriend Richard found "stupid and very painful," but to most people I know outside of our corner of Blegsylvania, where we gather to compete in contests of performative armageddonism, it is Cole's analysis that's pervasive.

I've made the intellectual leap to accepting that Obama - that any president serving at the pleasure of capital - will never serve any master but capital, but emotionally I yet haven't been able to abandon the thought that Obama would be variably less-shitty but for galtists and christers and crackers and the corporate interests that cattle-prod them into electoral apoplexy. I was raised on that meme; weening myself off has been harder than I'd want (helped not at all, I admit, by my addiction to hating galtists and christers and crackers).

Coincident to that particular post and my christer-baiting monkey that needs feeding, I also posted a link to the reigning King of Christer-Baiters for some easy snark about christer scolds and their porn-viewing habits. Blegfriend Ethan wondered if I had posted it admiringly as he was considering (I assume) possibly digitally punching Myers for sloppy generalizations, and he Kindly and kiddingly asked if he'd be stepping on my toes, and no, no he wouldn't, though the fun in the idea might be stale to him now.

This post started as a recognition that even those who read this shetty bleg often don't always (don't often?) comprehend my shorthand, to thank friends who ask for clarification, to sort of apologize for the apparent ambiguity while assuring everyone I will continue using ambiguous shorthand, but by happy coincidence, reading  Ethan's next post after writing the first paragraph of this post, I reread a comment thread between Richard and Ethan regarding Derrick Jensen's Endgame: The Problem of Civilization.

Good thing I have access to a university library's stacks, yes?

I open to a random page, the first thing I read:

PREMISE FOUR: Civilization is based on a clearly defined and widely accepted yet often unarticulated hierarchy. Violence done by those higher on the hierarchy to those lower is nearly always invisible, that is, unnoticed. When it is noticed, it is fully rationalized. Violence done by those lower on the hierarchy to those higher is unthinkable, and when it does occur is regarded with shock, horror, and the fetishization of the victims.

Here are the rest of the premises. OK, I'm in. No guarantees how soon or how fast - I'm halfway through Gaddis' Frolic, halfway through McCarthy's Remainder, started the Polanyi again - but I'm curious how much complicity can be squeezed out of me as a direct result of publishing my ambiguous shorthand in this corner of Blegsylvania.

THE SCIENCES SING A LULLABYE

Albert Goldbarth

Physics says: go to sleep. Of course
you're tired. Every atom in you
has been dancing the shimmy in silver shoes
nonstop from mitosis to now.
Quit tapping your feet. They'll dance
inside themselves without you. Go to sleep.

Geology says: it will be all right. Slow inch
by inch America is giving itself
to the ocean. Go to sleep. Let darkness
lap at your sides. Give darkness an inch.
You aren't alone. All of the continents used to be
one body. You aren't alone. Go to sleep.

Astronomy says: the sun will rise tomorrow,
Zoology says: on rainbow-fish and lithe gazelle,
Psychology says: but first it has to be night, so
Biology says: the body-clocks are stopped all over town
 and
History says: here are the blankets, layer on layer, down
     and down. 

I like some Oasis. Shoot me: