Dakota Thanksgiving
Dean
Over at Matt Welch's place, I encountered this George Will Thanksgiving column. It's a rather humbling, and astounding, description of the sort of hardships faced by settlers in the Dakotas in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
I'm not a huge George Will fan, but when he's good I find him very good. I was moved by the column. Matt Welch thought it was really weird and characterized it as "death porn."
I don't think Matt was being snotty. I think he was genuinely confused. I left him some somewhat rambling comments right here. I was rambling, but here's a lightly-edited and expanded version of what I said:
Time was I would have thought you were kind of crazy, Matt. Time was when I was totally bewildered by people who thought like you about such things.
This last year or so, basically the Presidential campaign that started after the 2002 elections, that long 2 year election, culminating in the win where we saw once again that amazing red county/blue county divide, and after the incredible outburst of the blue people after the win---I finally get it.
Or at least I think I do.
I'm by no means a George Will groupie. I disagree with him on a fairly frequent basis and often think he's over the top. But he often resonates with me, and it's in articles like that that he does. I hit on some of the same themes in the novel I'm currently working on finishing (cross fingers, should be within a few weeks).
Although it's cliched, there are those of us who have a deep notion that life is inherently difficult, and who have a huge respect for people who will face incredible adversity just so they can have the freedom to live their lives independent of any authority or anyone telling them what to do. We feel, very deeply, that that's something that's to be fought for and never just given to you--not because it's not your birthright, because it is, but because no one can give it to you. You have to take it and create it for yourself, with the help only of those who actually want to help you.
Those people struck off for the Dakota wilds for one reason only: they didn't like the lives they had or the socities they were a part of. They wanted to strike off on their own and they would suffer any hardship, even death, for that independence.
Those of us who resonate with that, even though we live in deep comfort now, have an extraordinary respect for what those folks went through, and for just how much their sacrifice made possible for us today. We oten think more people should be reminded of it, and respect it--and, I'm seriously not trying to be rude, I'm seriously not trying to be condescending, I'm just trying to tell you how it is--we look on people who roll their eyes or are repulsed by such descriptions of what life was really like back then to be, well, kind of ungrateful brats or pampered sissies.
I finally grok, however, that there are those of you who think we're being overbearing or superior jerks when we bring these things up. To an extent we probably are.
Still, those of us who share this view probably tend to vote disproportionately Republican these days (although we used to mostly vote Democrat), while the most cranky among us vote Libertarian or U.S. Constitution Party.
I guess it's a psychological state. There's no sense of "death porn" to me when I read that George Will column. It's a sense of, "God, what they went through. It's so amazing." We compare it to some people squawking about how tough their lives are or how much they're entitled to from others, and we just sneer.
This may not always be a healthy attitude on our parts, but it's not an obsession with death and suffering. It's an appreciation of sacrifice, and real suffering, and of what real hardship is.
I'm frustrated at the moment because a blogger recently posted an incredible photo essay about his North Dakota ancestors, and the mud huts some were still living in barely 80 years ago. I'm frustrated because I can't remember the blog or I'd link it! But I was moved deeply by it because it made me understand how good I have it and what incredible sissies and pampered, ungrateful brats most Americans (me included) really are.
And yeah, that includes a lot of libertarians, by the way, who seem to fail to appreciate just how much more freedom they actually have than they think they do.
Death porn? I guess if by "porn" you mean having a certain fascination.
Hope I'm not coming off like an ass. I'm just trying to explain.
I'm tempted to turn this into a blog post but I guess it rambles too much.
Well I guess I did turn it into a blog post. For whatever it's worth. I guess some people will get it, and some won't.
But by the way, the North Dakota photo essay I couldn't remember? It's right here. The blogger who put it together is Chuck Simmins.
Anyway, the more time goes on the more I realize: some people like Matt just probably will never get it. But that's okay, they don't have to. Those of us who do get it will get it for 'em. :-)
Related Posts (on one page):
- Urban Legend Or Real Story?
- Dakota Thanksgiving
...And now I know where Heinlein got the idea for the catastrophe in Farmer In The Sky...
Looking back at olden times is often viewed as a worthless and scornful effort given current societal outlook. My father grew up in central-west Illinois, the grandson of old Ellen Ryan. Ellen emigrated to Illinois in the summer of 1865 at the insistence of her father whose sole mission in life was to see all his children move to America to escape poverty, hunger and other unacceptable treatment in Ireland. She worked as a domestic on Murphy’s Plantation in Alexander county until she met her husband, one Morris Herlihy. They married in 1866 and settled in Knox county and had six children.
While Morris was away building railroad tracks she had her daughters take up sewing and piano. She owned two milking cows she boarded at Murray’s farm. From the milk money and the money Morris saved she bought 5 lots on which to build the houses that her married children might live near her and Morris. Then tragedy started hitting the family hard. Over a ten year period, her son, and two of her daughter’s husbands were killed in separate railroad accidents, another daughter died at age 18 from being thrown from a run-away horse and buggy (accident) and another daughter was a widow at 36 (my grandmother). They lived across the street from the Sandburgs and often sold milk to Carl’s mother. My Dad became the family breadwinner at age 16 as he was the eldest.
I never knew any of this until my father passed away. He never spoke about it or the hardships. He just worked hard.
Today, the new generation haven’t a clue as to what these folks went through. They are busy buying video games, cd players and cellphones.
And you’re right Dean, some folks just don’t get it. And yes we will get it for them.
I'm grateful for all that I have to all my ancestors who lived, struggled, and died before me. That most definitely includes our soldiers and veterans. Yes, gratitude is inseparable from happiness. We must appreciate appreciation itself.
I had put a hard copy into my stash of good web writing, and while googling up a link I discovered that Powerline - who has Dakota roots - last year linked to another Bottum essay, "Dakota Christmas."
Enjoy.
I heard all of this from him. Yes it was hard at first, but that's what life was about. Just go to Greenfield Village and you can see how people actually lived into the middle of the twentieth century in America.
I think Mr. Welch has to realize that the world didn't begin in 1950.
As I was saying elsewhere, our "good old days" mentality tends to shut out the hard bits. Otherwise no womn would volunteer to have more than one child :) I'm just glad I have power and a 4-wheel drive when the weather gets bad and I appreciate the strength of character that it took to live in a lonely place in a difficult time.
People used to be content with simply getting enought time for a good nights sleep, perhaps a bit of time with their families. Today most of us complain when we have to work more than 8 hours a day.
We have gained much, but we have also lost much.
The Right looks at this view, and points to the totality of human history, along with a basic understanding of human nature, and the realization that only one perfectly rational person has ever walked this Earth; and thinks that this leftist view of a heavenly paradise is a nonsensical, insane fantasy world. Both sides will never budge. I’ll never not be a Christian believing in other-worldly Heaven; secular humanists will never stop believing that mankind can eventually create a paradise here on Earth, no matter how many times they are proven wrong. Both sides are deeply religious. Christianity will never die; the belief in a socialist/sexual utopia will never die in the minds of secular humanists.
How does suffering/hardship work into this? The Right puts a great deal of value into hardship and suffering. We think it’s one of the main tools God uses to mature us and makes us human. The typical teenager or 20-something from 150 years ago is far more mature than today’s university professor – whether that younger person from 150 years ago was able to read and write or not. Life circumstances at that time created maturity by default. Today, the USA is filled with a bunch of chronologically-old “adults” who are – in essence – still children. Read the rants of the last month from a number of highly educated, wealthy “adults” – what these rants are - in essence - are temper tantrums. Show me someone who has never been through any significant hardship or suffering, and I’ll show you a truly immature, idiotic person. Conrad Hilton built a huge hotel empire from scratch, through enormously hard work, facing numerous hardships along the way. He wasn’t a perfect person by any means, but he was a devout Christian who recognized the value of hardship and suffering and did his best to lead a moral life. Just two generations after Conrad we have – drum roll, please - Paris Hilton. A person who grew up in total luxury, without any hardship or suffering, and has become completely clueless and immature. And people can’t get enough of her.
The secular humanist wish of a utopian paradise naturally precludes all hardship and suffering. Therefore, great hardship and suffering is not only valued, it is openly mocked and ridiculed. A perfect example was Mel Gibson’s “The Passion”. According to the left it was a sickening, immoral bloodbath, not just because of what the main character went through, but also the notion that He was an example for others to follow. This whole concept is anathema to the Left’s idea of Heaven, and therefore the backlash from the Left was inevitable.
As to what “worldview” will win out, I personally am very doubtful my own side will win. I think it’s ridiculous that God has any “special” concern for the USA over any other great civilization that has come and gone. A country that kills its very own children by the millions is nothing special at all. The riches of this country have, inevitably, turned Americans into immature pleasure seekers who are unwilling to ever face tough choices and endure hardships – and actually mock those who do. That’s not a good recipe for a bright future.
So it is with everything. Those who do not know the past, or refuse to see it or relate to it, will, perforce, have very little appreciation for the accomplishments of the past. Since the accomplishments of the past are our present world, it follows that they have very little appreciation of the present world.
And indeed, isn't that almost the defining feature of liberal/leftism? The world (no matter how wonderful it is for you, Ms. Middle-Class Protester) sucks, our speech is repressed (never mind that you're shouting your repression claims across the whole freakin' world on the Internet), people are poor (never mind that the poorest homeless person in America is wealthier and healthier than probably 95% of his ancestors), etc., etc. And we saw it in the incredibly ignorant, just plain bad, reporting on Iraq. No context, no appreciation for how this was BY FAR the most humane war ever fought in human history.
And so liberal/Leftists are doomed to keep repeating their same mistakes. They don't "get it", and what they don't get is their own humanity, and their connection to, and EXTREME debt to, their own society and every person who has come before them. Isn't it funny, that the very people who are most insistent on entitlements and "rights" are the ones who have no appreciation of those they have? Or maybe not.
Those who will not learn from history can have no proper appreciation or understanding of the present, or the future.
Let’s try this again…
I didn’t read Will’s article, or the response in question. I did do a quick link over to “Matt’s site” and saw he was associated with “Reason” magazine; which I’m somewhat unfamiliar with – but from it’s title, I can guess where he’s coming from. IMO, there are two worldviews prevalent is the USA right now; the Conservative/Evangelical Christian” worldview (which a number of non-Christians agree with), that I’ll refer to as “Right” and the “secular/liberal worldview” (which a number of Christians agree with) that I’ll refer to as “left”. Basically, both worldviews are religious – and, as a Christian myself, that makes perfect sense to me – a desire to reach out and connect with an “other”, "perfect" reality is deeply ingrained in all of us; it just expresses itself differently in our respective worldviews. The right believes in a future “perfect” Heaven where all things will be reconciled, all wrongs made right etc. The Left thinks that the Right are all insane for believing this, since, to them, it all is an unscientific fantasy world. The Left, OTOH, believes in a future socialist/sexual utopian paradise where everyone is happy, completely fulfilled in every emotional/psychological sense, where there is no evil, where amazing medical breakthroughs will eliminate all disease and lead to astoundingly lengthy life spans, and the absolute certainty that people will become completely REASONable with each other, which (Rev 21:4) “ will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away."
The Right looks at this view, and points to the totality of human history, along with a basic understanding of human nature, and the realization that only one perfectly rational person has ever walked this Earth; and thinks that this leftist view of a heavenly paradise is a nonsensical fantasy world. Both sides will never budge. I’ll never not be a Christian believing in other-worldly Heaven; secular humanists will never stop believing that mankind can eventually create a paradise here on Earth, no matter how many times they are proven wrong. Both sides are deeply religious. Christianity will never die; the belief in a socialist/sexual utopia will never die in the minds of secular humanists.
How does suffering/hardship work into this? The Right puts a great deal of value into hardship and suffering. We think it’s one of the main tools God uses to mature us and makes us human. The typical teenager or 20-something from 150 years ago is far more mature than today’s university professor – whether that younger person from 150 years ago was able to read and write or not. Life circumstances at that time created maturity by default. Today, the USA is filled with a bunch of chronologically-old “adults” who are – in essence – still children. Read the rants of the last month from a number of highly educated, wealthy “adults” – what these rants are - in essence - are temper tantrums. Show me someone who has never been through any significant hardship or suffering, and I’ll show you a truly immature, idiotic person. Conrad Hilton built a huge hotel empire from scratch, through enormously hard work, facing numerous hardships along the way. He wasn’t a perfect person by any means, but he was a devout Christian who recognized the value of hardship and suffering and did his best to lead a moral life. Just two generations after Conrad we have – drum roll, please - Paris Hilton. A person who grew up in total luxury, without any hardship or suffering, and has become completely clueless and immature. And people can’t get enough of her.
The secular humanist wish of a utopian paradise naturally precludes all hardship and suffering. Therefore, great hardship and suffering is not only not valued, it is openly mocked and ridiculed. A perfect example was Mel Gibson’s “The Passion”. According to the left it was a sickening, immoral bloodbath, not just because of what the main character went through, but also the notion that He was an example for others to follow. This whole concept is anathema to the Left’s idea of Heaven, and therefore the backlash from the Left was inevitable.
As to what “worldview” will win out, I personally am very doubtful my own side will win. I think it’s ridiculous that God has any “special” concern for the USA over any other great civilization that has come and gone. A country that kills its very own children by the millions is nothing special at all. The riches of this country have, inevitably, turned Americans into immature pleasure seekers who are unwilling to ever face tough choices and endure hardships – and actually mock those who do. That’s not a good recipe for a bright future.
Consider poor maligned Neville Chamberlin and the pacifists of his day. They had just been through World War I, which may have been the worst war ever at the time, and certainly the worst in the past hundred years since Napoleon. It was probably quite clear to them that Germany had been treated unfairly after WWI. Sounds like a strong argument for more diplomacy to me. Sure, now we know it was completely wrong, but the argument "How can Hitler be worse than WWI?" is pretty compelling. Consider too that Europe had been living with Mussolini for about ten years longer than Hitler. They'd even appeased him by letting him take Ethopia. Sure, he'd rattled the saber a lot, but his ambitions were quite modest compared to his junior partner from Bavaria. Churchill was busy doing his best Cassandra intrepretation, so like her, he was always right and never believed.
Let's not make the mistake of considering blue staters idiots, insane or liars. It's bad enough they make that mistake about us red state folk.
Yours,
Wince
Thanks for the response! I think we aren’t quite understanding each other completely. I’m certainly not referring to Democrats in general with my above comments I’m going to guess that your mother has never read the Secular Humanist Manifestos, or studied the French Revolution. The people I’m talking about do not (yet) make up a large percentage of the population, but they exert a tremendous influence in our culture.The majority of them are rich (at least upper middle class) and white. They are very visible in the Democratic party, well out of proportion to their (current) numbers.
And, of course, this isn’t a totally black-and-white thing; there are many conservatives that have embraced secular humanism to some extent, and have melded it into their own belief systems. Witness the many conservative Christians who have embraced the “health &wealth/prosperity gospel” which is a perversion of Christianity if there ever was one. The people I most admire in my church are the ones in wheelchairs, or people who have endured other great hardships for long periods of time without complaint. They are the ones that understand what faith truly is all about, and are among the wisest people you will ever meet. However, because secularism has so invaded the church in this country, many sincere Christians believe these suffering people don’t have enough faith, or are suffering because they aren’t “holy” enough. It’s truly insane, and is in many respects a result of secularism invading our culture.
I must note that "REASON" magazine is libertarian or liberal in the original sense ("free minds and free markets") rather than liberal in the modern, socialististic or welfare-statist, sense.
Anyway, I was going to mention how "The Passion of the Christ" was dismissed as "Death Porn" by the secularists or modernists. I find that Rightists tend have a deeper understanding and appreciation of passion than do Leftists. Here is what one religious conservative, an industrial worker, had to say about it:
"Let's face it. There is no free lunch. You have to pay something for everything you get in this world. Sex is wonderful, but it doesn't come easily or cheaply. I believe that those people, like myself, who have the solid fiber to feel the strength and even the pain of sex are bigger people."
- quoted in "The Janus Report on Sexual Behavior" (1993)
The _style_ of that. And profoundly true. Or, as my friend Charles William Harrington once put it:
"Incoherency to interpret certain ideologies is the fundamental fallacy of joy or sorrow restrained from the individual's preconception of reality."
There are plenty of Democrats who think this way and fully get it. But when you look at the cultural divide with young urbanites today, it's pretty unmistakable in my view.
I don't know how often I've heard young people snear at and roll their eyes when someone brings up how much worse things used to be and how much we owe to those who came before. You see it all the time, and it's usually in young left-leaning people.
But, "nothing is ever always or never," as the saying goes.
Oh. Guess I don't know enough young urbanites.
Yours,
WInce
I think Wince made this point over at Matt's site - this is no different than Yom Kippur.