Soapbox III - "Red Eye Disease"

Warning!  Warning!  Warning!

Reminder - This is your alert that the content may prove to be either controversial blather, or a cure for insomnia.  If you choose to continue to read, for reasons of boredom, curiosity, or incredulity, please feel free to comment in the space at the bottom of the post. ‘You’re way off base here, fella,”  “so what?”, or “please cease and desist,” are  examples of acceptable responses.

I have a theory, which is probably as legitimate as any being thrown about in the media. The current political phenomenon in the U.S. is, at least in part, fueled by what the Chinese call "red-eye" disease.

Red-eye disease was defined for me by a Chinese associate of mine during my work in Shanghai many years ago as "envy at the sight of someone else being better off." He had invited me to his home for dinner back in the time when 3M had only one company vehicle - a Jeep Cherokee - that competed with millions of bicycles and thousands of busses. Buildings of more than a few stories were just beginning to mark the horizon. Quite a different world from the current Shanghai. His apartment building looked like the many in his neighborhood - gray, drab, worn, indistinct. We walked the narrow concrete steps to the third floor, passing several doors before arriving at his. I imagined we would be entering a small, one bedroom apartment with a hotplate for cooking in the small kitchen dining room, as was typical in asian homes at the time.

Opening the door, we entered a small foyer with coats hanging on the wall, boots underneath, and to the left another door. That entry led to a very different scene. A living room containing what was at that time a modern and large television with video tape player, a large couch, a recliner, and a small table with mahjong (a popular Chinese game) pre-set. Two modest bedrooms, a moderately equipped kitchen, and a small office space with computer and monitor completed the rather large, apartment with a western layout. They had quite a few western conveniences, along with record player, albums, books, and magazines. None of this was visible from the front door, and the size of the apartment suggested it was actually two apartments with the wall removed. As owners (not renters), they had gone to great lengths to conceal what was inside, and seldom had any house guests, except trusted foreigners like myself. This was explained by my host as necessary to prevent neighbors and co-workers from developing envy or resentment of any apparent success, which could someday feed a complaint or report to authorities that could put he and his family under scrutiny or suspicion.

I was reminded of that while we were in Europe recently, and watched news reports of poor Britons that suffered from underemployment that led to a substandard of living. Much of the news coverage was focused on the lack of resources being applied by the government toward this or that disadvantaged group for this or that government service or benefit. Without a fair share, the narrative went, whole classes of people would be denied a minimal standard of living or quality of life being enjoyed by those doing the denying. Those that were oppressed in this way deserve, at a minimum, the same minimal benefits as the advantages enjoyed by those observed to be better off.

Never in history have all economic and political classes in the western world been so well off. What we call poverty these days includes cell phones and wide screen t.v.'s. It's assumed in the middle class that cars, furniture, multiple bedrooms, computers and wifi are standard, along with two or three hours per day for entertainment. Yet, complaints of economic abuse and neglect abound, with corporate greed and individual excesses sited around every corner. Red-eye disease seems to be rooted and growing in the U.S. and Europe, not to mention other parts of the world.

My theory assumes that the most ardent Trump and Sanders supporters are not really aligned with traditional conservative or liberal philosophies or principles, and are not really identified by political parties. The stretch across all boundaries. That's why the results of polls and elections have become highly unpredictable. Both Trump and Sanders have done much better in the popular vote than anyone would have guessed. Supporters, especially of Trump, have been labeled un- or under-educated, stupid, racist, xenophobic, and on and on. My theory would argue that none of those characteristics are their common connection. Their connection is economic in nature. They see some classes benefiting from current trends and political favoritisms, while they are stuck or declining in their economic position. Whether real or imagined, they feel themselves to be falling further and further behind, while others bound further and further ahead. They react to what they perceive to be cronyism in politics and economics by gravitating to candidates with independent means or behavior.

What's the cause for Trumps success, and now the "success" of Brexit? Economic disparity? Knowledge gaps? Fear of overwhelming immigration? An uninformed or ignorant populace? A yearning for straight and uncomplicated talk? Reality T.V. shows? Who knows. Obviously the pundits and establishment elites don't. But perhaps, just perhaps, kernels of red-eye disease are emerging in the midst of social affluence.

'nuff said....