What Are You Thinking About?

Cartoons are often funny, at least as long as it’s not you that is be satirized.  On Larry King Live Barack Obama was asked about The New Yorker cartoon, and his reply is interesting –

” It’s a cartoon, Larry, . . .and I think the American people are probably spending a little more time worrying about what’s happening with the banking system and the housing market, and what’s happening in Iraq and Afghanistan, than a cartoon.”

Now, don’t we wish that was true? I’m just not sure it is. I try to understand how something like “How I Survived A Japanese Game Show,” or some such TV fare, could be popular (of course, since I haven’t seen anything but the commercials — maybe I am missing something), or why video games are all the rage, or how a magazine could pay 11 million dollars for pictures of the Pitt/Jolie kids, and still remain in business.

The reality is, I don’t think a significant majority of the American people are paying attention to the banking and housing market unless it affects them personally, or to Iraq and Afghanistan if they have no lloved ones there. How many American people will vote in the Presidential election in November? I am not trying to demonstrate a high level of cynicism, but let’s be honest — a majority of Americans are focused on much less than the “big picture.”

The most important question in all the world — “Where will I spend eternity?” — is ignored by untold millions of Americans every day. We’re too busy watching TV or getting some more stuff for our storage facility.