Traumatized Americans and Dissociative Hysteria
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The American dissociative mentality has changed surprisingly little over the past couple of centuries. Here is a poem written in 1848 which describes a type of American who is all too common today:
The Pious Editor's Creed. James Russell Lowell
You will see that it is written in a strong Down East dialect, which will present some difficulties for the non-native speaker. Therefore, I have taken the liberty of making some changes which will make it more understandable to those who are not to the manner born, but still, I hope, preserve some of the flavor of the original. It is essential for the humor that there be many abrupt changes of tone, so I have given you some guidelines as to reading it aloud. Practice assiduously, and you will sound like a real American!
THE PIOUS EDITOR'S CREED [1848]
by James Russell Lowell [You know, one of the Lowells of Boston,"home of the bean and the cod"]
I du believe in Freedom's cause ······················[reference to 1848 uprisings in Europe]
As fer away as Payris is; ··································Read aloud with tone of fervor and sincerity
I love to see her stick her claws·······················Tone of righteous virtue and indignation
In them infarnal Phayrisees;
It's well enough agin a king ····························Tone of sincere belief
To draw resolves and triggers---
But liberty's a kind o' thing ·····························Read aloud with a tone of Yankee slyness
That don't agree with ******s. ·························[exposes American addiction to hypocrisy]
I du believe the people want ···························[reference to Boston Tea Party] stress "want"
A tax on teas and coffees, ······························Sincere tone.
That nothin' ain't extravagunt
Purvidin' I'm in office; ···································Abrupt tone change; sly revelation of truth.
Fer I have loved my country sence ···················Back to tone of patriotic sincerity.
My eye-teeth filled their sockets,
An' Uncle Sam I reverence--- ···························Bow head; speak in hushed, reverent tone.
Partic'erly his pockets. ···································Back to tone of arch Yankee slyness.
I du believe it's wise an' good ·······················["Always be sincere, whether you mean it or not."]
To send out furrin missions;
That is, on sartin understood ························Tone of: "let us be clear about the details."
An' orthodox conditions---
I mean, nine thousan' dollars per annum, ············The rapid patter of an auctioneer on the block.
Nine thousan' more fer outfit,
An' me to recommend a man ····························Complacent confidence & self-satisfaction.
The place'ld jest about fit.
I du believe in special ways ·····························Back to tone of pious churchiness.
O' prayin' an' convartin';
The bread comes back in many days,
An' buttered, too, fer sartin; ····························Tone abruptly frank and open.
I mean in preyin' till one busts ························Tone: stubborn determination; stress "busts".
On what the party chooses,
An' in convartin' public trusts ··························Back to confiding tone of sly Yankee archness.
To very private uses.
I du believe with all my SOUL ··························Suddenly the evangelical preacher in the pulpit:
In the GREAT PRESS'S FREEDOM!--- ····················denouncing sin and proclaiming Truth!
To point the people to the goal ·····················Explaining the facts of life with great complacency
An' in the traces lead 'em;
Palsied the arm that forges yokes ··················Tone of righteous indignation: "how dare they!"
At my fat contracts squintin';
An' withered be the nose that pokes ···············Prissy, spiteful tone: "I'll show you!"
Into the gov'ment printin'.
I du believe that I should give ··························Back to reverent sincerity.
What's his'n unto Caesar;
Fer it's by Him I move an' live, ························Hat over heart; eyes rolled up to heaven;
From Him my bread an' cheese're; ····················hushed tone: "I will obey thee, Lord!"
I du believe that all o' me
Doth bear His superscription---
Will, conscience, honor, honesty--- ··················Hushed reverence.
An' things o' THAT description! ·······················Suddenly, truth breaks through the façade.
I du believe in prayer an' pra-aise ···············Enthusiasm, of evangelical preacher--("praise":
To him that has the grantin' ·······················pitch starts low, shoots up [prolong "a"],>descends)
O' jobs---in ev'rything that pays---
But most of all in RANTIN'! ·····························"I love my secret sin!"
This doth my cup with mercies fill, ···················Back to the reverence bit: "I trust thee, Lord!"
This lays all thought o' sin to rest;
I DON'T believe in princerple,
But oh, I DU in int'rest! ·····································Tone of hand-rubbing, greedy delight.
I du believe in bein' THIS ··································Tone of negligent complacency; (what
Or THAT, as it may happen, ·······························does it matter, if you can fool the rubes!)
One way or t'other handiest is
To ketch the people nappin':
It ain't by princerples nor men ··························Tone of dispensing deep wisdom
My preudent course is steadied---
I scent which pays the best, an' then
Run into it baldheaded! ···································["Oh boy! Greed is good!"]
I du believe whatever trash ································Negligent, matter-of-fact tone.
'll keep the people in blindness,
That we the Mexicans can thrash ·························[reference to Mexican-American War: 1848]
Right into brotherly kindness;
That bombshells, grape, an' powder an' ball ············["Isn't it obvious?"]
Are goodwill's strongest magnets;
That peace, to make it stick at all,
Must be druv in with bay'nets. ····························Tone of sadistic pleasure.
In SHORT, I firmly du believe ·······························Oratorical tone of deep sincerity.
In HUMBUG, gen'rally, ·······································Belt out the HUMBUG!; pitch high, then low.
Fer it's a thing that I perceive ······························Back to sly, complacent tone.
To have a solid value;
This hath my faithful shepherd been,
In pastures sweet hath led me;
An' this'll keep the people green, ··················"Oh boy! I love that a sucker's born every minute!"
To feed as they have fed me.
.
The American dissociative mentality has changed surprisingly little over the past couple of centuries. Here is a poem written in 1848 which describes a type of American who is all too common today:
The Pious Editor's Creed. James Russell Lowell
You will see that it is written in a strong Down East dialect, which will present some difficulties for the non-native speaker. Therefore, I have taken the liberty of making some changes which will make it more understandable to those who are not to the manner born, but still, I hope, preserve some of the flavor of the original. It is essential for the humor that there be many abrupt changes of tone, so I have given you some guidelines as to reading it aloud. Practice assiduously, and you will sound like a real American!
THE PIOUS EDITOR'S CREED [1848]
by James Russell Lowell [You know, one of the Lowells of Boston,"home of the bean and the cod"]
I du believe in Freedom's cause ······················[reference to 1848 uprisings in Europe]
As fer away as Payris is; ··································Read aloud with tone of fervor and sincerity
I love to see her stick her claws·······················Tone of righteous virtue and indignation
In them infarnal Phayrisees;
It's well enough agin a king ····························Tone of sincere belief
To draw resolves and triggers---
But liberty's a kind o' thing ·····························Read aloud with a tone of Yankee slyness
That don't agree with ******s. ·························[exposes American addiction to hypocrisy]
I du believe the people want ···························[reference to Boston Tea Party] stress "want"
A tax on teas and coffees, ······························Sincere tone.
That nothin' ain't extravagunt
Purvidin' I'm in office; ···································Abrupt tone change; sly revelation of truth.
Fer I have loved my country sence ···················Back to tone of patriotic sincerity.
My eye-teeth filled their sockets,
An' Uncle Sam I reverence--- ···························Bow head; speak in hushed, reverent tone.
Partic'erly his pockets. ···································Back to tone of arch Yankee slyness.
I du believe it's wise an' good ·······················["Always be sincere, whether you mean it or not."]
To send out furrin missions;
That is, on sartin understood ························Tone of: "let us be clear about the details."
An' orthodox conditions---
I mean, nine thousan' dollars per annum, ············The rapid patter of an auctioneer on the block.
Nine thousan' more fer outfit,
An' me to recommend a man ····························Complacent confidence & self-satisfaction.
The place'ld jest about fit.
I du believe in special ways ·····························Back to tone of pious churchiness.
O' prayin' an' convartin';
The bread comes back in many days,
An' buttered, too, fer sartin; ····························Tone abruptly frank and open.
I mean in preyin' till one busts ························Tone: stubborn determination; stress "busts".
On what the party chooses,
An' in convartin' public trusts ··························Back to confiding tone of sly Yankee archness.
To very private uses.
I du believe with all my SOUL ··························Suddenly the evangelical preacher in the pulpit:
In the GREAT PRESS'S FREEDOM!--- ····················denouncing sin and proclaiming Truth!
To point the people to the goal ·····················Explaining the facts of life with great complacency
An' in the traces lead 'em;
Palsied the arm that forges yokes ··················Tone of righteous indignation: "how dare they!"
At my fat contracts squintin';
An' withered be the nose that pokes ···············Prissy, spiteful tone: "I'll show you!"
Into the gov'ment printin'.
I du believe that I should give ··························Back to reverent sincerity.
What's his'n unto Caesar;
Fer it's by Him I move an' live, ························Hat over heart; eyes rolled up to heaven;
From Him my bread an' cheese're; ····················hushed tone: "I will obey thee, Lord!"
I du believe that all o' me
Doth bear His superscription---
Will, conscience, honor, honesty--- ··················Hushed reverence.
An' things o' THAT description! ·······················Suddenly, truth breaks through the façade.
I du believe in prayer an' pra-aise ···············Enthusiasm, of evangelical preacher--("praise":
To him that has the grantin' ·······················pitch starts low, shoots up [prolong "a"],>descends)
O' jobs---in ev'rything that pays---
But most of all in RANTIN'! ·····························"I love my secret sin!"
This doth my cup with mercies fill, ···················Back to the reverence bit: "I trust thee, Lord!"
This lays all thought o' sin to rest;
I DON'T believe in princerple,
But oh, I DU in int'rest! ·····································Tone of hand-rubbing, greedy delight.
I du believe in bein' THIS ··································Tone of negligent complacency; (what
Or THAT, as it may happen, ·······························does it matter, if you can fool the rubes!)
One way or t'other handiest is
To ketch the people nappin':
It ain't by princerples nor men ··························Tone of dispensing deep wisdom
My preudent course is steadied---
I scent which pays the best, an' then
Run into it baldheaded! ···································["Oh boy! Greed is good!"]
I du believe whatever trash ································Negligent, matter-of-fact tone.
'll keep the people in blindness,
That we the Mexicans can thrash ·························[reference to Mexican-American War: 1848]
Right into brotherly kindness;
That bombshells, grape, an' powder an' ball ············["Isn't it obvious?"]
Are goodwill's strongest magnets;
That peace, to make it stick at all,
Must be druv in with bay'nets. ····························Tone of sadistic pleasure.
In SHORT, I firmly du believe ·······························Oratorical tone of deep sincerity.
In HUMBUG, gen'rally, ·······································Belt out the HUMBUG!; pitch high, then low.
Fer it's a thing that I perceive ······························Back to sly, complacent tone.
To have a solid value;
This hath my faithful shepherd been,
In pastures sweet hath led me;
An' this'll keep the people green, ··················"Oh boy! I love that a sucker's born every minute!"
To feed as they have fed me.
.
'
The problem is that all too many Americans work themselves into a tizzy about the idiotic fluff of politics and popular "culture", and they don't worry nearly enough about what is important, like :
Environmental degradation and collapse
Over-consumption
Over-population
the Brainwashing Machine
Militarism
Corruption in finance and government organization
.
The problem is that all too many Americans work themselves into a tizzy about the idiotic fluff of politics and popular "culture", and they don't worry nearly enough about what is important, like :
Environmental degradation and collapse
Over-consumption
Over-population
the Brainwashing Machine
Militarism
Corruption in finance and government organization
.
'
One of the interesting aspects of American mental aberration is the strong tendency of so many there to gladly accept that almost any single aspect of American society is corrupt and malignant, but they will react as if they had been stung by a bee if one suggests that American society as a whole is corrupt and malignant.
One is reminded of the Age of Barbarism in the Middle Ages, when people were quite aware of the corruption and crimes of the clergy, but would fight to the death if it was suggested that the Church was not all that God wanted it to be.
.
One of the interesting aspects of American mental aberration is the strong tendency of so many there to gladly accept that almost any single aspect of American society is corrupt and malignant, but they will react as if they had been stung by a bee if one suggests that American society as a whole is corrupt and malignant.
One is reminded of the Age of Barbarism in the Middle Ages, when people were quite aware of the corruption and crimes of the clergy, but would fight to the death if it was suggested that the Church was not all that God wanted it to be.
.
