Garrison, you live far removed from inflation, drug overdoses, murders and the outrageous inflation burden on the middle-class which magically and abruptly appeared 4 years ago. You exist as a mere observer in NYC..you are most certainly, not an actual participant..you are the grandpa sitting on his porch, ice tea in hand, barking 'how to instructions' and criticizing the young folk that are attempting to erect a barn. Their experience is not yours nor should it be..people learn from experience..stick to your memoirs of church ladies, farmers, and childhood in Minnesota..that persona suits you best, it earned the money that allows your present ivorytower vantage point..hearing your unique heirloom voice weighing in vehemently on the current political situation is just plain ugly..the Wobegone Keillor gave us all comfort and we through him, we came to love and crave simpler days and honest good hardworking folk..today's Keillor's elitism and lean hits one in the head and has lost the patina and value of the treasure it once was.
You have missed the point to an impressive degree. Rather than enjoy GK's work as he intended, you have chosen to instead shine a light on many of the darker things in our current world, exposing more about you than the world you claim to represent. Blaming the current circumstances on the current president is as helpful and accurate as blaming them on Springsteen. You are invited to grow up, pipe down and occupy a spot on the good side of history, not the poisonous bucket of the worst ideas you currently live in. You can be better. Give it a try.
You can't expect to meet people if you spend all your time in your room writing!
I think you lost a great opportunity. I have met in the dining car a guy who made $5000 boots for movie stars and a couple from New Zealand who were friends of "Zena". Others as well. Try it again! This time try the dining car!!
For the years that my wife and I worked together, I would read the Daily Writer's Almanac to her in the car, and since she was an English/Theatre major, she would always expound upon the various authors and other artists you'd mention, most of whom I'd know very little about. It always made for a fun and intellectually stimulating car ride. We've been on a cruise with you several decades ago to Nova Scotia, PEI, etc. and was in tearful ecstasy as we enjoyed your 2022 Dec Christmas show in St. Louis. National politics was blessedly not a big topic in any of these recordings, activities or live presentations. But now, the T factor has grown so menacingly, that not only does it appear in your writings, it endangers our 2 party system. Where's Bernie when we need him? No third party rep has a chance, even a well funded Perot, and the lessor of two evils becomes the ruler. I was not impressed with Biden when he lost in two consecutive primaries over 40 years ago. Back then, his new hair plugs were made more conspicuous by his continual denial, and every one of his answers to a reporter's question always began with "Look.....". To me he was the consummate politician and nothing more. Maybe I'm bitter that my own green party, tree hugging, peace loving candidates have never had a chance. But, I'm even more disappointed at how Trump has harmed both the two party system and the Republican Party. No one can have a civil difference of opinion without the accusation of being duped by rigged elections or fraudulent news. My first political discourse experience was sitting behind the grade school bus driver as an older student asked the driver whether he was going to vote for Eisenhower or Stevenson. The driver said "Stevenson" and that was it - no acrimony on the part of the student. I know that my parents talked fondly of Eisenhower, but I thought nothing less of my favorite bus driver. Nixon, in spite of his downfall, was a force for good in closing the book on Vietnam, signing into law the EPA, and opening the door to China. But, my favorite Republican, even more than Ronald Regan, was Gerald Ford, mainly because he was the only Republican President in my lifetime, who never campaigned for the job. During his tenure, my parents, who were straight-ticket Republicans, proudly emblazoned both their cars with "Republicans for Choice". Sadly, in Trump's pot stirred toxic environment, you don't see a sticker like that anywhere.
Concerning the comment about asking a European about their background “…might raise hackles, like asking ‘What’s your annual income?’”
Your mileage may vary of course but, curiously, my experience with many European friends —and especially co-workers— is that Europeans are quite often bewildered by Americans’ apparent taboo about discussing one’s salary or income.]
I had a Spanish professor, who was originally from Argentina, who was perturbed by American cocktail party chat that included questions like: "so what do you do?" (For a living.) Apparently in Argentina it is considered somewhat impolite, perhaps nosy, to inquire as to how people earned their living.
You are so right, Mr. Keillor. I was fortunate enough to grow up with a love of reading. The introduction to new people, new places and new things was enthralling to me. I was also lucky that my parents supported my love of books. If you recall the Scholastic Book Club, my parents would allow me to order 15 or 20 books -- and they happily paid for them -- while most of the kids grudgingly ordered one, two maybe three books which may or may not have ever been read. (But at least those kids, back in the 1960s could read, when they chose to do so.)
I've heard anecdotes of highly intelligent young people today who simply can't bring themselves to sit down and sustain the undivided attention and concentration needed to read a book. What will happen when these people are in charge of society with their attention spans limited to a 10 minute Youtube video? Not to mention a limited, constrained vocabulary with expressions like, "the place had a chill vibe" (does that mean a relaxed atmosphere or ambiance?) and "veggys" for vegtables and "comfy" for comfortable?
So yes, we were lucky we were born when we were. But I don't think it was boredom that encouraged us to seek the companionship of books; it was more the case that without all these distractions and gadgets our minds were clear or at least clearer. And with that relative clarity of mind we could concentrate on reading rather than forever seeking distraction and diversion.
Some years ago there was a Canadian professor of Media, Marshall McLuhan. In one of his books he proposed that with the invention of the printing press in the West the Western world had entered an age of linear thought. People who read learned to think in a linear, rational manner. E.g. Before C can happen A and B must happen. Dr. McLuhan hypothesized (around 1980 or so) that we were now entering an age of "collage" thinking rather than linear logic. The world would be viewed as a sort of mish-mash or muddle of images and events without a logical context. I would argue that the current fad in pop philosophy of "everyone has their own facts" and "there is no single truth but many truths and you get to pick the one you want" is a current example of this.
So Social Media, with all of its distractions and short-attention span encouragement may pose a real threat to society. There are academics who have thought and written about this. Unfortunately I can't recall any of them off hand.
We may be more fortunate than we know that we lived in a time where we could learn to love to read.
Very beautifully said! I am wondering we make such contrast between new and old. Seeing the young people, I realize they are burdened with the responsibility of taking care of themselves and fitting into the society they are part of. I see my two sons in their 30s are juggling between childcare, their work and fitting in. Any thoughts?
From Garrison, about Donald Trump’s aspirations to be elected to a second term as President: “It must not happen, people. It must not happen!”
I couldn’t agree more!
I send a tiny amount of money to two US Senate candidates, and to President Joe Biden. My budget is such, in reality, that I can’t afford to send anything, but the power of numbers tells me I must send something. WHY?
Because $0 X any number of contributors, equals zero! What if a million people each gave only $1.00? Then, 1,000,000 X $1.00 = $1 million dollars! If all you can give is 50 cents, give 50 cents! Why? Because 50 cents X 1 million people, equals $500,000! What if 5 million people each give $5.00 a month? WOW! That’s $25,000,000! What if 5 million people each gives $10 a month? Suddenly, you have the money for a serious campaign! You have $50 MILLION! So, while not everyone will give, if 10 million people each donate $10.00, President Biden has ONE BILLION DOLLARS to spend on his re-election! (check my math, but I think I’ve got that right!) Then, multiply that by 10 months: he has $10 Billion for his campaign!
(PLEASE, people, DON’T spend it on expensive TV ads almost nobody will see!)
Now, let’s just consider voting: Watch the snow fall on a winter day, in Minnesota. In most cases, snow falls slowly; you can watch as millions of individual single flakes come down, it’s cold—below freezing. More snowflakes come down, each one by itself is so small, tiny and insignificant! But if it keeps snowing all day and all night, the next day there may be two feet of snow covering the ground! This is the power of numbers!
An election works the same way. Some people don’t vote, because they tell themselves, “My vote is only one vote. It doesn’t matter.”
What if the snowflakes went on strike, refused to fall at all! There would be no snow on the ground! It takes millions of snowflakes to fall, to make a snowstorm.
Your vote is just as important as my vote, and my next door neighbor’s vote. We ALL get exactly ONE VOTE. Don’t waste your vote, by staying home!
Too much rests on the next Presidential election, and the other elections as well—for US Congress and the US Senate. With a majority of US Senators and US Representatives, the President can get vitally important legislation passed, to control our borders—which is important; currently, the GOP refuses to act on a border bill. It’s stalled in the House. WHY? Donald Trump has directed the GOP majority NOT to pass the bill—because it would look good for President Biden! Never mind that with adequate resources, refugees could be treated humanely, enough judges could be hired so that cases can be heard quickly, rather than taking months and months.
It is unlikely Donald Trump will get as many votes as President Joe Biden, because MOST of us fear the promises he has made—he has said he wants “to be a dictator for one day.” That is scary enough! He has also said to his supporters: “I am your RETRIBUTION!”
He has said everyone working in his presidency would have to swear a loyalty oath to him.
This country has a civil service, which was set up based on merit, so that the many working parts of government have professional, knowledgeable people—in whatever field they work in; the practice of giving out government jobs as “patronage” was recognized as a poor practice, first by President Ulysses S. Grant, and given public support after the assassination of President James Garfield by Charles Guiteau, on July 2, 1881, angry that he wasn’t appointed to an ambassadorship. That was the end of the highly questionable and inefficient practice of wide-spread patronage.
Many positions in government, including the a military, for example, require an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States-NOT to the President. Take Social Security, for example. Suppose everyone who is at Social Security now, left when a new president was elected. Who would even know the first thing about sending out monthly checks? How about the military? Should it be loyal to one man? I call that a dictatorship!
Trump has recently, while ranting about NATO countries which haven’t given enough money, ENCOURAGED Russian leader Putin to attack these NATO countries—OUR allies!
He is self-serving, cruel, has mocked people with disabilities, he considers soldiers who have been killed on active duty “SUCKERS” and “LOSERS” and objects to soldiers who are amputees to be in military parades, because “it doesn’t look good for me.” He criticized Senator John McCain for being a prisoner of war! “HE’s not a war hero. He was a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren’t captured.”
And he’s not well! I’m not able to diagnose what is going on with him from watching a TV, or a computer screen, but something is medically wrong. He garbles words, gets confused in the middle of a sentence. He’s called the terrorist group Hamas, “hummus”—a dip made with chickpeas. He’s got some kind of neurological deficit. NOT a great feature for the responsibilities of a world leader.
During Donald’s first term as President, his ineptitude led to the deaths of more than half a million Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic. He discouraged people from wearing masks to help prevent infection to such a degree that wearing a mask—or not—became not a public health issue, but a political statement!
He pulled the US out of the Paris Climate agreement, and according to CLIMATEWIRE: “…staffed his environmental agencies with fossil fuel lobbyists and claimed — against all scientific evidence — that the Earth’s rising temperatures will ‘start getting cooler.’”
This is my own scattered and limited rant, and, I realize, probably preaching to the choir. I’m very afraid of the many adverse consequences which would follow from another Trump presidency. I’m not sure the United States—or the world, for that matter—can survive another Trump reign. I urge everyone, whatever you’re doing to re-elect Biden and currently, candidates of the only legitimate political party: the Democratic Party, DO MORE! This is one election we can’t afford to lose. Democracy and our climate—our children’s legacy—hang in the balance.
PS: If someone can explain how to post on my OWN Substack, I’ll take my comments there! (Thanks in advance.) And thanks, Garrison, from a devoted listener for many years to “The Prairie Home Companion!” I now live in Austin, Texas, but for a long time, I lived in Minnesota, VERY close to Lake Woebegone.
Garrison, you live far removed from inflation, drug overdoses, murders and the outrageous inflation burden on the middle-class which magically and abruptly appeared 4 years ago. You exist as a mere observer in NYC..you are most certainly, not an actual participant..you are the grandpa sitting on his porch, ice tea in hand, barking 'how to instructions' and criticizing the young folk that are attempting to erect a barn. Their experience is not yours nor should it be..people learn from experience..stick to your memoirs of church ladies, farmers, and childhood in Minnesota..that persona suits you best, it earned the money that allows your present ivorytower vantage point..hearing your unique heirloom voice weighing in vehemently on the current political situation is just plain ugly..the Wobegone Keillor gave us all comfort and we through him, we came to love and crave simpler days and honest good hardworking folk..today's Keillor's elitism and lean hits one in the head and has lost the patina and value of the treasure it once was.
You have missed the point to an impressive degree. Rather than enjoy GK's work as he intended, you have chosen to instead shine a light on many of the darker things in our current world, exposing more about you than the world you claim to represent. Blaming the current circumstances on the current president is as helpful and accurate as blaming them on Springsteen. You are invited to grow up, pipe down and occupy a spot on the good side of history, not the poisonous bucket of the worst ideas you currently live in. You can be better. Give it a try.
G.K.
You can't expect to meet people if you spend all your time in your room writing!
I think you lost a great opportunity. I have met in the dining car a guy who made $5000 boots for movie stars and a couple from New Zealand who were friends of "Zena". Others as well. Try it again! This time try the dining car!!
Dave Axtell
For the years that my wife and I worked together, I would read the Daily Writer's Almanac to her in the car, and since she was an English/Theatre major, she would always expound upon the various authors and other artists you'd mention, most of whom I'd know very little about. It always made for a fun and intellectually stimulating car ride. We've been on a cruise with you several decades ago to Nova Scotia, PEI, etc. and was in tearful ecstasy as we enjoyed your 2022 Dec Christmas show in St. Louis. National politics was blessedly not a big topic in any of these recordings, activities or live presentations. But now, the T factor has grown so menacingly, that not only does it appear in your writings, it endangers our 2 party system. Where's Bernie when we need him? No third party rep has a chance, even a well funded Perot, and the lessor of two evils becomes the ruler. I was not impressed with Biden when he lost in two consecutive primaries over 40 years ago. Back then, his new hair plugs were made more conspicuous by his continual denial, and every one of his answers to a reporter's question always began with "Look.....". To me he was the consummate politician and nothing more. Maybe I'm bitter that my own green party, tree hugging, peace loving candidates have never had a chance. But, I'm even more disappointed at how Trump has harmed both the two party system and the Republican Party. No one can have a civil difference of opinion without the accusation of being duped by rigged elections or fraudulent news. My first political discourse experience was sitting behind the grade school bus driver as an older student asked the driver whether he was going to vote for Eisenhower or Stevenson. The driver said "Stevenson" and that was it - no acrimony on the part of the student. I know that my parents talked fondly of Eisenhower, but I thought nothing less of my favorite bus driver. Nixon, in spite of his downfall, was a force for good in closing the book on Vietnam, signing into law the EPA, and opening the door to China. But, my favorite Republican, even more than Ronald Regan, was Gerald Ford, mainly because he was the only Republican President in my lifetime, who never campaigned for the job. During his tenure, my parents, who were straight-ticket Republicans, proudly emblazoned both their cars with "Republicans for Choice". Sadly, in Trump's pot stirred toxic environment, you don't see a sticker like that anywhere.
I just love your thoughts. I couldn’t agree more. I am so afraid Trumpzilla will ruin us!
God bless you and your family.
Amen, brother!
Thank you GK! Hugs from Boston
Speak to the destruction of the MAGA hats and their corrupt leader, Garrison. Good on yah!
A lovely piece.
[But a small cultural quibble:
Concerning the comment about asking a European about their background “…might raise hackles, like asking ‘What’s your annual income?’”
Your mileage may vary of course but, curiously, my experience with many European friends —and especially co-workers— is that Europeans are quite often bewildered by Americans’ apparent taboo about discussing one’s salary or income.]
I had a Spanish professor, who was originally from Argentina, who was perturbed by American cocktail party chat that included questions like: "so what do you do?" (For a living.) Apparently in Argentina it is considered somewhat impolite, perhaps nosy, to inquire as to how people earned their living.
Perfect, in every way. Thanks again, GK.
You are so right, Mr. Keillor. I was fortunate enough to grow up with a love of reading. The introduction to new people, new places and new things was enthralling to me. I was also lucky that my parents supported my love of books. If you recall the Scholastic Book Club, my parents would allow me to order 15 or 20 books -- and they happily paid for them -- while most of the kids grudgingly ordered one, two maybe three books which may or may not have ever been read. (But at least those kids, back in the 1960s could read, when they chose to do so.)
I've heard anecdotes of highly intelligent young people today who simply can't bring themselves to sit down and sustain the undivided attention and concentration needed to read a book. What will happen when these people are in charge of society with their attention spans limited to a 10 minute Youtube video? Not to mention a limited, constrained vocabulary with expressions like, "the place had a chill vibe" (does that mean a relaxed atmosphere or ambiance?) and "veggys" for vegtables and "comfy" for comfortable?
So yes, we were lucky we were born when we were. But I don't think it was boredom that encouraged us to seek the companionship of books; it was more the case that without all these distractions and gadgets our minds were clear or at least clearer. And with that relative clarity of mind we could concentrate on reading rather than forever seeking distraction and diversion.
Some years ago there was a Canadian professor of Media, Marshall McLuhan. In one of his books he proposed that with the invention of the printing press in the West the Western world had entered an age of linear thought. People who read learned to think in a linear, rational manner. E.g. Before C can happen A and B must happen. Dr. McLuhan hypothesized (around 1980 or so) that we were now entering an age of "collage" thinking rather than linear logic. The world would be viewed as a sort of mish-mash or muddle of images and events without a logical context. I would argue that the current fad in pop philosophy of "everyone has their own facts" and "there is no single truth but many truths and you get to pick the one you want" is a current example of this.
So Social Media, with all of its distractions and short-attention span encouragement may pose a real threat to society. There are academics who have thought and written about this. Unfortunately I can't recall any of them off hand.
We may be more fortunate than we know that we lived in a time where we could learn to love to read.
Yes, I had Marshall McLuhan as a professor at York University for a semester... mesmerizing lecturer, and prophetic.
Wow! Thank you, Ms. Heidenreich. Six degrees of separation, indeed.
GK understands ‘truths’, both large and small. Wonderful.
Amen and Hallelujah! And I have no formal religion but do have faith in human kindness. Thank you for speaking out against the biggest grifter.
Did I listen three times? Yes, yes, YES.
Very beautifully said! I am wondering we make such contrast between new and old. Seeing the young people, I realize they are burdened with the responsibility of taking care of themselves and fitting into the society they are part of. I see my two sons in their 30s are juggling between childcare, their work and fitting in. Any thoughts?
From Garrison, about Donald Trump’s aspirations to be elected to a second term as President: “It must not happen, people. It must not happen!”
I couldn’t agree more!
I send a tiny amount of money to two US Senate candidates, and to President Joe Biden. My budget is such, in reality, that I can’t afford to send anything, but the power of numbers tells me I must send something. WHY?
Because $0 X any number of contributors, equals zero! What if a million people each gave only $1.00? Then, 1,000,000 X $1.00 = $1 million dollars! If all you can give is 50 cents, give 50 cents! Why? Because 50 cents X 1 million people, equals $500,000! What if 5 million people each give $5.00 a month? WOW! That’s $25,000,000! What if 5 million people each gives $10 a month? Suddenly, you have the money for a serious campaign! You have $50 MILLION! So, while not everyone will give, if 10 million people each donate $10.00, President Biden has ONE BILLION DOLLARS to spend on his re-election! (check my math, but I think I’ve got that right!) Then, multiply that by 10 months: he has $10 Billion for his campaign!
(PLEASE, people, DON’T spend it on expensive TV ads almost nobody will see!)
Now, let’s just consider voting: Watch the snow fall on a winter day, in Minnesota. In most cases, snow falls slowly; you can watch as millions of individual single flakes come down, it’s cold—below freezing. More snowflakes come down, each one by itself is so small, tiny and insignificant! But if it keeps snowing all day and all night, the next day there may be two feet of snow covering the ground! This is the power of numbers!
An election works the same way. Some people don’t vote, because they tell themselves, “My vote is only one vote. It doesn’t matter.”
What if the snowflakes went on strike, refused to fall at all! There would be no snow on the ground! It takes millions of snowflakes to fall, to make a snowstorm.
Your vote is just as important as my vote, and my next door neighbor’s vote. We ALL get exactly ONE VOTE. Don’t waste your vote, by staying home!
Too much rests on the next Presidential election, and the other elections as well—for US Congress and the US Senate. With a majority of US Senators and US Representatives, the President can get vitally important legislation passed, to control our borders—which is important; currently, the GOP refuses to act on a border bill. It’s stalled in the House. WHY? Donald Trump has directed the GOP majority NOT to pass the bill—because it would look good for President Biden! Never mind that with adequate resources, refugees could be treated humanely, enough judges could be hired so that cases can be heard quickly, rather than taking months and months.
It is unlikely Donald Trump will get as many votes as President Joe Biden, because MOST of us fear the promises he has made—he has said he wants “to be a dictator for one day.” That is scary enough! He has also said to his supporters: “I am your RETRIBUTION!”
He has said everyone working in his presidency would have to swear a loyalty oath to him.
This country has a civil service, which was set up based on merit, so that the many working parts of government have professional, knowledgeable people—in whatever field they work in; the practice of giving out government jobs as “patronage” was recognized as a poor practice, first by President Ulysses S. Grant, and given public support after the assassination of President James Garfield by Charles Guiteau, on July 2, 1881, angry that he wasn’t appointed to an ambassadorship. That was the end of the highly questionable and inefficient practice of wide-spread patronage.
Many positions in government, including the a military, for example, require an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States-NOT to the President. Take Social Security, for example. Suppose everyone who is at Social Security now, left when a new president was elected. Who would even know the first thing about sending out monthly checks? How about the military? Should it be loyal to one man? I call that a dictatorship!
Trump has recently, while ranting about NATO countries which haven’t given enough money, ENCOURAGED Russian leader Putin to attack these NATO countries—OUR allies!
He is self-serving, cruel, has mocked people with disabilities, he considers soldiers who have been killed on active duty “SUCKERS” and “LOSERS” and objects to soldiers who are amputees to be in military parades, because “it doesn’t look good for me.” He criticized Senator John McCain for being a prisoner of war! “HE’s not a war hero. He was a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren’t captured.”
And he’s not well! I’m not able to diagnose what is going on with him from watching a TV, or a computer screen, but something is medically wrong. He garbles words, gets confused in the middle of a sentence. He’s called the terrorist group Hamas, “hummus”—a dip made with chickpeas. He’s got some kind of neurological deficit. NOT a great feature for the responsibilities of a world leader.
During Donald’s first term as President, his ineptitude led to the deaths of more than half a million Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic. He discouraged people from wearing masks to help prevent infection to such a degree that wearing a mask—or not—became not a public health issue, but a political statement!
He pulled the US out of the Paris Climate agreement, and according to CLIMATEWIRE: “…staffed his environmental agencies with fossil fuel lobbyists and claimed — against all scientific evidence — that the Earth’s rising temperatures will ‘start getting cooler.’”
This is my own scattered and limited rant, and, I realize, probably preaching to the choir. I’m very afraid of the many adverse consequences which would follow from another Trump presidency. I’m not sure the United States—or the world, for that matter—can survive another Trump reign. I urge everyone, whatever you’re doing to re-elect Biden and currently, candidates of the only legitimate political party: the Democratic Party, DO MORE! This is one election we can’t afford to lose. Democracy and our climate—our children’s legacy—hang in the balance.
PS: If someone can explain how to post on my OWN Substack, I’ll take my comments there! (Thanks in advance.) And thanks, Garrison, from a devoted listener for many years to “The Prairie Home Companion!” I now live in Austin, Texas, but for a long time, I lived in Minnesota, VERY close to Lake Woebegone.