" The Audacity of Hope " A meaningless term for child-like Americans ?

Posted on February 7th, 2010 by admin in hope unseen | 7 Comments »

I’m not knocking Barack, just the Madison Avenue approach to selling a dead institution: The presidency. Millions of Americans grasp at The Audacity of Hope, a meaningless marketing slogan of the publishing industry if ever there was one. At least it has the word Audacity in it, something millions of folks are having trouble conjuring up the least shred of, these days. And there is good old fashioned "Hope" of course — that murky, undefined belief that some unknown force or magical unseen power will reverse the national condition — and deliver us from what every bit of evidence indicates is irreversible: Collapse. Political, economical, ecolological exhaustion.

Man that is the best question I’ve seen in awhile! You are totally right about the marketing slogans that are thrown out in the name of votes. If only Americans would wake up and realize that it’s Wall Street that runs this country and not the president.

"The Audacity of Hope" is a Smoke and Mirrors attempt at a sympathetic response for votes. "The Audacity of Hope" are just words that imply that to Hope is somehow special and covert, but are really no different than the old McDonald’s slogan, "You Deserve a Break Today" or "Tippecanoe and Tyler Too". Just Words.

Audacity means "Bold or insolent, heedlessness of restraints, as of those imposed by prudence, propriety, or convention." Thus audacity is a special word reserved for people like Spartacus, not some Knob running for president.

I submit that the following lines from the old Blues tune "When the Levee Breaks" by Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis Minnie, are a good counter response to the phrase "The Audacity of Hope"

Cryin’ won’t help ya
Prayin’ won’t do ya no good
Cryin’ won’t help ya
Prayin’ won’t do ya no good
When the levee breaks
mama you got to move.

(Yes, Led Zeppelin did a cover.)

7 Responses

  1. ann h Says:

    it is a sales pitch and sadly so many are so desperately hopeful …or have never been sold before …they believe it!
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  2. Troy W Says:

    So what is your question??? And what is a child-like American?
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  3. hedddon Says:

    In reality it gave no workable solutions to the complex problems that face us as a nation. And just as America is hooked on "bling" They are hooked on smooth talk and charm. Unfortunately inexperience and no leadership skills are what the masses find suitable to lead our country. As the saying goes, "be careful what you ask for, you may get it" is applicable here. I just hope the same people blinded by smooth talk can recover in time to save our country for the inevitable fate we are heading to.
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  4. mbush40 Says:

    You can replace the word hope with "white guilt"
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  5. fdm215 Says:

    Well, given that he chose that title LONG before anyone outside of Chicago had ever heard of him, I doubt it was much of a "Madison Avenue approach". It’s his book, he can call it what he likes. Some might consider griping about the title just a bit petty.
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  6. captain flapjacks Says:

    Relax man….take your meds…..it’s just a book title…..
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  7. Lunar Dave AM Says:

    Man that is the best question I’ve seen in awhile! You are totally right about the marketing slogans that are thrown out in the name of votes. If only Americans would wake up and realize that it’s Wall Street that runs this country and not the president.

    "The Audacity of Hope" is a Smoke and Mirrors attempt at a sympathetic response for votes. "The Audacity of Hope" are just words that imply that to Hope is somehow special and covert, but are really no different than the old McDonald’s slogan, "You Deserve a Break Today" or "Tippecanoe and Tyler Too". Just Words.

    Audacity means "Bold or insolent, heedlessness of restraints, as of those imposed by prudence, propriety, or convention." Thus audacity is a special word reserved for people like Spartacus, not some Knob running for president.

    I submit that the following lines from the old Blues tune "When the Levee Breaks" by Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis Minnie, are a good counter response to the phrase "The Audacity of Hope"

    Cryin’ won’t help ya
    Prayin’ won’t do ya no good
    Cryin’ won’t help ya
    Prayin’ won’t do ya no good
    When the levee breaks
    mama you got to move.

    (Yes, Led Zeppelin did a cover.)
    References :
    Millions of Knobs running around in a clueless state.

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