I still love Obama

I don't know a lot about politics, but I do know a lot about bitching. It seems that lately, a big mouth is all you need to put your two cents into debates about the economy and healthcare. People I went to high school with are posting daily rants on Facebook about how Obama's a communist-- the last time I saw these guys participate in anything was gym class, and I think that was only to prove who was the superior douchebag. Seems like the same thing now. My friends (who definitely know more about these subjects than I do) want to debate politics with me just to prove me wrong, as if making their point clear to me is useful. I guess political stress makes people a little bit aggressive. But hey, what's the point?

So I don't know a lot about politics, but I'm pretty sure that the government isn't taking tips from Facebook and Google Chat transcripts. I know that back before we had these online social outlets, people actually got off their fat asses and organized protests. Regardless of the effect, at least they sent a message of discontent to someone other than irritated social networkers (well, me). Some people that were frustrated with the system actually wrote great music instead of contributing to their gigantic beer guts all day. Our generation is fucked and that's not Obama's fault. We are lazy and fat (well, not me) and whiny. We aren't apathetic enough to quit complaining, but we're content pass the hard work on to that nebulous "someone else." I think we deserve whatever shitty future America that evolves for not taking action about whatever we believe in now.

It took me a lot of angsting teen years to unearth this nugget of zen, but I'll share it with you for free: If I can't control it, I'm not going to stress about it. I'm a biologist and I've got no business telling Obama what to do, unless he decides that all research should be creationism-based. I pay my taxes, obey traffic laws, spend too much on clothes, and think that the government's doing its job if a tribe of neighboring Neanderthals don't pull me out of my bed at night to rape and pillage me. Here's what I worry about:

• Poorly conducted fMRI studies influencing our view of neural processing.
• Lack of respect for women in science.
• Ignorant medical professionals-- every time I go to the doctor, I end up diagnosing myself and giving suggestions for my own treatment. Why don't we teach our doctors to THINK? About something other than money, I mean.
  
• Politicians who don't know anything about research and take pride in their blazing ignorance (I'm looking at you, Sarah Palin).
• People without a sense of humor and their sad, sad, sad, sad lives.
• The fact that I'm writing this blog on a Sunday morning when I should be cleaning my apartment.