What does it mean to be a "Boobus Americanus"?

I'm writing very late, and I fear that I will not get to sleep 'till even later.

My dear readers, I feel that I must write even though there are a mere four to eight of you (?).

In my Dissent in American Political Thought class today, we reviewed our reading homework. The reading was an chapter excerpt from one of H.L. Menken's books titled On Being American. I am compelled to say that we Americans are very unique, or that our Land is unique, or that the whole here (whatever that encompasses) is original to us.

My opinion of Menken from that one excerpt was that he was a pretentious elitist who analyzed and diagnosed problems from his narrow view his high perch over the masses (he's writing in 1922 I believe). Yet he still makes some good points.

On happiness, which he credits to be the driving force behind both his actions and others, he says:

To me, at least (and I can only follow my own nose), happiness (reducing the things to its elementals) I must be:

a. Well-fed, unhounded by sordid cares, at ease in Zion.
b. Full of comfortable feeling of superiority to the masses of my fellow-men.
c. Delicately unceasingly amused according to my taste.

It is my contention that, if this definition be accepted, there is no country on the face of the earth wherein a man roughly constituted as I am—a man of my general weaknesses, vanities, appetites, prejudices, and aversions—can be so happy, or even one-half so happy, as he can be in these free and independent states [United States].

The discussion in class went several directions as Menken is quite adept at packing the words into the sentences and the thoughts into the paragraphs (as you can assess for yourself above). When we did get to the point that America is very much "incomparably the greatest show on earth", "the land of mirth" where "politics is purged of all menace, all sinister quality, all genuine significance, and stuffed with such gorgeous humors" —the very "citadel of democracy...a clown dynasty!" everyone by default agreed. In fact it was I who unfortunately pointed this out to the rest of the class, and while they agreed, they later turned around and exclaimed that such cynicism and criticism is shameful without action. One classmate pointed out that Menken may, or may not, be making this very point in his mocking and lighthearted gallows critique of America. An example of this was his claim that he had discovered a new species and desired to make us aware of its nature, it's name Menken writes is the Boobus Americanus. For all his faults, anyone who reads Menken cannot help but laugh.

If you have any doubts about the Americanness of ridiculous, entertaining and foolish cynism—I would invite you to just take a meander down to The Onion where you can read such jarring articles titled Massive Earthquake Reveals Entire Island Civilization Called 'Haiti' and Increasingly Horrified Man Listens To Self Explain What He Does For A Living. These articles have exceptional (and sometimes vulgar), and I would add, profound insights into our culture, society and nation—but it's done all under the guise of degrading superiority humor or release humor (something I learned about in my Political Humor class last semester).

So what happened after that flinching moment of humility where my classmates took my cynical agreement with his diagnosis of rampant fool-like cynicism in America? Well, the conversation led to how if one is critiquing their environment for entertainment, or for self gain, then one is no better than those being critiqued. Struck dumb with such humbling statements began to think of my blog posting just yesterday. My professor (please have no disillusions 99% of my class are liberal, my professor certainly included) then pointed out to our class that our generation enshrines people on the Daily Show like Colbert and Jon Stewart and these men profit greatly from this American tendency to viciously criticize for the sake of entertainment. My professor said something along the lines of, "When we see something wrong, do we Americans tend to laugh in order deal with our anger...instead of channeling it towards change?"

Now besides my personal moral qualms with channeling anger à la Dark Jedi, and besides the fact that I think that many may laugh out of personal methods of coping, I think there is something to the question.

Is it appropriate to laugh in the face of wrongs or in the face of injustice? Obviously I think you would all agree with me that laughing at wrongdoings for entertainment reasons is immoral...but if it's not for entertainment for coping—is there a better way to cope?

Or what about this, should we merely be coping with offense/tyranny/injustice/corruption/wrong/evil?
After all, coping implies a certain amount of inability to change one's situation.

Perhaps therein lies the problem, by laughing we confirm our own idle attitudes shrug our shoulders and become part of the problem.

I read this article titled The 545 People Responsible For All Of U.S. Woes:

Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them.
Have you ever wondered why, if both the Democrats and the Republicans are against deficits, we have deficits? Have you ever wondered why, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, we have inflation and high taxes?

You and I don't propose a federal budget. The president does. You and I don't have the Constitutional authority to vote on appropriations. The House of Representatives does. You and I don't write the tax code. Congress does. You and I don't set fiscal policy. Congress does. You and I don't control monetary policy. The Federal Reserve Bank does.
One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one president and nine Supreme Court justices - 545 human beings out of the 235 million - are directly, legally, morally and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country.

I excluded the members of the Federal Reserve Board because that problem was created by the Congress. In 1913, Congress delegated its Constitutional duty to provide a sound currency to a federally chartered but private central bank.
I excluded all but the special interests and lobbyists for a sound reason. They have no legal authority. They have no ability to coerce a senator, a congressman or a president to do one cotton-picking thing. I don't care if they offer a politician $1 million dollars in cash. The politician has the power to accept or reject it. No matter what the lobbyist promises, it is the legislation's responsibility to determine how he votes.

It's written by a conservative leaning columnist Charley Reese...I think a couple years ago in 2007 or early 2008. He makes some very valid points, and the article is a lot longer. The reason I cut it short is because I don't full agree with him.

As citizens who live in the land of the United States we are political system. As members of the human race we are collectively responsible for such great interconnected and complicated spiritual and physical webs of destructions so great that I think many of us (me included) get bogged down trying to figure out just the immediate background and story.

This prevents me from living in the present and from remembering that I am redeemed: going back to the good news again.
I don't have to merely cope with the evil I see in the world. These following words from Paul and Timothy are just pure gold to me right now:

Phillipians 4:4-13

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty an hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.