My nine year old watched the debate and turned to me and said, "How can an election held in such an atmosphere of class conflicts, class enmity, and pressure brought to bear on the electors by the capitalists be called altogether free and altogether democratic? This debate is a farce. Only in a nation where there are no capitalists and no landlords—and, consequently, no pressure exerted by propertied classes—may there be an atmosphere of collaboration between the workers, the peasants, and the intelligentsia, free of pressure distorting their will."
My double PHD in marxist economics and 18th century Swiss philosophy (required to understand Engels) sits over the fireplace of my home, my fireplace is a salvaged drum from a 1950s washing machine that was recalled for locking children inside of it. I chose that washing machine model on purpose because I am anti-natalist.
My 4 year old heard 5 minutes of the debate and asked me why people placed so much stock in a president's ability to respond coherently to questions in a high pressure situation. I explained that it's an unfair expectation and that he'd better straighten up Jack.
Then he farted as he walked away to eat a bowl of dog food. Cause he's a great dane.
Can empathise. My cat didn't watched the debate so i chastized him as apolitical follower of status quo and full bowl, but he just looked at me and reminded me about "MAO" so i had to read for a few hours and write a scathing selfcritique.
I sat my kid down to watch the presidential debate. When he felt the alienation inherent to to political system, easily palpable even at his age, he despaired. So I informed him that the time we just spent together was meaningless and I made him watch this thing for no particular reason. This is a very emotional story.
I had hidden those second two tweets away in a corner of my brain that you unearthed, and now I'm forced to feel that queezy feeling in my stomach at cringe on a level I find hard to describe.