Comedian, musician, host of Chris Crofton's Advice King Podcast and former Nashvillian Chris Crofton asked the Scene for an advice column, so we gave him one. Crowning himself the “Advice King,” Crofton will share his hard-won wisdom with whosoever seeks it. Follow Crofton on Facebook and Twitter, and to submit a question for the Advice King, email bestofbread[at]gmail[dot]com or editor[at]nashvillescene[dot]com.
Dear Advice King,
How does the Advice King (and me) maintain hope during these times?
—Rob in Philadelphia
First, read my book. It’s more than a collection of advice columns. It’s a design for life.
The real answer? I don’t. I am incredibly sad. How could I not be? I was promised the world. All Americans were. But we were lied to.
I should have known it was bullshit, all this talk of freedom. The only freedom available in a capitalist society is economic freedom. If you have no money, you are no longer “free.” You are living on the street. And you aren’t free to live there either. In a capitalist society, the unhoused are harassed, shamed and sometimes killed.
The wealthiest 1 percent of Americans have more money than the entire middle class. What that means, in a capitalist society, is that the Americans in the top 1 percent are the “freest” they’ve ever been in the country’s history. Everyone else is considerably “less free.”
Between the Citizens United decision and not enforcing antitrust laws, America broke its promises for freedom and democracy. Throw in a health care system that profits while denying care. Then, just for some sadistic fun, overturn Roe vs. Wade. What do you have? I don’t know, but it sure as hell isn’t “the land of the free.” The land of broken promises, maybe.
Maybe the top 1 percent will come to their senses and return their ill-gotten gains! I wouldn’t hold your breath. Even Bono uses tax shelters.
Guess what, Rob. All of a sudden, I feel hopeful. Speaking the truth makes me feel that way. It takes me by surprise every time.
So speak the truth. Don’t yell at people, if you can avoid it. Just speak the truth. The truth is our only hope. Occupy Wall Street is an example of what speaking the truth can do.
Most people, including me, considered Occupy Wall Street to be a failure. On its face, it looked like a bunch of hapless idealists challenged corporate power and lost — dramatically — vanquished in a brutal shower of pepper spray and batons. Years later, I read an article that offered a different perspective.
The article credited Occupy Wall Street with exposing the concept — and the slogan — “the 1%” to mainstream culture. The expression “The 1%” had been used for decades by liberal intellectuals discussing wealth inequality, but the Occupy movement made it part of the popular lexicon. “The 1%” has since been deployed successfully all over the world as an easy-to-understand shorthand for the continuing disaster that is resource-hoarding.
Truth became hope.
Speak the truth, Rob. Kindly, but firmly. And pet every dog.
