Willful State of Denial

I've heard it said that one's best writing is done in the morning, and that the evening's work must be touched up in a coming morning. I have no reason or evidence that isn't anecdotal, but that would be boring.
It's 10:13 in the AM and I learned something new: on the first Tuesday of every month, Chicago tests its air raid sirens. I've heard them before, but I never knew the test was at a particular time. And, according to my dad (because I'm too lazy to fact-check), the mayor at the time set off the air raid sirens when the White Sox won the pennant. Okay, did some preliminary fact-checking: It was Mayor Daley and the '59 Sox.
It had never occurred to me until last week, when Dave McKinney brought it up: In the United States, Chicago is probably the least desirable place to live. Everyone's fat and depressed because the weather generally sucks and everything's expensive, so the people rob and stab and shoot each other. Lots of people drink to ensure a few hours of happiness every night, but the feeling of hopelessness is tangible.
By the way, socialists are fucking stupid. I mean, I know Karl Marx looks like a great idea when you're 15, and his manifesto was highly influential (and continues to be, for some reason), but there's nothing more absurd than protesting student debt. I let Terra's roommate run her mouth for 10 or 15 minutes the other night and her logic was awful. Maybe there are slicker socialists out there and I shouldn't make such a rash judgment. It's strange meeting real-life people who have such ridiculous beliefs.
Above all, what irritates me is the sense of entitlement that runs rampant through every society of this culture. I'm guilty, too, which makes me just as bad as the next guy, but I think awareness is, at least, a step in the right direction. Here's what I mean: is it really necessary for a single person to cruise around town in an empty sport utility vehicle? And when it's hot outside, is it really necessary for a person to air-condition their entire apartment or house? I know the counter-argument: "It's my damn money and I'll spend it how I please!" That's great. That's fair, too. But it's also very narrow-minded. I mean, I'm no hippie; I think it's perfectly reasonable to expect four or five showers in a week, and I have no idea where my pants were made, but since when has it been expected that steak should be available three meals a day and that $5/gallon is expensive but doable? As much as the American people profess to be hurting, I don't see many corners being cut.