[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"$f9jX7xoVOb8lnD6hFxNbX6z6KfjuBmUYtTPW3fjzCFqc":3,"$fBB8k0FUz-5c0Y39_11ikRSQ0IBC_ZFtV6HoneM4O4cg":32},{"author":4,"tags":11},{"author_id":5,"author_name":6,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"bio":9,"short_bio":9,"slug":10,"image_url":9},50822,"Aaron McGruder","A",101,null,"aaron-mcgruder",[12,16,20,24,28],{"tag_id":13,"tag_name":14,"tag_count":15},56,"thinking",24,{"tag_id":17,"tag_name":18,"tag_count":19},294,"people",15,{"tag_id":21,"tag_name":22,"tag_count":23},3625,"country",9,{"tag_id":25,"tag_name":26,"tag_count":27},1711,"mean",7,{"tag_id":29,"tag_name":30,"tag_count":31},702,"party",5,{"quotes":33,"pagination":97},[34,42,48,55,61,67,73,79,85,91],{"id":35,"quote_text":36,"author_id":5,"source_id":27,"has_image":37,"author":38,"source":39,"quote_tag":40,"commentary":41},3523992,"We have, essentially, a worthless democracy.",false,{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],"**The Backstory**\nAaron McGruder, the creator of the Boondocks comic strip, penned this quote in the early 2000s, a time of great social and political upheaval in the United States. The country was embroiled in the War on Terror, and the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina had exposed deep-seated racial and economic inequalities. McGruder's work often critiqued the contradictions of American society, and this quote reflects his disillusionment with the democratic system.\n\n**The Hidden Insight**\nAt first glance, this quote seems like a scathing critique of democracy. However, upon closer examination, it reveals a more complex truth: McGruder is not rejecting the idea of democracy outright, but rather highlighting the tension between the ideal of democracy and the reality of systemic inequality. He is suggesting that the democratic system, as it stands, is inadequate to address the fundamental issues of power and representation.\n\n**How to Use This**\nIn today's professional and creative landscape, this mindset can be applied by recognizing that even within democratic systems, power dynamics and systemic inequalities can hinder progress. To create meaningful change, one must acknowledge and challenge these underlying structures, rather than simply relying on the democratic process to rectify them.",{"id":43,"quote_text":44,"author_id":5,"source_id":27,"has_image":37,"author":45,"source":46,"quote_tag":47,"commentary":9},3523964,"I'm not a Democrat.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":49,"quote_text":50,"author_id":5,"source_id":51,"has_image":37,"author":52,"source":53,"quote_tag":54,"commentary":9},2821362,"One, I push my deadlines closer than anybody else, or let’s say it this way: I’m really late.",6,{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":56,"quote_text":57,"author_id":5,"source_id":51,"has_image":37,"author":58,"source":59,"quote_tag":60,"commentary":9},2821356,"You know, every time a summer movie comes out, people think they’re gonna get rich off of the merchandise.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":62,"quote_text":63,"author_id":5,"source_id":51,"has_image":37,"author":64,"source":65,"quote_tag":66,"commentary":9},2821350,"I don’t want the news to be patriotic. I don’t want to see flags on the lapels of the anchors. I don’t want any of that.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":68,"quote_text":69,"author_id":5,"source_id":51,"has_image":37,"author":70,"source":71,"quote_tag":72,"commentary":9},2821336,"I think you should know that real-life white people are not all as funny as the ones on ‘Seinfeld’.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":74,"quote_text":75,"author_id":5,"source_id":51,"has_image":37,"author":76,"source":77,"quote_tag":78,"commentary":9},2821320,"We have to confront the very scary fact that the president is a moron. He’s really dumb.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":80,"quote_text":81,"author_id":5,"source_id":51,"has_image":37,"author":82,"source":83,"quote_tag":84,"commentary":9},2821313,"One more spin around the sun... Ain’t nuthin’ changed. Still got trouble on my mind. Still got suckas that need to get dealt with... Still in mortal combat with the wicked...",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":86,"quote_text":87,"author_id":5,"source_id":51,"has_image":37,"author":88,"source":89,"quote_tag":90,"commentary":9},2821303,"And I’m not so in love with making people mad that I want to live my life around it.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":92,"quote_text":93,"author_id":5,"source_id":51,"has_image":37,"author":94,"source":95,"quote_tag":96,"commentary":9},2821280,"But I know that in Toronto and Vancouver there are all the comforts of America, and yet there’s a difference in the people, and I had health care.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"currentPage":98,"totalPages":99,"totalItems":8,"itemsPerPage":100},1,11,10]