Ambiguity - the same glass half-empty and half-full; political signage, too

Corner lot on town center highway expresses political support 10/2020

First came the yard signs, then more recently the Hallowe'en decorations appeared on the house and around the lawn. Putting the skeleton in juxtaposition with the biggest sign could have several interpretations. Probably this supporter of the incumbent White House resident intended to make the display seasonally fitting with the custom of lawn decoration rather than to suggest an astute political meaning. And yet, the 215,000 deaths as of early October 2020 caused by the elected leader's lack of leadership seems to fit well with the banner: Trump 2020 truly does produce skeletons.

The same double meaning seems to come from the foreground yard sign, "How Many Seniors"? The picture of the Michigan Governor overlays the 'O' in SENI*RS. The hashtag says "Whitmer Death Toll." Probably the sign designer intended to criticize the executive orders to restrict visits to nursing homes and other institutions that support elderly residents. And yet, ironic like the earlier example, it is due to the Governor's leadership that so few elderly have died from pandemic complications. Critics of the restrictions want freer access for themselves to visit loved ones, which provides a transmission vector to kill those same loved ones.

In the middle of the photo, in front of the large Trump sign is one that says "My governor is an idiot." Curiously the sign designer made the largest letters spell IDIOT. For passing drivers unable to pause and puzzle out the entire message, only IDIOT can be recognized at first glance. The result is that the sign could be interpreted to self-label the occupant of the house. Related, the root of the word idiot is IDIO, the core of words like idiosyncratic, idiomatic, idiocentric, and ID (Id, Ego, Superego). So 'idio' means self. Idiocentric means self-centered. Taken literally, "idiot" means a person concerned only with self, not others. And while the person erecting the yard sign is pointing a finger toward the Michigan governor ostensibly, ironically the person seems to point at himself or herself: a self-centered person who sees the world  not as a team sport but as an individual one. Self is all that matters and any attempt to govern for the Common Good infringes on Self.

Taking the point about diametrically opposing interpretations of a sign, slogan, or criticism even further, the tidal wave of irony in just about everything coming from the mouth of Donald J. Trump and his acolytes is astounding. Jibes about an adversary's incompetence so often seem to fit the one issuing them. Cries of foul just as easily seem to apply to the one crying. It should give a person pause to see how readily one intended message can backfire or amplify irony so that the meaning seems self-referential rather than to stick to an opponent. This proliferation of irony and obfuscation is a species of doublespeak: saying one thing but meaning the reverse. But then, so nimble are human minds that meaning can be imagined or extracted from the barest of source material. Rationalizations can prop up a decision or action that began from emotional responses. Very likely this ability to find contradictory meanings or sniff out hypocrisy has allowed social life for so many generations and in so many languages and habitats.

Thinking about Halloween in small town middle Michigan, USA

A stone's throw from my front door is the main east-west road through the town of 7,000.
There on the corner is a house that stands out from the maybe 10-15% of homeowners who make an effort to create a display or express Halloween themes. Whereas some will erect inflatable nylon creatures with light and fan running internally, and others put window decoration or a lawn ornament that references death, creatures of the night, and fright - typically in colors of black (night) and orange (fall leaves, pumpkins and other colorful gourds), a few houses include lots of detail and wordplay (false tomb stones with pun-like names such are Herbie Lowe, a play on 'here below').
     Question: what is the appeal or aspiration being expressed in these tableaux for the passersby to view? There is no contest or competition in any formal sense. But for some perhaps the motivation is an annual activity for family participation that celebrates a curious day - knocking on the doors of neighbors and strangers with the expectation of being given free candy that is safe and desirable.

---3rd annual zombie fun run, "Run for Your Life" in city park to raise money for new Spray Park.

click image for full-size view

high school contest to decorate classroom doors - Hallowe'en

around October 28 the judges went round the halls of the school to award top rank to best decorated doors: this one is far better than most (in fact it appeared that fewer than 1/2 the rooms participated), but not the top place. On the Friday (10/30, last day of school before the actual day, Oct. 31) a number of students and a few teachers also dressed in costume or parts of costume in keeping with the halloween theme. I was not at this school on the Friday, but at a different high school instead.