This Wisconsin recall election, and the kind of comments I read after the articles about it, make me a sad person.
The fact that democracy is a game of who can hurt the other side more rather than actually standing for something makes me feel doomed for our future.
While the blame for the world's problems are handed about to whoever wants to actually do something about anything, frankly, we have a divide that seems too ignorant to continue.
When one side demonizes the other, they seem to speak from inexperience. They don't understand what makes up the other side's opinion, they just know they don't agree with it.
And let's face it: We don't want to agree with each other, not really. Instead we dig in and fight harder until our behavior will be the end of us. No logical course to it, just a fight that means only that we only give a little attention to what we were fighting about in the first place.
It feels like elections are too little, too late. After all, we, the people, are fighting for sanity rather than reality. We choose to ignore the parts we don't like and think with our hearts. And all sides want a piece of it.
The unfortunate outcome will be that nothing will have been fixed and things will really only get worse as we play into the politics of distraction. Just listen to the vitriol and try to see differently.
I just wish elections didn't come down to what we currently have. It's a shame because we really do have more in common than we pretend we don't.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Gods are silly
By the title, one would assume I was either drunk or high on drugs. But I am totally rational and this is something that has been bugging me for a long time.
Mankind has an irrational notion of a higher power. Passed on as a idea from generation to generation, with the younger ones wanting to be polite, we have created the answer to our conscious state of being as being endowed by a higher power. We have had wars over it, subjected our people to unfair and brutal punishment in its name and, all the while, relishing that these beliefs will, somehow, get us favor in an additional life we just pretty much made up to aspire to.
I was once a very young boy. In that time I did not believe in a higher power. However, as a young man, I feared that this belief would end with me being killed for not going along with my people. It was only in my 18th year did I discover there was a word for what I was: An atheist.
As time has gone on, to make friends in this world, I have cowered to their beliefs. I have also gone so far as to be polite to relatives that still hold onto the silly notion of God and, frankly, I am tired of it.
I don't mind not believing. In fact, I am proud to be an atheist, as should all who wish to openly question those that insist that society, as a whole, has been hoodwinked and suckered in the name of control.
In America, there is a feeling you can't be open about not wanting to go with what crap was taught to you by your fooled elders. We are often made to fear a fallout from the gods so that we must follow or else! When one os naive, or craves a sense of belonging, they are often made to feel that their beliefs must be validated lest they lose position in society or not get to where they want to be.
But a truth we often gloss over is that most rational people have already abandoned religion and, well, it's okay. People are moving away from the old ways, thankfully, and I firmly believe that this will be the thoughts going forward. Religion will be minimized and, hopefully, replaced by rational, positive thoughts.
If one fears that, without Gods we cannot be moral, one only has to look to history. There was morality before spirituality, it just got combined, to the dismay of those that just wanted to live in a peaceful world without feeling they absolutely "must" convert.
I believe a bigger problem is that most religions have a control aspect, where the average person must be with or against, with no in between.
Our modern American society, while becoming more tolerant, most cast aside the old ways of thinking. It is not a must convert but a must tolerate but stand up for what they believe. but maybe it isn't as visible now. Maybe we just need our leaders to stand up and out themselves.
Here is me outing myself. This holiday season, I shall stand for my reality and that is I don't share your beliefs and that's fine. Just don't expect me to pass along your messages, your ways.
Peace.
Mankind has an irrational notion of a higher power. Passed on as a idea from generation to generation, with the younger ones wanting to be polite, we have created the answer to our conscious state of being as being endowed by a higher power. We have had wars over it, subjected our people to unfair and brutal punishment in its name and, all the while, relishing that these beliefs will, somehow, get us favor in an additional life we just pretty much made up to aspire to.
I was once a very young boy. In that time I did not believe in a higher power. However, as a young man, I feared that this belief would end with me being killed for not going along with my people. It was only in my 18th year did I discover there was a word for what I was: An atheist.
As time has gone on, to make friends in this world, I have cowered to their beliefs. I have also gone so far as to be polite to relatives that still hold onto the silly notion of God and, frankly, I am tired of it.
I don't mind not believing. In fact, I am proud to be an atheist, as should all who wish to openly question those that insist that society, as a whole, has been hoodwinked and suckered in the name of control.
In America, there is a feeling you can't be open about not wanting to go with what crap was taught to you by your fooled elders. We are often made to fear a fallout from the gods so that we must follow or else! When one os naive, or craves a sense of belonging, they are often made to feel that their beliefs must be validated lest they lose position in society or not get to where they want to be.
But a truth we often gloss over is that most rational people have already abandoned religion and, well, it's okay. People are moving away from the old ways, thankfully, and I firmly believe that this will be the thoughts going forward. Religion will be minimized and, hopefully, replaced by rational, positive thoughts.
If one fears that, without Gods we cannot be moral, one only has to look to history. There was morality before spirituality, it just got combined, to the dismay of those that just wanted to live in a peaceful world without feeling they absolutely "must" convert.
I believe a bigger problem is that most religions have a control aspect, where the average person must be with or against, with no in between.
Our modern American society, while becoming more tolerant, most cast aside the old ways of thinking. It is not a must convert but a must tolerate but stand up for what they believe. but maybe it isn't as visible now. Maybe we just need our leaders to stand up and out themselves.
Here is me outing myself. This holiday season, I shall stand for my reality and that is I don't share your beliefs and that's fine. Just don't expect me to pass along your messages, your ways.
Peace.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Seeing death
Every once in a while I have smacked the life out of an insect. Heck, I've even inadvertently killed gnats while riding my bike or on my windshield whooshing down the roadway. I have seen these deaths. And tonight I saw one that was a bit closer to home.
On my way back from work on Tuesday night I happened to be passing a spot where people often gather on the Northwest corner of Cedar Lake, where the Cedar Lake Trail crosses under Cedar Lake Parkway. It is kind of a serene, placid place, until yesterday. Now, for me, it will be a reminder of where I experienced the death of one of my human travelers.
A man, I did not know him nor did I ever see his face, was lying on the ground, his body crumpled from having fallen (that is about as graphic as I will get), was involuntarily breathing his last breath as myself and others stood around, helpless to do anything. His life ended in front of all of us and we could do nothing but vainly call for help. By the time the help had arrived, it was too late.
But all of us, trying to do what little we knew what to do, were affected. I am not saying that we were any type of victim of this accident, just witnesses. But the thoughts could nothing but occupy my mind: Someone lost a loved one and nothing could be done to change that.
I have not experienced much death in my life. I have been fortunate in this, very fortunate. And seeing what I did, I can only move forward and appreciate what I have, the life I usually take for granted. This man could well have been me or anyone. And, because it wasn't, I must do my best to not take this short span of time as if it is a guarantee.
From this point on, every time I ride along this point, I will remember the life I saw extinguished. It will be a reminder to me to push forward.
Peace.
On my way back from work on Tuesday night I happened to be passing a spot where people often gather on the Northwest corner of Cedar Lake, where the Cedar Lake Trail crosses under Cedar Lake Parkway. It is kind of a serene, placid place, until yesterday. Now, for me, it will be a reminder of where I experienced the death of one of my human travelers.
A man, I did not know him nor did I ever see his face, was lying on the ground, his body crumpled from having fallen (that is about as graphic as I will get), was involuntarily breathing his last breath as myself and others stood around, helpless to do anything. His life ended in front of all of us and we could do nothing but vainly call for help. By the time the help had arrived, it was too late.
But all of us, trying to do what little we knew what to do, were affected. I am not saying that we were any type of victim of this accident, just witnesses. But the thoughts could nothing but occupy my mind: Someone lost a loved one and nothing could be done to change that.
I have not experienced much death in my life. I have been fortunate in this, very fortunate. And seeing what I did, I can only move forward and appreciate what I have, the life I usually take for granted. This man could well have been me or anyone. And, because it wasn't, I must do my best to not take this short span of time as if it is a guarantee.
From this point on, every time I ride along this point, I will remember the life I saw extinguished. It will be a reminder to me to push forward.
Peace.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
This shared space
Right now someone is laughing. Right now someone is crying. A baby is born, an old person dies. A man is traveling down a road, lonely and missing his wife. A truck is being driven to it's destination full of goods from China, goods for Chinese people.
An actor is at a party chatting up a sweet young thing. An actress is trying to fall asleep because she opens on Friday. Somewhere someone rich is in a comfortable bed. Somewhere someone is sleeping on the floor.
The sun is up, the sun has long since set. Someone is making their deadline, someone is looking down at the surface of the ocean and wondering what the fish must be thinking about. A bear is rolling over in it's sleep, a dog is barking at shadows.
This is not to say that there is vast differences between the perception of these realities and what is actually taking place but to say that you can only wonder who truly takes all of this in to decide what kind of food they will consume in the morning.
I love this world, warts and all because, frankly, it is the only world I have. It is filled with all, truly, that one can imagine, even if only in the imagination of our collective thoughts.
I feel good about the world, about prospects, about coming together, connecting and, one day, shouting down those that wish to take advantage of what we don't know. I call this time the "Great Transition," if I hadn't mentioned it before. It is a time when a lot of us will become aware of how we are treated, aware of who we are and how, ultimately, we decide to share this world in common. We will, no longer, assume this and that, become more curious and question our doubts about the intentions of others.
It will be a painful process, nonetheless. We are correcting for centuries of bad behavior, for those that wield power but choose not to share the truth. We are correcting our poor habits and choices, the assumptions we made that steered us down paths, in hindsight, we would not venture again.
But let us not forget that we are not in this alone. That we have the love of our fellow creatures and the shared hope of faith that our hard work will pay of. A grand wool has been lifted from our eyes and we must cherish this for only from it can we hope to be reborn and enlightened.
And so I seek to spread my message of the future, with those that choose to listen, understand and work toward actual change. May we all open our minds to the new way, the better way, because we can only live in the here and now.
Peace.
An actor is at a party chatting up a sweet young thing. An actress is trying to fall asleep because she opens on Friday. Somewhere someone rich is in a comfortable bed. Somewhere someone is sleeping on the floor.
The sun is up, the sun has long since set. Someone is making their deadline, someone is looking down at the surface of the ocean and wondering what the fish must be thinking about. A bear is rolling over in it's sleep, a dog is barking at shadows.
This is not to say that there is vast differences between the perception of these realities and what is actually taking place but to say that you can only wonder who truly takes all of this in to decide what kind of food they will consume in the morning.
I love this world, warts and all because, frankly, it is the only world I have. It is filled with all, truly, that one can imagine, even if only in the imagination of our collective thoughts.
I feel good about the world, about prospects, about coming together, connecting and, one day, shouting down those that wish to take advantage of what we don't know. I call this time the "Great Transition," if I hadn't mentioned it before. It is a time when a lot of us will become aware of how we are treated, aware of who we are and how, ultimately, we decide to share this world in common. We will, no longer, assume this and that, become more curious and question our doubts about the intentions of others.
It will be a painful process, nonetheless. We are correcting for centuries of bad behavior, for those that wield power but choose not to share the truth. We are correcting our poor habits and choices, the assumptions we made that steered us down paths, in hindsight, we would not venture again.
But let us not forget that we are not in this alone. That we have the love of our fellow creatures and the shared hope of faith that our hard work will pay of. A grand wool has been lifted from our eyes and we must cherish this for only from it can we hope to be reborn and enlightened.
And so I seek to spread my message of the future, with those that choose to listen, understand and work toward actual change. May we all open our minds to the new way, the better way, because we can only live in the here and now.
Peace.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
The scary liberal agenda
So I just happened to be tuning in today to NPR when former congressman Vin Weber came on and used the insufferable phrase "liberal agenda." My first reaction to this goes as follows: Everything you say after using this new, horrible phrase will be taken with not only a grain of salt but a massive eye roll.
You see, people who don't like "Liberals," which is to speak that this is somehow like having a disease, think that using a truly not scary term is a way to get their point across. It's not. I mean, the only feelings it conjures is that they don't want me to look at their own agenda.
Now, I understand that, you know, fear is a good driver to get your way. It makes us go to work or get annual check ups or appreciate that which we have in this world. But, when it comes to politics, it should be outlawed to pretend like your opponent is a bad guy, because they are usually not.
And, considering that most experts would agree, the present version of the American leftist popular politician is far from liberal. In fact, they are more like diet conservative. Will the constant shift to the right wing of politics, it has been said that even Conservative folk hero Ronald Reagan wouldn't pass for a conservative in this day and age. Clinton and Obama are centrists, if anything.
True Liberals are few and far between in the current administration and government. They are too afraid to be to the left because, at one point, the word "liberal" became synonymous with anti-American, which it isn't. And don't assume Democrats are leftists, because they have to pander to the populous just as much as their Republican neighbors.
I am all for socialism, a leftist policy, because, frankly, the world is too modern and things are too messed up without it. We need to take care of one another, especially with the understanding that shit happens and some people want to run roughshod over their neighbor. As I tell people, I believe to be a Republican is to love America and hate Americans.
The agenda of the right wing of any society is to pretend like self-sacrifice and selfish behavior are one in the same. It is to pretend that, if all was privatized and regulations voided that the world would be a veritable Shangri-La. Not so much. The moment we do not have social safety nets or guaranteed education, the least of us would whither from the world or, in other parts of the world, turn to villainy. Look at Somalia, look at Calcutta. Look at places where workers are exploited, where rape is used as a weapon of war. This kind of "freedom" is un-American. But that is what happens when a new line is drawn daily, pushing the person's back to the wall. You will eventually fight back or be killed.
America should, by all accounts, be better than it has become. It shouldn't be a place where the "haves" make the rules. Often times they aren't even right, just covering their own asses. And the saddest part is, for money, for access and prestige, the values of ones fellow human is compromised, a bullhorn given to the loudest shouters, the message of "you should be afraid of those that actually care" trampled upon, in the name of a not so free market.
The scariest part is that people, average humans with advantages not known by the masses, turn into characters, betraying their shared convictions so as to be seen, to be popular or to make the almighty dollar. Meanwhile well-meaning people, assuming that favor will be given to them in the future, give them the keys to kingdom.
If the "Liberal Agenda" is to make sure my fellow Americans get what they need, I am all for it. And maybe those that are being labeled should stop pretending it doesn't hurt them, because it does. When they are out of a job or watching all they worked for get trampled upon in the name of keeping the "Haves" happy, then they will truly realize they had the power all along, to grab the bullhorn and tell the talking heads to shut the hell up.
You see, people who don't like "Liberals," which is to speak that this is somehow like having a disease, think that using a truly not scary term is a way to get their point across. It's not. I mean, the only feelings it conjures is that they don't want me to look at their own agenda.
Now, I understand that, you know, fear is a good driver to get your way. It makes us go to work or get annual check ups or appreciate that which we have in this world. But, when it comes to politics, it should be outlawed to pretend like your opponent is a bad guy, because they are usually not.
And, considering that most experts would agree, the present version of the American leftist popular politician is far from liberal. In fact, they are more like diet conservative. Will the constant shift to the right wing of politics, it has been said that even Conservative folk hero Ronald Reagan wouldn't pass for a conservative in this day and age. Clinton and Obama are centrists, if anything.
True Liberals are few and far between in the current administration and government. They are too afraid to be to the left because, at one point, the word "liberal" became synonymous with anti-American, which it isn't. And don't assume Democrats are leftists, because they have to pander to the populous just as much as their Republican neighbors.
I am all for socialism, a leftist policy, because, frankly, the world is too modern and things are too messed up without it. We need to take care of one another, especially with the understanding that shit happens and some people want to run roughshod over their neighbor. As I tell people, I believe to be a Republican is to love America and hate Americans.
The agenda of the right wing of any society is to pretend like self-sacrifice and selfish behavior are one in the same. It is to pretend that, if all was privatized and regulations voided that the world would be a veritable Shangri-La. Not so much. The moment we do not have social safety nets or guaranteed education, the least of us would whither from the world or, in other parts of the world, turn to villainy. Look at Somalia, look at Calcutta. Look at places where workers are exploited, where rape is used as a weapon of war. This kind of "freedom" is un-American. But that is what happens when a new line is drawn daily, pushing the person's back to the wall. You will eventually fight back or be killed.
America should, by all accounts, be better than it has become. It shouldn't be a place where the "haves" make the rules. Often times they aren't even right, just covering their own asses. And the saddest part is, for money, for access and prestige, the values of ones fellow human is compromised, a bullhorn given to the loudest shouters, the message of "you should be afraid of those that actually care" trampled upon, in the name of a not so free market.
The scariest part is that people, average humans with advantages not known by the masses, turn into characters, betraying their shared convictions so as to be seen, to be popular or to make the almighty dollar. Meanwhile well-meaning people, assuming that favor will be given to them in the future, give them the keys to kingdom.
If the "Liberal Agenda" is to make sure my fellow Americans get what they need, I am all for it. And maybe those that are being labeled should stop pretending it doesn't hurt them, because it does. When they are out of a job or watching all they worked for get trampled upon in the name of keeping the "Haves" happy, then they will truly realize they had the power all along, to grab the bullhorn and tell the talking heads to shut the hell up.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Yay and boo!!!
Yay for obesity rates not rising anymore! Boo for those not willing to understand that there body isn't for excess food storage!
Boo for Haiti earthquake!
Yay for sun shining on my world today! Boo for the general ignorance to global warming!
Yay for opportunity! Boo for putting it off!
Boo to caring about celebrities! Yay for those that use said celebrity to affect change for good!
Yay for coffee! Boo for caffeine addiction!
Yay for neat and fascinating technology! Boo for holding back and only funding ones to make money!
Boo to terrorism. You're killing the wrong people! Yay for the passive resistant, for their message will overcome!
Yay for the differences that our the shared world! Boo to the ignorant who don't see it as a positive!
Yay for social programs! Boo to those that don't see the value in shared knowledge!
Boo to politicians for only thinking of themselves! Yay for those that keep up the good fight to make this a better world!
The world is an awesome place, if you fancy being here and being a part of it. Good or bad, it is our world in common. I love being alive, just don't try to spoil it for me.
Boo for Haiti earthquake!
Yay for sun shining on my world today! Boo for the general ignorance to global warming!
Yay for opportunity! Boo for putting it off!
Boo to caring about celebrities! Yay for those that use said celebrity to affect change for good!
Yay for coffee! Boo for caffeine addiction!
Yay for neat and fascinating technology! Boo for holding back and only funding ones to make money!
Boo to terrorism. You're killing the wrong people! Yay for the passive resistant, for their message will overcome!
Yay for the differences that our the shared world! Boo to the ignorant who don't see it as a positive!
Yay for social programs! Boo to those that don't see the value in shared knowledge!
Boo to politicians for only thinking of themselves! Yay for those that keep up the good fight to make this a better world!
The world is an awesome place, if you fancy being here and being a part of it. Good or bad, it is our world in common. I love being alive, just don't try to spoil it for me.
Monday, January 11, 2010
A shovel-ready world
There are a lot of innovators and innovations out there in this world. It is apparent, by the fact that humanity has survived this long, that we know a thing or two about survival.
But, in that thought, how we are we doing at thriving?
An individual is held aloft as an example of success or failure. Somewhere, along the way, someone saw fit to give resources to someone they believed could do this or that. Whether it be someone who can balance the books of a store or can disassemble and reassemble a machine without affecting it's ability to work.
Along these lines, humanity has failed it's lesser strong. While we hold up the strong and bemoan the weak, we forget that we are a global village, of sorts. Long gone are the inability to have little knowledge of our neighbors and co-inhabitants. Turn on the television, internet or radio. There we are. In our voices, in our actions, our story is told and told again. We do things and we move about the planet, fat and happy.
Somewhere along the line, however innocent the transgression, we forgot to prop up the weak. Sure, we have safety nets, in some, not all, places but the idea of living is lost on the majority of those deemed successful.
Effort is something that seems to have it's origin in the genetic tree. Where, at once, our ancestors were successful at not only passing along our genes but making sure the next generation gets to keep going, it was supposed to be a tool to teach those next to us how to be successful as well. No cheating, no cutting corners, just honest work that brought about resources. And, after the effort, we got to benefit but the effort.
But, in today's world, a lot of that simple effort is lost on the fact that we must push beyond that which we find mundane. We must also do a lot of maintenance, lest we lose what we have. This is the information we wish to learn from our parents, our elders.
Getting back to my original point, their is a lot of innovation out there that is ready to benefit those who already know but need that fiscal push over the top. It is just unfortunate that those who could really use the boost, those that got left behind by time, will not be the benefactors, or will truly understand why they never got the chance.
But, in that thought, how we are we doing at thriving?
An individual is held aloft as an example of success or failure. Somewhere, along the way, someone saw fit to give resources to someone they believed could do this or that. Whether it be someone who can balance the books of a store or can disassemble and reassemble a machine without affecting it's ability to work.
Along these lines, humanity has failed it's lesser strong. While we hold up the strong and bemoan the weak, we forget that we are a global village, of sorts. Long gone are the inability to have little knowledge of our neighbors and co-inhabitants. Turn on the television, internet or radio. There we are. In our voices, in our actions, our story is told and told again. We do things and we move about the planet, fat and happy.
Somewhere along the line, however innocent the transgression, we forgot to prop up the weak. Sure, we have safety nets, in some, not all, places but the idea of living is lost on the majority of those deemed successful.
Effort is something that seems to have it's origin in the genetic tree. Where, at once, our ancestors were successful at not only passing along our genes but making sure the next generation gets to keep going, it was supposed to be a tool to teach those next to us how to be successful as well. No cheating, no cutting corners, just honest work that brought about resources. And, after the effort, we got to benefit but the effort.
But, in today's world, a lot of that simple effort is lost on the fact that we must push beyond that which we find mundane. We must also do a lot of maintenance, lest we lose what we have. This is the information we wish to learn from our parents, our elders.
Getting back to my original point, their is a lot of innovation out there that is ready to benefit those who already know but need that fiscal push over the top. It is just unfortunate that those who could really use the boost, those that got left behind by time, will not be the benefactors, or will truly understand why they never got the chance.
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