apologies to david bowie....
i had a conversation with a blog buddy of mine the other day about the rapidity of change that feels as if it occurred over the past decade. in fact, we both agreed that it felt as if we missed a couple of decades somewhere and ended up here. now, in all probability, we didn't :) but it sure feels that way. both of us are fairly adaptable and i, personally (and i suspect he too), love new technology. not all of it will i use- but hey, i think tools to assist in the world's peoples communicating freely- well, it has to be a good thing. and i am not crediting martha stewart for that one ;)
anyhoo, i say quite a bit that the more things change- the more they don't. and that's oddly true too. reconnecting with folks from the past may seem like a good idea- to catch up and to find out what's been going on in their lives and so on- but in truth, it probably isn't. at least in my case. what i have found over the years is that- human beings don't really change at their core. who they are at 18 at the core- is who they are at 38 or 48 or 58, etc.. now, that's not to say that they are the same people- the outside stuff does change- but the values they decide on or that are instilled in them- stay fairly consistent. at least in my experience...
i don't know that i have quite figured out the human species yet though... we are a strange breed. many of us have families who love us but who we don't know how- or don't want to- communicate with. it's baffling to me how many people out there are relieved to move away from their parents and basically write them off and out of their lives for no better reason than they are annoying- or boring. really? these folks gave you life and nurtured you- stood by you during rough times as well as good- and because you are so very busy and self important living your life- you leave them be. nice.
i understand dysfunctional families all too well- i lived in one. i have been fortunate to have at least one viable parent- and i am thankful for that. i see folks from around the globe who have lost their family and/or friends through war, famine, drought, natural disasters, etc., who would most likely give anything to have them back- and we, here in america, throw our families away in the pursuit of selfish interests. haven't wrapped my mind around that yet.
when you look at america as a country- there are some positive changes taking place in pockets- but i don't think you can look at it as a unified country anymore. we are imploding and folks are desperately trying to actively deny that we are. a nation is only as good as the people that makes it up- and i really don't see americans as good people. we are an egotistical, narcissistic lot who wants what we want when we want it and the rest of the world be damned. if we think that you may threaten our lifestyle of fast food and mcmansions- well, we'll just blow you to smithereens with our video game toys so we don't actually have to get our hands dirty- and we can sleep at night pretending we haven't killed anyone of any importance.
hey, if they ain't a wasp- they don't belong on the planet- right? i suppose that's why we can ignore our loved ones with no conscience- and why we don't work to communicate with them while we all share life. it's easy to disagree and use it as a wedge to keep us apart. it takes courage and growing a set to put aside our egoism and self interests and make time for what is really important- human relationships and family. it is my belief that the folks who will survive climate change won't be the wasps- or the western world- we will take until we can't take anymore- it will be the cultures who have a belief in sharing and working together and who believe that ancestors and elders are worth something.
and that's change i can believe in...
Showing posts with label america. Show all posts
Showing posts with label america. Show all posts
Tuesday
of tempests and tea parties
i have been thinking in broad strokes lately--- and conversely, i have been hunkering down and working on personal issues. it would suffice to say that i am just plain exhausted. i have a feeling many folks are worn down and worn out by life- and it just shouldn't be that way. there really isn't any reason for it either- but for the greed of a small percentage of the entire human population. of course, we see it on a global scale with price gouging during disasters; private contractors simply stealing money allotted for projects to help folks; the financial implosion across the world, etc., etc.,
i started to think about what that means for me- i have to constantly be on the alert for my financial institutions levying fees and fines for any and everything; i have to pay fees and surcharges on any government or utility 'privelege' of using- more for simply using electricity in my home or renewing my driver's license; i have to be on the alert for disreputable gutter companies or price shop to not get taken advantage of to have my gutters replaced; i have to worry about taking my car to the garage for a check engine light coming on so i don't get ripped off; i pay pretty close to double for groceries than i did 10 years ago- and i have to worry whether or not my food has been genetically altered or filled full of antibiotics--- or has some viral disease like mad cow or fish fungus. whew!!!
not to mention- we have a horribly broken government system from the local governments on up and are constantly fighting against our neighbors, colleagues, and often friends and family members against a dangerous and regressive ideology. did i mention i am freakin' pooped? when you live with the stress of waiting for that other shoe to drop- and put other life losses on top of all of the above- i think we have a pretty fair idea of how most americans are living these days. even those of us who haven't lost our jobs and homes- are kind of waiting for the whole shebang to collapse and anarchy rein- and we all lose everything. it's that kind of decade i guess.
anyhoo, had to have mom's sink fixed and was lucky enough to have a buddy who could do it. got me thinking about capitalism and whatnot- and yes, i do need to have the car and gutters fixed. and, i am still looking for a part time job to pay for it... welcome to the western world where suburbanites want so badly to keep their mcmansion gated subdivisions safe for their 2.3 kids and dog and suv- that they join tea parties because they are promised a bag of lies. we, the people, have all been sold a bill of goods- the american dream- and the fact that we have woken up from that and can see that it amounts to owning swamp land--- is lost on the leaders of the tea bag movement and their minions.
the fight has just begun- and i hope that upcoming social civil wars don't devolve into actual bullets flying. and, i also hope that evolution speeds up a bit and the conservative mindset is just a painful blip in the human history.
i started to think about what that means for me- i have to constantly be on the alert for my financial institutions levying fees and fines for any and everything; i have to pay fees and surcharges on any government or utility 'privelege' of using- more for simply using electricity in my home or renewing my driver's license; i have to be on the alert for disreputable gutter companies or price shop to not get taken advantage of to have my gutters replaced; i have to worry about taking my car to the garage for a check engine light coming on so i don't get ripped off; i pay pretty close to double for groceries than i did 10 years ago- and i have to worry whether or not my food has been genetically altered or filled full of antibiotics--- or has some viral disease like mad cow or fish fungus. whew!!!
not to mention- we have a horribly broken government system from the local governments on up and are constantly fighting against our neighbors, colleagues, and often friends and family members against a dangerous and regressive ideology. did i mention i am freakin' pooped? when you live with the stress of waiting for that other shoe to drop- and put other life losses on top of all of the above- i think we have a pretty fair idea of how most americans are living these days. even those of us who haven't lost our jobs and homes- are kind of waiting for the whole shebang to collapse and anarchy rein- and we all lose everything. it's that kind of decade i guess.
anyhoo, had to have mom's sink fixed and was lucky enough to have a buddy who could do it. got me thinking about capitalism and whatnot- and yes, i do need to have the car and gutters fixed. and, i am still looking for a part time job to pay for it... welcome to the western world where suburbanites want so badly to keep their mcmansion gated subdivisions safe for their 2.3 kids and dog and suv- that they join tea parties because they are promised a bag of lies. we, the people, have all been sold a bill of goods- the american dream- and the fact that we have woken up from that and can see that it amounts to owning swamp land--- is lost on the leaders of the tea bag movement and their minions.
the fight has just begun- and i hope that upcoming social civil wars don't devolve into actual bullets flying. and, i also hope that evolution speeds up a bit and the conservative mindset is just a painful blip in the human history.
new year is here
i guess i wonder why it feels like the middle of last year? it certainly doesn't feel like the same time last year- the endless waiting for the bush cabal to be out of office.... the hope that things were going to look up and get better. i'm not feeling that guarded optimism i had last year at this time.
but that doesn't mean that i am not going to come out swinging.... here's the deal...
the health care bill that will eventually become law--- sucks. sucks on so many levels i lost count but two main points come to mind
1) i don't like being mandated to do anything- and i like it even less being forced to have health care or have to pay a penalty to the irs. really? this is the DEMOCRATIC plan?
2) there is no international terrorism. nope. at least not in the way our government would have us believe. it's absolutely fascinating that so many people swallowed this lie. there have been 2 instances of 'terrorism' on american soil that allegedly came from the middle east- both within less than a decade of each other and both in pretty much the same spot. there are folks in the military industry (because it's really just a corporation with saluting) who have come out and admitted as much and they have been dismissed as 'conspiracy theorists.' that's a laugh because the conspiracy is happening within our own government.
the terrorist groups exist within their own countries- most terrorist acts within america have come from right wing fringers- britain has the ira- the hot spots in the middle east were hot because it was a guerilla civil war. the uss cole bombing? well, how can it be terrorism when we had our warship in yemen?
anyway, if the official story doesn't make sense- folks should question it. most of what we see going on around the globe is a direct result of our global policies. by 'our' i mean the western world not just america. naj recently posted about something that caught my attention:
"Now a word with my non-Iranian readers: I don't need you to cheer Iran on it's unravelling "revolution"; I don't want you to wish our "rebellion" success; I don't like it when you wear green symbols and act with more zeal than is of your business! What I wish you did is to just be aware of what is happening in Iran such that in your DEMOCRATIC systems, you can influence YOUR politicians to do the right thing vis a vis Iran. And the right thing is NOT imposing sanctions on the people and holding secret talks; and the right thing is to NOT allow Israel make threats on Iran while expecting Iran to disarm; and the right things is to not decontextualize what is happening in Iran, because you think Iran's connected to your life through the oil umbilical cord!"
i see it all of the time within the left wing blogosphere- hurrahing when protesters in iran or monks in burma take on the government; praising them for standing for democracy against tyranny- and then within the same paragraph making excuses for the democratic controlled congress who came up with the bullshit mandates in the health care bill while systematically eliminating anything good in it. really? look, the ruling class here is the ruling class- parties mean little or nothing. what we need is a global revolution- and i am not optimistic that that will ever happen.
but someone else is- hence the 'terror scares' to increase the already heightened police state right here within the american borders. crime is down, according to a current fbi report, and i fail to see why we need the continued tasing and paramilitary measures employed by our extremely flawed penal system. right now, we have a system that incarcerates people at one of the highest rates in the developed world---- to make money. at the expense of others.
profit over people does not make peace. we can kumbaya all day long and wish with all of our hearts for peace on earth and good will towards men. but, as long as the global ruling elite run the show in league with the corporates- it can't be. certainly something to think about.
but that doesn't mean that i am not going to come out swinging.... here's the deal...
the health care bill that will eventually become law--- sucks. sucks on so many levels i lost count but two main points come to mind
1) i don't like being mandated to do anything- and i like it even less being forced to have health care or have to pay a penalty to the irs. really? this is the DEMOCRATIC plan?
2) there is no international terrorism. nope. at least not in the way our government would have us believe. it's absolutely fascinating that so many people swallowed this lie. there have been 2 instances of 'terrorism' on american soil that allegedly came from the middle east- both within less than a decade of each other and both in pretty much the same spot. there are folks in the military industry (because it's really just a corporation with saluting) who have come out and admitted as much and they have been dismissed as 'conspiracy theorists.' that's a laugh because the conspiracy is happening within our own government.
the terrorist groups exist within their own countries- most terrorist acts within america have come from right wing fringers- britain has the ira- the hot spots in the middle east were hot because it was a guerilla civil war. the uss cole bombing? well, how can it be terrorism when we had our warship in yemen?
anyway, if the official story doesn't make sense- folks should question it. most of what we see going on around the globe is a direct result of our global policies. by 'our' i mean the western world not just america. naj recently posted about something that caught my attention:
"Now a word with my non-Iranian readers: I don't need you to cheer Iran on it's unravelling "revolution"; I don't want you to wish our "rebellion" success; I don't like it when you wear green symbols and act with more zeal than is of your business! What I wish you did is to just be aware of what is happening in Iran such that in your DEMOCRATIC systems, you can influence YOUR politicians to do the right thing vis a vis Iran. And the right thing is NOT imposing sanctions on the people and holding secret talks; and the right thing is to NOT allow Israel make threats on Iran while expecting Iran to disarm; and the right things is to not decontextualize what is happening in Iran, because you think Iran's connected to your life through the oil umbilical cord!"
i see it all of the time within the left wing blogosphere- hurrahing when protesters in iran or monks in burma take on the government; praising them for standing for democracy against tyranny- and then within the same paragraph making excuses for the democratic controlled congress who came up with the bullshit mandates in the health care bill while systematically eliminating anything good in it. really? look, the ruling class here is the ruling class- parties mean little or nothing. what we need is a global revolution- and i am not optimistic that that will ever happen.
but someone else is- hence the 'terror scares' to increase the already heightened police state right here within the american borders. crime is down, according to a current fbi report, and i fail to see why we need the continued tasing and paramilitary measures employed by our extremely flawed penal system. right now, we have a system that incarcerates people at one of the highest rates in the developed world---- to make money. at the expense of others.
profit over people does not make peace. we can kumbaya all day long and wish with all of our hearts for peace on earth and good will towards men. but, as long as the global ruling elite run the show in league with the corporates- it can't be. certainly something to think about.
it's beginning to look a lot like...
nothing. i am not in the 'christmas spirit.' why? you may ask- it's the season. well, no, it really isn't. not yet. the current incarnation of the yule season is a 20th century invention based on greed and consumerism. it's interesting to watch the herds of sheeple filing into the stores like they are barns. we are so conditioned to shop, shop, shop to make our season bright that it's little wonder folks are so crabby this time of year. and spare me the whole 'war on christmas' bullshit- jesus was born on one day- not the whole month. now, that would be a miracle.
i had a meltdown over the whole sending of gifts thing this year because it really smacks against what i believe. the whole obligatory gift thing negates the meaning of gift giving. it has made me really take stock of my life, my relationships with people and my belief system. this season is for family time and feasting and relationships. the gifts are incidental to the whole thing. they have replaced what is really important. when we remember our favorite memories, they tend to be one favorite gift or the delicious pie aunt fay made- not a treeful of gifts that get opened and tossed aside. kids don't keep count of how many they get- parents do. kids remember the 'red rider bee bee guns' or the polly prissy pants doll they got from santa.
gifts should be given because the giver has put thought into the gift and believes that the recipient would like it or could use it. and they should be given in august and march and whenever- not saved for one time of year only. ultimately, i made the decision that this is really the last year i participate in the consumer driven, corporate conditioned shop fest that is the american christmas dream. next year- if folks insist on gifting- they can make a donation in my name to the national arbor day foundation.
i had a meltdown over the whole sending of gifts thing this year because it really smacks against what i believe. the whole obligatory gift thing negates the meaning of gift giving. it has made me really take stock of my life, my relationships with people and my belief system. this season is for family time and feasting and relationships. the gifts are incidental to the whole thing. they have replaced what is really important. when we remember our favorite memories, they tend to be one favorite gift or the delicious pie aunt fay made- not a treeful of gifts that get opened and tossed aside. kids don't keep count of how many they get- parents do. kids remember the 'red rider bee bee guns' or the polly prissy pants doll they got from santa.
gifts should be given because the giver has put thought into the gift and believes that the recipient would like it or could use it. and they should be given in august and march and whenever- not saved for one time of year only. ultimately, i made the decision that this is really the last year i participate in the consumer driven, corporate conditioned shop fest that is the american christmas dream. next year- if folks insist on gifting- they can make a donation in my name to the national arbor day foundation.
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