Was discussing with a friend today 'another thing thats wrong with the world today.'
I'm 36 years old, and I remember as a child, spending much of my adolescent and teen years living on a farm, and the 'things' and lifestyle of farm life.
Yes, I know, it was the eighties and not like the OLD days, but, nonetheless, I have an experience from life that taught me and has engraved in me some extremely important aspects that ...
How many of the presently adolescent and teen generation know anything about survival without convenience stores, department stores, cell phones ...I remember using a party line in MN when I was a kid. The CB was the 'cell phone' of the day. Ham radio was the 'internet.'
If the proverbial dung was to hit the fan, but it didn't splatter everywhere -- one could still survive off the land -- how many could milk a cow, pluck a chicken, slaughter/butcher a deer or cow, filet a fish, bail hay; pick corn, cucumbers, carrots, peas, potatoes; dig a field; plant a tree; herd cattle; plant and harvest; cook?
Local communities were dramatically distant from modern atmospheres also, coinciding with the farm atmosphere of my generation and generations before me. People actually gave a shit about their neighbors ...community by definition. What has happened? Is it a democratic or republican problem? Can things get better, or returned to sanity?
A generational comparison? 2009, 1999, 1989, 1979, 1969, 1959 ...
The economy is fucked up because the 'community' is fucked up!
Showing posts with label wrong. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wrong. Show all posts
Friday, October 30, 2009
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Independence Day
Went downtown last night to celebrate the Fourth of July, Independence Day fireworks show with friends, and although I must say I had a great time, I couldn't help but wonder ...
Just like how Christmas is 'supposed' to be the celebration of the birth of the Christian Messiah (although its not at all what he wanted), Independence Day is the celebration of our independence from the foreign soils ...declaration that we can and WILL govern ourselves. Yet, it seems to me, the Fourth of July is more today about a show and a party, commercialized like Christmas has been. Has the American populous lost touch with or forgotten what it means to be an independent people celebrating freedom?
As I stood (with a beer in my hand) watching the fireworks display, I could feel in my heart a pride welling up. Proud to be an American. Proud to make the choices that remind me 'I'm free.' The fireworks are supposed to be a display of the battles fought to gain independence ...yet as I look around on the streets, behind me at the bar, and watch commercials on television, I feel a disconnection. What is this holiday now? A day off from work (for some); an excuse to party; a commercial convincing us to buy?
Don't get me wrong. I do enjoy the show, and hanging with my friends, but I can't help but wonder, "where is the pride? What are we doing here?"
Today's global scene is anything but order. The citizens of every nation have lost sight of what it means to be a part of the human race. The only race, it seems to me, is to be the first with and last without. Selfish 'anti-them' attitudes are prevailing over the cause of humanity ...and it scares me.
Not to borrow a pageant cliche, but where is world peace? Is it my neighbor's job to keep, or mine? Are we approaching an impasse where all things fail? Or, can we push a reset button somewhere and get back on track?
Just some thoughts. I'm probably wrong. Guess we'll see in a few short years. Oh, and by that, how does one prepare?
Just like how Christmas is 'supposed' to be the celebration of the birth of the Christian Messiah (although its not at all what he wanted), Independence Day is the celebration of our independence from the foreign soils ...declaration that we can and WILL govern ourselves. Yet, it seems to me, the Fourth of July is more today about a show and a party, commercialized like Christmas has been. Has the American populous lost touch with or forgotten what it means to be an independent people celebrating freedom?
As I stood (with a beer in my hand) watching the fireworks display, I could feel in my heart a pride welling up. Proud to be an American. Proud to make the choices that remind me 'I'm free.' The fireworks are supposed to be a display of the battles fought to gain independence ...yet as I look around on the streets, behind me at the bar, and watch commercials on television, I feel a disconnection. What is this holiday now? A day off from work (for some); an excuse to party; a commercial convincing us to buy?
Don't get me wrong. I do enjoy the show, and hanging with my friends, but I can't help but wonder, "where is the pride? What are we doing here?"
Today's global scene is anything but order. The citizens of every nation have lost sight of what it means to be a part of the human race. The only race, it seems to me, is to be the first with and last without. Selfish 'anti-them' attitudes are prevailing over the cause of humanity ...and it scares me.
Not to borrow a pageant cliche, but where is world peace? Is it my neighbor's job to keep, or mine? Are we approaching an impasse where all things fail? Or, can we push a reset button somewhere and get back on track?
Just some thoughts. I'm probably wrong. Guess we'll see in a few short years. Oh, and by that, how does one prepare?
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