Preparing to watch the GOP Presidential debates, I just happened to mention to someone what my plans were and the reply was "it doesn't matter, I'm voting for whoever the Democrat is." This response does not come as a shock for it is the answer many people may give whether outwardly or internally, in regards to political, religious, or many other social concerns. Many times, if ideas do not fall in line with our personal sidings, we develop the tendency to dismiss further intel and understanding in to a matter. To counter the earlier quote, a friend responded, "it should matter because what if your guy doesn't win? You will need to know what your president stands for?"
That rebuttal leads to the important message that I wanted to extract which is that it is more advantageous to be informed than ill-informed, whether you agree or not with the people or issue at hand. The mentality that 'if it does not apply to me it is not worth listening to' damages a lot of interpersonal relationships between people, closes many doors of opportunity for people, and also prevents people from expanding themselves mentally.
The true battle is between ourselves and our mindset. It's between the information we attain and don't attain. It's between what we deem important and unimportant.
God Bless
Monday, November 28, 2011
Monday, November 14, 2011
The State of America
The state of America as of now is in a dire situation. I am very optimistic about the future. For throughout history, this country has shown its ability to weather many storms, economically and socially. However, the future is too far and the now is too depressing. The land of the free is simply a place where the fittest survive, while some are surviving to just fit. Is it really freedom when people are not free to work? Is it really freedom when we are locked in despair? Is it really freedom when we are trapped in fear? Is it really freedom when our very own politicians jingle the keys to the lock over our heads just to score political points? Our sovereign rights as citizens are merely punchlines in campaign speeches and political debates. But the real punches are the blows that real people are facing each and everyday. Our brave troops are fighting abroad for us to have the right to call this country the "land of free." They are fighting for our freedom abroad, but who are fighting for us (and the troops) domestically. We are fighting a civil battle over capitalism. Our economic woes are becoming our moral foes. People are starving, housing is being lost, and the essence of our economic power is being devalued, physically and ethically.When will it stop? When greed ceases. I watched a report on the news that said the top 1% wealth increased 275% compared to 40 % by the middle class and 18% by the poor over the last 30 years. I'm an advocate for hard work, as well as for prosperity, but I am also for people having a chance. A chance is not a handout, it is merely an opportunity; and the opportunity is more valuable than the mighty dollar we are seeking.
As a country, we are fighting an up hill battle. Among the nations our education is suffering, innovation is declining , and competitively we are losing our edge. Who cares who our leader is if the goal is to theoretically encompass our minds with promise only to not actively stand by their words.We live in a country where the American dream seems to be a dependency scheme. The structure of our country is designed to keep people in their places. Tier by tier. The functionality of this country feeds on this. But even more sadly, we feed into it. We feel we need to suckle from the breast of this nation, because that is what we are sublimally taught from the first day we begin school. We are told we could be anything we want, but are being groomed to be workers, mere employees. We are told we can be property owners, but we never truly own our land but are paying for the right to use "our" land. We are taught that an education -that piece of paper- is something that can't be taken away, but it is something that is being taken away everyday because it is devaluing everyday. That paper is less valuable now more than ever, and if there is no actual knowledge acquired and retained, then that paper is worthless.
There is not enough empowerment going on. They occur in pockets, but lose momentum with the masses. Oppression is the cause- mentally, economically and socially. If oppressed people continue to be depressed, then the dependency mentality will continue to exist, and financially there will be someone who reap the benefits. Do we see it? In some cases, yes; but we are stuck in a glass bottle unable to break through. Many people are now seeing how it feels to be on the other end of the spectrum. When things are going good, there is no reason to look back and gain perspective. But when things crumble, the perspective appears right in front of us. This is the state of America in my eyes, we are now facing perspective.
God Bless
As a country, we are fighting an up hill battle. Among the nations our education is suffering, innovation is declining , and competitively we are losing our edge. Who cares who our leader is if the goal is to theoretically encompass our minds with promise only to not actively stand by their words.We live in a country where the American dream seems to be a dependency scheme. The structure of our country is designed to keep people in their places. Tier by tier. The functionality of this country feeds on this. But even more sadly, we feed into it. We feel we need to suckle from the breast of this nation, because that is what we are sublimally taught from the first day we begin school. We are told we could be anything we want, but are being groomed to be workers, mere employees. We are told we can be property owners, but we never truly own our land but are paying for the right to use "our" land. We are taught that an education -that piece of paper- is something that can't be taken away, but it is something that is being taken away everyday because it is devaluing everyday. That paper is less valuable now more than ever, and if there is no actual knowledge acquired and retained, then that paper is worthless.
There is not enough empowerment going on. They occur in pockets, but lose momentum with the masses. Oppression is the cause- mentally, economically and socially. If oppressed people continue to be depressed, then the dependency mentality will continue to exist, and financially there will be someone who reap the benefits. Do we see it? In some cases, yes; but we are stuck in a glass bottle unable to break through. Many people are now seeing how it feels to be on the other end of the spectrum. When things are going good, there is no reason to look back and gain perspective. But when things crumble, the perspective appears right in front of us. This is the state of America in my eyes, we are now facing perspective.
God Bless
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)