December 12, 2014
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The Road to 65, Mile 12: The Age of Unreason
December 10, 2014- It seems so much these days is decided by emotion, accompanied by sloppy fact-checking, and the need more and more people seem to have, for external verification. These processes don’t bring communities and nations together, and never will.
I have lived a fairly solitary life, for the past 3 1/2 years. My family members all have full cups and don’t need anyone else’s concerns to address, no matter how great or small those are. It’s for that reason that I have learned to rely on my own resources, and it’s why I am leaning more and more towards taking the bull by the horns, with regard to a full-time disaster prevention and relief position, in mid-February next year.
I have friends at all points on the political spectrum, while maintaining my own sense of right and wrong. My Dad was a social and fiscal conservative. My mother is a social liberal, who nonetheless ran a tight ship, based on us taking responsibility. So, I was compelled to listen to both points of view, growing up, and have the bounty of seeing many shades of opinion today.
I will not, though, go along with anyone who advocates oppression or harm to an innocent person, or group. There are those who derive their power and satisfaction, from dividing people and groups. We see this in everything from the camera hogs and pundits who are first on the scene of an episode of unrest, to the Deep Pockets who fund entities which seek to keep information from the people-at-large.
My parents liked and respected Martin Luther King, Jr, the Kennedy brothers, Cesar Chavez and even Malcolm X, after his return from Hajj. My latter-day heroes are mostly international figures: The late Nelson Mandela, Aung-san Suu Kyi, Malala Yousafzai and the new President of Indonesia: Joko Widodo. Those who can see beyond the current atmosphere of “dodge and cast blame” are the figures who will lead us through the darksome night.
Comments (4)
I wish there was a movement toward common sense. Too often the political parties have agendas that I can only shake my head at. Each contain portions that are compassionate and responsible juxtaposed with harsh and unreasonable platforms. *sigh* There are shining lights out there despite efforts to dampen or extinguish them.
Good post. I agree with murisopsis about common sense. The ones in power often seek to keep that power any way they can, which makes them willing to do and say anything and in their selfish game the country loses. So much undercover intrigue goes on in those places. Some of it is necessary. Some of it is just evil and revenge plotted against political enemies.
What? No movie stars?
In our shaky and rattly world, a measure of force is necessary-unfortunately. I long for a world in which such is outmoded, but we are a long way's off.
John, who would you nominate, among the Glitterati?
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