With our social development lagging well behind technology, we are children with unrestrained power.
Read MoreThe most important questions one can ask are why and how.
Perspective
Reality is the accumulation of factual evidence placed in proper perspective. Considering how relatively little each of us as individuals actually knows and taking into account personal biases, emotions and long held ingrained beliefs, individuals’ perspectives tend to cover a wide spectrum. What is real to one is often absurd to another.
From where I come: personal Influences
The horrors of the Holocaust dominated conversation from my earliest days. It was difficult then as now to comprehend the inhumanity. As awareness grew, I learned of the hate and bigotry in this country and equal rights and justice became a major influence in my outlook. In America, land of freedom and justice, Jews were still excluded in many places and businesses, as were other incorrect ethnics.
Joe McCarthy had been conducting his witch hunts with many still victimized well after he had been sent packing in disgrace.
People of color were being lynched and completely deprived of their constitutional rights in sections of the country and excluded in many ways just about everywhere.
This was not the America I learned about in school!
Present state of affairs
Much of what is presented to us by many businesses, politicians and individuals is hypocritical, requiring insight and research to find the truth.
I love my country, which makes it so untenable; especially since, in my lifetime, we have experienced a downward spiral from forward movement in social progress to the polarization and dysfunction of today. I still however, maintain hope of a fresh start that society will recapture the optimism and move forward once again.
A few realities too often ignored or disputed
- Lust for power or success dominates reasonable behavior.
- Integrity is valued but often punished.
- Divisiveness impedes progress.
- Morality and law are not necessarily one and too often at odds.
- Democracy and justice are limited, even in the most progressive nations.
- Journalism is often compromised, straying from or omitting the truth.
- Politics is a game played behind closed doors.
- Current climate change has been caused by human activity.
- Population growth is compromising quality of life and sueezing out other species.
- All people and beliefs, unless corrupted and destructive, deserve respect.
- Science, reason and an open mind are the tools we possess that distinguish us from other species and move us forward.
Perspective
Reality is the accumulation of factual evidence placed in proper perspective. Considering how relatively little each of us as individuals actually knows and taking into account personal biases, emotions and long held ingrained beliefs, individuals’ perspectives tend to cover a wide spectrum. What is real to one is often absurd to another.
From where I come: personal Influences
The horrors of the Holocaust dominated conversation from my earliest days. It was difficult then as now to comprehend the inhumanity. As awareness grew, I learned of the hate and bigotry in this country and equal rights and justice became a major influence in my outlook. In America, land of freedom and justice, Jews were still excluded in many places and businesses, as were other incorrect ethnics.
Joe McCarthy had been conducting his witch hunts with many still victimized well after he had been sent packing in disgrace.
People of color were being lynched and completely deprived of their constitutional rights in sections of the country and excluded in many ways just about everywhere.
This was not the America I learned about in school!
Present state of affairs
Much of what is presented to us by many businesses, politicians and individuals is hypocritical, requiring insight and research to find the truth.
I love my country, which makes it so untenable; especially since, in my lifetime we have experienced a downward spiral from forward movement in social progress to the polarization and dysfunction of today. I still however, maintain hope of a fresh start that society will recapture the optimism and move forward once again.
A few realities too often ignored or disputed
- Lust for power or success dominates reasonable behavior.
- Integrity is valued but often punished.
- Divisiveness impedes progress.
- Morality and law are not necessarily one and too often at odds.
- Democracy and justice are limited, even in the most progressive nations.
- Journalism is often compromised, straying from or omitting the truth.
- Politics is a game played behind closed doors.
- Current climate change has been caused by human activity.
- Population growth is compromising quality of life and causing elimination of other species.
- All people and beliefs, unless corrupted and destructive, deserve respect.
- Science, reason and an open mind are the tools we possess that distinguish us from other species and move us forward.
THE UNIVERSE WITHIN
Widespread information and misinformation have created extreme thought and polarization throughout the world as people and nature race toward extremes. THE UNIVERSE WITHIN Perceptions of the world around us We all share space on this planet, an infinitesimal speck in the vastness of the universe. Yet, we spend our lives...
Read MoreHUMANITY AT WAR WITH ITSELF
Turn nature against us; empower ignorance and hate; deny reason and science; devastation to people and planet. Reason faces a steep uphill battle. HUMANITY AT WAR WITH ITSELF The lines are drawn as society faces a super storm of disasters Cataclysms have devastated societies throughout history; plagues, political upheavals, invasions,...
Read MoreVOTING RIGHTS
The sacred entitlement in a democracy once again under attack. VOTING RIGHTS June 21, 1788, the Great Experiment; the Constitution of the United States was adopted creating the first democracy in the modern world. But, with the right relegated to the states, only a small percentage of the adult population...
Read MoreREPUBLICANS TODAY: CULT OF TRUMP
Today’s media is awash with stories about Donald Trump’s Republican Party. This environment was not a sudden occurrence however, but the result of an ongoing process of manipulation through several decades. Rooted in the Nixon administration, an intensification of attacks on intellectualism began a downward socio-political spiral in America. Published...
Read MoreCORPORATE LOBBIES
CORPORATE LOBBIES Profits at any expense Industries develop to fulfill needs. We must never forget however, that their primary purpose is the creation of profit; cost cutting prevalent and collateral damage suppressed. To quote the noted British economist, John Maynard Keynes, “Capitalism is the extraordinary belief that the nastiest of...
Read MoreTHE WEAPONIZATION OF ME TOO
THE WEAPONIZATION OF ME TOO Diminishing the credibility of a vital issue The Me Too movement has been a long time in coming. An all too common way of life in our society has been men, whether through position or sheer physical force, sexually abusing women. Rarely, if ever,...
Read MoreTHE PERSISTENCE OF HATE
This was written after watching a feature about the rise of anti-Semitism in the world. But Jews are not the only targets; hate crimes are on the rise. Frustration and anger are running rampant today, ferociously vented on the innocent. THE PERSISTENCE OF HATE During the early part of the...
Read MoreBLACK CULTURAL DIVERSITY
Recognizing the great cultural diversity among black peoples BLACK CULTURAL DIVERSITY A letter to the editor in the February 2021 issue of Consumer Reports questioned why “Black”, referring to a racial group, was capitalized while “white” was not. The editor’s answer was surprising; noting that “Black” referred to a specific...
Read MoreTHE GREATEST AMERICAN LEADER OF THE 20TH CENTURY
A life that should be celebrated every day. THE GREATEST AMERICAN LEADER OF THE 20TH CENTURY What is greatness in leadership? Most importantly, one should be true to principles, possessing the integrity and dedication to follow their mission without compromise. They should have the ability to fulfill their goals despite...
Read MoreELECTION 2020: TWO NATIONS IN ONE
The extreme polarization in America as well as in our expanding global society has reached a crisis, the essence of which pits intellect vs. ignorance. The Legitimization of Ignorance continues… ELECTION 2020: TWO NATIONS IN ONE Ineptly and irresponsibly responding to a pandemic, open support for hate groups, cozying up...
Read MoreA LEGACY SQUANDERED
The Greatest Generation endured the Great Depression and World War II, leaving behind a powerful legacy of commitment, integrity and responsibility. This is a brief account of a major reason why it has been squandered by succeeding generations. (Written in the ‘90’s, baby boomers are today’s seniors.) A LEGACY SQUANDERED...
Read MoreTHE LEGITIMIZATION OF IGNORANCE
HOW DID WE GET HERE? The thriving intellectual climate, nurtured by New Deal policy that had loosened the bonds of poverty and expanded the American middle class was overwhelmed by the violence of the tumultuous ‘60’s. Manipulation of the system using hate and fear to further divisiveness became the weapons...
Read MoreBALANCE: PREFACE
BALANCE: PREFACE The pendulum swings…back and forth…back and forth; sometimes just a bit; at times more violently; occasionally enough to go over the top. This is the natural history of our planet and of human society. When it swings over the top, a major cataclysm; in nature, mass extinction; in...
Read MoreBALANCE: JUSTICE AND ENFORCEMENT
BALANCE: PREFACE BALANCE: JUSTICE AND ENFORCEMENT Do people want to vent their emotions or seek a lasting solution to our problems? An ongoing crisis in our society has come to the forefront once again. Addressed often throughout the history of this nation; frequently as a headline or editorial; it has...
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