it seems to me that our generation, the 20 something bloggers of the world are programmed differently then our parents. or their parents. or any generation before us. and maybe there is someone out there who knows empirically that this just part of cycle, one generation trying to buck the trends of the previous. but how many of you, how many of your friends, talk about doing something they love? and maybe it's hollywood. and maybe it's self delusion, but I get the sense that there are many of us out their who would prefer to find the thing they love to do, and do that. then be paid lots of money to do something they hate. something, where our parents would look grimly in the mirror and say "because I have to to." now this may not be everyone. maybe not even a lot. but it seems that way. it's more than it used to be...
and what about this financial meltdown? it seems for a long time, people, just sat there and took it. we knew that there were people out their monopolizing the system. using money, to keep the system the same. to keep change from happening. I am not talking about conservatives and liberals here. Well, maybe I am. But that is not my intention. For example, pharmaceutical companies lobbying to keep the government from stepping in an forcibly reducing health costs. Now, some will say that this is a good thing. that the companies fight such intervention because America isn't about having the government step in and run things. Fine. I agree. But many of these people don't realize that the pharmaceutical companies are doing it just to protect their bottom line. It's about profit. And exploitation of the system. Car companies, forcibly resisting stricter environmental standards for 15 years. Oil companies using Senators to espouse talking points like "Drill, baby, drill." News corporations owned by companies that stand to lose lots of money should things be seen for what they really are. It's a broken system. A broken system that started to fall apart and take everyone else with it. And the financial meltdown seems to being a step towards correcting this. But it's not everything. A lot of it won't change. Even with Obama as president. Even with the slight momentum the seems to pushing change through. It won't change without help.
There are lots of people angry about the government. Today's "teabagging" events should indicate that. But as I heard, many of those people were there for different reasons. Some hate Obama. Some hate taxes. Taxes that fix their roads and school their children and pay the police (I guess I could get started on people wanting something for nothing, but I won't)
so what can we do? what should we do? does anyone else feel like this?
here is my list of things I wish to see:
- people reading and being taught (read:forced) to understand what America means. Not what Bush (1 or 2), Clinton, Reagan, FDR, Lincoln made it mean. But what was created out of blood sweat and tears to make America. People should understand the struggle that went in to deciding what makes this country great. The separation of powers. A federal system. Democratic elections. People should have to read at some point the Federalist Papers. Common Sense. Democracy in America. Books that capture the essense of a new nation ca 1783.
- a full commitment by everyone in the country. every parent. every elected official. everyone! for education. easy access to education at a levels in every part of the country. ignorance will relegate the lessons of America to the history books. China will see to that.
- independent news sources! this is the internet age!! if a friend of mine can be part of a magazine that publishes monthly on the internet, there must be somewhere that publishes news without agendas (by the way if you know such a place let me know)
- people wishing to preserve the gifts of the present for the people of the future. Take a chance and visit a national park and tell me it's not worth saving.
- unified action. I know there are lots of people out there who care. And each one of them is doing what they can to help in their own way. But little groups can only go so far. Despite asking people to read Tocqueville and his belief that America will thrive because of these small groups, one voice can be muffled. hundreds are slightly audible. thousands get some attention. millions make change.
I know none of this is perfect. And maybe much of this has been said before. But if you agree. Keep reading. If you agree, pass this along. I am starting something new here tonight, for myself. These will not be the only posts I make, because, hey this is still just a blog with 8 people following it. But it's a start.
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