I've been thinking lately about some events and troubles in this country and community. I've also been reading the book, Better Off, which is about an Orthodox Amish society and an outsider's view of their culture. Roll all that in with the news of the California budget issues and political nonsense, coupled with the US government's Stimulus/Health care plans and you have a Perfect Storm of "What can I do?" fermenting in my skull. What will follow is just some rambling thoughts that are being put out for the first time. I haven't talked with anyone else about these ideas and probably will change and moderate them as I do. So enter if you dare.
The biggest obstacles that are hindering the resolution of personal, community and national problems we have now are the twin beliefs that Government and Technology are going to solve the issues. The recent and not so recent records of both point only to more dependence instead of independence.
When was the last time the Government really helped solve a problem? Newsweek's recent cover article is about Ted Kennedy and his 40+ year battle to solve the health care issue in the US. Forty years and still no solution? No offense, but if this is one of our better senators and he can't get anything done, we have a problem. Yes, Government is the problem. And politicians that care more about the next election and re-election than solving problems. When has a California legislature solved anything lately? The people of the state through the Proposition/Initiative process have done more than the politicos. During the current budget mess, two men stood out for their bills in the California legislature regarding animal treatment. The first was a law preventing driving with an animal on your lap and the second for stopping the docking of calf tails. Common sense tells us that driving with something in your lap that may impair your driving isn't very wise. Maybe we should let these people suffer a Darwin Award moment. The second was at the height of the debate to solve the budget. Do you think that discussing a bill to outlaw a practice that isn't done anymore while sending out IOU's to pay your bills is a good idea? Government has shown it doesn't want to work. Maybe California should start paying its politicians part time because they obviously are only working and thinking part time. Thomas Jefferson did call for the abolishment of Government every 19 years and have a Do-Over.
Technology isn't any better. When was the last time a cell phone truly made your live easier? How often is the message received really so important that it couldn't wait? As a TV character in the 80's said, "When you're having a heart attack while stuck in traffic, a cell phone isn't a luxury." How many times has something of this import happened to you? And what happens to the quality of person to person conversation when so many exchanges are virtually meaningless? The skill of conversing diminishes.
As I sit here typing on a keyboard viewing my words on a monitor, I wonder if writing these words on paper with a pencil wouldn't be better? When was the last time your computer time helped make your life easier? Because isn't that the mantra of technology, Making Your Life Easier? What have you given up or done that gives you possession of the technology? How much did you have to work to get the car you had to have? What did you do to get the cell phone that is your leash? The computer upon which you are reading this?
And what about maintaining these technological albatrosses? After obtaining these necessities, how much time is spent earning more money to keep them functioning? This double edged expense of owning technology if often overlooked. Buy once; pay twice, thrice or even more? Is that a wise way to operate?
All of that leads me to a potential solution. Instead of thinking Government and Technology are going to help, why don't we ignore them as much as we can? People are going to solve problems. If your neighbor needs something, help them. The local Little League needs new bats, donate or work the snack bar. If there is trash in the street, pick it up. Stop texting and look up at the world around you. With simple observing you can see many things that need help or at least a helping hand. Seems to me if I jump in more often than waiting for someone else to do it, more will get done.
Kind of sounds like the stories I heard of the Depression. You know, before television and cell phones and a man on the moon.
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