In anticipation of next week

We've voted. We've contributed to the causes and politicians we thing are important. We've become annoyed by the phone calls and texts urging us to vote and/or contribute. We think it's past time to move election day to late April or mid-September so that those of us who manage to fulfill our civic responsibilities early can get away and hang a "Gone fishin'" sign on the door without worrying about frostbite or blizzards. (Maybe early May would be better than late April.)

If it's not clear yet, we've reached the point where we're fed up with politics. Not that we believe politics is unimportant, far from it. But the way it's conducted has become unacceptably stupid. Perhaps that's a corollary of the dumbing down of the electorate. If we want students who can be hoodwinked by politicians and corporate public relations and marketing, No Child Left Behind appears to have been a success. Look at the current state the country is in.

“The ultimate test of man's conscience may be his willingness to sacrifice something today for future generations whose words of thanks will not be heard.”  ― Gaylord Nelson

Photo by J. Harrington

Although we realize we may be far off the mark, we have a theory about a fundamental part of the problem we're all facing these days. It seems to us one of our major faults is that we spend too much time and resources focused more on avoiding what we don't want than on achieving what we need and want. Perhaps it's the result of nearly constant exposure to advertising and marketing intended to create chronic dissatisfaction with what we have. Have you bought the new Apple iPhone 12 yet? Did you reserve your HUMMER EV yet? If we're trained to believe we're entitled to have it all, why should we consider compromise? When was the last time you realized that, if you did indeed "have it all," you'd also need somewhere to keep it all and would never, ever, have enough time to enjoy it all? No wonder we're so susceptible to being pandered to by politicians, conned by oligarchs and scammed by kleptocrats.

As a society, as a country, as a people, we have allowed those who would take advantage of US to drive deep and lasting wedges among US, causing US to just about(?) completely lose trust in each other and sometimes in ourselves. The best way we know of to establish, or re-establish, trust is threefold:

1. Say what we mean;
2. Mean what we say;
3. Walk our talk, all of the way.

Neither would it hurt if each of US became reeducated about and more diligent observing the Golden Rule. If we don't, we'll remain:

        All Along the Watchtower

Written by: Bob Dylan 

“There must be some way out of here,” said the joker to the thief
“There’s too much confusion, I can’t get no relief
Businessmen, they drink my wine, plowmen dig my earth
None of them along the line know what any of it is worth”

“No reason to get excited,” the thief, he kindly spoke
“There are many here among us who feel that life is but a joke
But you and I, we’ve been through that, and this is not our fate
So let us not talk falsely now, the hour is getting late”

All along the watchtower, princes kept the view
While all the women came and went, barefoot servants, too

Outside in the distance a wildcat did growl
Two riders were approaching, the wind began to howl

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Please be kind to each other while you can.