Monday, November 14, 2011
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Research Log 4- UPWARD MOBILITY
Zakaria, Fareed
"The downward path of upward mobility"
The Washington Post
November 9, 2011
1
Digital Newspaper
November 10, 2011
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-downward-path-upward-mobilty
Most Americans are increasingly concerned over the growing gap between the rich and the poor. The biggest causality seems to be the shrinking American middle-class. In Fareed Zakaria's article, he shows how this argument is quickly divided among party lines with liberals wanting some sort of government intervention and Conservatives saying let the free market find its equilibrium. The all powerful and ever vacillating Independent voters are leaning towards the Liberals. Prevailing thought on the subject paints a picture of a America with far less social nets to catch people than in our European counterparts but with more opportunity for upward mobility for the hardworking and industrious. But, the most comprehensive comparative study done last year by the organization for Economic Cooperation and Development found that it was much harder for poor Americans to move up economic classes than in Northern or Western Europe. Time magazine did a huge in-depth article on the subject and came to the same surprising conclusions. How could countries that have larger welfare systems possibly offer more upward mobility? Fareed says it is because European countries have done more to directly address correct the problem. Specifically, European countries have chosen to invest more than us in childhood health and nutritional programs. They also invest much more than us in education. There is also a lot of evidence that American children show up to school unready to learn because of dysfunctional family issues. In America, if you are born into poverty, you are highly likely to have malnutrition, childhood sicknesses, and a bad education. In 2011 1 in 5 adults live in poverty and 2 in 5 children.
This article portrays an America that is much different than the one we are conditioned to believe as children. We are brainwashed to believe that we are the land of the free, full of opportunity. We are all that and more, if you compare us to 2nd and 3rd world countries, hell we look friging great! But, when we take a honest look at ourselves compared to our real peers in Europe and abroad, we are not what we think we are and we need to be aware and acknowledge this before we can solve it. Americans are stuck in false image of ourselves. We act like it continually 1945, where we just saved the world from tyranny. We are the economic leader in the world, we lead the world in political freedoms, and we are the best and everyone else is crap. The are the best, we are the greatest, and most of all, extremely benevolent and the global designated guardian of freedom. Our view of ourselves does not match the reality around us. Most of all, the land of opportunity is not as fertile and opportunistic as we once thought. In stead of competing with the world to always be the best, maybe we should compete with ourselves to push ourselves to be better human beings, stewards of the land, and more benevolent people, like our predecessors back in 1945!
This article ties nicely into my research the decline and erosion of the American middle class. The lack of upward mobility is ruining this country. The rich tilt the playing field in their favor by paying Congress and lawmakers to gut the middle class. The playing field gets tilted more and more uphill for working class Americans. It seems until huge amounts of people are hurting, nothing is going to change. If the main problem stems from bias laws and regulation, then we have hope. We the people can stand up and make our voice herd. Historically speaking when we do, things and votes change fast.
"The downward path of upward mobility"
The Washington Post
November 9, 2011
1
Digital Newspaper
November 10, 2011
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-downward-path-upward-mobilty
Most Americans are increasingly concerned over the growing gap between the rich and the poor. The biggest causality seems to be the shrinking American middle-class. In Fareed Zakaria's article, he shows how this argument is quickly divided among party lines with liberals wanting some sort of government intervention and Conservatives saying let the free market find its equilibrium. The all powerful and ever vacillating Independent voters are leaning towards the Liberals. Prevailing thought on the subject paints a picture of a America with far less social nets to catch people than in our European counterparts but with more opportunity for upward mobility for the hardworking and industrious. But, the most comprehensive comparative study done last year by the organization for Economic Cooperation and Development found that it was much harder for poor Americans to move up economic classes than in Northern or Western Europe. Time magazine did a huge in-depth article on the subject and came to the same surprising conclusions. How could countries that have larger welfare systems possibly offer more upward mobility? Fareed says it is because European countries have done more to directly address correct the problem. Specifically, European countries have chosen to invest more than us in childhood health and nutritional programs. They also invest much more than us in education. There is also a lot of evidence that American children show up to school unready to learn because of dysfunctional family issues. In America, if you are born into poverty, you are highly likely to have malnutrition, childhood sicknesses, and a bad education. In 2011 1 in 5 adults live in poverty and 2 in 5 children.
This article portrays an America that is much different than the one we are conditioned to believe as children. We are brainwashed to believe that we are the land of the free, full of opportunity. We are all that and more, if you compare us to 2nd and 3rd world countries, hell we look friging great! But, when we take a honest look at ourselves compared to our real peers in Europe and abroad, we are not what we think we are and we need to be aware and acknowledge this before we can solve it. Americans are stuck in false image of ourselves. We act like it continually 1945, where we just saved the world from tyranny. We are the economic leader in the world, we lead the world in political freedoms, and we are the best and everyone else is crap. The are the best, we are the greatest, and most of all, extremely benevolent and the global designated guardian of freedom. Our view of ourselves does not match the reality around us. Most of all, the land of opportunity is not as fertile and opportunistic as we once thought. In stead of competing with the world to always be the best, maybe we should compete with ourselves to push ourselves to be better human beings, stewards of the land, and more benevolent people, like our predecessors back in 1945!
This article ties nicely into my research the decline and erosion of the American middle class. The lack of upward mobility is ruining this country. The rich tilt the playing field in their favor by paying Congress and lawmakers to gut the middle class. The playing field gets tilted more and more uphill for working class Americans. It seems until huge amounts of people are hurting, nothing is going to change. If the main problem stems from bias laws and regulation, then we have hope. We the people can stand up and make our voice herd. Historically speaking when we do, things and votes change fast.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Research Log 3
Cooper, Mary.
"Low Voter Turn Out"
CQ Researcher
Oct 20, 2000 Volume 10 no. 36
Congressional Quarterly Inc
25
Internet Web Site/Butte College Library
11.15.11
Is America's democracy in trouble? Our forefathers might think so. They believed the very fabric and essence of our fledgling republic depended upon an informed and fully engaged voting public. This thought provoking opening question hooks the reader in Mary H. Cooper's piece, Low Voter Turnout. The fact that we have such a low voter turnout in America compared to both our historical past and other countries currently, is just a non-debatable fact. We collectively as a country do not value voting. We don't see the point....and that says it all. It's not just apathy she is illustrating here, but a more serious civic disengagement that eats away at our very foundation. Mary describes it as a "lost sense of community" that costs us far more than just political consequences, but threatens our very way of life. Voter turn out peaked in 1960 with 63% of the electorate taking part. Since the mid-nineties America's voter turn out has been less than 50%. The net result is lack of representation for the people who vote less often, the young, the disenfranchised, and people of color. This has tilted the economic table toward businesses and away from everyday people. The data shows that people who don't take part politically just don't see how what they hear from politicians translates into anything tangible to their lives. She also shows how uninformed we are on both sides. Most of our information on issues comes from small sound bits and bad press. Mary paints a picture that has far reaching implications for those who don't vote, the kind that most people have never considered.
I was intrigued by this piece because of the actual costs and ramifications of low voter turn out. I was basically brain washed into believing it was my civic duty as a proud and grateful American to vote. Especially in light of the fact that so many brave American men and women have given their lives so I can just be free. The statistics were graphic and dramatic. We don't see ourselves in relation to our fellow countrymen the same anymore. Mainly because of technological advances we are much more independent. We all need to interact with each other face to face far far less. I was a little surprised at the evidence that low voter turn out has economic and social costs to the ones who don't take part. When the people making the rules to this games stop representing you, you lose. It can be hard to see the direct effect because it can take years to trickle down. Everything in this world comes down to money and power. If you don't have a lot of both, you better start voting and signing up your friends.
This article is tying in nicely with the whole middle class in decline theme I've been led to. It shed light on how a lot of what is happening, if not ultimately all, is our own fault. We need to take responsibility for all that is good and bad in our country. Stop blaming and start fixing some of this things. With low voter turn out, we don't need 100% turn out to be successful, just enough to function properly, or the more the better.
"Low Voter Turn Out"
CQ Researcher
Oct 20, 2000 Volume 10 no. 36
Congressional Quarterly Inc
25
Internet Web Site/Butte College Library
11.15.11
Is America's democracy in trouble? Our forefathers might think so. They believed the very fabric and essence of our fledgling republic depended upon an informed and fully engaged voting public. This thought provoking opening question hooks the reader in Mary H. Cooper's piece, Low Voter Turnout. The fact that we have such a low voter turnout in America compared to both our historical past and other countries currently, is just a non-debatable fact. We collectively as a country do not value voting. We don't see the point....and that says it all. It's not just apathy she is illustrating here, but a more serious civic disengagement that eats away at our very foundation. Mary describes it as a "lost sense of community" that costs us far more than just political consequences, but threatens our very way of life. Voter turn out peaked in 1960 with 63% of the electorate taking part. Since the mid-nineties America's voter turn out has been less than 50%. The net result is lack of representation for the people who vote less often, the young, the disenfranchised, and people of color. This has tilted the economic table toward businesses and away from everyday people. The data shows that people who don't take part politically just don't see how what they hear from politicians translates into anything tangible to their lives. She also shows how uninformed we are on both sides. Most of our information on issues comes from small sound bits and bad press. Mary paints a picture that has far reaching implications for those who don't vote, the kind that most people have never considered.
I was intrigued by this piece because of the actual costs and ramifications of low voter turn out. I was basically brain washed into believing it was my civic duty as a proud and grateful American to vote. Especially in light of the fact that so many brave American men and women have given their lives so I can just be free. The statistics were graphic and dramatic. We don't see ourselves in relation to our fellow countrymen the same anymore. Mainly because of technological advances we are much more independent. We all need to interact with each other face to face far far less. I was a little surprised at the evidence that low voter turn out has economic and social costs to the ones who don't take part. When the people making the rules to this games stop representing you, you lose. It can be hard to see the direct effect because it can take years to trickle down. Everything in this world comes down to money and power. If you don't have a lot of both, you better start voting and signing up your friends.
This article is tying in nicely with the whole middle class in decline theme I've been led to. It shed light on how a lot of what is happening, if not ultimately all, is our own fault. We need to take responsibility for all that is good and bad in our country. Stop blaming and start fixing some of this things. With low voter turn out, we don't need 100% turn out to be successful, just enough to function properly, or the more the better.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Research Log 2 - The Endangered American Middle-Class
Billitteri, Thomas.
"Middle-Class Squeeze"
CQ Researcher
March 6, 2009 Volume 19, Issue 9
24
Internet Research Site
10/08/11
http:library.cqpress.com
It's been said that what makes America truly great is our love of freedom and the size of our middle-class. It's not just the recent recession that has hurt working class Americans, but the federal policies and excessively greedy business tactics over the last thirty years have eroded away a pier of the American dream. That part that says if you work hard and play by the rules you can get ahead and have some relative degree of piece of mind, but in today's America that's not true anymore. Thomas J. Billitteri captures the plight of downward spiraling Americans in his piece, " Middle-Class Squeeze " when he says, " Millions of families who once enjoyed the American dream of home ownership and upward financial mobility are sliding down the economic ladder-some into poverty. Many have been forced to seek government help for the first time. The plunging fortunes of working-class families are pushing the U.S. economy deeper into a recession..." Billitteri illustrates this powerful point with real life examples with people like 41year old Cindy Dreeszen and her husband seeking food from a local religious pantry in an upscale affluent New Jersey subdivision for the first time ever. They both have jobs and a combined income of 55,000 a year but with a second child on the way and other bills so high, they embarrassingly need to seek out free food. The main reasons for this epic national disaster are thirty years of government policies that lean heavily in favor of businesses. Our Congress has crafted a tax code that makes migrant workers pay more money than millionaires. A minimum wage lagging far behind our GDP growth has kept wages artificially low and keeps the working poor, perpetually low. Along with stagnate wages, the article also points out that the most predominate reason for Americans working harder and harder for less and less is a shift in benefit risk from employer to employee. Doing the most damage, disappearing health benefits and retirement plans. What unions fought for at the turn of the century were slowly, methodically stolen again from the American dream. What the author offers as the best solution is changes in governmental policies to bring some fairness and level out the playing field. Specifically, utilizing the tax code to have the wealthiest few pay for health care and other safety nets for the masses who work, but slip through cracks.
I like the way this area of research ties right into my first log of Income Inequality, which is the cause of this growing mass of working poor. We can debate the reasons, but to pretend America is not in decline is not feasible anymore. We can track the shift in policies, managerial tactics, net gains to the top income earners and the big losses to average Americans. The supply side argument that if you just grow the economic pie bigger, money will trickle down to the masses doesn't work. It was a good sounding lie, just look around after nearly thirty years of it. We know how and why they did it, we just have to find a way to make more people aware of it. As long as intelligent, good hearted Americans either vote against their own economic interests or worse don't vote at all we will just keep heading down this road to self-destruction. I also liked the way the article showed how political apathy helps accelerate the fleecing of middle-America. When average people don't keep politicians in check, business interest run ruff-shot over the well being of the country. I'm not anti-business. For God's sake I'm a friggin' commercial loan originator who is waiting and praying for the lending environment to stabilize so I can go back to doing what I love, helping business people fund expansions or just restructure current debt more efficiently. There's nobody more pro-business than myself, nobody. I just want it done with some integrity and in the light of the promise that I believe America can still be the greatest nation in the world again. Right now we are so greedy that we are cutting our own throat. We will not be great until we have a healthy and robust middle-class. We can't fixed this with executive branch regulation, it would choke business and create more problems than it fixes. This has to be done through Congressional legislation. Keeping the minimum wage up at historical adjusted for inflation levels and having the top 2% income earners fund health care and retirement funds is the answer.
This has led to to research areas that all fall under one heading, America in decline. It is based on the loss of economic freedoms to main street Americans. From lopsided government policies, greed based predatory business strategies, an unfair tax code, artificially low minimum wage stagnating other higher wages, misinformed gullible voters, and political apathy it is no supprise we are being robbed and left out to dry. I want to look father into the decline of the American middle class in the areas mentioned right above. The next log will be political apathy or specific government policies and laws that really hurt the American worker.
"Middle-Class Squeeze"
CQ Researcher
March 6, 2009 Volume 19, Issue 9
24
Internet Research Site
10/08/11
http:library.cqpress.com
It's been said that what makes America truly great is our love of freedom and the size of our middle-class. It's not just the recent recession that has hurt working class Americans, but the federal policies and excessively greedy business tactics over the last thirty years have eroded away a pier of the American dream. That part that says if you work hard and play by the rules you can get ahead and have some relative degree of piece of mind, but in today's America that's not true anymore. Thomas J. Billitteri captures the plight of downward spiraling Americans in his piece, " Middle-Class Squeeze " when he says, " Millions of families who once enjoyed the American dream of home ownership and upward financial mobility are sliding down the economic ladder-some into poverty. Many have been forced to seek government help for the first time. The plunging fortunes of working-class families are pushing the U.S. economy deeper into a recession..." Billitteri illustrates this powerful point with real life examples with people like 41year old Cindy Dreeszen and her husband seeking food from a local religious pantry in an upscale affluent New Jersey subdivision for the first time ever. They both have jobs and a combined income of 55,000 a year but with a second child on the way and other bills so high, they embarrassingly need to seek out free food. The main reasons for this epic national disaster are thirty years of government policies that lean heavily in favor of businesses. Our Congress has crafted a tax code that makes migrant workers pay more money than millionaires. A minimum wage lagging far behind our GDP growth has kept wages artificially low and keeps the working poor, perpetually low. Along with stagnate wages, the article also points out that the most predominate reason for Americans working harder and harder for less and less is a shift in benefit risk from employer to employee. Doing the most damage, disappearing health benefits and retirement plans. What unions fought for at the turn of the century were slowly, methodically stolen again from the American dream. What the author offers as the best solution is changes in governmental policies to bring some fairness and level out the playing field. Specifically, utilizing the tax code to have the wealthiest few pay for health care and other safety nets for the masses who work, but slip through cracks.
I like the way this area of research ties right into my first log of Income Inequality, which is the cause of this growing mass of working poor. We can debate the reasons, but to pretend America is not in decline is not feasible anymore. We can track the shift in policies, managerial tactics, net gains to the top income earners and the big losses to average Americans. The supply side argument that if you just grow the economic pie bigger, money will trickle down to the masses doesn't work. It was a good sounding lie, just look around after nearly thirty years of it. We know how and why they did it, we just have to find a way to make more people aware of it. As long as intelligent, good hearted Americans either vote against their own economic interests or worse don't vote at all we will just keep heading down this road to self-destruction. I also liked the way the article showed how political apathy helps accelerate the fleecing of middle-America. When average people don't keep politicians in check, business interest run ruff-shot over the well being of the country. I'm not anti-business. For God's sake I'm a friggin' commercial loan originator who is waiting and praying for the lending environment to stabilize so I can go back to doing what I love, helping business people fund expansions or just restructure current debt more efficiently. There's nobody more pro-business than myself, nobody. I just want it done with some integrity and in the light of the promise that I believe America can still be the greatest nation in the world again. Right now we are so greedy that we are cutting our own throat. We will not be great until we have a healthy and robust middle-class. We can't fixed this with executive branch regulation, it would choke business and create more problems than it fixes. This has to be done through Congressional legislation. Keeping the minimum wage up at historical adjusted for inflation levels and having the top 2% income earners fund health care and retirement funds is the answer.
This has led to to research areas that all fall under one heading, America in decline. It is based on the loss of economic freedoms to main street Americans. From lopsided government policies, greed based predatory business strategies, an unfair tax code, artificially low minimum wage stagnating other higher wages, misinformed gullible voters, and political apathy it is no supprise we are being robbed and left out to dry. I want to look father into the decline of the American middle class in the areas mentioned right above. The next log will be political apathy or specific government policies and laws that really hurt the American worker.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Research Log 1
Clemmitt, Marcia
"Income Inequality"
Dec, 3 2010 Volume 20, Issue 42
CQ Press
25
Butte College Online Library
Oct 7, 2011
www.cqresearcher.com
For the first time in American History, one generation firmly believes it had it worse off economically than their parents had, and we are that generation.We are also pretty bleak on our kids future as well. The economic data supporting this bleeding of the American middle class is overwhelming. From how much we earn to how much we get for our dollar has been shrinking drastically since the 70's. Face it, America is in decline. Regardless if your Conservative or Liberal, all economists agree upon this, you can't have a healthy and robust middle-class without it being at the expense of the upper and lower classes. Both the upper and lower classes get drained by a burgeoning middle-class. In Marcia Clemmitt's piece Income Inequality, she paints a picture of the rich getting richer exponentially and the middle class becoming the working poor. She believes this raises serious questions about what public policy should be and how to achieve a more fair and just living for Americans. Also, she looks at some of the reasons that caused us to get here. Mainly, an unfair tax code where millionaires commonly pay little to nothing in taxes, never raising the minimum wage, unfair subsidies to fat corporations, and union busting were identified as the root causes. In other words, the rich are screwing the American Middle class by manipulating our political system by means of paying off our politicians. Rich people are never apathetic towards politics, they know how important it is to take part politically and they do, in many many ways. Only dumb poor and middle-class people say shit like " My vote don't count anyway" or "they never listen to what I want to do" Rich people take part for a reason, every voice matters and counts.
When I dove into this article, it grabbed me and lit me up like a Roman candle. Marcia Clemmitt's even handed depiction of the plight of working class Americans under assault economically from unfair social practices moved me greatly. These are hard working honest Americans that end up getting squeezed financially, where their forefathers with the exact same job didn't! The American middle-class is being hung out to dry so the top 1% earners can have more. Everyone knows when it comes to making money for the greedy, enough is never enough. Just like with crack heads and alcoholics, same mentality, different arena. In 1949 the top 1% earners controlled 10% of Americas wealth, now they control twice that amount at 20%. According to the CIA fact book where they compare and measure economic equality, America is way down on the list. We are surrounded by third world developing nations like Ivory Coast, Malaysia, and Jamaica on the GINI coefficient scale. We suck when it comes to taking care of our own. Today that " dog eat dog " mentality and it's o.k. to step on your competitor or co-worker's neck to get ahead is alive and well. But it makes good sense from a business point of view. If you keep labor costs down that directly increases production efficiency. If people are coerced into working harder for less (and we are I just learned this in econ-8) then they have to work harder and longer just to break even. If people are so busy working, they won't have time or energy to follow the political system that is allowing this gutting of America to happen. I don't think there is some great conspiracy of rich people plotting away. It's more like a vast sea of lobbyists in Washington drowning any hope for the hard working little guy in America today.
This article has taking me down a whole new path. I'm going to research the history of American middle class, it's formation, waxing and waning etc.. also, the political vehicles used by the wealthiest few to try and makes us working class slaves. They really don't want to make us slaves. The slave thing is just residual by-product. They just want perpetually more, for an appetite that is never ending. I want to more accurately measure our middle-class, then compare and contrast it with other countries to get a better view. I want to find out more on how political apathy and income inequality are very related.
"Income Inequality"
Dec, 3 2010 Volume 20, Issue 42
CQ Press
25
Butte College Online Library
Oct 7, 2011
www.cqresearcher.com
For the first time in American History, one generation firmly believes it had it worse off economically than their parents had, and we are that generation.We are also pretty bleak on our kids future as well. The economic data supporting this bleeding of the American middle class is overwhelming. From how much we earn to how much we get for our dollar has been shrinking drastically since the 70's. Face it, America is in decline. Regardless if your Conservative or Liberal, all economists agree upon this, you can't have a healthy and robust middle-class without it being at the expense of the upper and lower classes. Both the upper and lower classes get drained by a burgeoning middle-class. In Marcia Clemmitt's piece Income Inequality, she paints a picture of the rich getting richer exponentially and the middle class becoming the working poor. She believes this raises serious questions about what public policy should be and how to achieve a more fair and just living for Americans. Also, she looks at some of the reasons that caused us to get here. Mainly, an unfair tax code where millionaires commonly pay little to nothing in taxes, never raising the minimum wage, unfair subsidies to fat corporations, and union busting were identified as the root causes. In other words, the rich are screwing the American Middle class by manipulating our political system by means of paying off our politicians. Rich people are never apathetic towards politics, they know how important it is to take part politically and they do, in many many ways. Only dumb poor and middle-class people say shit like " My vote don't count anyway" or "they never listen to what I want to do" Rich people take part for a reason, every voice matters and counts.
When I dove into this article, it grabbed me and lit me up like a Roman candle. Marcia Clemmitt's even handed depiction of the plight of working class Americans under assault economically from unfair social practices moved me greatly. These are hard working honest Americans that end up getting squeezed financially, where their forefathers with the exact same job didn't! The American middle-class is being hung out to dry so the top 1% earners can have more. Everyone knows when it comes to making money for the greedy, enough is never enough. Just like with crack heads and alcoholics, same mentality, different arena. In 1949 the top 1% earners controlled 10% of Americas wealth, now they control twice that amount at 20%. According to the CIA fact book where they compare and measure economic equality, America is way down on the list. We are surrounded by third world developing nations like Ivory Coast, Malaysia, and Jamaica on the GINI coefficient scale. We suck when it comes to taking care of our own. Today that " dog eat dog " mentality and it's o.k. to step on your competitor or co-worker's neck to get ahead is alive and well. But it makes good sense from a business point of view. If you keep labor costs down that directly increases production efficiency. If people are coerced into working harder for less (and we are I just learned this in econ-8) then they have to work harder and longer just to break even. If people are so busy working, they won't have time or energy to follow the political system that is allowing this gutting of America to happen. I don't think there is some great conspiracy of rich people plotting away. It's more like a vast sea of lobbyists in Washington drowning any hope for the hard working little guy in America today.
This article has taking me down a whole new path. I'm going to research the history of American middle class, it's formation, waxing and waning etc.. also, the political vehicles used by the wealthiest few to try and makes us working class slaves. They really don't want to make us slaves. The slave thing is just residual by-product. They just want perpetually more, for an appetite that is never ending. I want to more accurately measure our middle-class, then compare and contrast it with other countries to get a better view. I want to find out more on how political apathy and income inequality are very related.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Why I like Vicious comments
Great piece of writing that captures the conflicting dualities of balancing the need for freedom of expression and the need for civility and decorum. Everyone has experienced the idiot online that hijacks a good conversation or blog with wild rants filed with vitrol and hate. Who needs it? We do. It's the price we pay for freedom. We should get together and either let these fools know how we feel or maybe just ignore them since some people seem just to be fishing for a fight. We have always had this problem, just with advent of the Internet and the anonymousness that it provides has made these morons more of a headache. We just need to have on-line monitors filtering out these mental cases.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
World Citizenship, it's possible, it's the future!
World citizenship, it has that fuzzy warm hollow pipe dream feel to it, don't you think? Like it's supposed offspring World Peace, it's got that no way in hell of really ever happening feel to it. Singing Kumbiaya and group hugs never cured any large ill, anyway, anywhere, anyhow. So why waste time talking, debating, and writing on such a topic? Because it's inevitable, that's why. Mankind's economic interests are bringing every corner of this world closer to one another exponentially. The Global Economy is smashing down walls that have separated regions and cultures for eons. Regardless of ones country, religion, culture and beliefs we all have the same basic wants and needs. We all want to be safe, happy, healthy, with a good job/family, and lots of freedoms. It's universal. We all share 97% of the exact same genes. What we have in common is far more than what we don't. Imagine how much safer the world would be if people thought of themselves as Global Citizens first, and citizens of their respective countries second. We would have far less war mongering nationalism if people made this shift in their paradigm. The United States of America, the largest economy in the history of the world, spends over 20% of our annual GDP on defense. Imagine what we could do with those resources. Pay of the debt and lower taxes, to just name a few. All humans are made up of the same hopes, wants, and dreams. What we have separating us is our countries borders, religion, language, cultures, customs, and most of all history. Start with metaphorically tearing down all the countries in the world walls and maybe we'll start getting along for real. We have more in common than not and most of all, it's in everyone economic interest.
Generation Y -Lured to the Devil with an Apple
Being a generation-Xer, I see generation Y people better than they see themselves. Yeah yeah, on the surface they appear to be a little bit more together than us. They get along and work together better. Their expectations of the world are more realistic. They seem to communicate better with much more ease and savvy. They also are also extremely dependant on modern technology. If a blackout occurred, most of them would not know what to do, let alone function. They would probably just stand there, wide eyed, head cocked sideways, perplexed, staring at their phone. Modern technology for gen Y is not various tools to be utilized for various functions and reasons, but instead a crutch that is perceived as an absolute by the minute necessity. Various technological devices are now seen as a way of life not a tool. Generation Y folks are the fattest Americans ever! No kidding, imagine that. All those video games and the Internet and the youngins' don't go outside to exercise any more. They don't connect face to face as much anymore either. They also are not getting outside to connect with nature and God. This disconnect with nature has more far reaching implications than one might imagine. Therefore, technology is the devil's new right hand!
(the above was written in style of tongue and cheek and meant to be received that way)
(the above was written in style of tongue and cheek and meant to be received that way)
The Lies We Lie and the Webs We Do Weave
We all lie all the time. We lie to the government, to our bosses, to our children, to our spouses, and most of all to ourselves. We do this by many ways and means. Let's take a look at a few of them.
The White Lie-aka the relationship saver- This type of lie makes the world go round. It facilitates the most basic but profound social transaction, being nice/polite. Go ahead and tell the absolute truth all day and see what happens. You will experience one human land mine after another resulting in unemployment, divorce, and utter loneliness. Sure, be my guest and tell your lover she looks fat in that dress, tell your boss how you want it done from here on in, tell your child what that word really means, tell your professor how much you love extra assignments, tell that judge/cop what justice should really look like.
Go ahead and try it sometime. It's not just a little white lie folks, but rather the foundation of civility in modern society today!
Facades- We all project things about ourselves that can be anything from exaggerations to bold face lies. These are our the masks we wear to be accepted or in hope of being like and respected.
this can be anything from pretending you have another occupation, acting like we are nicer/harder then we really are, to claiming false accomplishments, claiming to know famous or influential people.
Ignoring the facts- This is a self-defense mechanisms people unawareingly use to stop information from getting in their head that might contradict or undermine their current value system. People unfortunately seek out information and opinions that mirror their own instead of letting the information itself lead them to an independent conclusion, not a pre-determined one.
Deflecting- A wise man once said " when it comes to blame, it is far better to give than receive."
This is a great one for both home and office. When someone shoots you an insult or accusation, just don't automatically go on the defensive and try to explain or deny it away. No, just deflect it and spin it on to someone else, hell anyone else. This is a mandatory lie along with white lies deemed necessary for any conventional modern relationship to be successful.
Omission- This isn't really lying, is it? You did not directly tell a lie, but it is deceptive either way. If you omit something important in a business transaction, you can be liable for lack of disclosure. Omitting is lying no matter how hard one rationalizes.
Stereotypes- It is a type of lie that lumps everyone of a certain group together with a less than flattering label. People do this to harm other people via rumor and oversimplification. Even if some of the themes are basically true, you can't lump all people together in wide sweeping generalized statements usually meant to slander.
Group Think- This happens to people who follow other people's ideas, dogmas, or doctrines. Especially in cults, churches, and over authoritarian organizations. But, it can be found in families, peer groups of any sort, Schools, and the work place. It is when you ignore all opposing information to the groups philosophy.
Delusion- When one's imagination starts to supersede reality. This one scares me a little bit. Let's not just ignore the facts, deflect, or present a false facade but rather alter and twist reality into something more of your liking, scary. The best examples of this today are religious fanatics of any persuasion.
Dismissal- The ultimate insult really. Your ideas are so stupid or absurd that they are not even acknowledged. One can tear down an idea or the person expressing it in a infinite amount of ways. But, what is far worse then any of that? The notion that the idea or person is so wrong that it/they are not even addressed but simultaneously invalidated.
The White Lie-aka the relationship saver- This type of lie makes the world go round. It facilitates the most basic but profound social transaction, being nice/polite. Go ahead and tell the absolute truth all day and see what happens. You will experience one human land mine after another resulting in unemployment, divorce, and utter loneliness. Sure, be my guest and tell your lover she looks fat in that dress, tell your boss how you want it done from here on in, tell your child what that word really means, tell your professor how much you love extra assignments, tell that judge/cop what justice should really look like.
Go ahead and try it sometime. It's not just a little white lie folks, but rather the foundation of civility in modern society today!
Facades- We all project things about ourselves that can be anything from exaggerations to bold face lies. These are our the masks we wear to be accepted or in hope of being like and respected.
this can be anything from pretending you have another occupation, acting like we are nicer/harder then we really are, to claiming false accomplishments, claiming to know famous or influential people.
Ignoring the facts- This is a self-defense mechanisms people unawareingly use to stop information from getting in their head that might contradict or undermine their current value system. People unfortunately seek out information and opinions that mirror their own instead of letting the information itself lead them to an independent conclusion, not a pre-determined one.
Deflecting- A wise man once said " when it comes to blame, it is far better to give than receive."
This is a great one for both home and office. When someone shoots you an insult or accusation, just don't automatically go on the defensive and try to explain or deny it away. No, just deflect it and spin it on to someone else, hell anyone else. This is a mandatory lie along with white lies deemed necessary for any conventional modern relationship to be successful.
Omission- This isn't really lying, is it? You did not directly tell a lie, but it is deceptive either way. If you omit something important in a business transaction, you can be liable for lack of disclosure. Omitting is lying no matter how hard one rationalizes.
Stereotypes- It is a type of lie that lumps everyone of a certain group together with a less than flattering label. People do this to harm other people via rumor and oversimplification. Even if some of the themes are basically true, you can't lump all people together in wide sweeping generalized statements usually meant to slander.
Group Think- This happens to people who follow other people's ideas, dogmas, or doctrines. Especially in cults, churches, and over authoritarian organizations. But, it can be found in families, peer groups of any sort, Schools, and the work place. It is when you ignore all opposing information to the groups philosophy.
Delusion- When one's imagination starts to supersede reality. This one scares me a little bit. Let's not just ignore the facts, deflect, or present a false facade but rather alter and twist reality into something more of your liking, scary. The best examples of this today are religious fanatics of any persuasion.
Dismissal- The ultimate insult really. Your ideas are so stupid or absurd that they are not even acknowledged. One can tear down an idea or the person expressing it in a infinite amount of ways. But, what is far worse then any of that? The notion that the idea or person is so wrong that it/they are not even addressed but simultaneously invalidated.
Rant 2- Polictical Apathy in America
The fact that most Americans think our country is great but less than half even bother to vote is a national disgrace. We can not have a properly functioning Democracy without active participation from the vast majority of it's citizens. People expect too much from our political system and leaders. They want instant change. This instant change should reflect all or most of what they want to see happen. Such as simple shoot from the hip solutions to solve complex problems. Not taking part is not the answer. I believe every American that doesn't vote in two consecutive national elections should be manditorily flown and dropped off at the tip of South America. Once they walk back, they'll appreciate America!
Monday, September 12, 2011
I'll scream if I hear " Not A Problem " from one more retail clerk!
It's 2011 and if you walk up to any cashier or clerk and ask any random question you will likely hear the same frigging response 99% of the time," NOT A PROBLEM !" How about a simple yes, O.K., or sure would do nicely. It is not the response itself but how many times you hear it over and over again. Regardless of the situation, prodacall, common sense etc. the kneejerk reaction is put into effect. Unrelated questions get the same response. When I ask what time it is and get back "not a problem" and an empty stare. Which way is the bathroom? Are you still serving breakfast? Can I speak with the manager? Things that deserve a simple answer instead get a simplton's paradigm. Folks, yes, no, and let me go find out for you are still part of our collective vocabulary. Let's try to use them a bit more...O.K?
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
BLOG GUIDELINES
Be civil and respectful to each other! Cussing is O.K. No hate based rhetoric of any sort or kind will be tollerated.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Response to Two Wars Video
Americans have their heads in the sand when it comes to the Iraqi war. When I talk with my friends about it, most are just tired of the war. Others talk about being stedfast but lack passion behind it. The Iraq War is almost a decade long and this video clip clearly illistrates the lack of insight and thirst for truth of this subject, at least on most Americans part.
A real life Iraqi, Haiter, puts himself in position to answer any questions an American can have and what happens next, Americans go and tell him about his own country instead. Americans ability to project their own point of view in spite of opposing evidence is astonishing. Over and over again, Americans choose not to ask questions but rather preach and project their vision of something they don't have a good grip on. Most Americans just regurgatate what the people in power are saying in the media. Most people just want other people to agree with them; not objectively research, learn and grow.
The clip also shows American hypocrasy in full force. Our "whole world changed" on 9/11 because 2,700 mostly Americans died. 2,700! We use this act to invade the wrong country and unittentionally kill 100,000's of innocent civilians. 100,000's of dead innocent Iraqis and nobody's talking about it. We are hypocrictical when it comes to the value of life.
A real life Iraqi, Haiter, puts himself in position to answer any questions an American can have and what happens next, Americans go and tell him about his own country instead. Americans ability to project their own point of view in spite of opposing evidence is astonishing. Over and over again, Americans choose not to ask questions but rather preach and project their vision of something they don't have a good grip on. Most Americans just regurgatate what the people in power are saying in the media. Most people just want other people to agree with them; not objectively research, learn and grow.
The clip also shows American hypocrasy in full force. Our "whole world changed" on 9/11 because 2,700 mostly Americans died. 2,700! We use this act to invade the wrong country and unittentionally kill 100,000's of innocent civilians. 100,000's of dead innocent Iraqis and nobody's talking about it. We are hypocrictical when it comes to the value of life.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)