BUT - I see the problem more as a "THEY - WE - SYNDROME"
This is just another way of exemplifying the APATHY of ALL AMERICANS - the general tendency to simply BLAME by labeling - THEY did this, or did that! THEY failed to do this or that! WE did, or didn't do this or that!
WHERE IS THE "I" FACTOR? The PERSONAL "I" acceptance of responsibility - did I MAKE the time MYSELF, to write some truths like ED KOSTRO always does? Did I MAKE the effort to CALL or WRITE MY: Congressman, or Governor, or State Senator, or Mayor, or City or County Council-member? DID I? DID I FAIL TO?
Or, do I simply sit back, and do NOTHING? Oh, to be sure - I AGREE with what YOU say, and I give you LIP SERVICE - just like all the proverbial "WE's and THEY's" -
BUT - I'M TOO BUSY IN MY LITTLE WORLD OF STRUGGLE FOR EXISTENCE TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY PERSONALLY - AND ACTUALLY 'DO" SOMETHING ABOUT "ANYTHING!"
Each and Every Individual "I" needs to leave the comfort zone of Each and Every Ego-centric Existence, and ACT - to intentionally BECOME a Team Member, to actually and consciously FORM the "WE" TEAM!
"UNITED WE STAND - DIVIDED WE FALL" - this is NOT news! This is NOT automatic! This is NOT supposed to be just a nice "CATCH PHRASE" -
BUT - Each and Every "I" has ALLOWED it to become relegated to a mere OLD DEAD LEGEND - just like that other phrase - "LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL!"
If "I" don't like what's going on, then "I" have to get off MY DEAD ARSE, and DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!
Some soul-searching is REQUIRED - exactly WHAT am I willing to SACRIFICE PERSONALLY - in order to be part of the SOLUTION, rather than the REASON FOR THE PROBLEM?
"TIME - TALENT - TREASURY" -- Many years ago, that was the THEME of a Catholic Church DRIVE for STEWARDSHIP ... How much of EACH am "I" willing to PLEDGE?
Want to Save the PLANET? Want to Save the ANIMALS? Want to Save AMERICA?
GET INVOLVED! "THY ACTIONS ALONE DETERMINE THY WORTH!"
We should always find time to do what is RIGHT! Keep your U.S. Congressmen/women and State Reps e-addies in your addy book (along with their snail mail addy and local tele #s). Often I just copy/paste info I get from subscriptions into a new email to them with note: "What are YOU doing about this??" as header. I also include my full name, address, and tele#. And sign on-line petitions (NOT the "chain" email ones) whenever you can.
I even was lecturing my A/C repairman (here for a pre-summer check-up) about the woes of our complacency. He's young, married, and has two children and I think I scared him enough to get involved, now! I even get a little "mouthy" at grocery stores, and pet stores...but first do something kindly to get their attention.
Oh! Let me count the ways...
This is extremely interesting to me Tom. I have been in South Africa for 20 years, and only recently arrived at a possible answer for some of the root problems of this continent.
I have operated at a senior executive level over the years, and have often noted the culturally driven collective decision making of African managers. I have also seen very recently the disastrous outcome of this in the mismanagement of South Africa's national power system and the entirely collective response from government and the power utility (ESKOM)- no one is responsible - no one gets fired - no one is accountable.
I must emphasise here - this is culture - NOT race - and the western world is now headed in the same direction.
As you highlight - western culture has become more and more collective - more and more tolerant of mediocrity.
"UNITED WE STAND - DIVIDED WE FALL" - this is NOT news!
Not news at all, my friend, and so very true. But very sadly, every day now, it seems there are less and less people willing to take a stand, on anything. They seem to simply accept - 'business as usual' and, 'that's just the way it is.' Countless petitions and letters and e-mails have gotten many nowhere in their crusades; the Powers that Be, simply ignore them. And less and less people today are still willing to actually get on out there, the old fashioned way, and march and scream, and pound on our leaders' desks, and demand to be heard.
And frankly, far too many today in our nation don't even seem to give a damn about anything - except themselves. We truly have become a nation of 'ego-centrics.' 'What the hell's in it, for Me?' And the phrases 'For the Common Good,' and 'We, The People,' and 'Liberty and Justice For All' seem to have less meaning, every day.
But I am glad that I can at least 'rile up' one person today. Thanks! Now, if you can rile up a few million more, who will then rile up a few million more, etc., etc., etc. - then, mabye, we've got something.
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Is Assisted Reproduction Technology pushing modern biological science to the legal and ethical limit?
This case examines the story of one man caught in the middle of custody battle that became a landmark surrogacy case involving one child and fiv
I even was lecturing my A/C repairman (here for a pre-summer check-up) about the woes of our complacency. He's young, married, and has two children and I think I scared him enough to get involved, now! I even get a little "mouthy" at grocery stores, and pet stores...but first do something kindly to get their attention.
Oh! Let me count the ways...
Micke
I have operated at a senior executive level over the years, and have often noted the culturally driven collective decision making of African managers. I have also seen very recently the disastrous outcome of this in the mismanagement of South Africa's national power system and the entirely collective response from government and the power utility (ESKOM)- no one is responsible - no one gets fired - no one is accountable.
I must emphasise here - this is culture - NOT race - and the western world is now headed in the same direction.
As you highlight - western culture has become more and more collective - more and more tolerant of mediocrity.
Good Blog.
Keith
Not news at all, my friend, and so very true. But very sadly, every day now, it seems there are less and less people willing to take a stand, on anything. They seem to simply accept - 'business as usual' and, 'that's just the way it is.' Countless petitions and letters and e-mails have gotten many nowhere in their crusades; the Powers that Be, simply ignore them. And less and less people today are still willing to actually get on out there, the old fashioned way, and march and scream, and pound on our leaders' desks, and demand to be heard.
And frankly, far too many today in our nation don't even seem to give a damn about anything - except themselves. We truly have become a nation of 'ego-centrics.' 'What the hell's in it, for Me?' And the phrases 'For the Common Good,' and 'We, The People,' and 'Liberty and Justice For All' seem to have less meaning, every day.
But I am glad that I can at least 'rile up' one person today. Thanks! Now, if you can rile up a few million more, who will then rile up a few million more, etc., etc., etc. - then, mabye, we've got something.