The world has changed quite a bit since my dad died last April 1. I am sorry for all of my social inadequacies, especially the hermitness. Back in the old days in some cultures the grieving were allowed to be odd for a year or so. I feel pretty well beat up. I had hoped to have written a worthy eulogy by now, but the words just haven't happened. While losing my dad to cancer was painful, it might have been even worse to have seen him devastated by losing all of his retirement independence. His funds had already begun to drop in the year before he died. The coming market crash should have been more apparent to those who were gambling with his money. But I guess they figured they were getting-rich-quick and didn't care about the future.
I can hear him now talking about the anarchists and socialists throwing fits in London. "They hate capitalism but they love its money and technology." Socialism is just another get-rich-quick scheme, and it's a sham too. Without capitalism the socialists wouldn't have anything.
4 comments:
Rae Ann said: “Without capitalism the socialists wouldn't have anything.”
That's evident, but incidentally, capitalism doesn't want to work properly any more either (at least its American version :) ). And I think you would rather agree that today's clumsy efforts to “save” it by those “administrative” measures of Soviet style cannot be efficient, especially beyond the very immediate future. So the question remains: apart from all evident “wrong ways” and subjective mistakes, what should “we” (anybody) do to return to progress, where to go (what kind of progress) and what to expect realistically? Let's check the quality of your “pleasant mood” now... :) And don't say it's not your job to decide on such issues. Because a separate emerging question is precisely about who should actually decide. Politicians are evidently biased and too self-interested (besides not being greater experts in those complicated issues than any “usual” citizen). Various strong “pressure groups” and their “think tanks” are interested and narrow-minded by definition. Average citizens are too scattered, both geographically and mentally, and disinterested, up to being totally indifferent beyond the scope of their small private affairs. But as you're still in “democracy” (though already difficult to cite it without inverted commas), it's just formally up to them to decide (like e. g. “yes, we can!”, without even knowing what it is they actually “can” :) ). With such (objectively!) “difficult” questions, I'm afraid the majority of those formally “ruling” voters just tend to rely on the old good let-it-be principle, i.e. let things develop in a “natural” way and then maybe act at an obviously “decisive” moment. It may happen, however, that we are just passing today to a higher level of complexity where this “eternal” principle is not applicable any more: due to much closer links between too many people and actions, that “semi-empirical” existence cannot really produce a progressive tendency (even at the expense of big losses), but can too easily give rise to a heavy catastrophe (or a longer but equally fatal degradation). It implies initiation of a much greater change being necessary... But what is absolutely necessary is a permanent world-wide interaction between all concerned people, fortunately greatly facilitated by these web 2.0 tools!
Well, I think that too many people have assumed that the stock market and big banks are the definition of "American capitalism" but they are leaving out the other 90% of capitalists who actually make up the gist of the economy and keep its gears moving. There is a rotten bunch of crooks who have hijacked "capitalism" and crashed it into a metaphorical World Trade Center...
My point is that we shouldn't be throwing out the capitalist baby and bathtub just because of some dirty water. Just let out the bad water. But that is too simple and practical a solution because it takes all the power and influence away from the dirt (the guys who are running things afoul).
What Obama and the rest of the world need to realize it that capitalism is not broken and that socialism will not solve any problems. It will only create even more problems and give disproportionate power to a small group of people. True capitalism does not require the people to surrender their rights, freedoms, and money to some controlling government. And there are plenty of us still around who are willing to fight to regain our own independence and freedom from the tyranny of all these overgrown entities, whether they are big poorly managed banks or big poorly managed governments.
I don't know why it isn't blatantly obvious to the capitalism haters that a large socialistic government is exactly the same as the overgrown, corrupt corporations that they claim to hate so much. Apparently there is a severe lack of education in the world regarding the true nature of the way business is done.
Please take a look around www.sba.gov to get a better idea about the true state of capitalism in the USA.
There is a really big difference in principles, too - capitalists believe rights are for individuals with free choice, they are not defined for states and groups with 'needs'. Obama is a socialist because he wants to equalize the results across individuals and social 'groups', which is profoundly different from what our Declaration of Independence and Constitution assert. I blame bad government regulations for much of the current financial tempest, not capitalists. And, although there seem to be a lot of fearful, passive Americans where I live, who have a herd mentality, who -want- more government in their lives, I'm also heartened by other Americans who are pragmatic and embracing personal risks and choices, loving the journey, feeling alive - not fearful. Guess what? They are having more babies, too! :-) Darwin in motion?
Rae Ann,
My condolences to you on the death of your Father. By the eloquence and succinctness of your posts, I know the appropriate eulogy will come when it is time.
The death of our parents effects us deeply. Powerful memories, life lessons learned, and the longing to seek their advice. It is obvious he had a profound influence on your values and love of language.
Thank you for saying so well what so many of us are thinking. My Father too would be railing at the movement away from the Constitution, the economic and legislative robbery, and a virtual sellout of American values.
My Father, as many others, served to further and protect the freedom of the USA. He survived the bombing of Pearl Harbor only because a bomb that landed less than 25 feet from him did not detonate. His fate, mission and purpose in life was to reach beyond that date.
We must speak up and not let those who are stealing our way of life continue to do so.
Thank you and Bless You for speaking out.
Best wishes,
Bob P.
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