Rambles

Awareness
An old saying: “The squeaky wheel gets the grease”.  Have you noticed that people doing the most complaining get the most attention?  We see that in the person occupying the WH. He has that “pity me” complex.  Diverting attention by blaming others for his woes – his shortcomings.  Then there are the people who seek attention by talking about their maladies, both physical and financial. Considering this trait, I was reminded of my grandmother.  If you asked her how she was, she was prepared to tell you starting with the pain (arthritis) in her fingers, spreading to her arms.  Then the pain in the knees, etc.  My grandfather never complained about anything. He suffered quietly.  I don’t recall anyone ever asking him, “How are you”?  The expression “How are you?” has become a form of greeting and not a sincere interest in the welfare of the person.  Walk into a store in the US and you are likely to be greeted by someone saying: “How are you today?” I have been tempted to respond by saying: “Do you really want to know?” or “Do you have an hour to spare?”  There are Jewish comedies where a person inquires about the health of the mother and she responds: “Don’t ask!” meaning that she wants to be asked and has much to talk about.  Sometimes we become self-conscious and perhaps even envious of those receiving all the attention.   An example:  Due to my wife’s illness, when my children call they usually say: “How is Mom?” I was pleasantly surprised when I received a call from my daughter asking about me before inquiring about Mom. It served to remind me that there are many who suffer in silence.  We don’t know the turmoil that they may be going through. I think about Don Stephens and his mental state – the anguish he must have suffered before taking the life of his wife and his own self.  We often assume that “no news is good news”.  Becoming aware of those “silent types” – the people who don’t announce their problems to the world and suffer in silence may be the people that require more attention.  A sincere inquiry about a person’s health or state of mind can be felt and distinguished from a frivolous inquiry. It is important to recognize that a person’s ‘State of Mind’ can be the cause of physical problems. The reverse can also be true.  Reading between the lines requires awareness along with sensitivity.  Have we become too self-centered? Are politicians more concerned about themselves rather than the people they are elected to represent?  As I reflect on the people I met over the years, I realize that they have similar desires regardless of cultural differences.  People seek happiness.  What makes them happy differs, however love and security are common. Having true friends are rare.  It is said that a true friend is someone who will tell you when you have bad breath.  Most people want to be liked and enjoy flattery.  It is better to be respected than liked, although both are desired.
Thanks for hearing my rambles.

Abe F. March wrote:

Are politicians more concerned about themselves rather than the people they are elected to represent?

This quote from Constitutional attorney and author John W. Whitehead paints a damning picture of where America is today:

"If the government can just take from you what they want, when they want, and then use it however they want, you can’t claim to be anything more than a serf in a land they think of as theirs."

https://www.globalresearch.ca/we-are-living-in-an-age-of-war-profiteers-crimes-of-a-monster-your-tax-dollars-at-work/5637153?utm_campaign=magnet&utm_source=article_page&utm_medium=related_articles

Thanks Shelagh for the web link.  It is most interesting and on target.  Those of us living outside the USA have a perspective not readily seen by those living there.  The statement “can’t see the forest for the trees” seems appropriate to describe this phenomenon.  Watching the country fall apart is heartbreaking.  The current person sitting in the Oval office is representative of government greed.  The deterioration of our democracy did not occur overnight but has been a step-by-step process with the military complex leading the way.  It is not just a kleptocracy but turning into a Theocracy as well.  Many reference the Constitution when it suits, however I doubt that they understand it.  Cherry-picking passages that fit their agenda also occurs with Biblical references.  Speaking out is the only weapon we have.  It is said that the truth hurts.  Perhaps some pain is needed to heal our country.

The deterioration of American democracy has been going on for quite some time. From the same website, you might find this uncomfortable reading:

https://www.globalresearch.ca/the-dumbing-down-of-america-by-design/5395928

I didn't get too far reading all the things in this report.  It was just too sad to continue. Much of what I read I already knew or suspected.  Having a third party confirm these things helps and hurts at the same time.  We are in deep trouble.  There is no magic wand to wipe the slate clean.  Even with a new election and a good leader, it will take time to reverse the damage, if that is even possible.  Calling people stupid doesn't change anything.  Stupid people don't know that they are stupid. Education is the key.  It is my opinion that ignorance is simply, not knowing and education can cure that.  Stupidity is when a person refuses to accept the truth or be willing to learn.  They don’t think on their own and expect others to do the thinking for them.  They are easily duped by the repetition of lies that become truth to them.  Thinking is a beginning.  Critical thinking is an advanced state.

The irony in this article is lost on the author, who concludes the current administration is an inevitable outcome of "confirmation bias", confirming her own biased thinking. Critical thinking would conclude that all political regimes appeal to one side or the other and are products of biased thought processes. Interesting scientific studies nonetheless.

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/02/27/why-facts-dont-change-our-minds

Excellent article.  I intend to read it again.  Understanding why we think or act as we do is an endless pursuit.  I'm guessing that the reason for this (my) conclusion is that there is constant change thus altering the effects.

What people say and what they do often conflict. I am meticulous with respect to recycling. I make every effort to recycle all plastic waste. Lots of people do likewise. I make little effort to reduce my carbon footprint. Polluting the planet with plastic materials is one of my main concerns; polluting the atmosphere with CO2 and its effect on climate is a lesser concern. I may be guilty of  "confirmation bias", which excuses me of making any effort, unlike the millions of "global warming" believers who make just as little effort as I do. Many fervent believers in man-made climate change do very little to change their own behaviour. Because of their demand for CO2 producing products, humans are the cause of the increase in greenhouse gases. Instead of changing their habits, they expect governments to solve the problem and allow them to continue running their lives exactly as they do now.

Over the centuries, skills that were lost have been replaced with new, modern skills, but the millenial generation have lost skills that have not been replaced. Instead, a whole generation of young people rely on gadgets to think for them: calculators, computers, tablets, phones and apps. They cannot do mental arithematic, calculate percentages, spell or apply rules of grammar. They cannot cook without pre-packed food stuffs. They cannot sew on a button. Everything they do requires assistance. They care about climate change but have no understanding of the underlying causes and how to address the problem, and they do not have the skills necessary for them to adopt a simpler lifestyle that would contribute to fewer green house gas emissions. They are totally dependent.

Thank you, Shelagh, for your insightful statement.  You touched on an important survival element - the element of being self-sufficient.  The older generation learned the “how to” in preparation for life’s struggles.  Reading, writing and arithmetic were an essential part of schooling and what was not covered at school, was taught at home.  The electronic age with its convenience elements changed the way people think or forced to think.  Relying on gadgets to do the thinking is a peril still in process.  When electronics fail to function, and fail they will, reminds us of Murphy’s Law, “whatever can go wrong, will go wrong”.  The capability to adapt/adjust is being lost.  Emphasis on getting a college education has over-ridden the importance of Trade schools.  Having diplomas hanging on a wall is no guarantee of success.  Applying what one has learned is the true measure of education.   We are living in exciting yet troubled times.  Those with intelligence understand the importance of reading and the significance of history.  Repeating mistakes is a human flaw.  “The most hazardous of human tendencies if drawing general conclusions with limited information.”