What passes as normal these days is to believe in at least a few gods, for some they might be sex, money, science, law or art. Some may also include any of a number of deities based on folkloric traditions form either their particular geographic location or ones from some other part of the world that they have chosen to adopt. On the cosmic wheel of life, our individual development mirrors that of our culture as well as that of the species. In my estimation, youthful exuberance is about to yield to measured responses and a sense of greater responsibility. My studies have led me to discover this more mature world view is far more compelling than setting oneself on a path of opposition. I think that the most recent blip in "development" has been similar to the efflorescence of childhood and the second at adolescence. Just as the brain develops more and more neurons, increasing capacity, some of the earlier connections must be lost for growth to ultimately occur. So too, over the last few generations, so many new ideas, facts and technologies have presented themselves to us, that we have lost some connections to things that really matter. That is why I believe in so many native traditions.
We are growing into a self aware culture that admonishes itself for exhibiting non-politically correct verbiage. This can only serve to set many adrift on tangents of "losing their "rights" to bigotry and hate. Our world has expanded, for some, at the the expense of their civility. In The U. S. of A., it has been estimated that cigarettes cause about 400,000 deaths per year, third only to cancer and heart disease which are both also caused by smoking cigarettes. Still nearly 9% of children 15-18 years of age are taking up the habit.Cigarette smokers came under attack a decade ago and the ranks of new smokers plummeted. Ironically, it has been estimated that fly ash alone, a waste product from fossil fuel burning electric generating stations, causes as many deaths as adding 40,000 new smokers per year, and our legislators still have not mandated renewable sources of energy for their safety alone. Guns kill nearly as many, but we hear about gun violence all the time. We never hear any reporting of the fact that more people are dying on the highways and by-ways of our nation, in my state, and others, the news only wants to tell us that we can now drive faster than ever and that one day, autonomous cars will provide safety by driving themselves.
I know that people want to keep hold of the memories of 9-11, but to put it in perspective, we kill ourselves with automobiles, and that many again with guns than terrorists have ever killed. Americans, kill ourselves with cars and guns at a rate of over three thousand per day. can we at least have a little parity between our hostility and angst about things according to their relative importance? It is delusional to have such a gigantic "security" apparatus keeping us "safe" while flying, but such an appalling record on highway deaths and virtually no gun control. I think that this says far more about our nation running cover for, and providing direct subsidy to weapons manufacturers, dealers and ammo peddlers as well as the petrochemical cartels than it does about keeping Americans safe.
The real revolution is still not being televised. To join it, just look around, find something that needs to be done and do it.
We are growing into a self aware culture that admonishes itself for exhibiting non-politically correct verbiage. This can only serve to set many adrift on tangents of "losing their "rights" to bigotry and hate. Our world has expanded, for some, at the the expense of their civility. In The U. S. of A., it has been estimated that cigarettes cause about 400,000 deaths per year, third only to cancer and heart disease which are both also caused by smoking cigarettes. Still nearly 9% of children 15-18 years of age are taking up the habit.Cigarette smokers came under attack a decade ago and the ranks of new smokers plummeted. Ironically, it has been estimated that fly ash alone, a waste product from fossil fuel burning electric generating stations, causes as many deaths as adding 40,000 new smokers per year, and our legislators still have not mandated renewable sources of energy for their safety alone. Guns kill nearly as many, but we hear about gun violence all the time. We never hear any reporting of the fact that more people are dying on the highways and by-ways of our nation, in my state, and others, the news only wants to tell us that we can now drive faster than ever and that one day, autonomous cars will provide safety by driving themselves.
I know that people want to keep hold of the memories of 9-11, but to put it in perspective, we kill ourselves with automobiles, and that many again with guns than terrorists have ever killed. Americans, kill ourselves with cars and guns at a rate of over three thousand per day. can we at least have a little parity between our hostility and angst about things according to their relative importance? It is delusional to have such a gigantic "security" apparatus keeping us "safe" while flying, but such an appalling record on highway deaths and virtually no gun control. I think that this says far more about our nation running cover for, and providing direct subsidy to weapons manufacturers, dealers and ammo peddlers as well as the petrochemical cartels than it does about keeping Americans safe.
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| We can learn to live lives based on reality and fact, rather than hyperbole and misdirection. |
The real revolution is still not being televised. To join it, just look around, find something that needs to be done and do it.
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