Where are We?

As a young boy, I can remember reading stories of very important historical people from our country's past.  The words of many of the founding fathers of this country impressed me greatly and gave me a sense of security that we truly live in the greatest country in the world.  Reading many of the wise words they expressed and seeing how they became servants for this country, to insure that we had freedoms and liberty and a chance at a new life, made me very proud.  Reading about how they thought far ahead into the future, and put protective measures in place, including a dual party system, to help insure that we would have democracy gave me peace.  I have much respect for these men and admire them greatly.  Sure, we could find fault with any of them, and in today's media climate, even seek out to destroy them for their imperfections and transgressions.  I can only imagine what our country would be like if the media had decided they didn't want to support Thomas Jefferson, or for some reason some major advertisers of the greatest newspapers and media outlets in the United States, put financial pressure on the them to destroy the popularity of Benjamin Franklin or some of the others.  Is there truly “Freedom of the Press”?  What and who influences the press; the boss, the people, mom and dad, partisanship, bias, prejudices, advertisers, good judgment, bad judgment, making sure sales are up?  Where would we be at today if the media back in the late 1700’s had the power that they have today?  What if Paul Revere had not made that famous ride through the night?  What if some of those historical and most important documents of that time such as our Constitution and the Bill of Rights were written by today’s politicians, many of which don’t seem to have the cares to see past their administration, much less caring what happens in twenty years?  What if our constitution were written by the unions, the lobbyists, and the campaign contributors who elected them to office; the very same powerful organizations that our politicians have to be accountable to.

Where would our country be?  Where is our country today?  Our society is so much more complicated than it was back then.  We are a part of the global economy.  We can debate back and forth about the difference between "partnering" with China and other countries and being a "competitor" with China, and politicians today keep saying China is our "partner", but if you think about it, doesn't competition make us better athletes?  If we are a partner, and there's no competition, won't we get lazy, and our minds, patterns and behaviors and society digress into a state of declination having serious consequences in a world that has never been so densely populated in the history of mankind?

Where are the Benjamin Franklins, the George Washington’s, the John Adams, the James Madison’s and the Alexander Hamilton’s of today?  The writers today, are they writing about things that need to be said, or things that will make them popular or make their purses heavier?  It's a thought provoking question that needs answering. A couple of months ago, while perusing the political aisle of Books a Million, I found myself a little perplexed to not find anything that really said anything.  It appeared that 60% of the shelves were loaded with a few memoirs of President Bush, but mostly books either supporting or critizing President Obama.  There were some interesting books there, don't get me wrong, but many of the books seem to be watered down propaganda, or greed influenced material, pages of words that barely add up to a cup full of worth, and dumbed down decadence.  Where are the gifted and ingenious writers such as Ludwig Von Miser.  Does anyone read his works anymore?  He was almost alone in the world when he predicted the Great Depression, the collapse of the German pre-war economy, and used very thorough reasons as to what was going to cause those collapses, therefore wouldn't his writings on economics be worth noting and even studying by modern day politicians?  I’m one to talk, a writer want to be, trying to improve and hone his skills, however, I am aware that the only way to do so is with independent and discerning thinking, practice, research and the heart to seek the truth and better myself.   I know where I want to go and that's what's important to me.  It doesn't matter if anyone likes it, that’s why it’s creative.  If I bent to the pressures around me, then it would take away a part of my soul.  I like it, and that’s important to me.  I'm not influenced by advertisers, politicians, political parties, unions, campaign contributors, therefore I am not a stain soiled sponge, but a sponge only weakened by my own ignorance, time constraints, ability to research, emotions, and past influences which I must filter, therefore limiting the effects on the content of my message.  I'll continue to try and separate from those things and continue to learn and grow in the process.  I actually like being independent, able to use the mind that God gave me, seeking guidance and help from Him in the process.  For I know God is the only truth in this world, so His truth is solid foundation on stable ground, in any shaky economy. 

There are some that would say “woe to the guy hits the drums out of sync”, but to me it makes more sense to play the drums than to never start.  We all have to start somewhere.  There’s an old proverb I recently read which states that if you fall six times, get up seven.  This reminds me of a prayer I used to pray quite often “Lord, for every step I take backwards, please let me take two steps forward”.  Now I pray “Lord, for every step I take backwards, please let me take two steps forward, and in equal proportions”.  I hope you see the wisdom in that prayer, and maybe you can reflect in your lives. I personally believe that God has been answering that prayer my entire life.

Besides, what kind of pessimist talks about the guy who hits his drums out of sync if he only messes up on occasion?  Aren’t we all human?  It’s been my experience that the pessimist is usually the person who doesn’t hit the drums at all.  Today, for the first time in over 10 years, I ran three miles but two weeks ago, I could only run a couple of miles, therefore did I hit my drums “out of sync” by attempting to run three, but only making two?  Absolutely not.  I am supposed to run a half marathon in a couple of months, so only running three miles today, should I be discouraged that I did not run twelve miles?  Absolutely not.

However, we have to start somewhere, and if we have to walk on one trail of many trails, all of which having the same scenery but leading to different places, why not walk the trail that takes you to where you want to go?  My whole life I have started projects and hobbies and when they were mastered eventually got bored with them, how could I ever get bored with knowledge and understanding?  It is an indulgence which I have realized I can never find enough of, or ever grow bored of, but even knowledge and understanding is not viable without putting it to good use.  What is a faucet good for if there is not a cup to fill, or a stove without a meal to cook, or a coffee maker, without coffee to make, and deeper than all of that, what are all of those things without someone to drink or eat whatever is being produced?  If there was someone to eat or drink what was produced, wouldn’t it effect and influence what you were cooking?  I could cook for just me, or I could be totally influenced by them and cook for them, or I could study what would be the most healthy for all of us and cook tasty and healthy foods.  Ironically as I type I am sitting in my kitchen whittling away at this keyboard and I am hungry, so to some extent my thoughts and writing have already been influenced to some extent and I am consciously cognizant of that, but it’s my hope that one day, someone will value the words that I type and understand them, and my words will be their words and help them in some way.  If that person can understand and comprehend my words and the pattern of my thought, then they will be my brother and my sister, of which I may never meet, but appreciate them all the same.

Where are we?  Are we at the one mile mark, or at mile two or three or thirteen or twenty six?  Have we stopped running at all anymore?  Is our national deficit so large that we just ignore the big elephant in the room and continue the demise of our country only to shoot for short term praise, inacting short term policies that will temporarily improve things while they are in office, but ultimately failing sometime approximately mid-term of the next persons administration?  Shouldn't our politicians be implementing a long term plan for our country's future success?  Definitely food for thought, and speaking of which, there are some Ramen noodles calling me.