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Thursday, October 20, 2011

Confucius says,. no really he says.



"In a country well governed, poverty is something to be ashamed of. In a country badly governed, wealth is something to be ashamed of." -Confucius


I can see where Confucius was going with this. It is simplistic as is his style, and in that simplisty allows for complicated debate. I see the focus of a people shift depending on their leadership though, rather then the distribution of wealth. Evil and good are always present, and that view changes with our own tolerance. For some cultures it maybe evil to one thing, and in another it is accepted. The issues we are dealing with now were present generations ago. It is just our abilty to respond that has changed. Technology helps create a forced interaction.

I am sure that people in Ancient Greece wrestled with the morality of taking human life. While this debate was more of a focus in Athens, it was not as serious in Sparta. It was a matter of leadership and focus. It was the value that the people were taught about the value of human life. It was the voice of the leaders refelcted in the culture of the people.

In reflection of modern times in regards to this, you have this 99% movement. While I can sympathize with their plight, I can not see their abilty to offer resolution. In pointing out that there is shameful wealth they are absolutly right. That shameful wealth however, was there generations before they pointed it out. The shift of finance in our country has changed, but it has been a slow change. It was allowed by those people that did not read their ballots. It was allowed by those that voted with emotional sway rather then looking at the facts. This is not something that happened under the administration of one President.

It is a transfer of responsibility and it is the slow hand off of our representation that has created this shift. In our case being a Republic with duly elected officials, where does the blame lie? All of a sudden we are ashamed of the wealthy because it is starting to bite us in the ass. We look to the government to provide all of our basic needs, and are shocked at the level of freedom we have given them with each term of the Federal Government. Yes you give them your choice, you give them your voice, you give them your power. Yet we have not held them accountable for borrowing that power. 

Like a shitty neighbor that borrows your tools, if they bring it back it is typically with a bit of badgering. Then they bring it back used up and the gas tank empty. They might have even kept some parts. They used it to better their own life, with out regard of your further use of it. It is the motivation and gathering of wealth and power that motivates them. It has been that way for a long time in this country and we tolerate it, because our leaders educate us on the status quo. We swallow it, and thank them when they hand our tools back to us in disrepair and loan them out yet again and again.

I think what people fail to see is that people are going to act within their nature, and greedy people are going to be as greedy as they can be. That wonderful story about the frog and the scorpion comes to mind. In essence we are all children as well, testing boundaries. Children act up looking for boundaries. If they get an ass whooping for doing something they are not supposed to, then they found the boundary and they test how close they can get to the edge of it. Their has to be consequences for bad behavior or they will keep looking for the lines and see how much bad behavior they can get away with in pursuit of greed.

In that we failed. We allowed our representatives to use our votes and they did a great job of holding us accountable, but failed to represent us versus their corporate sponsors. In that too they are only going with their nature. You do not bite the hand that feeds after all. So they strengthen the laws that enable the greedy to make more money at our expense. Then we reelect them. You want change, and not just pocket change, you need to send a clear message. You need to give these children boundaries. You need to hold them accountable for fucking up your tools.

You want to see change, start by not reelecting anybody. You keep putting new people in office until they get the point. You take away their pensions, their tenure, and you do not allow the children to run the day care. Government in not there to run our life, it is there to protect it. Government is ours, in that is for the people and by the people. It should not be foreclose the people, buy the people. Poor or wealthy we should all be ashamed. 

2 comments:

  1. I like your 're-elect no one' idea! I didn't vote for the current administration last time, and I have no intention of voting for any of them this go-round. I vote the ideals and intentions of the person, not the party. I would gladly vote for a Republican if I truly thought they were out to make the lives of the American people better than it is today. And you are right - the rich getting richer has been going on for ages. It seems as though we are just waking up to this notion. I guess that is the benefit of instant info via internet. I just hope it's not too late to turn things around before this country suffers the same fate of so many governments before it. Rome fell...so can we. I don't want the rich to just hand over their money to the poor without thought. I don't want to poor to receive money (benefits) without contributing to society in some way. I just want things to be more balanced. Fair. And today, it's anything but balanced and fair. I'm not looking for a hand out. But I would like the same opportunities afforded to those who have a higher socio-economic status than I do. I am willing to work and pay taxes, but I think everyone who has the ability should contribute and work pay their fair share of taxes, too. I said, FAIR share. If that means the same percentage for everyone, then so be it. If there is another fair solution, I'm all ears. I don't blame the peasants for revolting the establishment in France. And if Marie handed me a piece of cake, I would shove it up her pompous ass. Which is what we all need to do with the current government. ~Artemis Fair

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  2. And it all starts in the home. The values, disciplines, morals and yes, using judgement to make decisions.

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