| |
BGonline.org Forums
politics and valuing truth (with references to backgammon!)
Posted By: Bill Riles In Response To: politics and valuing truth (with references to backgammon!) (David Montgomery)
Date: Tuesday, 7 October 2008, at 12:17 a.m.
A very thoughtful dissertation.
We probably agree in many more regards than we've realized and admitted.
I think most everything we are talking about is the lack of responsibility, however manifested. Now we can certainly blame and point fingers at any number of parties -- there is plenty of culpability to go around. Our politicians and political parties -- on both sides of the aisle. Mass media -- newspapers, radio, tv (broadcast and cable), and newsmagazines. Many of our financial institutions -- banks, insurance companies, mortgage companies, investment bankers, brokers, et al. Our education sysem -- teacher's union, universities, public schools on every level. Cultural institutions -- movies, music, literature, the Internet. I could go on and on.
However, I think the common denominator in every aspect -- and my blame focus -- is American citizens and others living in the States. Perhaps many of you think I'm too candid, too crude, too biased, too strident, and/or occasionally out of control. Doubtlessly, I could at times be more eloquent. But David and I have a lot of common ground here.
Far too many residents (I'll use that term collectively to address everyone living in the States -- citizen or not, legal or otherwise) are lazy, selfish, spoiled, and ignorant. Now that is exemplified in many manners, within every category you care to enumerate -- socioeconomic, racial, ethnic, religious, political philosophy, gender, sexual orientation, etc. Too many live far beyond their means -- they do it, and we allow it to occur. Too many are always looking for the easiest way or any available handout. Too many are ready to game any system, at any time, to their advantage -- be it dodging taxes, fraudulent dealings, or lying at will. Too many do not take advantage of the educational and vocational opportunities available to them and then become envious/jealous of those that do -- and want to live equivalently despite the lack of marketable skills and self investment in their lives. Too many live without any guiding principles in their lives beyond greed and selfishness. Principles can be found in religion, in morals, in societal standards -- I don't really care -- but we all need standards of conduct and behavior in our lives. Too many live with little or no respect for our laws and codes of conduct.
Now, please read this entire paragraph and the next before throwing up your hands and searching for a gun to shoot this messenger. I think the basis for many of these fundamental problems today are the unfortunate results of good, albeit misguided, intentions. Attempts to address poverty, civil rights, illiteracy, poor health care, and immigration issues (and I'm doubtlessly leaving some things out) generally failed and provided disservice to the intended recipients and to the country as a whole.
Obviously, many of these issues overlap; however, as examples, poverty and poor health care were addressed by throwing money at the issue and creating systemic governmental dependence in the recipients. This dependence, much like a cancer, has incrementally spread throughout our society and culture. Civil rights programs were just and well-intentioned. However, rather than incorporating the disenfranchised into our existing financial, social, and educational systems, we cheated all by developing compromised systems and discriminatory programs that served no one well while creating ill will. In education, as an example, rather than demanding that black children be provided the same resouces, opportunities, and results then found in the white educational system we compromised the education of all. In doing away with the obviously inferior 'separate but equal system' we failed to simply bring the black children into the existing, established superior white system. We compromised -- raising the standards of the black system while lowering the standards of the white system -- thus, denying all the education system they deserve. With the failure to assimilate immigrants and minorities, we again compromised our language, culture, traditions, economy, laws, etc. rather than maintain the established functional American society while rightfully recognizing the individual rights and interests of all.
We've cheated the country and many of our residents out of the sense of accomplishment and fulfillment that comes with personal responsibility -- and the country and its residents have been denied the financial benefits.
Until we reinstill pride and ambition to our residents I'm afraid we'll continue downhill. Until we repair our education system and demand excellence from students and teachers alike we cannot recover. Until we bring all residents together in language, culture, aspirations, interests, goals, and other common cause we are condemned to divisiveness. Until we end the senses of entitlement and selfishness so prevalent in our society we will never again be great.
I sincerely hope, for us all, for our children and grandchildren, for our fellow Americans, that it is not too late.
| |
BGonline.org Forums is maintained by Stick with WebBBS 5.12.