Eckhart Tolle once wrote about the process of “presence” or “being”.
William Shakespeare spoke about this as well, long ago, in the ever famous line, “to be or not to be that is the question.”
I believe the concept of “being” is the positive evolution of the animal known as human, but it seems with all things, we take two steps forward and one step back.
In the second half of the 20th Century we turned the idea of “being” into immediate self-gratification.
Everything must be done right here right now with no thoughts or cares to or of our actions.
In the late Sixties and Seventies the Me generation lived for the “now”.
“Tune in, turn on, drop out”.
The Eighties were the Go Go, Gordon Gekko, Greed is Good times leading us into the Nineties and “the end of big government”…when really the beginning was just taking place.
Clinton, Bush, and Obama have now set America on a path of destruction and as this cycle of Boomeritis comes to fruition the kids are again starting down this road, just with a new moniker, picked up from the free love crowd.
YOLO…or You Only Live Once.
Sex, drugs, and rock n roll have “progressed” into oral (President Clinton said it wasn’t sex) copulation, Ecstasy and Meth, and rappers screaming homophobic, misogynistic, racist rantings about women and killing cops.
Rather than the beautiful poetry and angst given to us by Don Henley and the wail of an electric guitar captured forever with the lyrics ” I can tell you my love for you will still be strong… after the Boys of Summer… have gone” we have again “progressed” to “now I ain’t sayin’ she’s a gold digger but she ain’t messin’ with no broke niggas” brought to us by a man who compares himself to Jesus.
As the kids say these days…”he be trippin’.”
He be somethin’ all right.
I have no doubt this isn’t what Tolle had in mind and if Shakespeare were here now my guess is his head would be shaking followed by a short statement:
“Apparently we have chosen NOT to be.”
Not only have we chosen not to “be” but because of our unwillingness to do away with hero worship or looking to others for solutions in our own lives…we are right back where we started.
In the Seventies we had social unrest, problems in the Middle East (Iran), the Cold War (U.S.S.R), high unemployment, and a weak, feckless man whom some would call an anti-semite at the helm (Carter).
We are now in the 21st Century. The year 2015.
Social unrest?
Yes.
Chicago, Baltimore, Detroit, etc.
Problems in the Middle East?
Yes.
Of course Iran and for the record both Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden still exist. They’ve just morphed into what is now known as…wait for it…ISIS. Great job George. Excellent work Barry.
The Cold War with the U.S.S.R?
Been replaced with “hot” wars happening in multiple places around the world with Russia…whether you are paying attention or want to admit it or not.
High unemployment?
Yes. Just because they’ve changed the calculations and stopped counting people doesn’t mean they have a job.
They don’t.
A weak feckless man whom many call an anti-semite at the helm?
Yes, yes, and yes.
We couldn’t just have one coward serve as the last Commander-in-Chief. We tripled down and elected the three worst Presidents the country has ever seen.
So with 19 trillion in debt and counting, human trafficking continuing unabated through our border, 47 million on food stamps, “refugees” who swear their allegiance to Allah running through Europe (and apparently soon here), Russia ordering us around, secret deals with Iran (who wants to kill us and everything we stand for) the Republican Establishment want to give us a third helping of Bush.
If this wasn’t laughable enough the Democratic Party cannot make up its mind whether Hillary should be indicted, if so when, and how they are going to roll out the Biden/Cheekbones team.
Excuse me. For anyone not familiar with the college admissions issue I am referring to Elizabeth Warren.
When will we learn?
None of these people including Rubio, Sanders, Trump, or even Ben Carson are ever going to make your life better.
Although Trump is right on several issues and in my opinion Ben Carson is a good person neither of them have any understanding or control of your life.
They never have and never will.
You are the only one that will make your life better.
That will make America stronger!
That will push freedom forward for the next generation!
YOU!
No more hero worship! No more Popes, or Presidents, and certainly no more politicians!
YOU! The American Citizen! The beacon of Freedom! Unleash the Lion in each one of you!
You, me, and millions of Americans standing shoulder to shoulder requiring the United States Constitution continue to guarantee its most important purpose.
The rights of the individual.
But in current times our days can be long and our burden heavy.
In these days comfort can be found in messages from above…written below.
Do unto others as you would have done unto you.
Or my favorite as depth is found in the simplicity of three words.
Love one another.
Jason Kraus
10-03-2015