What Have WE become?

Good Question:  WHAT HAVE WE BECOME?

It has been estimated that (since the dawn of man) approximately 100 Billion people have lived and died to get us where we are!  Every individual who has lived and died has had some influence on our current situation...

...some good...

...some bad...

...some helped keep us at status quo!

One of my "Epiphanies of the utterly obvious" is that we often (and wrongly) believe that "It is what it is..."

The fact of the matter is..."It is our fault for it being what it is!"

Some of us fail to realize the contribution that we make to our society's present and future...

We are...(each one of us)...a genetically unique variation on the "human theme."

We carry with us the entire history of the past...

Good and bad!

The "good" should be carried forward...

The "bad" should become a memory (AND LESSON) of what should not be repeated!

Another of my "Epiphanies" is that...

"History is our greatest teacher...and it will repeat itself until we learn the lessons that it intends to teach us!"

Since my last post (which has been a while)...I have been contemplating the plight of human-kind...

...as if it will make a difference...

Rather than curse the stupidity of this world...I realized that, at least, I can be in it but not of it...

I do not have to fall prey to apathy and conforming to a death spiral...

I can change the world...or at least the part that matters...my world (as small as it may be!)...

A History Channel Moment!

After deep and intense debate, our "Founding Fathers" identified those "unalienable rights" of those who are members (citizens) of the fledgling country called "The United States of America"

These rights were documented in and guaranteed by the US Constitution...the are "...Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness..."

They also recognized that these rights came with a cost!

Members (citizens) were guaranteed the rights as long as what they pursued DID NOT infringe on the right of another to pursue their rights!

DUH!

Their intent related to "unalienable rights" was that it was conditional...

At the time of the writing...the emphasis was on the latter portion of their intent (i.e. "did not infringe on the rights of another") rather than "what one pursued"

Many argued that it would simply be a matter of time and the American society would selfishly replace "unalienable rights" with "individual rights"  and confuse "freedom of NOT infringing on others' rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" with the "freedom of exercising their rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness"

Sadly...I may have to admit that they were right and that the prophesied time has come!

Our nation still stands on the Founding Fathers' principals...

What saddens me is that the degradation is apparent in the behaviors of its members (citizens) on the most basic and primal levels...

Lessons Carried from the Past

My grade school education took place during some turbulent times in American history...(as I reflect on it...isn't every time turbulent?)

The Viet Nam war...

...The rise of the "Do your own thing generation"...

...Womens' Rights...

...The Cold-War...

...Civil Rights...

...Assassinations...

...Counter-culture movements...

...the Space Race...

AND ON AND ON...

It was a time of societal revolution...

...and we (my generation) watched and learned as things "were a chang'in"...

I was blessed...in that my teachers (who were of the "establishment") did their very best to ensure that we were not tainted of biased by their opinions...

They challenged us to strive for excellence...

I vividly recall a discussion early on, in my education, a teacher's advice...

"...one's weaknesses or ignorance does not give them the right to drag the rest of society down..."

"...It is that person's responsibility to strive to do the best they can..."

"Society is not obligated to accommodate for individuals who selfishly demand..."

"...Accommodation is not a right...but CHARITY"

"...It is our obligation as a citizens to contribute to society..."

Although an opinion...It shaped me and my awareness of the world around me and my obligations!

It confirmed to me that "membership" (citizenship) has its privileges...but it also has its costs!

When did we lose that?

OH...HOW THAT HAS CHANGED!

In driver's education, we were taught that our inability to anticipate was not cause to endanger other drivers...

If you were in a wrong lane...it was not license to "cut lanes"

A person's "STUPID" did not condone irresponsible driving behavior...

Customer Service areas were significantly different...

If people talked to others like they do not in "customer service" areas...they would have been charged with disorderly conduct and fined!

Don't people of today realize that they "trash talk" and disrespectful behavior infringes on the rights of another to pursue "life, liberty and their pursuit of happiness"?

I often observe seemingly "constitutionally ignorant" (please excuse my opinion...it is used to emphasize my point) people trash others...talk disrespectful and ruin others' days!

Their behaviors are contrary to the US Constitution!  That by definition is a felony!

I would love, nothing more, to see someone that was trashing a "minimum wage" Wal-Mart, customer service representative charged with a felony...lose their rights as an American citizen...

That is harsh!

But American citizenship...like membership...has a price!

One of those costs of citizenship is the respect of others' rights to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness!"

DO NOT CONFUSE LIBERTY AND FREEDOM

It took me a long time to recognize what our Founding Fathers inherently knew from the beginning...

...That is there is a difference between "Liberty" and "Freedom"...

Freedom is the license to do whatever one pleases...regardless of impact to others...

Liberty is the ability to do what you  desire without undue influence or coercion!

Freedom is inwardly or selfishly focused, while Liberty is outwardly (or other) focused... 

If we focus on ensuring others Liberties...we will be free...

WHERE IS THIS GOING?

We have "Rights!"

"Rights" guaranteed by the Constitution...

"Rights" to be contributing citizens of this society...

We do not have the "Right" to be a "drain" on our society!

I am just a "nasty" person is not an excuse...

I am just an "air-head" or stupid is not an excuse...

I am not perfect is not an excuse...

...for what?

...an excuse to infringe on the rights of another or others!

The next time you feel obligated to "voice your opinion" or you hear someone doing that...

Ask...is this infringing on the other's right to their "pursuit of happiness?"

You or that person is in the process of giving up your right to citizenship!

What have we become?

I want to ensure that the 100 billion people who have lived and died have not done so in vain!

We are quickly becoming a society of thankless individuals...

...who do not recognize the impact that they have on the "life, liberty and pursuit of happiness" of others...

Time to stop...listen to History...and learn from it!

Membership (citizenship)...does have its cost!

ENOUGH SAID!

Pura Vida!