But maybe I’m in too much of a hurry. Maybe I am looking for something that is not scheduled to appear yet. Maybe I need to be patient, just relax, everything is going to be okay. Sleepy, hungry, drowsy… … … ...
So many labels, so many reasons to disapprove of a particular person. How is any person going to accomplish something that will improve the lives of all? Well, not “all” “all” because that would be impossible, but enough “all” to win the election. Then when that happens, when the “right one” wins, who also must also win in order to be able to execute the programs?
Oh, I guess I forgot the “programs.” Maybe not the “programs” but maybe the ends? Yes, that is it, the “ends.” Oh, or is this “the end?” So, confused, so many labels… so… hopeless? Maybe it is not the candidates? Maybe it is not the programs? Is
it the candidate, or is it the party? Or the other party? Or both parties, or the race? Or the process, or the system, or the religion? Or something else?
Is there something else that divides us? Something that keeps us from winning? Something irrational? Well, maybe not irrational, but something else, like a feeling, an emotion, something in the gut?
What is in the gut, in each gut? Is that the thing that separates us? Our innate, internal disposition, inclination, to go this way rather than that? Maybe something cultural? Something that we feel instinctively, something that will not budge? Something in our DNA? Wouldn’t that explain why we can’t understand each other? If so, how do we break through?
How do we agree on mutual goals? Maybe by forgetting the visible, emotional loyalties and focusing on the things we all need, particularly in light of our present predicament: global warming, irreversible, potentially cataclysmic, planet-wide changes, that we are all ignoring even though every second counts? Naah, high school Harry name-calling, colors on screens and banners, catchy names, cute videos, spending money on nothing meaningful, but definitely emotional and gratifying, even if only temporarily?
I don’t know, things change, without changing, time flies, who do I believe, (or is it whom?) what do I need, what do we need? Why can’t we agree? Could it be human nature and as long as we indulge our selfish internal urges we will hasten the end of life on Earth? Is it already too late? When will the chaos and immiseration begin? Has it already begun? What about my children, what about your children, what about our children?
One loser one winner? Two tie, all tie? Two winners? Common, rational goals based on survival of the species? Human rather than animal? What is the difference? Is there a difference?
Tired. Hungry. When did we ever get it right? What are the lessons of history that apply right now? Did we win WWI, and then plant the seeds of WWII in the Treaty of Versailles? Are we at the same place now that we were then? Only the weapons are many times more destructive?
I wonder what’s on TV, what is that channel that shows the cute kittens? Need to rest. Need to stop worrying. Maybe it is the process. Maybe our political process naturally encourages us to indulge our egos our dreams our grudges. Is it impossible to reconcile different opinions? Is it possible to find a way forward? Wouldn’t that be better than beating each other’s brains out?
What process for change has worked for a long time? Religion? No, very bloody, too much my religion is better than yours. Evolution by natural selection? It produced us. It worked well didn’t it? But it was also destructive. Many human species have been destroyed and evolution by natural selection didn’t seem to care. Does it care about us? Naah. We couldn’t be that lucky.
Is there a process similar to evolution by natural selection that would care about us? What do scientists use when they disagree? Could we adapt their process? Well, they use the scientific method, but that depends on experimentation, falsification, stuff like that, and we humans appear to be an ongoing experiment ourselves.
What about a process similar to evolution by natural selection? A process that involves thinking like the scientific method? What would we call it? Evolution by dogma? No that is religion, it is also a little like party politics. How about evolution by cogitation? Yeah, that’s it. Cogitation? What is that? It is a verb. It means to think deeply about a problem, an idea, a possibility; to ponder.
So, we’re going to verb ourselves to death, huh? No, I guess not. I guess it is better to stick with the tried and true. To hell with thinking our way forward. To hell with sending out a party with a white flag to talk to the other side and ask them to work with us to develop a set of American goals. You are right, those dammed Republicans don’t talk they go for the jugular. They fight to the death. They believe that if their party can’t win then nobody can win. We can’t talk to people like that. We just have to win because if we don’t win then all is lost.
Check your ammo and your armor, and above all else, pray for the children.