Terrence.....
>>It has survived, but not well. In the process much freedom has been lost.
You may feel your views are somewhat represented, but in my case, there is not one candidate running for any major political office that I can agree with, philosophically or politically.
I feel totally disenfranchised, and every dollar taken from me in taxes angers me as most of it is used to support programs I am diametrically opposed to -- so I have been forced into the odd position of economically supporting causes and programs that I believe are evil.>>
I totally agree with you, except that your last comment which used the word "evil" should not be personalized negatively for it only invites more ditch digging self-justification energy on both sides of this debate.
I firmly believe we're past the dog eat dog stage of pointing fingers, assigning blame and keeping track of balancing every quid with every quo. This is nothing other than "dueling black holes" with both sides feeling threatened and cornered by this "right vs. wrong" "I win, you lose" death/fear trap.
I say BS!!!
Let's get off our high horses.
Imagine climbing a tree.
You need to be humble and the higher you go the more humble you have to be for the limbs get weaker and the height more dangerous. But more risk you take the higher you go, the more your perspective of the world changes - from one of being in the trenches to one where you begin to see and appreciate how tiny and insignificant and yet interconnected and reliant we all are upon and to each other.
Yes, we have lost a ton of freedom.
Why?
Because more and more people have been encouraged to take fewer risks and take fewer responsibilities for the rewards to blaming, pointing fingers and "getting" something for nothing has increased over the years.
The growth of Government as we know it is, by definition, related to the concomitant decline in personal freedom, responsibility and risk.
Government is a black hole. It feeds of the time, trust and money of others. The more distrust, crime and problems that are out there the more reasons it can feel justified to grow, etc.
Only we, as individuals, have the individual and collective power to reverse this trend. But we need to do this by example - by taking more risks and becoming more responsible for living out the ideals and values which we all know about "right vs. wrong" living.
I'm extremely hopeful and positive about the massive, massive change which the common man and individuals everywhere can have on turning this thing around.
I call it "the communitization of the world." The internet is this completely open audit trail which will enable more and more of us to share these ideas and energies which represent these millions of "little points of light" which will illuminate the darkness so that more people can be encouraged to step onto these new roads of service to help and serve others.
We don't need government to do these things. We can do it ourselves.
All you need is the belief, faith and hope to make it happen, personally and collectively.
And money is the last thing on the totem pole in this model. People need more love, more attention, more compassion, more light, more hope.
Peace.
GO!! |
