I'm listening to Metallica's 'Black' album right now, quite loudly. I find it to be a good way to get the morning started. It also reminds me to release any repressed anger or frustration I might have floating around in the dark chasm of my mind, because if I let that stuff roam around freely, it tends to grow like a tumor and eventually the consequences of such a cancer become quite painful and deadly.
As usual, though, I have to point out that when I say bad things about the U.S.A., I'm not talking about the relatively few people I love, respect and admire who happen to live within it's borders -- prisoners unaware of the confinement in which they currently reside. Most of my favorite people in the world are stuck living in America, so this is always an interesting subject of discourse. Many of them are actually happy and comfortable living in the U.S. -- I used to be the same way. My perspective has changed a bit due to my own life experience and intimate encounters with reality.
It's generally a habit of mine when I'm in my apartment to have the TV on in the background, tuned into CNN or BBC, so I can get a bit of news before I actually start the day. Lately, when I choose CNN, I find myself hurrying to get out the door, so I don't have to watch or listen to the shit pouring out of the screen or speakers. Since I lived in the States for over thirty years, it's still a habit of mine to remain engaged with the 'newsworthy' activity going on down there. I almost can't handle it anymore. It's too noisy, too childish, too dishonest, too delusional and too cowardly to put up with.
This morning, I think the topics of discussion were: (1) A woman in Florida sentenced to twenty years in prison for firing a bullet out of a gun that hit nobody -- apparently for self-defense pursuant to Florida's 'stand your ground' law. The same law that enabled George Zimmerman to walk free after murdering an unarmed kid wearing a hoodie....; (2) 'Obamacare' -- this issue bores me -- it's stupid and the answers are obvious so I won't speak to it; (3) The looming Federal government shutdown, because the rich babies in power can't agree on anything -- more talking and taking and talking; (4) More evidence about climate change and the horrible consequences about to occur in a few years as a result of said climate change......a lot of talking and talking and talking on that one; (5) The first high-level diplomatic discussion between U.S. and Iranian politicians in over thirty years -- talking and talking and talking and talking and talking and talking; (6) The end of Breaking Bad; (7) A feud between Kanye West and Jimmy Kimmel -- you can imagine the talking and talking on that one.....; (8) How Ben Affleck is coping with being 'snubbed' at the Emmy awards; (9) Madonna and Sean Penn are friends again; and (10) Something about more innocents murdered in the middle-east -- not too much on that one though.
This morning, I think the topics of discussion were: (1) A woman in Florida sentenced to twenty years in prison for firing a bullet out of a gun that hit nobody -- apparently for self-defense pursuant to Florida's 'stand your ground' law. The same law that enabled George Zimmerman to walk free after murdering an unarmed kid wearing a hoodie....; (2) 'Obamacare' -- this issue bores me -- it's stupid and the answers are obvious so I won't speak to it; (3) The looming Federal government shutdown, because the rich babies in power can't agree on anything -- more talking and taking and talking; (4) More evidence about climate change and the horrible consequences about to occur in a few years as a result of said climate change......a lot of talking and talking and talking on that one; (5) The first high-level diplomatic discussion between U.S. and Iranian politicians in over thirty years -- talking and talking and talking and talking and talking and talking; (6) The end of Breaking Bad; (7) A feud between Kanye West and Jimmy Kimmel -- you can imagine the talking and talking on that one.....; (8) How Ben Affleck is coping with being 'snubbed' at the Emmy awards; (9) Madonna and Sean Penn are friends again; and (10) Something about more innocents murdered in the middle-east -- not too much on that one though.
A bunch of talking heads, even some really intelligent, witty talking heads -- talking and talking and talking. Some are good, passionate speakers and pundits and reporters and lawmakers. Many are truly gifted orators and intellectuals. Talking and talking and talking. Yelling at each other, back and forth, as any true democracy should do. Trying to debate the issues openly and loudly for all to hear. Talking and talking and talking. Bitching and moaning and whining and crying about their own self-inflicted problems. Judging and condemning and complimenting and lambasting and bullying around anyone who is willing to listen. Twenty angles to every story, even the most innocuous, trivial news items. Talking and talking and talking.
Elected respected men of power giving twenty-hour long filibustering 'speeches' rife with actual nursery rhymes and gibberish and bullshit. Constant, continuous requests for the 'public' opinion via solicitations for comments and remarks on twitter and facebook and any other avenues of social media. Persistent, expert use of every possible technology, every form of media available, any available soapbox, station, channel of influence. Anything that allows a human to communicate to another human. Talking and talking and talking.
But nothing changes. Things get worse. And 'life' goes on.
If the people in power -- the people doing the talking -- the media, the press, the politicians, the well-educated, the moneyed classes. If all of those people doing the talking about the things that plague the world actually experienced the consequences of the problems plaguing the world firsthand, then things would probably change. I'm talking about the big, painful consequences. Things like poverty and hunger and addiction and premature disease and death, and
slavery and oppression and incarceration. Real pain, not bullshit pain
like the ending of a popular television series or a bad manicure or the
loss of a sporting event or last call at the bars or the frustration
that comes when one is troubled over whether to buy a BMW versus a
Mercedes. Or choosing between different colors of paint for a remodeled kitchen. I've experienced most of those problems -- the real ones and the nonsense ones. I guess the suffering is relative, depending on each person's context and character. But pain is not relative
All suffering is relative. This is true. But true suffering is not relative. Quite the paradox. You know what would solve this talking and talking and talking and talking and doing nothing problem? The answer is simple. The answer is this:
Take away the money .
Take their money away -- take it away from the people doing the talking. Take away all of their money right now. Take away the one thing that enables them to continue to live in relative comfort and to continue talking and talking and talking without the burden of the very real, very urgent consequences that would otherwise be looming over their heads. Immediate poverty and chaos and confusion and pain and loss would occur instantaneously. Hunger and riots and revolution. We see these things happening in other parts of the world. To some extent, but in a much different context. In America, if you took away the money from the people in control..........can you imagine??
Take their money away -- take it away from the people doing the talking. Take away all of their money right now. Take away the one thing that enables them to continue to live in relative comfort and to continue talking and talking and talking without the burden of the very real, very urgent consequences that would otherwise be looming over their heads. Immediate poverty and chaos and confusion and pain and loss would occur instantaneously. Hunger and riots and revolution. We see these things happening in other parts of the world. To some extent, but in a much different context. In America, if you took away the money from the people in control..........can you imagine??
Everything would change. Quickly. Everything.
I'll be expanding on this subject in much more rigorous style and detail later -- I don't have time right now. But I intend to pursue this line of discussion until I die. I'm not happy with the world around me. Too much suffering and injustice and inequity and hypocrisy and not enough action to help those who truly suffer. I can't tolerate it anymore. I don't know why, but I can't. It just really bothers me. Unfortunately, I'm not in a position to do much about it, other than write about it and irritate people to the point of insanity or other forms of illness -- I'm quite capable in that regard. But I don't have the money necessary to change anything. A few people do and they are and those are the ones I admire the most -- guys like Bill Clinton and Bill Gates -- two of my modern-day heroes. Great men with power (money) and influence (intellect) who are doing what they can to change the world. And they are changing the world. But more people need to get on board or nothing will truly change for those who truly suffer.
-peace/love
jeremy
