Oh boy, "Reflections by Ginsue"

[sniper7]

Very nice! I agree!

[roberth]

Terrific write up by theGinsue. Thank you, your thoughts reflect my own.

People are not inherently good. Good people are that way because their parents and teachers instilled those values in them. This used to be the rule but now I think it is the exception.

[Goodburbon]

+1 Ginsue, good show!

[theGinsue]

GilpinGuy - no offense taken, but..

My choice in using the "we" and "us" variations was intentional.

While I agree that most of the folks on this site and others that share the same ideologies aren't directly responsible for the condition we find ourselves in, I believe we've played a role - by NOT taking action to stop things before they got this far.

We've rolled over and taken what "they" have dished out to us. I still believe that folks like us are still the majority but we've become the SILENT majority. We may now be outgunned (so to speak) but we are not outnumbered and we CAN take back control of this ship. If we hurry, we even have a chance to keep this "ship" from cascading over the falls but if not we can at least guide it over the falls and then steer it into safer waters.

I know that you understood that what I was saying is that life is not meant to be merely tasted but truly savored (much like a nice chianti with fava beans).

I sit here and in my head I'm repeating a line from Star Trek: The Motion Picture where "V'ger" asked "Is this all there is? Is there nothing more?". I want more damn it!

Ultimately, I chose the "we" and "us" because I wanted to make this personal. I wanted to walk away from the standard accepted attitude of passing fault onto others and claim personal responsibility for this. I'm hoping others feel the same. Until enough of us do this and we take personal responsibility, it can not change.

Just my thoughts.

[theGinsue]

Terrific write up by theGinsue. Thank you, your thoughts reflect my own.

People are not inherently good. Good people are that way because their parents and teachers instilled those values in them. This used to be the rule but now I think it is the exception.

I agree. we were all taught how to be good and we were given a set of guidelines and those became our values (I'm NOT talking religion here. Simple stuff like "treat others as you wish to be treated", value human life, take responsibility for your actions, work for what you get...).

Those who didn't share those values continued to whisper into the ears of the rest of us that we were too narrow-minded and these values were too restrictive. Along the way, enough of us started to believe it and helped to remove the "restrictions" of those values. Now we find ourselves HERE (the ethereal "here"). I'm not happy being HERE.


ETA after re-reading my posts in this thread: Whodathunkit? Ginsue actually has some deep thoughts. And you'z guyz just thought I was a simple-minded baffon.

[scratchy]

Thank you all for the kind words. I was expecting a fair amount of lambasting but knew that most of you share similar beliefs about the state we currently find ourselves in.

I think most of us will agree that the situation is circling the bowl waiting for the flush. Good read.

[StagLefty]

Well said Ginsue !!

[roberth]

I agree. we were all taught how to be good and we were given a set of guidelines and those became our values (I'm NOT talking religion here. Simple stuff like "treat others as you wish to be treated", value human life, take responsibility for your actions, work for what you get...).

Those who didn't share those values continued to whisper into the ears of the rest of us that we were too narrow-minded and these values were too restrictive. Along the way, enough of us started to believe it and helped to remove the "restrictions" of those values. Now we find ourselves HERE (the ethereal "here"). I'm not happy being HERE.


ETA after re-reading my posts in this thread: Whodathunkit? Ginsue actually has some deep thoughts. And you'z guyz just thought I was a simple-minded baffon.

I enjoy posts like yours, they help me sort my own thoughts, clarify and sometimes share them. It is an on-going process and subject to change.

The "whispering in the ear" is the incremental erosion of values and look where that incrementalism has brought us. We have a president who violates his oaths daily, we have a society that doesn't do it's fair share and expects to be carried by the efforts of the few. Isn't it wonderful.

I don't know where in American history this started. I'm sure entitlement minded folks have existed for eternity and they were properly vilified in the past, it is just in recent history that their selfish ideas have been promoted as the "common good". I think the ball really started rolling with the advent of unions and social security.

I say unions because generally they promote mediocrity and apply the same pay scale to everyone regardless of effort or talent, this is collectivism more commonly known from its root in the commune (communism). You simply cannot deny this, these negatives far outweigh anything positive derived from the union movement.

I say social security because social security removed the need for the common man to think about his financial future after his career. Advances in human longevity weren't a factor when social security was started which shows us how short-sighted humans really are.

I'm not happy being HERE either, people who 'think' they know things are put into high positions where their incompetence and evil is exposed on a daily basis. These exposures are covered up by their cronies, not unlike the US government and it's lackeys in the media.

What are the solutions?

[Ranger]

Good read, thank you!

[Tinelement]

Thanks for the read! Well said.

Actually calmed me down this morning! Was in a pissy mood cause I've been at the shop for a week straight trying to get things done. Missing my family and all the holiday events taking place.

Your read made me remember the little things that keep us going and why us blue collar folks work like we do. Even if we do get screwed in the end.

Thanks man!!!