OUR SOCIETY

History, the memory of our near and distant past, is vitally important to a real understanding of our current world. But just as necessary, for all of us, should be the awareness that what is happening right now – in so many areas of our humanly-created world – is without precedent, is enormous in intensity, and is thus fraught with extraordinary danger. This risk of catastrophic harm has to be fully appreciated by everyone. We need to look, to see, and to plan well. The sheer size of the global impact that mankind is having today makes much of what is occurring – and what will likely be occurring shortly – irreversible. All the more reason to act with care. But on the other hand, and more optimistically, the changes that we must undertake will open up the potential of our fashioning a future with a happier, more mindful time ahead.

If we consider the key events and thoughts that have defined our wonderful country, and then add in the ideas that are percolating today – what do we have circulating at the top of our collective minds in the present intellectual landscape? Plenty that is negative and divisive. Is this any way to live? Of course not. I propose that much of this is happening in part to create a certain mindset, and to scatter any effective opposition to the current way in which our society is functioning. We need to look at our options. Asking: How can we get a positive spirit, some fun, and genuine joy back into our nation, within its regular operations? A basic question.

So it is sensible that we should now be examining some of the key social problems that require attention. One issue that we definitely need to fully look at, to fix, and to move beyond, is the legacy of slavery; by effectively completing the circle, and eliminating the harmful remnants of this damaging practice from our country's society. The unfinished matter of slavery has to have a clear resolution; with a clear vision that recognizes the large amount of work this is still necessary. It cannot be overstressed – and we have to keep in mind – that at the time of our country's founding, slavery should have been abolished. But now today, we need to end the residual effects of this terrible concept, and to stop merely talking about how this continuing issue is such a problem for our society. It is a problem, of course% the solution should therefore be deliberately planned. First, there is the job situation. Without enough jobs to go around, those at the bottom will always be losing out. So, as I will often repeat here, regarding jobs: All adult individuals who are willing and are able to work should have the reality of a proper job available to them, a job to dive into. And for those individuals who need assistance, adequate real assistance must be effectively provided. This is the first step, and one that will go a long way in helping to end inequality.

An additional point that many people have previously discerned and discussed is this: There are a good number of individuals and groups who are quite happy right now to have cultural and racial conflict out active in our country. This is part of the old control practice of keeping a people split, divided, and squabbling among themselves, so that they can never quite get together as a group, to effectively take up the larger common concerns. Fragmented is, unfortunately, too often a continuing condition of our society.

With so many issues now flowing within our country, we can often get sidetracked and not see the main problem – the overarching danger – facing our civilization today. Again, it is overpopulation. The human species, and our home – this wonderful Earth – have never before experienced the situation that we have now created. We are today in the middle of this crisis of too many people, and we are not really even properly engaging the majority of our citizens, so that they can study the issue. Such of this avoidance this delusional staring at the ceiling – is being initiated, sadly, by some of the diverse branches of the Bible-based religions, many of whom are apparently disinclined to even discuss the matter.

And it is clear that at present there are very many people who are content – or even quite pleased – with the existing conditions here in our country, and particularly with the steady promotion of some strict fundamentalist Christian values that is being done by our media. These people are generally now thriving, and these values which they see being espoused mostly suit them just fine – matching their own beliefs and wishes. But, to my thinking, they are not sensibly considering the longer-term implications. Our nation's citizens should be looking forward, warily, to where this harsh mindset, with its lack of curiosity, is taking us.

Those who are caring people, those with progressive ideals, would appear to have an obligation to speak out if any serious social problems should arise, including such difficulties that might be caused by some steadfastly inflexible religious groups. These same caring people should then be looking for reasonable and effective solutions. This can mean making fresh examinations of evolving situations, even if describing the reality runs counter to the various agendas and wants of some major national groups and religions.

Regarding another subject, I also believe in this major point: In our country, there should be room for the rich – but not for the gangsters. We definitely do need to return to a system of truly progressive taxation. Basically, I endorse the recent proposals that we should craft a simple progressive income tax plan, one which will set a considerably higher rate for the very wealthy, but which will also be a system that will allow those who have gained wealth in our society to remain reasonably – and perhaps even more than reasonably – rich. An issue that is discussed further, later...