"Verily, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves"

The above quotation comes from the Quran and makes the point that the change that we so desire to see in our own lives and in the society that we are a part of is our responsibility to bring into fruition.  In other words, as much as we might wish that Allah or God would change the conditions that we are part of, which are unsatisfactory, that simply is not the way that the world works.  Indeed, the very point of the civilization that we live in is to provide those who are part of it the opportunity to effect change so that society can be a better place for all, through our good participation in it.  In other words, the construct within which we live serves as a proving ground, and whether that society improves or not is down to not only our individual responsibility but also collectively what we are able to positively accomplish as a people.

 The mess that we are in is of our own making, for the finger can be decisively pointed at us that the issues and problems that we have are directly related to the fact that we consistently ignore the sage advice of avatars and prophets as to what we should or should not be doing.  This signifies that because we are the cause of our own collective misery that it is our responsibility to do something constructive about it, or else the change that we need to see happen will not ever occur.

 Indeed, this is the challenge of the age: whether we will continue to keep our heads in the sand, and hope that somehow Allah or God will change what needs to be changed for our benefit. That is to say, it is our responsibility to accomplish that change, for it is we who have failed to comprehend that we are the actuators of the change that we need to bring into being.  This is the never-ending challenge of our time, and history tells us that we have done a poor job in effectuating the changes that we need to accomplish, but because we still exist, the opportunity to make positive progress is still in our domain.

 There are lots and lots of people who won’t do their good part to save their own selves, and therefore won’t do their fair part to be part of the solution, thereby making them part and parcel of this seemingly intractable problem.  Yet, reluctantly or not, this is the very thing that we were born to do.  This signifies that whatever ails us, it is our responsibility to correct such to the best of our ability, and while we can call on Allah or God to help us, to guide us, and to fortify us, it is our duty to do what we ought to do, in order to become the change that will make us to be what we were always meant to be.  This calling will not change, and the sooner that we recognize our responsibility and then do something meaningful to become that change, the sooner that we will get to the only destination worth getting to.

Should diet soda be priced the same as soda?

There was a time before these sophisticated chemists were able to concoct zero-calorie or near-zero-calorie sodas, in which the soda bought by the consumer was just soda.  That is to say, back in the day, when a person drank a soda, they drank carbonated water sweetened with sugar, which also contained other natural flavorings.  Nowadays, consumers have additional choices, of which diet soda, often containing zero calories, is a conscious and desired choice for many of those consumers, probably because they feel that they get the same sort of pleasing soda taste without having to worry about adding empty calories to their body. 

 One would logically think though, that diet soda, since it has no calories, which means it has no sugar, and has thus been chemically modified to not have calories, would be priced lower than the “real thing,” but in many stores, the price of diet soda is pretty much the same as regular soda, even though regular soda, actually has calories, which would seem to contradict the fact that whenever we have two similar products, the one that has calories, should be valued more, because junk calories or not, the body needs calories for energy.

 Of course, the counter argument as to why diet soda should be priced the same as regular soda, or even perhaps be a bit more expensive, is that for people that already consume enough calories and therefore are not trying to add more calories to their diet, they can indulge in a product, that has been modified so that they can seemingly have their cake and eat it, as well.  While that certainly makes sense, it has to be noted, that the more artificial a given food product is, the more inherent danger that what is being consumed, may have bad long-term consequences, for to be able to play a game in which something is sweet, but has no calories, seems to be a game, in which, there is probably some bad consequences, that will eventually be felt.

 Nevertheless, it is surprising that diet soda has become so mainstream, of which those who purchase such, apparently, feel that it is worth as much as regular soda, which is probably something that soda makers, when they first came out with diet soda, probably did not realistically expect to see ever occur.  After all, in most circumstances, for example, providing a meal to someone that has half the calories as a similar meal, but charging the same price, would seem to be unfair, but in the soda world, this is what is actually occurring.

 So too, give credit to the chemists for their brilliance -- while accolades must also be given to those that are quite satisfied with their choice of a diet soda, because what those that drink diet soda seem to be saying, more than anything, based upon the pricing of the product, is that they are satisfied that what they are drinking is just as good, tasty, and valued as the regular stuff, without them having to worry about their caloric intake, which is why diet soda and soda can therefore be priced the same. 

“From each according to their ability, to each according to their needs”

The above quotation comes from the hand of Karl Marx, and is somehow still seriously proselytized to various people around the world, as well as being argued as a legitimate alternative to capitalistic or other economic systems, as something that would be far better for society in whole.  Look, there actually isn’t anything wrong with Marx’s belief, for it seems to make eminent sense, while also seeming to be quite fair and considerate, but the crux of the problem with this belief, though, is that the only dimension that this could ever conceivably come to fruition, is never going to be this earthly plane, but instead it would have to be Heaven.  In other words, Heaven probably is a place in which those with great ability get great things done on behalf of that Heavenly realm without desiring anything more in return, and those who have great needs are provided with Heavenly assistance to fulfill those needs. 

 Regrettably though, this type of philosophy will not ever work in this material world, because human nature is human nature, and while there are a meaningful amount of people, that are empathetic, sacrificial, good hearted, generous, caring, patient, as well as having other wonderful qualities, they are clearly outnumbered by those that aren’t necessarily bad, but rather have an innate desire to get from their life, something more than just their basic needs fulfilled, for they desire to have something more to aspire for and to have as their own.  That is to say, many a person desires more than what they need to actually just live on, for they want to have the satisfaction of getting that which they believe will bring them more happiness and contentment, regardless of their ability or their legitimacy in meriting such.

 It needs to be recognized that we are each individuals, actuated by beliefs and desires that are unique to our own selves, of which, because we are all different, our priorities and desires are going to be different, as well.  So that, some people are motivated by desiring to be acclaimed by the members of their community and beyond; whereas, others are motivated to selflessly do right to others, because by doing so, they feel better about their selves, and so on.  Basically, we are not all cookie-cutter people, but rather each of us has our own abilities, our own needs, our own desires, and our own goals.  So then, for a certainty, there will be conflict one with the other because of this, which isn’t necessarily bad, if each person, thereupon, gives a little to get a little.

 To believe that there ever could be a well-functioning society in which every member believes that it is all for one, and one for all, is a healthy philosophy to have, but the reality of the situation is that because we have different priorities and different outlooks, this will not ever occur.  That said, societies can be far better than they are, if more of us did our fair part to help make society a better place for our good participation in it, by using our individual ability and knowhow to accomplish such, and thereupon helping to fulfill the needs of others who are needful of society’s help.

There is strength in numbers

When it comes to getting things done in society, or in making effective changes in society, it has to be acknowledged that the more people that have the same interest in getting that to occur, the better not only the chances that it will occur, but the more effective that group will be in totality.  That is to say, when any organization starts with a small amount of people, or even just one person, we do so find, that the more people that join in to that organization, the more effective that organization is going to be, because numbers do matter, and not only that, but the more people that are involved in an organization, the better the chances are that they will get traction to effectuate meaningful change.

 So then, one of the reasons why people band together is because they recognize intuitively that collectively people can accomplish a lot more together and thus this makes them to be more effective, especially because most every person brings something of individual merit to the organization, as compared to one person trying to do everything, and to be all things to all people.  This is why it is important to first find a purpose worth pursuing, and then to find those who believe in that purpose, so as to create a group that has a decent chance of getting done what needs to get done.

 That is to say, the change that so many people clamor for, often must begin at a grassroots level, of which, an effective plan of action is to eventually become a large enough organization that it gets attention and thereby has a chance to have its say, which thus allows it to have a better opportunity of reaching those that in the government have the power to make change, or at a minimum, to bring up new or improved policy to be looked at, or debated upon.

 Also, it needs to be acknowledged that those that have been elected or appointed to their positions in governance, are supposed to be our representatives, because, in theory we have a representative government, which signifies that what those representatives should be doing needs to be in harmony to what the people desire for them to do, or else, those representatives are not actually representing the people, at all.

 Indeed, a lone voice, no matter how insightful or prescient, can only do so much, which is why whenever that we have a good idea, we need to do our part to get other people who agree with such to join together, so that something of substance can be effectuated.  This signifies that if we want to have influence upon governmental policies or within our community, that if often takes not only the right people to be a part of the organization, but also it takes a dedicated and a concentrated effort from a determined group of people to get done what needs to get done, of which, its collective actions are unrelenting, and with that strength in numbers, thus have the opportunity to see that which should be changed, be changed for the betterment of the community.

Don’t take your good health for granted

Since we are made up of a physical body, with a mind, and spirit, one would tend to believe that, since the physical is temporal, that therefore what we need to concentrate our efforts upon is expanding our mind and living well the fruit of the spirit. While this certainly makes sense, we need to keep in mind that when our health is bad, that our mind and our spirit have a strong tendency to take a turn for the worse, as well.  In other words, when our physical form is suffering, we typically aren’t in the best of spirits, nor are we of the mind that all is well.  Rather, poor physical health often seems to make us a lesser person, in which it is a real struggle to perform at a high level the tasks that we previously were able to handle with such aplomb.

 This thus signifies that it certainly makes sense to treat our physical body with respect, so that it gets its proper rest, its proper nutrition, and is exercised in a way and manner that the body is able to be of good service to us.  This means that it is definitely a mistake to take our physical well-being for granted, because there are all sorts of illnesses and diseases, as well as unanticipated events, that can transform what used to be a well-functioning body into something that represents suffering and ill health.

 So too, when we are young and of a strong constitution, we tend to believe that whatever troubling challenges that we may face physically, which might come our way occasionally, that we will surely recover from such, in short order, because our overall health is good, which is indeed, often the case. But the thing is, bad habits that are developed in our youthful period are the very same that will force us to pay a price later on in life, so that by taking our good health for granted, we make the mistake of believing that bad decisions that don’t respect our physical body, won’t have future negative consequences, but in actuality, they will most assuredly catch up with us.

 After all, it is important to remember, that we have but just one physical body, which we are responsible for, of which, bad habits and ignoring what is sensible to do for our body, are going to exact a toll upon us, in one form or another, which is why we need to do our level best to do right by our body, and therefore if we were, for instance, brought up with bad eating habits of consuming endless junk food, it is up to us, as adults, to do what we can to create good habits to counteract such.  Additionally, because so many of us live sedentary lives, we need to get up and exercise so that we can keep our bodies functioning at a healthy level.

 Indeed, none of us will have a physical body that will last forever, but we can do our fair part to see that our body is more resilient and thus healthier by making wise decisions, which will also help to keep our mind and our spirit functioning at a healthy level, as well.

The enormous economic power of today’s mega corporations

The first thing that more people need to understand is that corporations are artificial entities sanctioned by the state, which, as presently dealt with, are perpetual in nature.  In other words, once a corporation is created, the state does not set an end date, which is why there are numerous corporations with business lives far exceeding the natural lifespan of everyday individuals.  Perhaps this is a good thing, but rather it would appear to be something that has its negative aspects, as well, because the most successful of corporations, get ever larger, and make ever more profit, maybe not each and every year, but in general, which means that mega corporations have an enormous amount of economic power, which signifies that what they so want to do, can easily trump what is best for the people as well as for the community.

 That is to say, corporations have a lot of flexibility of where they locate their main office or their satellite offices, which obviously makes a difference to the community that hosts these mega corporations, because when done right, mega corporations bring not only jobs to a given community, but because of these jobs, helps that community to be more prosperous; in addition to the fact that communities that are doing better and employing talented people, provides an opportunity for those communities to bring in more like-minded corporations, as well.

 At the same time, in life, we have to recognize that there are going to be winners as well as losers, so that when a given mega corporation for whatever reason, valid or not, decides to shut down one of their satellite offices, which may have thousands upon thousands of employees, this is typically going to be quite traumatic to the community that had previously hosted that mega corporation, which can thereupon let loose the type of negative spiral that can hollow out a given community.

 It would seem that mega corporations, as presently structured in America, through their powerful position often are able to dictate the terms and conditions of what they will or will not do in a given community, which quite obviously is going to be good for that mega corporation, but could well leave communities vulnerable to adverse events, which hardly seems fair.  This would presuppose that large corporations, because the government of the United States sanctions them, should, in many cases, have to answer to that government, and thereby adhere to what that government believes would be fair for a given community.  In other words, mega corporations should be answerable to the governance of the community, as compared to being a law unto its own self.

 As it stands right now, the government, is the only entity that has the inherent power to do something constructive to make sure that mega corporations are good corporate citizens, but in absence of that happening, (which happens to be what most corporation’s preference is, because their overriding concern is profitability,) we find that as it plays this is not fair to the people, because corporations should have an obligation to do right by the government that has sanctioned its existence, and thereby do right by the people that make up this nation.

The big, bad multinational corporations

The United States is home to some of the world's largest revenue-generating multinational corporations, represented by companies such as Apple, Meta, Alphabet, Berkshire Hathaway, and Microsoft.  The average person has no idea how big these behemoths are, of which, using the fiscal year of 2024, we find that Apple had revenues of $391 billion and a profit of an astonishing $93.7 billion.  Again, this is just for one fiscal year.  As a reference point, when we look at just the profit of Apple, there are only six State governments that have a fiscal budget exceeding Apple’s profit.  What does this mean?  It means that Apple, along with the other multinational companies so noted, has so much money that they are going to get whatever that they want from any State government, with little or no pushback, because Apple has the power and influence to get its way.  That is to say, these billions in profits, are the very same, which are going to have an undue influence upon governmental policies, unless that government of, for, and by the people actually makes it their point to do right by the people by doing what needs to be done to see that companies such as Apple aren’t able to run roughshod over our governmental policies and regulations, or have such subsumed essentially by Apple.

 Maybe, though, you're of the opinion that what is good for Apple must be good for the country, and from a simplistic standpoint, this would seem to be a reasonable position to take.  However, because we are talking about nearly $400 billion in sales, and nearly $100 billion in profits, it has to be admitted that whatever that Apple is doing and getting, that it must in the scheme of things, favor Apple and its policies, which thereupon means that other smaller enterprises, less well known, or just being birthed, are getting the short end of the stick.

 Look, money matters, and those that have to answer to their Board of Directors and their stockholders, don’t have much of a choice but to keep on increasing their revenue and profit, or else their stock price will have a strong tendency to fall, which isn’t good for those who have a substantial investment in Apple or similar.  This signifies that even if there are voices within Apple that desire to be more reasonable when it comes to wages, so being paid to the multitude of subcontractors that they utilize in foreign countries, or other things, that those voices are simply going to be drowned out.

 So too, Apple isn’t going to be permit itself to be “overtaxed” by this government, but will instead do everything in its power to see that their taxes are minimized, which is why they have lobbyists, tax attorneys, and CPAs dedicated to such, because monies that go from Apple to the tax authorities means less money at Apple, proper.  In short, these mega corporations of today, are so profitable and so powerful, that in many aspects those that are part of the government, desire to accommodate these entities, as opposed to examining them, and thus not bothering to investigate whether they fairly play the capitalistic game, which does not appear to be the case, presently, because this government doesn’t seem to desire to pushback upon these mega corporations, whatsoever, and arguably are endorsing them as good for America, when in actuality, they are mainly good for those that have serious money in them, in play.

The vital importance of two-parent households

We read at ojjdp.gov/ that back in 1970, two-parent households were 85.2% of American households; whereas at its nadir in 2006, it was just 67.4%.  While the recent trend has been going up, the percentage of children under 18 living in two-parent households, is still significantly below the mark of 1970, as well as the fact that these percentages do not reflect as to whether or not these two-parent households are married or living together or something else, but merely reflect that children under 18 are living within a household in which it has been thus classified as a two-parent household.

 It is no easy task to bring up children, and certainly it is a more cumbersome task to do so, in a single-parent household, especially when that single-parent household doesn’t have the time or the income to do what they really want to do with their children, but basically they are left with little choice except to do their best by their children, come what may.  The salient difference between a two-parent household as contrasted with a single-parent household comes down to two factors.  The first is income or wealth, and the second is free time to be spent by the parent(s) in activities with their children.  The bottom line, is as they say two heads are better than one, signifying that two-parent households are typically going to represent a better and healthier environment for children, than a single-parent household, which doesn’t reflect that single-parent households don’t love their children just as much, but is a reflection that one parent can only do so much.

 All of the above, would presuppose that in an age in which parents are having children at an ever later age, that those that desire to have children, should, to the degree that they can control things, should want those children to be raised in a loving two-parent household, of which, the governance of this nation, should do more to encourage this very thing.  Again, those that are of childbearing age can choose to conceive or not to conceive per their choice, but in fairness to the children that will be born, it would be better for those children, to be brought up in a stable, loving, and resource strong family structure, typically best represented by a two-parent household.

 All of us should want what is best for our children, and the better the structure and conditions that are there for those children, the better the result will typically be for those children, which is good for the family, as well as being beneficial for society.  This indicates that it really does matter as to the environment that we grow up and are raised up in, and those therefore that come from favorable circumstances are going to be in a superior position for success and satisfaction, than all those that do not, which is why it is incumbent upon society to do more to lend a helping hand to those single-parent households, because they typically need and do appreciate positive assistance.

“Freedom is participation in power”

The above quotation comes from the wise mind of Cicero and should still be embraced today as part and parcel of what freedom represents, at its best.  After all, to be free, necessitates that with that freedom there is some degree of either immunity or of power, or else that freedom is subject to the powers that be, imposing their unreasonable will against it.  In other words, to be free, it is necessary that the person expressing that freedom has a reasonable degree of power that is either protected by the state, or is innate to that person, so that they can therefore be about their business, with the sure knowledge that they are truly free, to move about and to say what they desire to say, without a reasonable fear that the authorities will negate that freedom, arbitrarily.

 Therefore, those nations in which the people have a voice and have the democratic vote are structured in a way and manner that the people are free because they are participating in the power structure of that country.  However, whenever there is a nation that subverts the democratic process because of an unseemly amount of money that has been unfairly put into play for specifically one candidate or on the one side of a given proposition, in which, because that money is so influential, the vote of the people, has effectively been negated, then in actuality, the people, despite having the aura of freedom, aren’t actually free.

 So too, genuine freedom means that those who desire to criticize their government, or weigh in on their opinion of personages, are able to do so, without any pushback, as opposed to when their collective voice instead is monitored, censored, or simply erased, then they aren’t really free.  To be free is to have the agency to do and to state what a given person desires to get across, of which the audience, so of, can collectively react in any way that it so chooses, positive or negative, as per their inclination.

 Look, it has to be said, that to be free is to live within a construct in which those expressing that freedom are not fearful that by doing so, they may have created a chain reaction which will get them into trouble.  Indeed, all of us should be able to have our say, and the very point of having the vote is for the nation to represent through that vote, that it is of, for, and by the people, which means therefore that the people have not only a fair participation in their democracy, but that they have freely acted upon such.

 Those then that are free are the very same who have the option to participate in the power of their governance, done not only through the vote, but also from their participation in community organizations, social media, conversations, and by any means in which their voice can be fairly heard.  This thus makes for not only an engaged and healthy society, but also makes for the type of freedom that has merit and purpose, as well.

The problem with compliance

We are instructed at a very young age by our parents, teachers, and our superiors that complying with their demands or commands is always in our best interest, perhaps because parents and authority figures know best.  While this may or may not be true, depending upon the circumstances or the adults in the room, the real reason why parents and teachers are so interested in seeing their charges comply with their commands, is that it makes it easier on their end, to maintain control of the situation, which is the main reason that they want compliance, because those that don’t comply, are for the most part, in their view, just being difficult.

 So then, the “best” students, from a teacher perspective aren’t usually going to be those that question authority, or ask those difficult questions, or think outside the box, but rather the best students are typically going to be those students that are respectful, subservient, and stay always within the bounds so expected of them.  This perspective is quite unfortunate, because in actuality, those students who are the most curious, dogged, and the most engaged are the type of students that a teacher should want to have, because they are doing their level best to learn.

 When it comes to adults dealing with adults, we find that at least one of those parties, from time to time, isn’t really interested in having a discussion or a genuine conversation, but simply wants the other person to comply with their demands, with or without a reason.  This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, because adults typically have a lot on their plate, in the sense of work, school, and responsibilities, and therefore when they are at home, they may not have the energy to deal with any pushback, and simply want obedience from the other, which thereupon makes their life to be smoother, and emphasizes the vital point of the importance of having a homelife in which such represents typically a sanctuary, as opposed to it representing a courtroom.

 So too, there are those in military service, or prison supervision, who understand well the importance of compliance, because when it comes to the military, what they want from their soldiers on the front line is for them to work together as a team, which means compliance to the mission, at hand, with no deviation.  As for the prison guards, since they are always outnumbered by prisoners, it is important that they are able to maintain control of their prisoners through compliance, or else they will conceivably endanger themselves as well as others within that prison environment, for failing to do so.

 Indeed, from a young age, we are instructed to be compliant, which, at best, is done for our own good, but there comes a time when we are free-thinking individuals, and as free-thinking people we need to understand that the decisions that we make are ours to own, which therefore means, that those that comply are essentially doing so because they believe that compliance is the right thing to do, because if they did not believe that, then they are not being true to who and what they actually are, which means that they are thus being false, which is a reflection and the mark of weak character.

The hollowed-out middle class and illicit drug usage

In America, there is all sorts of hue and cry, about the illicit drug usage by its citizens, with bad devastating effects not only for the person so using, but also for the family, which additionally hurts the community, because the more people that have turned to illicit drugs within a community, the more that community changes for the worse.  There are plenty of those law and order types that don’t care a whit about why people use illicit drugs, or how they get here, and simply want drug dealers and drug users to be put away.  Still, even when that happens, the proximate problem is not cured. The reason it is not cured is that many people have turned to opioids of all sorts, or methamphetamine, for the very basic reason that they see their life as one without opportunity, and without a future, thereupon taking illicit drugs is a choice that they make which will help them to alleviate the reality of their hopeless situation, at least temporarily.

 Look, there are plenty of legal drugs, such as alcohol or marijuana, prevalent in many communities, which people avail themselves of, which one would think would be sufficient for those who need the crutch or the specific feeling of those drugs in order to best sort their life out.  Yet, there are plenty of illicit drug users who aren’t satisfied with alcohol or marijuana, because they want to feel a certain way, which will relieve them of the misery of the life that they see in front of them.  This signifies, that there usually is a specific reason why people take illicit drugs, which has a lot to do with these people, believing that their life just doesn’t have any upside, because the good paying jobs with benefits are not available, and the jobs so being available, don’t compensate people at anything close to a living wage, or a wage that would at least get some respect.  Therefore, those without hope, who have pretty much given up that their situation is going to change, take it upon themselves, to find some substance that will not only bring them some sort of relief, but something that will either dull their senses so that they really won’t care, or something that will provide them with some degree of euphoria or similar.

 Indeed, the war on drugs, sponsored decades ago, is the absolute wrong answer, for illicit drugs are going to find their way to just about any community as long as there is a perceived interest by those who live there in such.  The more appropriate answer to correct things, is to look at these communities that are experiencing the greatest degree of illicit drug usage, and understand that their usage is typically a reflection of the dead-end lives that these people exist in, and that therefore the way to substantially reduce illicit drug usage within those enclaves is to provide those people with hope, education, and opportunity.  In other words, illicit drug usage is a reflection that the conditions, so of, within those communities are intolerable, and until those conditions substantially improve, illicit drug usage will stubbornly remain.

The call for everyone to earn a living wage

In aggregate, the United States is the richest nation in the world.  Yet, we find that not only is there a significant number of its people who live below the poverty line, but we also find that there is an incredible number of citizens who struggle paycheck to paycheck, to try nobly to make ends meet.  There are far too many people who work but don’t earn enough income and thus we find not too surprisingly that there are enclaves of poverty, abandonment, injustice, and lack throughout the United States, which is not only systemic but doesn’t appear that any program or any institution as currently structured is going to directly alleviate such, anytime soon.

 When it comes to all the problems that America has, a lot of what ails America, could be resolved through more people simply making a living wage, because the bottom line is that money is a necessity in order to have any hope of living a satisfactory life in America, and the more people that are making a living wage, the better the conditions will be for all in America.  In other words, the greater the percentage of its citizens that make a living wage, the less crime, the less dysfunction, and the less dissatisfaction that we would see.  This is why it is so important that for those who are willing to work that they receive in return for that work a living wage, which could consist of a governmental subsidy in conjunction with their private enterprise salary, which would make for those receiving that living wage a far more satisfying life.

 When we look around at all the infrastructure in this country that is in need of repair and replacement, along with just the general understanding that there is always room for improvement, it has to be admitted that there is plenty of work to go around for those so willing to work.  This signifies that, whether the government is the employer of last resort or not, that for those who are honestly seeking work, there is work to be had.

 Look, the reality of the situation is that a living wage is the absolute best thing that this nation could do on behalf of its citizens, and to make that its top priority would make for a much better society, full of people that have bought into the American dream, and are truly proud to be American, because of the opportunity so presented to them.  This is why there isn’t anything that could possibly be of more importance than to ensure that as many Americans as possible are paid a living wage, which should be this nation’s top priority.

 Lastly, everything that we see in the welfare state should be seen for what it really is: a stopgap to try to help fellow citizens, but never really a viable solution to the problem at hand.  Indeed, people want to make their own money, and when they know that their employment will provide them with a living wage, their dedication to work, and to the responsibility of that work, would be significantly better than anything we see today, because whenever people make a living wage, their necessities are covered, and the balance, so of, is there for them to enjoy, as they best see fit.

Patience is a great virtue

We live in what seems to be a fast-paced world, and the faster that pace, the less able we seem to be patient.  The thing about patience is that this character trait is typically developed over a lengthy period of time, because many of us don’t have the time for patience, don’t care for it, and simply want what we want when we want it, case closed.  Yet, we have to admit that a world without patient people in it is not going to be a world that would well represent peace, harmony, and caring, but rather would be more of a dog-eat-dog type of mindset, along with those who just have to keep pace with the Joneses, which doesn’t make for a good or healthy functioning society.

 It would be better for society if each of us would do our level best to be more patient with one another, and thereby have the willingness to accept all of that which happens to us, and around us, good and bad, without going off the handle.  Indeed, to overreact to adverse events typically isn’t going to make things better, but will simply get us up in arms about that which we aren’t going to be able to change in an instant, anyway.  That is why it is so important to first accept what has occurred, as having occurred, and then to see if there is anything constructive that we can do about it, so as to overcome what has happened, by our patient and considerate response.  So too, we need to be mindful that negative things said about us, or done to us, does not necessarily reflect that we are a bad person, but rather in actuality has a strong tendency to reflect that the person so striking out against us, has their own issues, so that if we are able to demonstrate patience and to tolerate what many would consider to be an offense, we will suffer less, by having made a mature and reasoned decision, not to lose our cool.

 Look, it has to be said, a lot of things that we could instantly react to, often, upon reflection, are things that we needed not to have instantly reacted to, because there wasn’t any benefit or good that would come out of it, which is why consistently demonstrating patience and control is so important.  We need to understand that not everyone is going to like us and that there are going to be those things which are clearly unjust that will happen to us, but we need not permit this to get under our skin if we understand that by tolerating such adverse actions does not change who and what we really are.  In life, we lead by example, and those that do the best leading, are the patient ones, who don’t overreact to what is occurring, but take it in, good or bad, with the sure understanding that when we are more accepting of the other, and their foibles, that we help to make the society that we a member of, better for our patience, our toleration, and our wisdom to let alone what needs to be let alone.

Space, time, and consciousness

It would seem that everything that we perceive and think about comes forth from our consciousness, or our mind, so that our perception of what we see and understand is through the prism of our mind.  This signifies for many a folk, that we what we see, touch, and think is the true reality of what is occurring in not only this world, but this would appear to be the only thing that matters or even exists; whereas, for people that think outside the box, they understand that since what we are perceiving is limited by our mind, that our perception is thus limited by our consciousness of what we know as time and space, yet, there is also that intuitive inkling that what is truly real is outside of time and space, completely.

 Look, it has to be said, that there was never a time when God did not exist, and there will never be a time when God does not exist, which means that God has no beginning and God has no ending.  When we comprehend this, then we know that what we are currently experiencing in regard to time and space in this life is an artificial construct created to permit us to prove our mettle in this material experience, no more and no less. 

 So too, the consciousness that we have, which gives us our individuality, appears to be the difference between our existence and our non-existence.  In other words, without our mind, we simply would not be, because it is our mind that allows us to perceive, and without such, there would be no perception and therefore no being.  This, though, is only true within the domain that we currently exist in, for in actuality, we are ourselves in our eternal essence beyond time and space, making us to be timeless, and therefore having always existed.  So then, the best way to look upon this world is to see it as a proving ground, of which lessons are to be learnt, and thereby those lessons are to be actively applied for the betterment of the society that we are a member of.

 This signifies for those that have incarnated upon earth, that there is a purpose for our existence here, and we are to live up to that purpose, which will provide us when we are successful in our tasks with the escape velocity to return to that which we are an integral part of.  Indeed, while there is plenty of mystery on earth, there is nothing as mysterious as that which is beyond time and space.  The conventional reality that so many believe in, that this material experience is the actual reality, of what is and is not, is not the true reality, for it is better to see where we are currently at as a dreamworld, provided to us, with the opportunity to do our fair part to construct a successful story that will end well, and thus bring us back to where we have always been.

So, you want eternal life in the here and now

There are those certain people, whose lives are apparently so good, that they will do just about anything to keep on living their best life, for as long as possible, here on earth.  It would seem that those with that sort of mindset haven’t bothered to really think about what eternal life or a very extended lifespan would actually end up being, because if they bothered to think about it, they might find themselves feeling uneasy or guilty that while their contemporaries don’t live forever, they do.

 So too, the superrich who desire eternal life because their current life is so good, have got to recognize that should the worm turn, their eternal happiness might well turn to eternal sadness, should their power be neutralized, or should their money run out, or such be forcibly taken from them.  Additionally, governments aren’t necessarily stable for all time, so those who currently have favor within a government might well have a different outlook should that favor turn to something quite negative.  Finally, life consists of cycles so that there will inevitably come that time when those that have it all, are upstaged and overthrown by those that have little or nothing, and thereby, to suffer imprisonment for their purported crimes, in which, for them, there is no recourse except to accept one’s fate which could be rather dire, when that imprisonment isn’t set for a fixed time, but is instead designated as a “life” imprisonment.

 Then there could be those others, consigned to eternal life, who never really wanted it, and thereby find themselves stuck within a construct in which, because they are beyond life and death, they must endure whatever happens to them, or happens around them, day after endless day.  So that, whatever suffering that they have, be it physical, mental, or spiritual, they will not ever be able to relieve themselves of, but will simply have to endure it.  So too, just the weight of knowing that they are stuck in place, for eons, will suck from them whatever driving force that they may at one time had had, because they are incapable of motivating themselves to do much of anything.

 Look, as for those that are not satisfied now, or are unhappy for whatever reason, of which, this is their default outlook on life, are exactly the type of people that aren’t going to embrace eternal life in this world, because their life isn’t satisfactory, as it stands, and thereby to live like that, forever, is going to be a personal hell to them.  On the other hand, all those that are currently living high on the hog, believing that everything will always go their way, have got to understand, that changes occur all of the time, and some of those changes are massive in scale, as well as being wholly unanticipated; so that, their resiliency to a change that is quite negative for them, is probably going to be rather weak, and all their joy at having eternal life, in which, they formerly were nothing less than the boss, will go up in flames, and when that occurs, their crying despair will be unfathomable and inconsolable.

America’s Middle Eastern military bases

For the uninitiated one might reasonably think, that the United States doesn’t really need any military bases in the Middle East, but when a nation insists upon being the world’s policeman, military bases become a necessity in order to get to strategic places and to be prepared to wreak havoc should the occasion so arise, which is why America has military bases all over the Middle East, of which, no other nation, has the quantity of foreign military bases that America has.

 It wasn’t always that way, and a strong argument could and should be made, this doesn’t need to be as it is today, for logic would dictate to us, that the nations that should deal with the Middle East should be those that are in close proximity to such, as opposed to the United States, which is located far away, but this is not the way that it has worked out since the end of World War II.  Rather, European nations that used to assert themselves in the Middle East were only too happy to cede such control to the United States, which is why America has bases in Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

 This thus signifies that it is the United States which has the responsibility of dealing with trouble in the Middle East, of which, there is always going to be trouble, which thereby makes America a target for terrorism by those that resent the fact that the United States has a presence in their sovereign nation, which can be constant source of irritation for the denizens of these countries, especially when America insists upon impressing its desires upon those nations, which signifies that those that live in certain Middle Eastern nations have a legitimate right to be resentful of the United States military having a base, or multiple bases within their country.

 Another sore point is that it seems that once America arrives and plants its flag in a particular Middle Eastern country, that America has made up its mind that it isn’t going to leave, come hell or high water.  After all, in consideration that America is the preeminent military power in the world, those who might desire to see less of an American military presence in their nation don’t have a lot of leverage to actually do anything of substance that would ever force that issue.

 This means that America isn’t going to leave the Middle East until it's good and ready to, which essentially means that America is never going to leave.  That might be okay if by having military bases, America were able to thereby bring a more secure and a more stable Middle East, but that hasn’t happened yet, and since that is the case, it’s fair to state that it’s never going to happen.  Instead, because the Middle East seems to be on edge, constantly, America must be ever on alert, for it is America that ultimately has the responsibility to keep this potential powder keg from blowing up, which is always going to be a difficult task in even the best of circumstances.

Communities and the people that make up those societies

There is an interconnection to the environment that we congregate and live in, in conjunction with the type of life and the type of person that we become.  That is to say, those who live in dysfunctional cities with a poor infrastructure are typically not going to be the type of people who are going to become outstanding citizens, because the infrastructure and the people that they associate with don’t have those qualities.  On the other hand, when we look at those enclaves of money, success, and sound infrastructure, the denizens of those privileged enough to live there are going to, more often than not, have a superior and quite satisfying outcome.  This clearly indicates that the environment that we live in, and that which surrounds us in our everyday activities, plays an outsized role in how our lives will thus turn out.

 This would seem to state that if we truly want to make for a more inclusive community and for a society which encourages betterment, that we need to do a better job in making sure that communities have the necessary infrastructure and tools to become bastions of success, especially by investing in those communities that lack those accouterments of such success.  To believe, somehow, that the average person can overcome their inherent disadvantages and thereby to become something of merit, is to read the tea leaves wrong.  No doubt, those of strong character and good morals can overcome their disadvantages, but the few that do so are the exception to the rule, which we must therefore take into fair account.

 Again, what we are and what we become has a fair amount to do with not just our parenting, but what surrounds us and what we have to deal with, day by day.  This signifies that every community, at a minimum, needs to have some sort of positive attribute within that community, such as an outstanding school or a vibrant community center, along with having various people who live and work within that community who represent positive ideals and a life of exemplary purpose.

 It is difficult for anybody to rise above the circumstances of their community when all they see around them are negative things, of violence, injustice, unfairness, as well as the lack of opportunity.  That is why more needs to be done to provide a fair chance to as many people as possible, to upgrade their circumstances, which thus means we need self-sustaining communities that provide not only a sanctuary for those that live there, but positive vibrancy for the community members to believe in.

 The mistake that the United States government makes is far too often to close its eyes to the reality of what is really going on, and to sprout platitudes that aren’t going to do much of anything of merit.  In this nation, many people live below the poverty line, which while bad enough, would not nearly be so bad, if they also had a reasonable pathway to get to where they could have the semblance of a satisfactory life, by virtue of having fair access to that which makes for a better and a more fulfilling life

Burdening future generations with massive debt is fundamentally wrong

Currently, the United States has little or no interest in getting its fiscal house in order, as demonstrated by the massive fiscal deficits it consistently incurs, year in and year out.  This is especially disappointing because the way that debt works, when the reckoning of such is thereby postponed and thus kicked down the road, again and again, is that today’s generation gets to have all the advantages of that money not having been paid back. In contrast, the future generation is stuck having to pay the bill, which is ethically wrong.

 In actuality, a responsible government would understand well that it should pay what it so owes on a current basis, which would thereby be fair to the current generation, as well as to future generations, but this, regrettably, is not being done.  Instead, something awful is happening, in which those even yet unborn will subsequently be born having to honor debt which they did nothing to incur, but yet it will be their responsibility to discharge that debt, or suffer the ill consequences of a nation that is, for all practical purposes, insolvent.

 In truth, each generation should prudently manage its affairs, and when spending far exceeds the receipts received from taxation and the like, then hard decisions are going to have to be made, in the here and now, as opposed to burdening future generations with having to deal with that which they had no part or say in.  That is to say, it wouldn’t be right for our parents, to live high on the hog, and then when the bill came due, to pass it onto their children, but that essentially is what is happening here in America, because our governance has not the courage or the integrity to get its house in order.  After all, there isn’t anything easier to do than passing out benefits for all sorts of wonderful things, without requiring that the general public fairly pay for those benefits, presently..

 To look upon America’s current national debt burden as no big deal is to view it wrongly, for there will come that time when the piper will have to be paid, and the payment really should come forth from those who have benefited from those monies so having been spent.  So too, people won’t really appreciate that things cost money if they aren’t ever held to account to pay for those things, and perhaps therefore to have to sacrifice something of their time and labor to duly pay for such.

 Look, it has to be said, running massive deficits reflects a nation that has little or no discipline, and is clearly afraid to burden its citizens with the real cost of things, for it fears the response from such.  Nobody, really likes to have to tighten their belt, but the bottom line is that monies spent, wisely or poorly, produces a mandatory bill, and that bill needs to be paid by those that were part and parcel of when that money was spent, which is not only the right thing to do, but the fair thing, as well.

Manifest Destiny and the native people’s right to their land

 For those who have the settler mentality, there is always going to be some sort of what would appear to be a reasonable reason as to why those who have the guns, as well as those who make and interpret the laws, are thus entitled to take land away from native peoples, often violently, and typically without due process  Indeed, in the United States, we find that Manifest Destiny was pretty much the template for those that were our leaders to go about the business of making this country in the image of those that led such, and to thereby do what was considered necessary, to remove forcibly, or through any other means, so necessary, fair or foul, those that stood in the way of that Manifest Destiny.

 So then, when it came to Native Americans, a decision was reached at the highest echelons of governmental power that the business of America was to remove, in one way or another, that which wasn’t going to be able to be successfully absorbed into America, which thereby meant that Native Americans would perpetually be holding the short end of the stick, and whatever a treaty did or did not say, or promises made, was all a sideshow, because the only result that the Native Americans were going to get was the result that they got, which was to become, more or less, an irrelevancy, with perhaps in this present day, some modest regret, by the American governance, that they cheated them.

 One should never underestimate a government and the men representing that government that were on a sacred mission, and thereby were driven to have that mission succeed, because a government and the men fixated upon such were going to have what they had to have, which essentially meant providing no quarter for those who were considered to be un-American and that stood in the way of that Manifest Destiny and the progress of the people of this the United States of America.

 So too, to make things more seamless, it became de rigueur that Native Americans didn’t have any preexisting right to the land that had been exclusively theirs for generations, but rather the right of the land was only legitimately held in the hand of those that considered themselves to be more civilized, more advanced, and with plenty of armaments to prove the legitimacy of their case, for they considered themselves destined to take what was there for the taking. 

 This meant that here in the United States of America, history began when the white settler man arrived, and that at the behest of the British colonization of America, this land was the land of the white man, signifying that the Native American had no rights that the white man need respect, which was forcefully impressed upon Native Americans, again and again. So that, right or wrong, this land was the white man’s land, for the history of America began with the discovery of America by the Europeans, done for not only the glory of those European states, but also eventually further justified as God’s Manifest Destiny.

You want a better future, make a better present

There are plenty of people who want the future to be better than what the present currently represents, and the best way to ensure that the future will indeed be better is to make a better present.  In other words, for change to happen, we need to be that change, which means whatever that we are desiring for the future that makes for a more inclusive, caring, considerate, and fair society, necessitates us doing our good part right now, to actuate those changes, which will not only make for a better future, but also will make for a better present.

 To get to a better future, we need to work on the foundation of what makes for a better future, and by doing so, we will help to ensure that today’s world is better for our active participation in doing those activities that represent fairness, truth, generosity, and compassion.  That is to say, to somehow believe that the way that we achieve worldwide peace is to bomb to smithereens all those that we dislike or oppose us, is not going to be a viable pathway.  Rather, we need to look at diplomatic solutions and a desire to see the other as just as valuable and of worth as we see our own self, for if we cannot do that, it isn’t possible for peace and justice to be preeminent in this world.

 While there isn’t anything wrong with complaining about this or that – the problem with complaining is that it doesn’t actually accomplish anything, so after all the complaining comes out, we need to wake up and see if there is something constructive that we can do to help push things in the direction that it ought to be going, and to the degree that we can find like-minded people to assist us, or we to join them, we should do so.  After all, there isn’t any way that the present is going to get better if we can’t get a substantial portion of the general public to buy into doing what needs to be done to help make things better, for to believe that we can simply ride the coattails of good people and get to where we all need to go, is never going to be good enough, because each of us, to the best of our ability, needs to contribute to the good of the public, because by doing so, we strengthen one another.

 We are all born to a noble purpose, and it’s hard to imagine a better purpose than simply making up our mind, in our thoughts and in our deeds, that we will always do the right thing and thereby to do our good part to help make society a better place for our good participation in it.  This type of mindset is not only good for our character, but is mandatory if we are to hold onto our optimistic hope that the future will be better, for in this present day, by doing our good part to do the right thing, we will not only have a better present, but we will be on the right path to make for a better future as well.