Living in the Past?

Drunken Florida man arrested
for having a loud obscene
argument with his bicycle.

One of the “problems,” if they can be called that, is a tendency to live in the past. I have come to the conclusion that I suffer from this “malady,” if it can be called that. That is, for example, I have had a great deal of trouble understanding how it is my son and other young people I know can spend so much money on food, especially junk food. They think nothing of spending three dollars or more for an ice cream cone, five dollars for ten cents worth of processed corn in a too large box, twenty five dollars for a haircut, really big bucks for a gallon of gas or a movie or whatever. I finally realized, after being concerned with their profligate ways for so long, I was living in the past. That is, I realized they simply did not know the difference because they had no background against which to measure these things. How would they know, for example, that an ice cream cone once cost five cents, or a hamburger cost a dime, or a gallon of gas twenty some cents? They simply buy things at the cost they have always known, and are not compelled to compare it with past prices of which they know nothing. As far as my personal case goes it obviously makes little difference to anyone (except, perhaps, those I have been criticizing for spending so much money).

Unfortunately, you can see this same problem when it comes to matter of much more importance. Take the case of marihuana and its possible legalization for example. I saw today that Clinton, Obama, and all the past drug czars are opposed to the California attempt to legalize the weed. They are clearly out of step with public opinion on this, as I understand that a majority of the public is in favor. The most basic part of their opposition must be a carryover from the “Reefer Madness” days, as it has become quite clear over the years that all of the claims against the dangers of marihuana have been greatly exaggerated. I believe it is fair to say they are in some sense “living in the past.” The same thing seems to be true of several of the current issues facing our country, Gay Marriage is another case in point. Arguments against Gay Marriage are so unconvincing in the light of what we now know about Gays, marriage, and child rearing, they can no longer be taken seriously. Similarly, a majority of citizens are in favor of letting the ridiculous tax breaks for the filthy rich expire, but there are those who still argue in favor of them, with arguments that make no logical sense whatever. They too, I suggest, are living in the past, the time of robber barons and the landed gentry. I am somewhat surprised that no one has so far suggested that only the wealthy should be entitled to vote.

More importantly, I believe that many of those in positions of power and authority have never accepted the idea that Colonialism is dead. All of the great Colonial powers have long since given up their empires, Britain, France, Germany, Belgium, as well as Spain and Portugal. Only the U.S. (and to a lesser extent Israel) continue to try to maintain empires (that are about to fail). Those who believe in empire are clearly living the past. Having now added Iraq to our empire (or at least we think we have), we have our sights set on Afghanistan (where we will surely fail) and Iran (that, like Afghanistan, will never succumb). It should be clear by now, after Korea and Vietnam, that it is no longer possible to conquer other nations by force and coerce them into our empire. Even the nations of South and Central America, long duped and maneuvered into becoming “Banana Republics” as a result of our economic and military aggression, have now broken free and no longer merely do our bidding as they have in the past. Of course countries like Russia, China, India, and even Brazil and Turkey are no longer even considered targets of our dreams of empire. We are, it seems to me, living in the past, and it is long past time to realize it and turn to new and more cooperative methods to deal with the world. As long as we maintain our unconditional support of Israeli colonialism, and as long as we continue the “war” in Afghanistan, and as long as we maintain our hundred or more bases all around the world, we will remain unregenerate colonials.

LKBIQ:
He who loves the world as his body may be entrusted with the empire.
Lao-tzu

TILT:
Historically, pancakes were made on Shrove Tuesday.