| | There sure is a lot of complaining going on right now. Everybody's conjecturing, arguing, presenting reasons why things are the way they are. We've had a little economic scare. The shine on the new presidency has gotten complicated by controversial bailout policies. People get mad at their employers so they blog at work instead of working and then get madder when they get laid off and have to blog from home. They spend money they don't have, then (of course) they can't pay. Then they wonder why businesses are going bottom up and the economy is shaky. It's really a pity. Never since sometime in the mid-90's has it been so hard to afford an SUV. The morality of America is summed up by two words: "self" and "anger." The morality of other parts of the world might include other words, but anger seems to be a more and more common denominator.
Everyone wants you to get angry. Well, anyway, politicians, professors, critics, religious leaders, artists, poets, musicians, movie makers, keynote speakers do. And that's a lot of popular voices.
In the immensely popular and critically acclaimed V for Vendetta story, heroism was protrayed as an angry mob and acts of terrorism in the name of an angry revolution reminiscent of the French or Bolshevic revolutions. In the events of the past decades, young men in the middle east have been increasingly brainwashed with anger and unconditional obedience, to the point of giving their lives to blow up civilians in the name of a deity. Christians in America have been encouraged to be angry and spiteful toward people on whom they have passed judgment, to the extent that some crazies have destroyed property or killed people, despite the fact that none of it falls in line with Jesus' teaching. All of this anger made things worse.
Now, it can be said that anger sometimes makes things better. The indignance of the men and women who fought for American independence drove them to protect the freedoms of the people from the power of the government. The anger of high-minded British men and formerly enslaved African men brought the european slave market to an end. The anger of Gandhi changed the face of civil rights globally. The anger of trade partners worldwide has forced China to at least pretend it is improving its own horrible civil rights record. The anger of environmental activists forced them to become clever and introduce "green" as a viable color not only politically, but in the marketplace, forcing conservatives to admit they haven't been paying enough attention to good stewardship of the earth's resources and environment.
But was it these people's anger, or in the end their ingenuity, that set them apart from others? Was the anger really necessary? Might there have been fewer losses along the way to success?
On Erykah Badu's first installment of her New Amerykah album series, which came out last year, the song "Twinkle" ends with a speech by someone named Saul that typifies the kind of directionless anger that now rises. (A quick internet search revealed nothing about Saul's identity. The author would be grateful for any insight from a reader-in-the-know.) He postulates that his listeners want to be left alone, unharassed in their living rooms, to wait out whatever is wrong with the world.
"Well I'm not going to leave you alone!" he cries, "I want you to get angry! I don't want you to riot, I don't want you to protest, I don't want you to write your senator, because I won't know what to tell you to tell him! I don't know what to do about the recession, and the inflation, and the crime in the street! All I know is that you've got to get mad! You've got to say, 'I'm a HUMAN BEING, DAMN IT! MY LIFE HAS VALUE!'"
Notice, he has no idea what he wants you to do, besides drumming up your indignation. Anger always leads to constructive decision-making, especially in large groups. (The author here pauses to conjure his best sarcastic facial expression.)
So while all these talking heads want you to get angry, turns out they want you to use your anger to further their special interest. Republicans, democrats, pro-lifers, pro-choicers, racial pride groups, environment groups, pro-gun groups, anti-gun groups. But can an angry mob make up for all the sins of a swollen, prideful country? Can it perpetuate the good things that keep us happy to be American, Canadian, Japanese, Brazilian, British, Irish, French, Arab, Persian, Israeli, Ecuadorean, Mexican or whatever the heck you're happy you are?
It appears that everyone is trying really hard to be angry, at least in the States, because it's better than being complacent. But is anger the opposite of complacency? I guess if there really were nothing else we could do, getting angry at someone or something (or nothing) might be the next logical step. But let's face it. We're not really at that point.
Seems like the real opposite to complacency is to implement simple solutions by a lot of individual people. Even a proportionally small spread of the following attitudes would change the face of society, for the better, in a significant way.
So here are some suggestions.
Our Debt is the Economy, so Stop Pissing Into the Wind.
Stop spending money you don't have.
Start living within your means.
Stop being trendy if it costs money. Invest in things that will last.
Stop voting for people who spend and print money that doesn't exist. Instead, detest waste, demand efficiency.
A culture that demands the government serve us - or get fired - will change a lot of things. Duh.
Unconditionally* avoid personal debt, and stop voting for social debt.
(*i.e., no matter what either of them is buying.)
(Whenever we become more prosperous than we can afford,
We'll pay for it with our jobs, retirement, happiness, peace of mind and even our freedom.
What good is medical progress if individuals can't afford it and become slaves trying to get it?
How much better do you think we'd be doing if a third of our money wasn't going to a government
That props up failing banks, inefficient government agencies and medical research our insurance won't cover?
Our economy has been running on IOU's that none of us can actually pay off.
When the bubble bursts, it seems smart not to rebuild on another bubble.)
Stop blaming the banks, lenders and the government. Start taking responsibility for your money mismanagement.
If each of us did this, the economy problem might just go away.
Stop letting
rich people
define fashion.
Be frugal & savvy; take pride in it,
and teach others.
Stop taking out loans for new cars. Buy (and own!) a car that won't devalue the first second you drive it.
Stop spending your time and money on entertainment and luxuries.
Start spending that time and money on poor people, people who need help.
(If you're already doing this, but you own a luxury car, I don't see how you're doing enough.)
Avoid kitsch. Promote class.
No Act is Random. (Duh.) Be Purposeful.
Stop blaming. Start doing good for individual people. (Stuff on this list would be a good start.)
And if you stop doing good (or ignore this list), don't start blaming it on anyone else.
Stop thinking about how bad your life is (how fat you are, how sad you are, etc.) Make someone else's life better.
Stop demanding that anyone give back; "give-and-take" is just an excuse to stop giving.
Be unconditionally generous.
(You are not what you take, but what you give.)
Self-Oriented Family is Dysfunctional Family, So
Self-Oriented Society is Dysfunctional Society
Stop being self-concerned. It's NOT different from being proud and selfish.
Start being someone you'd want to be around if you weren't you.
Stop gossiping and talking about other people.
Shut your mouth, make it a less destructive place.
Stop affirming yourself.
(No one buys it but you, and let's face it, even you don't buy it.
If you felt great, you wouldn't need to affirm yourself. So do things that are good for you.)
Start affirming others.
(If they don't return the favor, you're probably not doing a good enough job affirming them.)
Stop defaulting to what feels good.
Be wise and sensible,
especially
when it doesn't feel good.
Stop obsessing about what you're getting out of your relationship.
Start doing things to make life better for your significant other.
(Chances are, barring unhealthy relationships, the problems are more your fault than you know.)
Stop assuming
that anyone,
besides you,
will pay for your mistakes.
(We're drowning in our own irresponsibility. )
Resolve to
weigh the consequences
of your decisions, then bear them.
Stop acting like sex is a necessity or some kind of frantic human right. (That's just an excuse for being stupid.)
Start treating sex carefully, like the special (and psychologically dangerous) thing that it is.
If you're not sure what that means, just stop having sex. Seriously. Don't be stupid.
Stop watching movies and listening to music that make you feel otherwise.
Let your passion be controlled by prudence, not vice versa.
Stop acting like the things you do that "don't hurt anyone but yourself" don't affect your loved ones and friends.
("I'm not hurting anyone but myself" is a phrase that translates "I'm a jerk, and I'm pushing you away.")
Start acting like faithfulness and character...
(the person you are when no one's looking, or when you're under pressure)
...are vital, because they are.
Stop keeping
a record of wrongs
done against you.
Spend that energy
noting the things people do
for you, or for others,
then credit them for it.
Ignore famous people who can't piece their own lives together.
Start watching and diligently mimicking stable people you know who actually apply some of this stuff.
Don't you dare ever even think about not sacrificing everything for your children.
Start raising your own walking-talking tribute(s) to the thankless sacrifices you're about to start making.
Stop bitching about and to your parents. Think of some things you've always taken for granted, and thank them.
Stop adoring celebrity children.
Spend that energy on those kids in your life.
In Public: it Might be Less Embarrassing if you Were Naked
Stop pretending there's any good reason to be rude. Start treating people with more decency than they deserve.
Stop taking your impatience and disappointments out on innocent bystanders.
Make a stranger's day better, not worse.
(The fact that you're having a bad day is a good enough reason.)
Society & Culture = Your Attitude
Stop demanding your piece of the pie. Start earning it, and serve some up to as many people as you can.
Stop voting that the government do all the things you and your community should be doing yourselves.
Do them yourself.
And next time you say "we should do this,"
"we" better mean yourself,
and maybe the people you're going to recruit,
not anyone else.
Stop treating race and ethnicity like they matter.
Start treating people, every person, like they're the most valuable thing in the world, because they are.
Stop judging people. Honor them like they're better than you, especially if you don't feel like it.
If you're tempted to judge or hate, think about your own shortcomings for a couple minutes.
Stop judging situations. Start trying to sympathize with other peoples' point of view.
Stop treating people according to
who you think they are.
Start treating people according to
who you should be.
Stop saying other people's hatred justifies yours. Love unconditionally; others will eventually note your example.
Stop idealizing violence. Start idealizing kindness.
The National Health Crisis: Thank You for Your Contribution
Stop leaning on coping mechanisms and comfort vices. They keep you weak and foster self-loathing.
Get mentally, physically and spiritually stronger by actually facing difficulty.
Stop eating junk. Commit a month when you don't to eat any meal you didn't prepare. PB&J baby.
Stop getting drunk and high. Drink more water, go outdoors.
Stop stressing. It's not that big of a deal.
(Most of the things you're stressed about today won't matter in five years. But your health will.)
Citizenship: Take Ownership, Dammit.
Stop voting to give more money to the government. Start demanding they stop wasting what they already have.
Stop idealizing politicians. Demand their respect.
Stop trusting the government.
Demand that it trust you.
Shut Up and Just Lend a Hand Already
Stop criticizing those who believe in higher good, even if you don't. Find something good and true and share it.
Stop arguing about abortion. Start helping unwanted kids and unintentional mothers.
Stop arguing about
who to blame
for unemployment.
Try to help someone find a job.
Stop acting like people don't have a right to disagree with you, as horrible as you think that is.
Start respecting the freedom of thought you both share. You don't have to agree.
Stop treating homosexuals like they're less than human.
Affirm their human value regardless of your opinions of their lifestyle. Accept no other version of the truth.
Stop following religious leaders who think judgment or vengeance is our job and not God's.
Do your homework and don't be deceived by evil people who enjoy temporal power and influence.
Stop pushing your sexuality on people, whether you're straight or gay.
Have some dignity and apply the golden rule.
Stop being reasonably unkind. Be unreasonably kind.
Oh, and maybe stop arguing about the origin of mankind, too.
(Assuming you weren't there, anyway. If you witnessed it firsthand, please accept our apologies.)
Instead, start doing something about its direction.
Stop being angry.
Start making sense.
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Amazing. Simply amazing.