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On Ace-ing Coffee and Future History
May. 1st, 2003 11:52 am
Hey there, all...
I'm so proud of myself, I made the *perfect* pot of coffee this morning. :) It had just the right strength so that six packets of sugar or so didn't take the taste out of it, and man...it's just great. Yeah. :9 Coffee is one of those fine arts that are worth perfecting.
Today is the first day of May! Happy Beltaine! It's raining here in Arkansas, so in that way I guess it's very spring-like. :P It just might ruin my plans for mini-golf this afternoon, which'll be a tragedy. That was going to be the highlight of my day. Sad, I know.
Bernadette and I were talking about a discussion she saw on Charlie Rose last night. It brings up an interesting point, mainly about the inevitability of decline among world powers. There's going to be a point, maybe not soon, but eventually, where there's nowhere to go for the United States but down. It would be foolish to think otherwise.
One of the most disappointing things about our culture these days is our disbelief in the future. We don't do anything with the next 30 years in mind; almost everything around us is geared towards instant gratification, towards getting rewards now. We have this culture of convenience *at all costs* and it's really hurting us, I think.
Yes, the United States is the most powerful country in the world, for better and worse. Yes, most other countries look to us for world leadership, even if begrudgingly. But it's not always going to be so. How will people remember this society? What will they say about the United States as a world power one hundred years after someone else has taken its place? In what condition will the world be in because of what we've done now?
Our culture is marked by shortsightedness and arrogance. Yes, we have a lot of power, but there's also the responsibility that comes with that, of setting standards of compassion and ideals. We're nowhere near living up to that as a culture, I think.
We could be setting the precedent for alternative energy sources, but we're not because oil companies are making money *now*. We could be laying the groundwork for unprecedented international co-operation, but we're destroying our ties with countries because they don't agree with us *now*. I seriously think we just don't think through all the ramifications of our actions.
I say 'we' because each of us in the US has the responsibility as citizens to face the consequences of the decisions those in office make. We've forgotten that everyone we elect, from local sheriffs to national congressmen to the President, is there because we put them there, and it's their job to serve us, to be our voices and put our interests forward. We don't have to be Yesmen to the President just because he's President. He's there to serve us, not the other way around. If we feel that he's not performing the functions of his office correctly, it's our *duty* to question his decisions.
The apathy that some people display for their government, the unquestioning obedience others enact towards the administration and the media, and just...the lack of actual critical thought that has seemed to become the norm among the majority of the population is deeply disturbing. If Bush *does* turn America into an Orwellian society, if this *does* become Germany 1942 all over again, we have no one but ourselves to blame because we succumbed to it. Disclaimer: I'm not saying it's going to happen, I'm not even suggesting that it *is* happening, but a lot of the building blocks are in place.
If we're willing to just blindly follow what Fox News Channel (or CNN, CBS and NPR for that matter) tells us, then we don't deserve democracy. Whatever happens, happens.
I'm so proud of myself, I made the *perfect* pot of coffee this morning. :) It had just the right strength so that six packets of sugar or so didn't take the taste out of it, and man...it's just great. Yeah. :9 Coffee is one of those fine arts that are worth perfecting.
Today is the first day of May! Happy Beltaine! It's raining here in Arkansas, so in that way I guess it's very spring-like. :P It just might ruin my plans for mini-golf this afternoon, which'll be a tragedy. That was going to be the highlight of my day. Sad, I know.
Bernadette and I were talking about a discussion she saw on Charlie Rose last night. It brings up an interesting point, mainly about the inevitability of decline among world powers. There's going to be a point, maybe not soon, but eventually, where there's nowhere to go for the United States but down. It would be foolish to think otherwise.
One of the most disappointing things about our culture these days is our disbelief in the future. We don't do anything with the next 30 years in mind; almost everything around us is geared towards instant gratification, towards getting rewards now. We have this culture of convenience *at all costs* and it's really hurting us, I think.
Yes, the United States is the most powerful country in the world, for better and worse. Yes, most other countries look to us for world leadership, even if begrudgingly. But it's not always going to be so. How will people remember this society? What will they say about the United States as a world power one hundred years after someone else has taken its place? In what condition will the world be in because of what we've done now?
Our culture is marked by shortsightedness and arrogance. Yes, we have a lot of power, but there's also the responsibility that comes with that, of setting standards of compassion and ideals. We're nowhere near living up to that as a culture, I think.
We could be setting the precedent for alternative energy sources, but we're not because oil companies are making money *now*. We could be laying the groundwork for unprecedented international co-operation, but we're destroying our ties with countries because they don't agree with us *now*. I seriously think we just don't think through all the ramifications of our actions.
I say 'we' because each of us in the US has the responsibility as citizens to face the consequences of the decisions those in office make. We've forgotten that everyone we elect, from local sheriffs to national congressmen to the President, is there because we put them there, and it's their job to serve us, to be our voices and put our interests forward. We don't have to be Yesmen to the President just because he's President. He's there to serve us, not the other way around. If we feel that he's not performing the functions of his office correctly, it's our *duty* to question his decisions.
The apathy that some people display for their government, the unquestioning obedience others enact towards the administration and the media, and just...the lack of actual critical thought that has seemed to become the norm among the majority of the population is deeply disturbing. If Bush *does* turn America into an Orwellian society, if this *does* become Germany 1942 all over again, we have no one but ourselves to blame because we succumbed to it. Disclaimer: I'm not saying it's going to happen, I'm not even suggesting that it *is* happening, but a lot of the building blocks are in place.
If we're willing to just blindly follow what Fox News Channel (or CNN, CBS and NPR for that matter) tells us, then we don't deserve democracy. Whatever happens, happens.
