I just looked at the date of my last post and saw it was four months ago! I did not realize it has been that long. As I have mentioned here a few times after a pause like that - I don't not write due to a lack of inspiration or ideas, I don't write due to too much inspiration and too many ideas. I have four or five ideas for a post almost all the time. I cannot decide which to do, or I feel I have done a similar post in the past, or whatever reason - and I just don't do the post. Well, here I am again.
Speaking of doing similar posts, I decided this would not be about the pandemic or the vaccines (although I do still have a LOT of thoughts on that subject), I also decided not to do politics/political commentary, at least not directly. There are some that will consider this post political commentary - and maybe it is. On with the show...
I was looking through my Facebook feed just now and came across a couple of posts showing "the way we were" or nostalgia/nostalgic photos. At least on my feed, I get a lot of that. Does everyone? Not sure. But that got me to thinking about how we romanticize the past and tend to remember the good things over the bad, unless the bad are VERY bad or tragic.
This made me think of the criticisms that (warning - political speak coming...) "Make America Great Again" brought on. Now, I know that a lot of the criticisms were from the fact that it was a political campaign slogan. Automatically the other side had to take offense. In today's world, if one party takes on stance, the other has to take the opposite - in almost every case. As someone that has lived through many campaigns and election cycles I can tell you that some of that has always been the case. I can also tell you that the division between and opposition to anything that the other party takes a stand on has never been greater (in my lifetime anyway). What is really almost humorous in a way is that sometimes the parties switch positions. Party 1 will come out for something and Party 2 will be against it. Then a switch will occur in the power of each party and Party 2 will come out FOR what Party 1 was supporting and Party 1 will be against it.
I was/am a supporter of "Make America Great Again" as a statement and as a political position (OK, those of you that think this is a political commentary post may be correct). But, the detractors and critics of that statement made it to be a race or power thing. I don't see it that way. I do not know anyone personally that wants to go back to segregation (FYI, I am not naïve enough or blind enough to say these types of folks aren't out there, I am saying I do not know anyone that has expressed that to me personally) , or a return to some of the worst aspects of past life. To me, MAGA means: (in no particular order - just as they pop into my head)
a return to civility and a less judgmental era. You could have your views and I could have mine without us becoming mortal enemies.
a return to a time when laws were respected along with those that upheld and enforced them. Today, if even an elected official - sworn to "uphold the law" - does not agree with a law, they just do not enforce or obey it.
a return to a time when a minimum wage job was for a teenager's first job and was not expected to support anyone, or any family. I know that there are people that do not have the training to do anything else - but that is the problem. Making entry-level jobs pay enough to support a family is not the answer.
a return to a time when the government was not so authoritarian. (in the spirit of disclosure, I am a staunch libertarian at heart - I believe most of the Federal level of government along with most of the State level, should and could be done away with) Dependency on the government is a cancer on society.
a return to a time when the family was revered as THE way to live and to rear children. Today, at least 25% of children are raised in a single family household. In 1960 that was 9%. Worldwide today, that figure is 7%.
a return to a time when schools were to teach reading, writing, and arithmetic - not as social justice breeding grounds. The fact listed above is tied into this one, but I do not think schools and teachers have any authority to teach ideology or moralistic practices beyond what is needed to function in society and school. That should be the duty of the parents.
a return to a time when the trades were respected and in some cases aspired to by many. We still need plumbers, welders, machinists, and others that work with their hands. Going to a four-year college or more is idiotic for a large percentage of the population. To get a degree that does not add a job skill is even more idiotic.
I am not sure if it would be a return to, as I am not sure it ever truly existed in practice, but - a return to the golden rule - Do Unto Others as You Would Have Them Do Unto You" is a great overarching philosophy and would solve a lot of our immediate social issues if followed.
Were there bad things in society when the above were the norm? (if they ever truly were) Of course there were. There are bad things going on today and there will be bad things tomorrow. Evil exists. There is a right and a wrong in most circumstances. Sometimes what is right or good is harder to do. That means a certain percentage of people will choose the wrong or evil path.
I have published a statement along these lines - "Acceptance of what you do and/or who you are does not signal approval". I don't care if you wear leggings on your head (had trouble coming up with something absurd 😉) I can just ignore it - but, don't take that as me approving of your choice. Similarly, my disapproval does not signify hatred of you nor non-acceptance of your choice. Have at it, just don't try to make your choice the only one acceptable.
Be good to each other. More to come, I am sure.
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