gwslack
In our modern tech-savvy world, we have so many choices or “flavors” as I like to call them. Everything we can think of comes in a variety of styles, colors, and textures, and if we don’t like the choices we are given, we can even personalize them. We see it in every aspect of our culture; especially here in the USA.
This ideal of instant and total gratification has invaded our politics, religion, and news so much that we now seemingly have a party, belief, or channel to suit everyone. At first, I thought it was wonderful new advancement that would allow us all to have exactly what we want. However lately I see that it is actually hurting our society more than I could have imagined. Burger King will give it to you your way, but is that such a good idea when everything else comes exactly how you want it?
I’m sure some of you are saying, “yes it is a great idea” and “why not have it all my way?” and maybe it is or maybe you should. My fear in all this is not having all the choices, but what will become of us when we can’t have it our way anymore. I mean we all have gotten a lot more double standards since the PC, Internet explosion, and having hundreds of TV channels.
We say we want a more secure border but also want cheap labor. We want less government yet we pass more laws. We also say we want our rights protected and secure but allow them to be bent and nearly broken so we can temporarily feel safe. If that is not enough we even say we want equal rights but only equal to certain people.
And what do we do when our government does not give us everything we ask for? Come next election we seek a candidate that will pander to our needs and of course we will find one; there’s always one that will want your vote. Remember that I said “vote”, he wants your vote not your needs. And when he gets your vote he or she will no longer feel as obligated to you. Are elected officials so foul a breed? No, but they are like the rest of us and must have it their own way. Sure, they will do your bidding enough to keep your semi-trust at least, but that’s where it will end. At least until they need your vote again of course, and then it will be ” I want what you want” and ” I have your best interests in mind”.
Of course, they have readymade excuses to hand out to you, when they fail to fulfill your needs. Like the ever popular “it was my predecessor’s fault” or my personal favorite; “the bleeding heart liberals or right wing conservatives blocked me”. I like to blame them all for any problems I have with our government, but the truth is it’s my fault. My fault for expecting things instead of making them happen, my fault for allowing my comfort to prevent my action, and my fault for wanting rights given to me.
The rights we have in this country were not given to us, they were fought for and earned. The Constitution even left us instructions on how to keep them, yet we somehow found them to be inconvenient or too much work. The Declaration of Independence also told us to get rid of bad government and start anew when the old one becomes oppressive or restrictive to society. Yet we call anyone that speaks against our leaders a traitor.
Lies and deceit have become the necessary evils we must endure from our government. We are told we cannot know some things for our own safety or national security, or that we cannot be trusted to vote responsibly enough to rely on a popular ballot alone. When all the while, they are allowing special interest groups, big business, media, and our banking institutions to manipulate policy.
Despite all this, we prefer our little bit of comfort to our freedoms. I believe this is not a government we can fix with elections; this government can only be fixed by its people first fixing themselves.
