My friend Nathan Richie sent this video to me today. It sure is smart. And it seems so damn logical. I highly recommend that you spend the six minutes to watch it.
But sadly, I don’t believe that this idea is possible. And the reason is because I have lost faith in the hearts of Americans. And of regular people ever overcoming big money in any capacity. Why? Because big money has become our master. I believe that men who desire power (politicians) have been brought up in a system so corrupt that they will fight to the death to defend it. Big money and the lure of control is too powerful to ever change in this country–a country where we base our core ideals not on doing what is right for our fellow man, but on how much money we can grab while we’re alive. Big money is the essence of extremist capitalism, after all.
No, until we have a sweeping reform of the priorities inside of our own hearts, households, and communities in America–we will be stuck in this never-ending madness of two-steps forward and two-steps back every election cycle where the men who desire power cut each other’s throats in television ads to seize it, and afterwards we the people either cheer for our side winning, or bitch about why we lost. All the while the men in power sit back and laugh.
The hardest work we can ever do in life is within ourselves. That’s why I hold out very little hope for widespread change in America. It’s too hard. It’s also too simple. So instead we convince ourselves that when we elect someone, that they’ll make our lives better. And if not, then we will get someone else in there who will. That kind of thinking puts accountability on someone else instead of ourselves. It’s easy to point fingers. The hard work, the work that has real meaning, is inside of our hearts. Take this from someone who had to face his demons to change his life. No voting I’ve ever done has had nearly the impact of the work I have to do every day to stay sane in this world. The truth is, we the people are lost.
You want change? It starts within you. I just don’t think most people want it.
Complacency is comfortable and convenient. Real change is hard. And until that change occurs, we’ll just keep spiraling out of control. I have lost my faith in the system, and our ability to see straight.
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Jim Mitchem
Nichole
Nov 8, 2014
Thanks for posting this. I need to learn more about this organization, but it’s making my candle of hope is flicker a tad more…
e brinkley
Nov 8, 2014
There are numerous issues that skew our right to choose elected officials, Super Pacs are one. On that, I agree with the sentiments of the film. The word that comes to my mind though, is apathy. First of all, the resent republican landslide was due to minimal voter turnout. The fact that about 15% of the voting public voted for the bums and 65% of all voters stayed home and did not vote, is the critical issue. Second, I don’t believe we have failed our young people, but they have failed us. The words soft, ignorant, and selfish come to mind. Give them a play station and a smart phone, and they could care less what happens. What will it take to ignite some enthusiasm for change? Can you tell I’m cynical?
Jim Mitchem
Nov 8, 2014
Thanks for the comment, Ed. But the problem isn’t the number of voters who which party mobilized better. And you’re right about the seemingly apathetic young voter demographic (I blame bad parenting on that, by the way. Even though most bad parenting is in itself a byproduct of the system where we have to chase as much money as necessary to survive. When both parents have to work, less parents are there parenting and we leave it to teachers who have to parent 30 kids at a time. Something falls through with that.) Rather, the problem is the system itself. The current system is unsustainable. The Harvard guy is right in terms of how to fix the system. But the people in power of the system control us in ways we can’t remotely begin to understand. How else can you explain how the hell the poorest states in America vote red? Republican conservativism is based on small government, bigger business, and trickle down economics. In other words, money and prosperity. And yet the poorest states continue to struggle economically … (“Socialism never took root in America because the poor see themselves not as an exploited proletariat but as temporarily embarrassed millionaires.” – Steinbeck.) No, the root of our evils is money. We cannot serve ourselves and money (Matthew 6:24). Until we get this right, we will continue to spiral down.
When we have billionaires at Walmart and employees who have to rely on government to subsidize their income simply to survive, the system is broken http://www.obsessedwithconformity.com/2132/why-im-not-voting/.
Addie K Martin
Nov 10, 2014
Thanks for expressing these sentiments. I really appreciate it. I find myself having similar thoughts but rarely express them out loud. I feel like I’m not alone in seeing the real problems this country is facing…. or choosing not to face. 🙁