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eThoughts
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Holiday Thoughts, 2004
(For more Holiday thoughts, go to: Holiday Thoughts for 2003 and 2004 Holiday Thoughts Continued, or Holiday Thoughts for 2005 and 2005 Holiday Thoughts Continued, or Holiday Thoughts: 2006, and We Are and the Age of Clarity .)
Yet another Holiday season approaches, and another opportunity to engage in good will.
Good luck.
Yep, I’m a bit cynical. Not about me, I like good will and I think I actually promote it, cynicism and all. At least I feel I’m open enough to hear any good will that is really afoot.
Good will is a funny thing–it actually doesn’t require a brainiac to engage in it. One doesn’t have to have a degree or certification in it either. Or money, fame, power or influence. One doesn’t have to be highly evolved (whatever that is), or be famous or popular. One can just do it. Actually, we can just do it (no, I haven’t received a stipend for a commercial endorsement). And we can do it genuinely, not some fake smiley, insincere, once-a-year-well-wishing.
It’s probably too much. Can you imagine a world where people give up their quest to export ideas or else? One that gives up trying to control most everybody and everything around them? One that figures some of us are entitled to what others have, and we don’t want them to control us with their possessions, even if we try to control them with our guilt and our entitlement?
Oops, could that be about oil? Or is it just about ideas?
Not to digress, but I’m puzzled that a nation such as the United States, a nation that could miraculously put a human on the moon within a decade, has not dedicated itself to an energy source that does not rely on oil–especially oil that is in someone else’s backyard. Of course, it is my understanding that we still have children starving. And we don’t seem to have medical care for all.
No, I’m not a “bleeding-heart liberal.” I know that there is a cost involved and that cost must be shared. But that’s what we do when we build roads, when we fly on airplanes, when we sail on ships. Who among us can build a road or own a plane or a boat independently? Some, but not most.
For the most that I’m speaking about, and even for the rich, who would spend less on shared endeavors, why would we not be dedicated enough to breakthrough work like energy sources, food, and medicine for all?
I smell profit. But I’m a bit of a cynic as I said. Besides, I’ve nothing against profit, even if I’m a bit leery about the Scrooge McDuck syndrome.
And I don’t think that being independent is the fix-it-all answer. Even if we were not dependent on other countries for oil, we still live in the same world and we are still part of the same species, even if we are busy with our cognitive, philosophical, religious, political, economic, and military pepper spray.
Even if each of us had an independent energy source, enough food, water, and fresh air, even if we had medical care for all, we would still have lots of endeavors to keep us busy. Heck, there will always be some Pinky and The Brain trying to take over the world. That itself would keep us busy and all flush with noble enterprise.
Maybe we’re afraid. Maybe our primary industry is manufacturing reasons for our fear. After all, we’re a species of nincompoops and we need saving, right? Practicing “duck and cover” is a bit adrenal, but we need to be mighty springy to try and avoid all of that stealthy evil that can fly in undetected.
On the other hand, it has occurred to me that the phrase, “the idle mind is the devil’s workshop” was coined by the devil. The phrase sure doesn’t seem like a higher-order mental state.
Well, we don’t want to jump into anything too hastily. After all, what kind of a gift would it be if we all keeled over after waking up to world peace and harmony?
So, what about good will?
Let’s have it, not just for the Holidays, but in our cells. Those cells will learn, and they’ll like it. And that’ll help all of us a lot. And good will is not about liking everybody–it is about wishing everyone well, whether we like them or not. After all, just how bad could it be if all our friends and all our enemies felt good about themselves and others?
Happy Holidays to all of us. If we’re dubious, we can be careful and just put a toe in that water of cheer which will allow us to get out quick if we get to feeling a bit too happy and full of good will.
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