Most Americans are far better off in
almost every regard than most of the world’s population. Still, there is plenty
of room in this big country for improvement, albeit the political path is
unclear, to say the least.
My view is that political discourse is
currently so partisan, so corrupt, and so poisonous that no light will come
from those channels in the foreseeable future. So what to do in the mean time?
I believe that if fundamental facts pertaining to the past and present were to be
presented in as unbiased a context as possible, without reference to parties,
politicos, legislation, current events, etc (and without spite, scorn, venom,
etc), then many people now at odds might
in time find considerable common ground.
The fundamental facts I have in mind
will surprise many, as they conflict with national myths which have prevailed
for a hundred, even two hundred years or more; myths shaped by establishment
perspectives and establishment histories, which ignore or seriously discount
the real experience of this great nation’s people.
The discrepancies between our myths and
realities are often quite surprising, and their consequences – political,
economic, and human - profound. Fortunately, antidotes (that is, truth) can be
found in two excellent books:
·
A People’s History
of the United States, 1492-Present, by Howard Zinn
·
The Price of
Inequality, by Nobel economist Joseph Stiglitz
For example, consider these facts:
Looking at children born to the bottom
20% rank, relatively …
68%
more Americans stay in the bottom rank than in Denmark
40%
more Americans stay in the bottom rank than in the UK (England)
75%
fewer Americans rise to the top 20% rank than in Denmark
50%
fewer Americans rise to the top 20% rank than in the UK (England)
Astonishing, isn’t it? So sacred our
myth of opportunity, yet stodgy England herself, still with a Queen, engenders
more upward mobility than her rebellious offshoot!
Now consider the national economic (not
to mention human) loss when so many are held back from their potential. And
don’t imagine this dynamic holds only for the bottom 20%; upward mobility in
America is constrained throughout all
ranks (except the highest, where there is no higher rank).
Finally, consider the myth’s impact on
political action: Instead of seriously addressing causes, those satisfied with
the status quo can simply coast on the backs of your children. More
fundamentally, who will even look for
causes if they believe we already offer
more opportunity than any other nation on earth?
I believe a national, sustained, ten-year
effort in benign, non-political “truthing” is necessary:
·
Just discover and
present the fundamental facts without mentioning parties, office-holders,
candidates, legislation, current events, etc.
·
Without spite,
scorn, venom, etc.
·
Seeking no
political advantage or “points.”
Nothing else is digestible! (If you don’t believe this, just try to count
the number of minds you have changed since the last election.)
And
let these two books guide you, at least at first. Then if you want to go
farther, more power to you.
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Frankly, I am sorry to confess I
have neither the energy or will to go much farther than these couple blog pages. I am
exhausted by politics, world affairs, etc, but exhausted especially by writing. And I believe it is futile. You, your
children, our children, the people will be devoured by the global elite. They
are singularly focused, organized, ruthless, and now corporations are people who can win even more profit by voting in the only curren$y that counts with
legislators.
But if you want to change the world, I hope you might find at least some
wisdom in the above.
And if this makes sense to you, I hope
you will share this brief blog with others.
“Saturn
Devouring His Son” by Spanish artist Francisco Goya, painted between 1819 and 1823. The Greek Titan Cronus (“Saturn”
in Rome), fearing that he would be overthrown by his children, ate each one
upon their birth.
(watch
for the period between Rowe and OriGraphics)
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