A new social revolution

I live in a "red" state. I actually hold dear many of the principles that people from the "red" states used as their reasoning for voting for George W. Bush. But, I feel so strongly that these people from the "red" states are wrong, that I am considering moving to a "blue" state or out of the country completely.

In the 1960s, a social revolution took hold of this country and transformed it (or did it?) Black people got their civil rights, and could, at last start living as equal and free citizens of this country. And guess what, one of the leaders of that movement, Dr. Martin Luther King, was a preacher that also upheld these morals, or values that people from "red" states are talking about.

In addition, a segment of the population in the 1960s, succeeded in turning the tide against an unjust war that was killing hundreds of American children on a daily basis. I have often read about that period, that what appeared as a majority movement, was actually, anything but. However, everyone thought that there was "change in the air." We were conquering space, and vaccines were eliminating diseases like polio. Meanwhile, social change was happening, and people were prospering. There was indeed a spirit of renewal.

Since that time a two headed type of backlash has occurred. First, a lot of the people who actually participated in the most visible part of the "revolution", the youth movement, grew up, and either became part of the real world, died of drug overdoses or decided to raise a family -- there is something about that, that changes you. Additionally, changes in the world at large made many issues mute, or damped them down enough over the years that the social scene changed. Those world changes were the rise of terrorism in the world, a 30 year phenomenon now, the importance of oil in world affairs and the rise of the corporate giants, whether multinationals or conglomerates, along with its attendant rise in consumerism.

The "baby boomer" generation wanted a house, with 2.3 kids and 4.3 cars/SUVs in the driveway. Going up the corporate ladder was also the goal for many. In the 1980s, we witnessed the rise of yuppies (Young Urban Professionals) and their ascent into power. We also witnessed the creation of a power elite. I will talk about the power elite at a latter time. But for now, suffice it to say, that the boom times of the 1980s and 1990s would not have happened if these factors had not intervened. But it is also these same factors that helped create the political landscape of today, and nobody in the media is talking about that.

In my college years, I had an amazing history professor who taught me a lot of how the world functions, based on how history has shaped events. One of his principles was that the rise of a middle class in the west created the impetus for change across the western world, and brought about freedom and democracy, sometimes through blood (France and the United States come to mind during the 1780s), but also through gradual change (Great Britain and the transition from Empire to a monarchy). It is also this absence of a middle class that could have the opposite effect (the rise of communism in the 1900s).

In the 1960s therefore, in the United States, we began to see the transformation of the country. The question for me today is what the shape of that transformation was? Did the social revolution of the 1960s affect the middle class in a progressive fashion, or was it a stimulus for the adoption of values that the parents of the 45-60 million baby boomers held? Transformations can also have the reverse effect that they intend.

Why is it that "blue" states only exist on the east and west coast of this country? And why is it, that the people who leave those hubs of progressive thought (and move to "red" states) do so for these kind of reasons:
1) To improve their economic situation, and
2) To live in a more family friendly atmosphere?

In fact, when I graduated from college, I run away, as fast as I could from a big city. I wanted to live where there was less crime, less pollution, less of everything, and where I can live a slower pace of life. And yet, now, I miss the "bad" things (or more appropriately, I miss life in a "blue" state), more so because I miss the underlying forces. The forces of change. The forces of debate. The forces of revolution. Or, are there social, revolutionary forces in "blue" states?

There is definitely a social revolution going on in the heartland of America, and I don't like it. I don't feel part of it. It is a conservative movement that has no room for compromise, and no room for differing opinions. In addition, it is wholly, religious based, and smells like the beginnings of a "theocracy", that odd form of government, that many protestants fled from Europe in the 15th and 16th century, for America. The shoe is on the other foot now... and it's tight.

Some food for thought then as we greet the new "age of God" dawning on the United States of America.

More later.

John Kerry concedes

Well, it's official and all the websites are reporting it. John F. Kerry has lost.

I voted for John Kerry this year, as I voted for George W. Bush 4 years ago. Since, I live in a highly republican state my vote did not matter one bit four years ago and also this year.

4 years ago I believed that George Bush was a compassionate conservative. He has turned out to be anything, but. In fact, he is so far to the right, he does not represent me anymore. I belong to the middle, the vast, under-represented and silent majority. Some of us in this camp like to think and like to ponder issues. Some of us still believe in Democracy. Yesterday, those of us in the middle probably split enough to let Mr. Bush win.

In the next few weeks, I will discuss all my feelings on this subject, the division in this country, and the direction of history.

Congratulations to Mr. Bush and let's hope for a better 4 years. We shall see...

The election does matter...

I don't know who is going to win today's National Election in these United States of America, in the year 2004 (although I have my hopes on who that is), BUT everyone that can vote, should VOTE. This is the most important right and responsibility a person has in a Democracy. Ever since, democracy was invented in Ancient Greece, in a place called Athens, people have struggled to improve their lives. Representation has gotten better and better. In ancient Greece, if you were not a citizen, you could not vote (and forget about voting if you were a woman, slave, etc.). Even in the United States, years ago, if you were black, or a woman, or even under the age of 21, you could not vote.

Things HAVE changed. And things will continue to change, as long as people exercise their rights and take responsibility.

I have already voted today and I urge everyone who reads this to do the same. Whatever future you want is available to you, only if you make the effort to make it happen.

Long live Democracy.

VOTE!

"The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time"

(I forgot to POST: .... Sorry!)

Christopher Boone, the protagonist of the "Curious Incident" is a 15-year old autistic boy. Christopher knows all the countries of the world and their capitals. Christopher is also a whiz at math (he is what sometimes is called an idiot savant but more appropriately called an autistic savant.) Our protagonist has a hard time dealing with the real world sometimes, and in those times he starts screaming or curls up in a ball. Christopher tells us about all the ways he deals with the world around him. Like seeing everything when he looks at things around him. For most people, when we look around us we can focus on just a few things and ignore the rest... But, for Christopher, it is much harder, because when he looks, he sees everything.

This explanation, by author Mark Haddon is one of the many things I liked about this book. He has worked in the real world with Autistic Children and understands their behavior and where they come from. In fact, it impressed me to not only see his knowledge on the subject, but also the level of research on autism. There are some amazing things being learned on this subject, and this understanding is also increasing the understanding of the workings of the human brain. The last fictional depiction of autism I know about, was the film, the Boy Who Could Fly which is an excellent treatise in its own right.

Christopher tries to find out who killed Wellington, his neighbor's dog (a poodle) using a garden pitch fork. His investigation takes him to places he has never been to before, and these new experiences help the reader learn more about autism, and help Christopher deal with the world around him a little better. When he goes on his investigations, we go along with him. I spend most of the time, cheering Christopher to go forward with his quest.

Overall, this is a book that I can recommend without any reservations. It is not intended for children, as I had originally purchased it for my nephew who is only 9. However, I do think teenagers 15 and up will probably get something from this book. Ultimately, this is a book about the search for love, and how even those of us challenged in life can and should go on this quest, this search for love. It is love that holds the fabric of life together, and there is no room for hate in the world. And isn't that a message worth reading about?

A Book Review

From time to time, I will post some book reviews here on books that have caught my interest and I would like others to know about. There are a couple of economics books I just finished recently, but today I will start with a Novel. Eventually, I plan to have links for the books I like on the side of my blog. Anyway, I hope you enjoy. (Oh yeah, I used to do book reviews on Amazon.com, and I will always co-post there).