The Random Comic Strip

The Random Comic Strip

Words to live by...

"How beautiful it is to do nothing, and to rest afterward."

[Spanish Proverb]

Ius luxuriae publice datum est

(The right to looseness has been officially given)

"Everyone carries a part of society on his shoulders," wrote Ludwig von Mises, "no one is relieved of his share of responsibility by others. And no one can find a safe way for himself if society is sweeping towards destruction. Therefore everyone, in his own interest, must thrust himself vigorously into the intellectual battle."

Apparently, the crossword puzzle that disappeared from the blog, came back.


Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Hope and Change

I try to avoid political rants on this blog. And I will continue to do so. But I am seriously thinking of starting another blog, under perhaps another persona, dedicated to the political arena. These are, as the Chinese curse goes, interesting times.

From Tea Parties to Town Hall protests, the country seems alive politically. Sure, it's divided but it has been for some time and the protests were mostly tepid. The mood of the country seems to be one of backlash and anger. As if the Sleeping Giant of the rank and file citizen has been awakened from a rather long hibernation.

Maybe it's because the Baby Boomer set is approaching retirement and perceiving it to be slipping away before their eyes? I retired early. Because I wanted to and because circumstances made it possible. I do not foresee Bad Times for me, personally, but I am no accomplished seer. I am also pragmatic and know that just one successful terror attack involving a dirty bomb or mass destruction will throw this country into a bigger tailspin than I have ever witnessed before. Much smaller things have interfered with other plans in my life.

You cannot protect yourself from that possibility... unless you are Warren Buffett or Bill Gates. Money has a way of easing all sorts of pain and discomfort. So I take a slightly different approach to the future. Que Sera Sera was a song in my youth. And it is a major part of my philosophy of life in general. As I cannot accurately predict the future, I choose to not worry about it either.



There is also the phrase from that song we all sang as children...

Row, row, row your boat,
gently down the stream.
Merrily, merrily, merrily,
life is but a dream
.

Also well defined by Edgar Allan Poe's poem... A Dream Within a Dream

Is all that we see or seem
But a dream within a dream?


Just enjoy the ride.

[1700/1701/1570]

3 comments:

Linda S. Socha said...

This is so more than just true. I loved the song you mention as a child. I love better managing to live the meaning
Love the post
Linda

Bagman and Butler said...

Sometimes I think all the demonstrations of anger are simply that -- demonstrations of anger. If there were nothing in the news that was controversial there would be demonstrations of anger at the media for not looking hard enough. Where does all that anger and rage come from? Maybe from unused aggression, frustrated by not having mastodons to kill with spears. Evolution has worked too well and we have to stretch to find things to scream and wave signs about. Although, I admit, that government does tend to be an easy target. It tries to please everybody -- for re-election purposes -- and pleases nobody. Demonstrations of anger really piss me off.

Douglas said...

Linda - Which song? :)

B&B - Let me sort this out... anger, uh, angers you?