The Irony of the Status Quo!

THE STATUS QUO

MANS OBSTACLE TO PROGRESS

MANS HOPE FOR THE FUTURE

 

Where are you great knight who would rescue the faltering empire from the oppressive dragons?  Appear great knight, so that by your presence, we may have some hope against the power of the destructors.  Unsheathe your sword, and lead the battle that would return our empire to its former greatness.  We need our hero—the dragons must be slain.

It is not the medieval monster, conjured by the ignorance of the masses, and propelled into the folk lore of European middle age history, that we fear.  Rather, our concern is an incentive killing force that runs rampant over modern day America generally referred to as the status quo, or more simply, the way things are.  The status quo is such a large and prevalent force that the most common defense is apathy and inaction.  An overwhelming sense of futility engulfs the people who desperately seek relief from the stifling uniformity, but lack the resolve to create change.   Meanwhile, the power brokers extract a tribute in the form of self-esteem, idealism, and individuality leaving the pillaged victims empty of spirit, desire and hopes for the future. 

The status quo becomes most powerful when it has been entrenched for an extended period of time.  It seems that time makes willing servants out of complacent people, thereby extending the power and influence of the status quo.  Having enlisted in the establishment, these recruits form an additional layer of support which further strengthens the power of the entrenched sameness.  It is this continuous cycle of indifference and compliance which becomes the lifeblood of this malady, and leads to the decline and ultimate destruction of a civilization if left unimpeded.

This strange sickness is not a modern day phenomena.  History records the dominance of the disease in every aspect of life throughout the ages.  Similar to the medieval dragon, the status quo is sometimes the product of naïve and confused minds, and subsequently becomes linked to conspiracy theories.  Unlike the mythical dragon, this conspiracy is real, and requires the radical actions of the creative individualist to restore a progressive balance.  The influence of the status quo is found in every aspect of our social and economic lives, and represents a massive challenge to every person spirited enough to defy the way things are.  Historically, the prevalence of an entrenched sameness is most prominent in our oldest and largest institutions.  As a result, our political system stands out as a prime example of the negative effects of the status quo.  

Politically, we are ruled by a very traditional two party system.  The two parties regularly attempt to differentiate their platforms and policies in such a manner as to make their goals unique, while simultaneously answering the needs of the constituents.  Both political parties have failed abysmally in their attempt at differentiation, and consequently, must resort to negative campaigning in order to promote their candidates and positions.  In fact, most voters would be hard pressed to identify specific platforms with specific parties.  Suffice it to say that either party’s position can be found in the latest public opinion poll.  Leadership and statesmanship have been replaced with charisma. Political distrust is the common denominator of the general public who regularly voice their skepticism by not voting.   Citizens register their disdain by regularly refusing tax increases to the ever growing bureaucracies who continue to deliver poor value to the public.  Politicians concede with lip sync, while manipulating budgets, trust funds, and verbiage to obtain the cash they claim they need. What would normally be called fraud and extortion is relegated to executive privilege, while the public is fed scapegoats to answer for the crimes.  Nowhere is there greater evidence of the negative effects of the status quo! The Democratic and Republican parties have, with impunity, defied the interests of the American people, choosing instead, to perpetuate their own ambitions.  Seeking only to placate, they feed a host of mediocre non-issues and selected candidates to the electorate, which in turn produces a controlled, but shallow and ineffective government.

Affirmation of shoddy leadership is abundant.  Our economy is in a shambles, as is evidenced by the loss of jobs, bank failures, the housing and mortgage debacle, Wall Street gyrations, an enormous National debt, foreign trade deficits, the declining standard of living, and the collapse of our industrial base.  Still, our government persists in telling us that we are in an era of prosperity.  The American people, bewildered by the contradictory signals, ride the undulating wave of indifference.  They appear content to accept the political gibberish, until their livelihoods become affected by the economic death throes of a Detroit, Pittsburgh, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, or any of other declining industrial centers of America.  Only Washington D.C. seemingly enjoys the prosperity it espouses.  Our leadership, unable to discern the reality of our continuing failures, is frozen in inaction.  Such is the negative impact of the status quo, which would deceive us with wishful thoughts of progress, while presiding over the decline of our country’s industry, resource, and people.  Americans, mesmerized by the wind song of the politicians, seem powerless to stop the fiasco.

 As sad as this scenario is, it is only an illustration of the regressive tendencies of the status quo.  Similar examples of the negative impact of this illness are abundant.  An issue that hits at Americas’ heart can be found in our large corporations, who for profit, would place our workers on furlough and desert its homeland in favor of foreign made products.  These corporations then have the audacity to import their foreign made wares into the United States for consumption. Today, corporate profitability is, too often, a metaphor for future poverty. 

And, what of the unions, who fostered and protected the interests of the working man, thereby creating the balance which made Americas’ working people the best paid in the world—only to preside over its decline amid a storm of abuse, fraud and misrepresentation.

The destructive capability of the status quo can be found in many organized religions, who have absconded with the charitable contributions of the faithful, leaving behind a caveat emptor and the hollow promise of salvation.

And, then there is our legal system, which in a rush to protect everybody from everything has filled the statute books with a profusion of laws.   These laws have the effect of filling our jails beyond capacity, while introducing us to an ironic type of anarchy which makes criminals out of decent citizens.

So, it is that the status quo displays its insatiable tendency to corrupt, erode and destroy any area of our lives where it is permitted to grow unchallenged.  Truly, the status quo is a dragon with many heads!

Contrary as this may sound, the status quo is simultaneously the hope and challenge of a new generation.  It seems heroes have a tendency to remain ordinary, until faced with extraordinary circumstance. It is in response to the seemingly impossible that the oblivious challenger seizes the opportunity to make a difference.  It is probable that this opportunist, soon to be hero, does not fathom the strength of the opposition.  If he did, he would, like his contemporaries, drown in a sea of indifference.  But, our hero is different in that he is largely ignorant of the immensity of his task. He remains confident, full of spirit, and highly ambitious.  Where others see defeat, ruination, and despair, our hero sees only challenge, opportunity, and a different way.  With his unrestrained passion, he will upset the status quo, and will begin a new era of the way things will be.  This, then, is the nature of the hero.  A great knight, who would oppose the entrenched forces of time, and who would, in victory, establish new hope for the world.

Is this not also the American Dream?  Do we not all have this opportunity to challenge the authority and domination of the status quo and in doing so reap the rewards of our efforts?  The American Dream and our hope for the future are surely alive and well.  A wealth of opportunity surrounds us in politics, government, business, union, law or any other endeavor where the proponents of the status quo have exercised their inefficient and tyrannical dominion.  From the humblest of occupations to the steps of the White House, the need for change is our hope for a better life.  The opportunity waits only for the defiant dragon slayer to take on the challenge.

A final word of caution before you begin your quest.  Today’s champion will become tomorrow’s oppressor, as the dragon slaying hero begins his inevitable metamorphosis into the oppressive dragon. Innovation and creativity gradually succumb to the perpetuating forces of the status quo, thereby becoming the target of some future hero.  Such is history—such is progress—such is man—AD INFINITUM—-

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Why is Nationalism a Dirty Word?

Nationalism or Globalism?

 

Slowly, in evolutionary fashion, changes are subtly occurring in our daily lives, which are moving us away from our traditional form of nationalistic government.  The direction of the movement is unquestionably clear to the few who are tracking the shift.  We are heading toward the unchartered area of world government.  Daily, we are bombarded with articles and news items which contrast the negative aspects of selfish nationalism with the positive sharing attitudes of the world community.  The strong feelings of patriotism once analogous with nationalism are relegated to conduct more becoming a reactionary group. Instead, we are being lead to believe that our national interests are best served by the nebulous concept of globalism.

  In lieu of the pride which we manifest in our unparalleled prosperity, we are made to feel guilty of consuming an unfair portion of the world’s resources. We are expected to make sacrifices which include lost jobs and industries to foreign industrialists, and the acceptance of a generally declining standard of living.  We are told that world markets will bring more goods at lower prices to more peoples of the world.  Our Christian heritage, which encourages brotherhood and the advancement of mankind, has played an unwary role in the decline of nationalism, and the subsequent advancement of the world government.  Our political leaders have a unique way of calling upon the deity for support, while simultaneously barring the mention of God in classroom prayer.  As we abandon our industrial base, there is a presumption that America will continue to be in a leadership capacity in the world community thorough something called the information economy.  Based on this premise, Americans would thereby be the leading citizens in a new world government and would benefit accordingly. 

Most Americans are confused with the contradictory messages that they are receiving.  We are being led down a path that few of us understand.  It is in this manner that the proponents of globalism direct our thinking.  The objective of the world economy does not appear to be detrimental.  Indeed, a universal economy that would provide an enhanced living for all the people of the world financed by the affluent, caring and sharing Christian American, sounds like a worthy objective.  Perhaps, it is time to move on to this so called higher level of civilization.  It was Albert Einstein who observed: “Nationalism is an infantile disease. It is the measles of mankind”.  However, as in all issues, a second look lends credibility to an opposing viewpoint.  Indeed, it man be necessary to tenaciously cling to our remaining nationalistic leanings, and to soundly defeat any further entreaties to world government. 

            To understand the movement towards globalism, it is necessary to recognize the proponents and primary beneficiaries, and their motivations.  The typical American does not appear to be a beneficiary of this movement.  To the contrary, American laborers, craftsmen, and small business appear to have taken the brunt of a radical economic transition.  Formidable industries such as steel, television, motion pictures, electronics, and textiles have been almost eradicated, while other industries such as automobile and computer manufacturing have been badly crippled. The loss of good jobs has been appalling.  Small business and the general population suffered further as a host of imported goods were substituted for American goods. It seems that we are intent on providing for our own destruction as the purchase of foreign made goods continues to erode our job base, deteriorate the wages of our workers and exhaust our nation’s wealth.  However, the promise of a lower level of prices due to increased competition on the world market is yet to be realized.  Some claim the Wal Marts of the world are delivering lower cost foreign goods, but do the cheaper goods offset the loss of incomes, pensions, and benefits that used to flow from American made goods?  The prices of big ticket items such as automobiles have not decreased.  In fact, prices of both domestic and foreign automobiles have continued to increase, while the wage base of the American worker continues to deteriorate. 

Obviously, there are winners who benefit from increased prices and lower wages.  The winners are the domestic and/or foreign manufacturers whose very size, and control over the marketplaces make them insensitive to competitive pressures.  None the less, the subterfuge continues as more jobs are lost to foreign manufacturers who continue to increase their prices, reduce their wages, and increase their profits.  The winners are the large American corporations whose international operations enable them to maximize profits by moving production into those countries whose economic conditions permit a low level of wages.  Subsequently, there is no consumer benefit as a higher paid American loses a job to a lesser paid foreign contemporary, who then produces a higher priced product. 

Under this analysis, the movement to globalism is a calculated fraud whose only purpose is to increase the profits of the giant corporations.  Unfortunately for both Americas and the world community, this example of the controlled marketplace is the rule and not the exception.  Large international corporations are certainly at the forefront in shaping the world economy.  Their ability to move jobs, build plants, infuse capital and to provide economic impact around the world is well known.  Additionally, many of the large corporations control newspapers, television stations, radio stations, magazine and other mass media systems which are used to shape and formulate the attitudes of Americans.  Another factor is the ability of these large corporations to influence government policy.  One need only to look at the statute books to view the special interest legislation which dictate favorable tax considerations, labor laws, tariff policy, industry regulations, etc., all of which were designed to protect the interests of big business.  The legal volumes are full of protective business legislation.  Occasional exposes of illegal corporate activity only hint at the depth of government influence that these corporations can exert when they open their secret cash slush funds. 

The motivating factors for the world economy include two primary considerations – the protection of our self interests and the advancement of our self interests.  Our government claims that the primary motivation for globalism is the protection of our interests, but this is not the case.  We are led to believe, and with good cause, that the world sees Americans as overindulgent consumers, who in providing for their own comforts have deprived many of the world’s citizens of the basic necessities of life.  American leaders, aware of this increasing resentment, supposedly are inclined to neutralize these hostile feelings with increased economic activity and the promise of economic parity in the future.  One can quickly discount this motivating factor on the basis of past developments.  Never in our history have we been concerned, or intimidated by the world’s reaction to our affluence.  Quite the contrary, we as a country, are inclined to capitalize on the weaknesses of other countries in order to promote our own self-interests. 

This brings us to the second motivating factor for the movement toward globalization, the advancement of self-interests. America grew and prospered on a continuous binge of imperialist diplomacy which permitted economic development on a geometric scale. If we didn’t seize land in a military war, then we grabbed the most valuable resources through financial manipulations.  In Darwinian fashion, America has proven the theory of the survival of the fittest.  The advancement of self-interest has been, and will continue to be, the primary motivating factor behind practically all human development.  In the capitalist system, self interest is synonymous with profits.  Herein lays the reason for the advancement of the world economy – the chance for still larger profits.

            Given the immensity of the world economy, it would appear that it would require a number of very large firms, working on a common plan, to capture the world markets.  Is there a conspiracy which is attempting to subjugate the world economy using the concept of globalism as a front?  A conspiracy would imply that there are a significant number of large corporations who could shape the world’s finances to suit their own ends.  Desirable as it might seem for the profit loving companies to completely control world markets, it is unlikely that such a conspiracy could exist.  There is a belief that such a conspiracy exists in the form of the Trilateral Commission and the Council for Foreign Relations whose members represent powerful interests in government and business, both foreign and domestic.  If such a conspiracy were possible, it would be at this level. I think that the immense self-interests at this level would explode so frequently and so violently as to prevent any long term conspiracy. Moreover, the impact of internal eruptions in such a conspiracy would probably result in public disclosure.  Even the Mafia, the criminal conspiracy, with their ever present threat of death to collaborators winds up in the news with regularity when internal eruptions take place.  So yes, the motivating factor for world government is self-interest and yes, corporations are involved on a mostly individual basis-for profit; and no, there is no conspiracy. No, there is not a conspiracy as we generally understand conspiracy, but there is a different kind of conspiracy called capitalism.

            Capitalism is an economic system under which the recognition of supply and demand in a free market is the primary criteria for development.  A successful business recognizes the needs of a market as is illustrated by the demand for a product, and will provide a supply of the product sufficient to optimize his price, and maximize his profit.  For centuries, this system has motivated ambitious entrepreneurs to produce an array of products and services which could be sold for a profit in a free market place.  Innovation and creativity has abounded as new entrants into the market place seek a new product, or a more efficient way to produce a product.  This process, repeated millions of times, has resulted in the America we have today.  At the heart of capitalism is self-interest.  The capitalist is motivated solely by profits.  The satisfaction of supply and demand is work, and the reward for this work is profit.  If the profit motive were removed, the aspiring individual would not be inclined to produce for the market.  Profits are the major real difference between capitalism and communism.  Capitalism works because profits provide the element of self-interest which causes an individual to produce above his basic survival needs. 

In fact, the profit system works so well that ambitious individuals will do anything to enhance their self-interests.  History records the antics of the 19^th century “robber barons”, who in their quest for profits, committed every imaginable criminal act from simple fraud to murder.  Wars have been waged in the name of patriotism, which were really fought for the economic interests of capitalism.  No, capitalism is not for the weak.  Rather, capitalism is the modern day equivalent of the gladiatorial ring, where combatants give no quarter, and only the strong survive.  And here is where we arrive at the problem with capitalism.  The survivors of the capitalistic battles have insulated themselves in a protective wrap called the corporation.  A corporation is recognized as a separate entity with the distinct advantage of living forever.  A victorious gladiator grown old is soon killed by a younger adversary.  A corporation, properly managed, never grows old and, in fact, can live forever, while continuing to strengthen its market position.  This strength is acquired, at first, through the innovating process.  Ultimately, the corporation grows unwieldy, and then looks to restraint to maintain its advantage.  Potential adversaries are kept out of the market through legislative actions designed to protect the incumbent, while handicapping the challenger.  This process, combined with the culling of weaker corporations, results in a few gigantic corporations.  These relatively few corporate survivors display an ability to control the marketplace, rather than to respond to the marketplace.  This simply means that profits can be made by withholding supply, rather than by supplying demand.  Here then, is the capitalistic conspiracy, which would, for profit, sell out its own motherland.  The large corporation has realized so much control over domestic markets that it is inclined to reach out to the world markets in order to maximize its profits.

            Americans have been primed for the move.  The loss of jobs, the guilt of over consumption, the image of unproductively, the supposed lack of quality, and the inability to fight back have provided the seeds for the demise of our nationalistic pride.  The path to world government has been well prepared by the American capitalists who think they can control the world.  But, our American capitalists should be wary, for they might just be beaten at their own game.

            It was approximately 60 years ago when Germany and Japan were brought to their knees at the conclusion of World War II.  Witness their revival under a capitalistic system which has made both Japan and Germany into world economic powers.  Witness further the current events where Russia and her former communist satellites seemingly cry out for democracy.  The economic progress of China threatens to change the economic balance of power in the world.  Make no mistake, these communists are crying out for a taste of capitalism.  This turn of events has converted over one half of the world into potential capitalistic competitors.  Keeping in mind the accomplishments of a banished Japan during the last half century, what might be expected from the competing countries of Russia, China and India who has embraced the concept of profits at any cost?  Will the American capitalists be fit for the challenge, or will America fall on the gladiatorial fields to a superior rival?  I fear that the American brand of capitalism has made her unfit for the fight.  Our tendency towards restraint of competition will not work with our new adversaries.  Our international corporations lack the political clout in Russia and China that they have relied on to build and protect their dynasties in the United States.  Furthermore, the barriers to entry in the United States have weakened the base of capitalists who will be on the front lines in the new economic battles.  Acknowledging then, that the capitalistic system has always been a fight for economic survival, I think it is imperative that we hedge our bets against a potential defeat.

            American corporations should once again employ the resources which permitted their birth, growth and development – namely the men and women of the United States.  We should in a spirit of unity provide the incentives to change our focus form globalism to nationalism.  As we prepare for the new economic battlefield, we must recognize that our economic adversaries may have the advantage of national resolve.  We must heed the words of Thomas Jefferson who warned “The merchant has no country”, and take the necessary actions to protect us from our own misguided corporations.  We must recognize these corporations as impersonal profit making monsters who have presided over the decline of American industry.  We must rebuild our system, and tear down the legislative barriers which have thwarted competition, and subsequently weakened us. We must limit the size and life of corporations so as to permanently end their negative competitive influence.  We must enact legislation which will return us to a true free enterprise economy. We should continue to embrace capitalism, but only if the benefactors are the American people. Finally, and most important, we must return a sense of pride, confidence, productivity and worth to the American people.  If we do not quickly rebuild our national resolve, we may well be casualties in our own economic game called capitalism.

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