With every gain a loss is taken. Imagine the codification of oral language into written language. Once written there was no longer the need for oral tradition: passing on communal knowledge through storytelling, chanting, song, and dancing with memorization, mentoring, and social cohesion through such intimacies. Then the printing press, then radio, TV, personal computers, PDAs, smart phones. They account for many gains in communication, efficiencies, shared knowledge, etc., but also foster progressive loss of intimate and connected social interactions. Then there is the ubiquity of experience–we know constantly significant and insignificant events worldwide instead of just our personal and community experiences. Life goes fleetingly by like a constant fantasy movie where we watch but don’t participate.

Every older generation thinks the world is going to Hell. Hopefully it is not a constant downhill spiral over the course of history! The “fruits” of the digital world are certainly under skeptical assault, particularly pertaining to social media amongst youth, digital media with disinformation and deep fakes, crypto hacking. cyberwarfare. And there seem to be few controls and accountability concomitant with the unfettered entrepreneurial expansion of these complex digital technologies. Of course, the greatest fears of the digital world center on artificial intelligence and the huge power of the oligarchal technology sector that generates the models relatively free from constraint, oversight and ethical practices. One of the big concerns is sustainability: the impact of these generational enterprises and data banks on the electrical grid and on the environment in terms of CO2 production. Other concerns are the bypassing of copyright laws for artists, musicians, authors, etc., by AI generation, and the built-in biases of the data collection process. And, again, there is the problem of lack of direct human conversation and connection as ongoing loss. Here’s a nice rundown from the Engineering Department at Virginia Tech..

I’m just an old guy with concerns and no solutions, but there are others with good ideas out there on how we might meet these challenges: See. At the personal level, how to approach our children and grandchildren compassionately, we need to connect as humans, intimately, authentically, and regularly. Read to one another. Converse. Argue. Listen. Play music. Dance. Put down our phones now and then. Even find quiet times in our own individual lives in the early morning hours, on walks where we see plants, sky, water, animals, and lovely rocks. We need to be closer to our lives and relationships and less obsessed with every stark, lurid, tragic, corrupt activity occurring worldwide minute-by-minute. It all starts with your heart. Nourish it. Be compassionate with yourself. Connect with the awe-inspiring content of mundane experience.

Hardly seems worth talking about the obvious, huh? I can remember in the early ’50’s in elementary school having nuclear bomb drills where we got under our desks; did the clueless adults really think that would help? Maybe it made them feel better that they were doing something, anything, to protect us little ones during annihilation.

Toby Ord in his book, The Precipice; Existential Risk and the Future of Humanity (Hachette Books, 2020), writes about the decreasing risk from strategic nuclear catastrophe in light of lowered stockpiles of such armaments and post-cold war arms agreements. He does exercise concern that US-Russia agreements may be unravelling (he is writing in 2002), and, of course, he was correct. He also saw risk in the context of Indian-Pakistan relationship. His perspective focuses on existential risk of the demise of all humanity, whether from destruction and radiation and/or a nuclear winter and mass starvation. As an aside, when I use the term “existential threat,” I am not referring to complete annihilation of life, but in disruptions (physical, economic, cultural, etc.) that result in significant loss of life, livelihood, environment, species loss, dystopian societies. My concern is less about the total catastrophe of strategic nuclear war (the worst case scenario) and more about tactical armament proliferation and acquisition by non-state actors.

We have recently seen new initiatives by DHS and the FBI to focus resources on getting brown people out of the country and going after lawyers, universities, press, anyone-who-disagrees-is-my enemy. Border control is not just about keeping illegal aliens out but protecting us from terrorist incursions across borders or by sea and air. We should be demanding of our legislators defend their constituents from such threats as opposed to redirecting resources to retribution and keeping America white.

Maintenance of allied relationships in intelligence gathering, democratic cohesion, mutual trust, policing, etc., are critical to the net of protection from nuclear threats, both strategic and tactical. In a period of seven months those relationships have been severely damaged all the while the playbooks of our key adversaries have been gifted a whole new game in their favor. This will only serve to increase the nuclear risk, globally and locally. Nuclear testing is resuming. A few actors rattle their nuclear swords to preserve their national sanctity (Russia, North Korea). Beware the combined power of nation and religion. Each nation prays to their God to deliver them victory (as do high school football coaches). Funny…isn’t there supposed to be one God?

So, where does compassion come into play? Well, you have to start at home, your own person. Can you start each day with an attitude of ease, peace, good will, forgiveness? Then wish that all beings be happy, free of oppression, at ease, free of ill-will. We can’t individually solve the world’s problems born of hate, anger, ill-will, greed, and ego-dominance. But we can at lease, and foremost, look inwardly and turn that outwordly in service any way we can according to our skills and callings. We can call out BS when we see and hear it. We can be informed. We can listen, we can refuse to tolerate ignorance, incessant lies (especially the Big Lie–the one that if told over and over seduces us into believing it); we can stay educated, investigate, not from a limited point of view reflecting confirmation bias, but from a curiosity to understand and a humility to be awed by the gifts of this life.

We tend to think of our times as unique as relate to threats, lack of reason as applied to domestic and international affairs, crazed opinions, end times, etc. That is only because we lack the perspective of history. “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it”– George Santayana in his The Life of Reason. Look only to the strifes of Asia as depicted in The Silk Roads by Peter Frankopan, The March of Folly by Barbara Tuchman, and The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon. There are numerous other examples. My favorite is The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today, Mark Twain. As to personalities (i.e., sociopaths) we can look to Caligula, the corrupt Popes of the 1100’s, Napoleon, Stalin, Mussolini, Hitler and his minions, and others we don’t recognize from our Western perspective: King Zhou of Shang, Qin Shi Huang, and King Yeonsangun of Joseon.

My point is that historically there have been repeated tyrannical epochs that rival our current circumstances. Civilizations and despots arise and fall of their own hubris and folly, leaving untold suffering of masses in their wakes.

I would like to spend some time on “corruption.” At first glance, it may not be clear that corruption is antigonal to power, selfishness and compassion. Imagine a triangle with compassion in the center surrounded on three sides by power, corruption and selfishness. Wow, what a geometric tension! Pythagoras would be enthralled. It is so odd that certain groups have perseverated about the “Deep State” and now we are immersed in a deeper state of corruption involving cryptocurrency, political favors (Jets, etc.), Russian banking support, Saudian deals with family sons, pardons for financial and drug criminals , Epstein entanglements and obfuscations, etc. So, what have these to do with compassion? It’s not a stone’s throw. The motivation to enrich one’s self at the expense of all others is the antithesis of compassion. All is impermanent. All passes. Why seek to maximize one’s personal desires at the expense of all others when one is going to die? Duh. We have a department head of Defense who is motivated by testosterone and anger; has he ever read the Art of War? Why are the ‘art of wrestling” and boxing the touch stones of masculinity today Why is it that compassion is not a masculine ideal? Ask Black Elk. We have corrupted the ideal of the compassionate male, at the same time of the compassionate female. How do we escape the corrupt political landscape? Look to yourself. This is not someone else’s problem.

I think it is harder to be compassionate than to be a tough guy. It is easy to oppress the less fortunate, to imprison someone who has no power, to abuse one’s sense of importance at the expense of another. Oppression is a gift of power and an affront to humanity. If your only reason to exist is to subjugate, enthrall and demean others, then you will find history as your enemy and domination as your downfall.

Here’s one way to approach this. Next time you are driving down the road, look out the window at the flotsam and jetsam beside the roadway. Debris that has taken flight out the back of pickups, diapers, cans, cigarette butts. Close to where I live near Hwy 16 in Charlotte, NC, it’s a disgrace and a blight. Where is ICE, doing something useful detaining trash? Ha!. Sorry. The trash is a minor problem compared with the attitude of the perpetrators…they don’t care. Teaching children to pick up their scattered clothes on the bedroom floor and the mess they made with their food; not helicopter, you-are-my-buddy parenting but compassionate parenting that teaches responsibility, accountability, personal discipline. These are just small examples of lack of respect for our own immediate environs, not just lack of awareness (though that is a part of it). Turn off the lights when not in use. Don’t gun your engine, wasting fuel, or blast your car speakers to impress people that don’t give a rat’s ass about you, polluting the soundscape. Trashing your mind with gratuitous violence in movies and video games. Eating food that poisons your microbiome, fuels diabetes and Alzheimers–trashing your own body. The examples are endless.

Here’s another way to approach this, looking macroscopically at the origination and sustenance of life, three critical things for our being: earth, water and air. But we all know this, right? Why talk about it? Seems like there are two camps, those that usurp those resources for their own gain and deny they are the cause of the many problems we face, and those that feel we are caretakers with great responsibilities to preserve and enhance our treasures. Then there are a lot of us that know we are screwing things up, see some mitigations but don’t know how to reverse damage (I drive a car, it’s a hybrid, but, still…I keep my house warm in winter and cool in summer; I produce a lot of trash, even with composting and recycling; I killed a huge copperhead in my back yard but my grand daughters are still afraid to go out and play).

We like to acquire things, people, positions, accolades, etc. It’s never enough; just ask our tech bro billionaires (“But, we provide jobs and give people what they want.” Yes, as long as the quarter’s returns look good. I once worked for a company whose 5-year strategic plan was 20 quarters). The excuses for being greedy and for getting angry are asymptotic.

OK, some examples. Industrial fishing effects on fish populations and ocean health; and what is being done. Large-scale poultry farming issues. Plastic pollution of ocean and PFA’s. Environmental toxins in groundwater, e.g., Parkinkson Disease risk. Waste management. Air pollution. Songbird die-off and biodiversity loss. Many of those articles also point to progress in finding solutions.

It’s not really a question of who is bad or not and how to identify and punish the evildoers! It is always more complicated. I have known ranchers and farmers that care more for the land and the animals than a lot of consumers. Bird hunters and fishermen help to preserve wetlands and fisheries. “How” is central to solutions, and many, even in industrialized businesses are seeking compassionate approaches. It may be more difficult and expensive, but we consumers have an obligation to identify producers who incorporate ethical, humane and compassionate practices. Know where your food comes from, where your trash goes (and how to reduce it), what companies/corporations are acting ethically, are socially responsible, and whose boards of directors evaluate fiscal and administrative performance with an eye beyond just last quarter’s profits. “No Money, No Mission” may be true, but also, “No Mission, No Money.”

As a species, we are greedy. Perhaps that is a survival tool. Even “lower” animals are greedy. Socrates said that our capacity for reason obligates us to rise above that. Spinoza said our reason and devotion to Nature should allow us to rise above the ruling emotions. But take care–we can be greedy for money, or knowledge, or virtue–endless greed. But also, boundless compassion to set it to one side, here and there, now and then. This precious world is in our hands, whether we accept it or not. It seems too many choices are available to us, and not choosing is also a choice. May we choose wisely rather than out of greed or anger.

Next post: A return to the historically cyclic rise of power, corruption, personality cult, dominance and oppression as a raison d’être.

First, additional issues from last Immigration post. I want to clear up some misconceptions. Immigrants do not commit more crime than the rest, crime rates have fallen in the face of increased immigration, and immigrant incarceration rates are lower than average. Second, only 8% of ICE-detained and incarceration (in “detention” centers) have a record of violent crime, and 73% have no prior convictions. Third, American citizens have been detained. Fourth, recruitment standards for our new national domestic standing army (ICE) are insufficient to ensure competent, well-trained, psychologically stable agents and interfere with local law enforcement in their community focus. A recent whistleblower account in the Washington Post (requires subscription) recounts the reduction of training. Local and state law enforcement agencies require psychological assessment of applicants; ICE does not. Any crazy SOB (capable of brutality and murder) may apply and be accepted! This is not an environment in which compassionate enforcement of immigration law can be enforced…not by a hastily expanded domestic militia of disrespectful, cammo-draped, masked, body-armored, heavily armed, authority-abusing thugs. If you would want to create a scenario conducive to inciting rage and violence as an excuse for martial law, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better one. I must add, though, that there are probably some sincere and dedicated ICE employees that are trying to do the right thing; they should be detaining only those illegals who have committed significant crimes (the vast minority). Here is another great summation of the Immigration issues.

On to the current post. Let me begin by walking you through a process to highlight our relationship to the earth in its entirety. Hang in there with me–there is method in my madness.

Who or what are you? Are you your hand, arm, leg, liver, brain, DNA, intestinal microbes, etc? This brings to mind Dalton Trumbo’s disturbing 1939 novel, Johnny Got His Gun, wherein the war victim protagonist is left with nothing but his mind. But what if you lose that? What then are you? Try this exercise: Imagine yourself eating a nice warm buttered piece of toast; In one moment’s bite there is also the farmer growing and harvesting the wheat, the miller, the transporter, the grocery store and employees, the sun and water to grow the wheat, the minerals and microbes/worms in the soil, the distant past of causes and conditions leading up to now. You are the Earth and the Earth is you, all of it, each and every moment. Everything is related and interdependent. This confers upon all of us a great responsibility to care for this life, this person, all persons, all living things and even the infrastructure of oceans, rivers, rocks, atmosphere…What are you? Far more than you can imagine. You “own” the universe every awesome moment, so where is there a need for grasping greed, for ill will, for only I, Me, Mine?

With that intro, I will address my thoughts on existential threat #3 in the next post.

First, housekeeping: If a word or phrase is underlined, that indicates a hyperlink; click on it for more information.

I am sure you all remember this: “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door! ” This is from the poem, “The New Colossus” by Emma Lazarus, and emblazoned on the Statue of Liberty pedestal. That sounds compassionate.

What does that mean, “compassionate”? There has been criticism of late of “empathy.” Empathy is actually feeling another’s pain; in some ways it can be disabling if constantly bombarded with so much suffering. Compassion is recognizing another’s pain and acting on trying to mitigate it. Lack of empathy and compassion are attributes of a sociopath (other attributes include: deceitfulness, manipulative behavior, impulsive or erratic actions, lack of remorse, aggression, violation of norms and superficial charm). I am sure we all know someone like that. If you feel that compassion and empathy are signs of weakness, you can stop reading and go back to watching macho BS and bullying anyone that threatens your fragile ego. Actually, I can empathize with you if that is the case…I have been guilty of such.

OK. Enough of that. Let me get to it.

Is there anything about our current “policy” of immigration that reeks of compassion? We detained citizens of Japanese ancestry in WWII at Manzanar and other camps, much to our shame as a nation. We have a history of attacking immigrants (Italians, Germans, Jews, Puerto Ricans, Polish, Syrian, Irish, etc.). Who among us is not descended from immigrants? Even Native Americans from across the Behring Straits! My ancestors came from Oberhuninen Switzerland, fleeing religious persecution. But I guess it’s OK to be descended from Indo-European/Aryan immigrants. And now we are putting folks from south of the border in “detention camps.” That is a euphemism for “prisons” run for considerable profit. And not just latinos (See Rumeysa Ozturk). We have done the same for Blacks in this country; I recommend How the Word is Passed by Clint Smith. But that’s a topic for another time.

What are the key issues surrounding immigration policy? Well, of course, it depends on who you ask. We can start with a look at the history of policies in the US. Read about it. I think it is a history of failure to do the right/compassionate thing, even though there have been numerous opportunities lost in this regard. The Jordan Commission in the ’90’s laid out a path; it was ignored. The IIRIAA of 1996 was passed but underfunded. Multiple amnesty policies were enacted but poorly administered. The Comprehensive Immigration Reform Acts of 2006 and 2007 never made it out of Congressional reconciliation. the 2013 bipartisan modernization Act passed in the Senate, but not the House. DAPA was rescinded and DACA has been held up in lawsuits for years. The majority of Americans voted for hard-line policies espoused by the Trump Administrations.

Both legal and illegal immigration are currently under assault. Even legal immigrants have been detained and deported. Visa programs for skilled health care workers are threatened. A recent article by Jon Gruber documents the effects of immigration on health care, particularly for the elderly. The loss of immigrant workers deals major blows to the agribusiness and commercial construction industries. Also, the deportations of immigrants does not benefit the non-immigrant workforce, as addressed in a recent Forbes article (requires subscription).

No one is winning under our current policies and many are suffering needlessly. There are solutions to the complex issues regarding both legal and illegal immigration. As a nation, we have not been willing to devote resources to these solutions out of anger, greed, lack of compassion, confirmation bias, and adverse economic conditions for many Americans who are seeking redress. And yet, we have and are spending millions of taxpayer dollars to fund an expansion of a national militia (ICE) and detention prisons when that money could go into administering a reasonable and compassionate immigration management program, as historically envisioned. We can blame Congress and Trump, but it is we Americans who have failed to embrace the benefits of appropriate and compassionate immigration practices as envisioned in our national values at the Statue of Liberty. The budget for ICE is $85 billion ($45 billion for detention, $35.8 billion for converting warehouses for detention, $30 billion for enforcement operations). The total immigration package exceeds $170 billion. We are creating a deportation-industrial complex, similar to the military-industrial complex we now have and about which Eisenhower warned us decades ago. Hiring additional immigration enforcement judges would be a fraction of this egregious cost. Other administrative and enforcement costs would also be minimal in comparison. And we would not have a nation at war with itself, for Pete’s sake!!

All things are related. Refer back to my blog on conceptual solutions for marginalized groups. Investment in a national recovery project as laid out would speak to many of the objections of the disenfranchised to immigration.

Controlled immigration is very important. Our workforce cannot meet the needs of the Country going forward with contracted population predictions. Healthcare, agribusiness, construction and other industries depend on immigrant labor. We are in an access crisis in rural America with regard to health care workers and doctors, especially as scare tactics are keeping skilled workers away. Immigration has always been a driver of economic progress in this country, for both indigenous and immigrant populations.

The compassionate approach would be to adequately fund immigration administration and appropriate enforcement and take care of one another regardless of race, place of origin, and ancestry. Value one another and find ways to reduce suffering rather than increase it. Seek fairness rather than retribution. I am not calling for open borders, but rather for proper protection of those borders in the context of being a receptive nation that values those less fortunate (both native and immigrant) and uses its extensive resources wisely rather than meanly!

Before I get into this morass, I need to address a couple of things left hanging from the last post. First. lest some feel my urge to address solutions at the personal level as being Pollyanna and Kumbaya-ish, let me suggest you try to find a posture conducive to stillness, bring your attention to your breathing, and come home to the here and now, allowing thoughts of past, future plans, anger, envy, getting ahead, judging, etc., just come and go. Just try it, for twenty minutes, Tough Guy; it will be one of the most difficult things you have tried. But, I digress… this is not a meditation course. Second, what can I offer as solutions other than taking personal responsibility for peace of mind? This is what Claude tells me (so I don’t take credit):

Systemic and Institutional Approaches

Addressing root causes: Much societal anger stems from legitimate grievances – economic insecurity, inequality, lack of opportunity, or feeling unheard. Tackling these underlying issues (affordable housing, healthcare access, education, economic mobility) can reduce justified frustration.

Reforming social media algorithms: Platforms could prioritize content that informs rather than enrages, reduce the viral spread of outrage content, and create friction before sharing inflammatory posts.

Creating dialogue spaces: Structured conversations where people with different views can engage respectfully – with trained facilitators, ground rules, and focus on understanding rather than winning – can break down polarization.

Restorative justice approaches: These focus on repairing harm and rebuilding relationships rather than purely punitive responses, which can perpetuate cycles of anger.

Local engagement opportunities: When people feel they have meaningful ways to contribute to their communities and see tangible results, it counters feelings of powerlessness that fuel anger.

Trusted messengers: Community leaders, faith leaders, and respected local figures can help de-escalate tensions more effectively than outside authorities.

Shared experiences: Activities that bring diverse groups together around common goals (community projects, sports, arts) build social cohesion.

Modeling constructive disagreement: Public figures, journalists, and influencers demonstrating how to disagree without dehumanizing opponents can shift cultural norms.

Reframing conflict: Moving from “winning” to “problem-solving” mindsets in public discourse.

Accountability without cancellation: Creating pathways for people to learn from mistakes rather than permanent ostracism, which often increases anger and resentment.

OK. Enough of that.

Immigration. Why the heck would I want to talk about this snake pit? Better minds have wrestled with this for decades. Again, my perspective is one of looking at compassion-driven issues. I do not have the answers. I am not a pundit. This is not a political polemic; it is a perspective. I want to present current information, then stimulate responses based on personal reflection on what will lead to treating one another with kindness!

I am sure you all remember this: “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door! ” This is from the poem, “The New Colossus” by Emma Lazarus, and emblazoned on the Statue of Liberty.

Ponder that until the next post…

It is self-evident that in this age, we, more often than not, treat each other less kindly. We all bear responsibility for this, not just the Executive Branch, though that is also quite evident. When did we start calling each other names as though we were in 4th grade (an insult to 4th graders?)?. We can blame it on social media, and in some respects that is appropriately assigned; after all, it is easier to slander, libel and otherwise insult someone digitally than face-to-face. The number of hate crimes have doubled since 2015. Cyberbullying has increased in concert with digital media use. We seem to be in a pandemic of anger. Parallel to this is the erosion of commitment to and trust of cultural norms of ethics/morals and institutions. This includes questioning and adulteration of Constitutional principles, lack of faith in government institutions (Executive, Legislative and Judicial), in scientific/medical/health expertise, in the value of education. I think that the root problem is the latter, and that there has developed a dumbing of America (See Susan Jacoby’s book The Age of American Unreason ). How many children are read to by their parents? Why are books and learning secondary to proficiency at sports? Why is higher education only looked upon as failing to result in higher incomes instead of a vehicle to widen one’s life experiences, enhance humanistic knowledge and critical thinking skills, broaden our appreciation of arts and diverse cultural understanding? Why is the label “being woke” a buzzword for not caring about others? Why are we always looking for reasons to be ticked off? The loss of civil knowledge is well documented.

We are a lonely society with loss of 1) a sense of community, 2) a willingness to engage in dialogue without rancor, 3) an understanding of the power of conversation , respect and compromise to bring us together. David Brooks, on his editorial on retiring from the NY Times, spells out much of this from his traditionalist perspective. Thich Nhat Hanh expresses in a Buddhist perspective of “sangha” (community) as essential to a practice of extending compassion.

So, what do we do? How can we just “be” in a state of awareness of our connectedness and heal our anger and ignorance? Wow, a bit too big a bite for this old guy. How do we rebuild a sense of community, of confidence in our institutions, a belief in acquisition of knowledge, and a wonder for all that we can’t understand conceptually? Well, it starts with each of us, recognizing that peace of mind begins in our own minds, our hearts. We must reignite the awe and compassion that our respective spiritual/humanistic traditions have presented to us from wisdom ancestors. We cannot rebuild communities before restoring our sense of kindness and wonder.

When I talk about “community at scale” I mean our larger national and worldwide community beyond our neighborhood and tribe. In my next blog I want to take on a difficult issue that relates powerfully to our social disintegration and anger: immigration. Stay tuned.

To preface my remarks, my “solutions” are conceptual, not vetted in detail. They are starting points requiring chewing, debating, investigating operational approaches.

Develop a domestic Marshall Plan.

From a macroeconomic perspective the economy may be performing well. But the overall picture glosses over the details of individual sectors and communities that have experienced economic collapse due to foreign competition or the march of technology. I encourage you to follow Paul Krugman‘s blog in this regard. We have supported, via tax credits, incentives and subsidies, numerous sectors and industries over the years under the influence of powerful lobbies and monied political interests. Perhaps some of this has been justified. Some complain about the socialization of the government for the benefit of the underprivileged (welfare families–Google “welfare families” for an AI overview) with accusations of fraud (most fraud is with Medicare and it is providers, not recipients, that are the major offenders; Google “welfare fraud prevalence” for AI review), yet are oblivious to the largesse meted out to well-heeled and protected industries, e.g,, fossil fuel and industrial/large scale farming.

We support our families, our communities, our “tribes.” We are exhorted to be charitable, to help those less fortunate. During disasters–fires, floods, hurricanes–we pitch in to provide assistance. It is interesting that the poorer families give more in proportion to their income than wealthy families; perhaps that is related to their compassion driven by common suffering. Why is it, that as a nation, we seem to lose sight of our mutual obligations in defense of our own personal well being? If our society can afford to support, why is there such resistance to uplifting the less fortunate through similar inventive means? “No more taxes” is the usual cry. Over 250 years ago it was “No taxation without representation,” referring to the imposition of the Stamp Act and other taxing mechanisms by British Parliament without consideration of the Colonies’ input. For some, all taxes are bad; get real. Not only do taxes support the structures of governance, security, infratructure, etc., but also allow us to share our fortunes for the benefit of others. (“Mankind is my business,” “Do unto others,” “Give in secret”). Many, however, feel that even in this democracy, they are taxed without representation, thanks to the complexity of the tax code, the many exceptions granted to others, and the absence in Congress in their role as fiduciary representatives of all of their constituents under Article 1 of the Constitution. With that aside, I continue…

How do we act compassionately for the economically distressed populations? How do we provide them opportunities to reverse the downhill slide and widening gap in incomes and services (e.g., health access). We are the richest nation on earth and in history, yet we can’t or don’t want to figure out large-scale interventions? The idea of “a rising tide lifts all boats” is a nice adage if you ignore the ones on the rocks. In a sense, modern capitalism has done a remarkable job at historically reducing worldwide poverty; all the more reason to use its benefits to attend to marginalized groups. What are some of these groups? How about young people in inner cities with no jobs except the drug trade? How about West Virginia coal miners? Rural southern family farmers? Rust belt workers? Native Americans? North Carolina textile and furniture workers? Shame on them for not picking themselves up from their bootstraps, like the upper 0.01% have done. We must have a drastic and comprehensive program of opportunity creation, education, training, and long-term sustenance. We did it for Europe and Japan after WWII; why can’t we do it for ourselves?

I certainly do not have the brain power and expertise to offer a full-fledged solution. I can conceptualize in a broad context that I hope will resonate with some of you and encourage a wider dialogue and exploration of perhaps a market basket of viable approaches. There are some models out there: The Marshall Plan, Job Corps/Peace Corps, WPA, CCC. But this isn’t about giving someone money to dig a hole and fill it. Here are some elements to flesh out the concept:

1. Gather workable information. You can’t go into West Virginia and say, “This is what we are going to do for you.” First identify the communities in need; this is not hard, the data is there. Have a process of engagement to enlist them in telling their stories and asking what their economic environment might require to bring them forward (interviews, focus groups, town halls, etc). What do they have to offer the larger marketplace based on their history, skills, geography? What would they see as desirable occupations to move into, to train/educate for? What philanthropists and businesses would be willing to invest in a given community given appropriate incentives, short and long-term; how could communities match with existing businesses to add innovation and character to marketable offerings (kind of like matching medical students with residencies!).
2. Develop a nationwide structure for establishing and operationalizing the process. It should be given a legislative (and national cultural commitment) establishment similar to the Federal Reserve, not beholden to either the Executive or Congressional interference as long as it meets the defined mission (similar to the Carver Model of Governance).
3. It must be fiscally feasible. With the current national debt and tax structure, it cannot be funded by fiat money. Broader disruptive changes need to be made. There should be a minimum tax that all individuals and corporations pay; no one should pay zero tax. Most of us pay more than we think is our share; many pay nothing. This is not to say there should be no exemptions for personal or business losses, or no form of subsidization; let’s be fair, as Warren Buffett has simply and eloquently exposited. We can offer incentives to private industry to commit to the project, just as we have with fossil fuel and agribusiness, but to benefit the “small guy.”
4. As JFK so ethically stated, “Ask not what your country can do for you but for what you can do for your country.” The Vietnam war and the draft left a lingering powerful distaste for mandatory national service; I know, I was drafted and served in a combat infantry reconnaissance unit there. But the concept of national service needs a revival. One benefit I recall from my service was that there were thousands of young men from predominantly rural backgrounds (they were preferentially drafted prior to 1968 and then the lottery), that were given opportunities and training in the military that turned their lives around (if they survived). One of my sergeants was a “Tennessee Ridge Runner” (his description) with no skills or even respect back home. He ascended to 1st Sergeant partly due to his phenomenal sense of direction and presence–didn’t need a compass. In the military he got discipline, respect, training and advancement. Tragically he was killed shortly after “re-upping” to a higher rank–a victim of an ill-conceived conflict. But I digress from my point that young folks who are awash in today’s society could benefit from a period of national service providing discipline, training and inculcating a civic sense of responsibility. So, as a part of the new “Marshall Plan,” I would recommend mandatory 1-year of national service of whatever type appropriate to the individual. As part of that service there would be mandatory class in civics, at the end of which the student should be able to pass the same test required of immigrants. The service itself should be integrated into the overall plan to facilitate the individual entering the workforce appropriate to their community or chosen locale. The service would not have to be military; inner city, hospital, rural agriculture, elder care, foreign service, etc. This would provide productive activities for a number of youths trapped in the inner city miasma. It would provide an opportunity for high school or college graduates with a dose of reality and inculcate a sense of accountability for their society. I know this is a very hard sell. But when do we make some tough decisions to bring our children and grandchildren into a world of compassion beyond the digital device?
5. This is an opportunity for us old farts, we very fortunate folks, to develop a future that speaks of inclusion, not division.; that demands compassion, not selfish insatiable greed. I may not have this right, but maybe some of you can come up with some better ideas that move us in a more inclusive, caring direction that can be operational beyond just wished for, that can inspire all of us to do better than we are doing now!

What’s an old fart doing writing a blog. Who cares? I just have a few things to get off my chest and howl into the digital wilderness. Biases and qualifications first, then principles.

My world view is one of inclusiveness and is epistemologically rooted in experiential and verifiable causes and effect. We are all, living and dead, animate and inanimate, intimately interconnected. I am a compassionate realist (I love you but don’t screw with me). I suffer no fools, including myself. I am allergic to spin. I would like to have a conversation about solutions, not problem creation. Can my life experiences be of any assistance…what can I pay forward?

We are in a tough place. Here are the main existential problems as I see them.

1. The unsustainable growth of marginalized groups in an environment of severe widening separation of resource availability.
2. A loss of institutional and cultural supports to facilitate community at scale with the continuing rise of anger and ill-will toward others. (los of civil knowledge and civility in general).
3. Human abandonment of respect for the sustenance of our World in favor of greed/aquisition.
4. A return to the historical cyclic rise of power, corruption, personality cult, dominance and oppression as a raison d’être.
5. The continued threat of nuclear proliferation.
6. Unfettered digital generation creation.

I guess that’s enough, and scary enough, for now. My next post will relate to potential solutions for item 1.

The principles of the blog are: Be as honest as possible, be compassionate, call out voices of divisional spinning.

I hope you will share in a conversation of solution generation, without rancor, with respect for your fellow beings (even those who vehemently disagree and disparage), If no readership develops, I will rant unabated on my own, as one would expect from an inconsequential old fool. And I will laugh in the face of absurdity, Ha!