by

John Wright

Now and then, the world seems to be spinning out of control. Events and conditions, like warlords in Liberia and jobs disappearing from the USA to China, appear unreasonable to the point of causing me to ask, "Is there any workable way to straighten out this mess?" I think, "Surely we are smart enough and sufficiently well-intentioned in high places that our governments and our businesses will recognize their responsibility to us and to our wellbeing." Does anyone not have that view of the responsibilities of governments and businesses?

I’ll paraphrase for clarity… does anyone out there believe that it is okay for any government or business to exist in the USA or to do business within the USA that does not demonstrably work to the specific benefit of the citizen inhabitants of our country? No matter how I turn those thoughts around, they look the same. There is no reason for a citizen to tolerate the existence of any government or business that works against their fair pursuit of happiness. That means a level playing field and lots of inspired hard work leading, when earned, to considerable financial success and long term security, not hampered by shortsighted pursuit of profits by companies with governmental collusion.

In the USA, we presume to follow the rule of law and the concept of a democracy within a republic. That means, for example, that we vote to elect people to pass laws that everyone must obey for our general wellbeing. It then follows that the elected people are responsible to us to protect us and we are responsible to follow the laws. If either side defaults the game is off. Do you really understand what that means? It means it is your right to modify your government, as you find necessary to ensure citizen rights are honored by all.

One of the nightmares of our founders was the understanding that many idealistic attempts at good government preceded their efforts, and failed. My fear is that the "great experiment" of the USA has failed also, and in a way that does not allow for recovery back to the intent of our founders. We do not own our media or control our education quality or in any way truly select our political candidates, for most of us are too ignorant to even sense the need for change or the need to participate in political decisions. We are in deep shit. We are ignorant and kept so. We are falsely led to believe we do not have the right to force change.

Think about life earlier in our history, around the time of our revolution. Consider what would have happened if our pending patriots decided to take a poll about insurrection and destruction of British interests and East India Company goods. There is no way the eventual acts of the patriots would have been approved via a poll. Even then, long before mass media, the bulk of law-abiding residents would have voted against destruction and violence, i.e., against their best interests.

It is sad but true that all organizations that achieved power throughout world history eventually made laws or rules that precluded any real power in the hands of the populace. They did that because the general populace was not known for great "vision." That people at large are mostly ignorant, indeed stupid (which means constitutionally and permanently untrainable), is not arguable. It is simply and sadly true. Most people are so dull that they can’t keep two thoughts running concurrently. Such is not a good condition for sharing power, as the populace is so easily swayed that nothing of worth and substance could ever be maintained for very long, no matter how high the moral intent of those people.

These terrible truths have been the logical basis for all types of abuses of the commoners by powerful individuals and organizations throughout history. Religions have acknowledged these truths by passing the final responsibility "baton" to some deity or deities. Today is no different. Actually, it is different to the extent that the former middle class has been dumped into the commoner group as developing technologies have basically eliminated the need for semi-intelligent workers.

I typically bleed all over the place on behalf of the commoners, who, like my dog, are not responsible for their limitations and who mostly work hard to be successful. That the difference between my dog and me is almost trivial makes my point. Humanity … all of Humanity … is so close. Those subtle but critical differences in brainpower across all of us are 90% of the reason why we have vastly different "fates," yet the differences are so scant compared to what we have in common that there is no reasonable justification for cruelty. My dog agrees, and I take good care of him. In fact, I spoil him just to delight in his joy.

Thus, as is my characteristic, I come full circle and say once again, can we please harness genetic engineering to grow all of us? Yes, I do mean brainpower! How long will it take our powerful people to understand such a simple and beautiful idea … and to act on it to our universal benefit? But perhaps I am simply delirious.

I think about what it might take to show our ignorant what they are missing. Sure, all of us see material wealth around us. But how many of us grasp the meaning of the power of intellect? How many hundreds of millions of simple humans have died without ever having or understanding the slightest sense of the power of intellect? This, it seems, is the only real human tragedy, from whence all other tragedies arise. Must we continue with that insanity or can we force change?