Mostly because I just finished reading this great book:
And it made me wish that I could live back in a time when people had no choice but to work hard--mind bogglingly hard--just to eat. I finished it while watching the results come in for the election and it made me even sadder.
Not because I really like this guy and wanted him to win.
I actually don't like John McCain much at all. If I had to choose one of these guys to hang out with, I'd probably pick this one:
No. What made me sad was the political commentator who said that our country used to cheer when Ronald Reagan told them that bigger government was not the answer. They used to cheer when one such president said,"Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country." (A democrat, by the way.) This political commentator said that now--today--we are desperate for government to step in and take over and fix all of our problems, no matter what the cost.
Why this bothers me? What this sounds like to me is: Please, Mr. President! Fix my life! I've been too greedy for things, overextended my credit, and now I just can't break the habit. What I want is to be able to continue to live the way I am currently living, accumulating more things I can't afford, spend that even BIGGER tax refund on a new flat-screen TV, but I WILL NOT pay for health care. That's YOUR job! Plus, I would really like it if you would not require me to work for any of those benefits. That would be great, thanks!
I mourned the loss of honest work ethic and accountability as I read the pages of Hannah Coulter. I mourned with the father who had labored all of his life to provide food for his family, and then he watched as his son grew indifferent. I mourned with him when he said, "All I want is to see that kid do one day's work because he WANTS to and not because he has to." I mourned for a lost way of life, a way of life illustrated in this book, describing how the community of neighboring farmers formed a "membership" together. "The work was freely given in exchange for work freely given. There was no bookkeeping, no accounting, no settling up. What you owed was considered paid when you had done what needed doing. Every account was paid in full by the understanding that when we were needed we would go, and when we had need the others, or enough of them, would come."
What I really would like Barrack Obama to do while president (which, by the way, I don't think any of our most recent presidents have done, nor do I think John McCain was gearing up to do either) is to inspire the people of this country to take personal accountability for their lives. To inspire them to change the way they spend. To stop creating new government programs that give people MORE incentive to work LESS, and instead to motivate everyone to do their fair share and to take pride in it. To find happiness in pulling one's weight in society. THAT is what will make this country bounce back and become successful again. THAT would make me happy! And if that is his plan, then CONGRATULATIONS, Mr. President! I wholeheartedly support you!
(Okay, I know no one is really going to read this and care, but it felt good to get this off my chest, so now I can go on with my laundry and my carpooling without feeling so pent up. Ahhh, much better.)
Have a good day, everyone!
8 comments:
Wow...put a damper on my day. j/k
Jenn--I read this and I feel the same. In fact, I am teaching "The Story of Stuff" (storyofstuff.com) and Maxed Out to my students in relation to the fall of the Roman Empire. You know, people look back at history and just believe that we are so much smarter in today's world, but the fact is simple, people remain the same. The same greed and consumerism and laziness that led to the fall of Rome is leading to America's great fall to. April and I were talking about what we could do...ulitmately, it's a sign of the times, but also, shouldn't we do as much as we can to keep things signs at bay?
Yes, people have gotten lazy and no one man can fix this. He will be the scapegoat, just as Bush has been, for everything that goes wrong. If only the young women values were taught and carried on throughout the world!
Faith
Divine Nature
Individual Worth
Choice and Accountability
Good Works
Integrity
(am I missing any? It's been a while)
Those values mean more to me now as an adult then I really ever understood as a young woman.
Wow, this post almost makes me sound like an active mormon, doesn't it? :)
You should run for president. I'd vote for you!
Totally 100% agree with you. I can't wait to see what Obama does with more taxes, bigger government, and free health care for all who won't go to work. People so need to be more accountable for themselves. Is it really the governments fault that people bought houses they couldn't afford and now can't pay their loans...seriously. It's called spending within your means...Thanks for letting me vent Jen. I don't seem to have the courage to do it on my own blog yet :)
Very true. I thought you articulated yourself well and enjoyed reading it. Was this book good?
Oh and I agree with you completly
I read this... and I definitely cared about what you had to say. I feel the same way. I think this president overwhelmingly won, not because of the war or the economy, but because they have no idea what they are capable of without the help of the government. Certainly we need roads and schools and protection from our enemies. But we don't need to feel that we can not do the necessary work ourselves.
You commented on my blog that you didn't think you had it in you to homeschool. I wake up every day thinking that. And then we get through another great day! I am no better equipped than any other mom. I just want a different perspective on life from my kids. I want them to have a strong work ethic and to have a heart for family and a love for Jesus. I know that the best way to do that is to be the one who teaches them... like back in the simple days.
Maybe this will be the season that our hearts begin to desire the simple life. And maybe this will be the season that the people of this country decide to give and not take.
I pray it is...
Amen, Sista! It's sad what greed and materialism have done to our society-- all over the world, not just in the United States.
I need to add this book to my list of stuff to read-- read the book I talked about on my blog. It'll make you happy.
I'm taking the election as a signal for desire to change. I think Obama wants us to think along the lines you wrote about in this entry. I hope his party lets him do what he plans. One thing I do know: my university students are more excited about this election than I've ever seen before, and many of them are so, so hopeful that things will get better. I am, too.
i came to your blog from julianne's. i think we might have crossed paths in lancaster, but i'm not sure.
i just wanted to let you know how much i appreciated what you wrote. you captured what has been on my heart lately and articulated it beautifully! i really hope that more people wake up and see the same things.
another great book you might like is "These is My Words" by Nancy Turner. it really makes you think about our "hard lives," and wonder what we would have been like if we lived in the time of the book.
sorry for blabbing on and on...you inspired me to break my lurking silence. :0)
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