Joel Anderson

7 years ago · 3 min. reading time · ~100 ·

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In a previous life I was a lumberjack, and I was OK.

In a previous life I was a lumberjack, and I was OK.

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woodchuck physics

“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.”

attributed to Abraham Lincoln

Maybe it isn’t as simple as woodchuck physics?

This is not a statement of support or non-support for one party, one candidate, one ideology, or one platform as genuine, misguided or disingenuous as any of the associated banter for each may be. It is merely a statement on accountability for us all.

In or out of context Hillary Clinton on her enemies: "Well, in addition to the NRA, the health insurance companies, the drug companies, the Iranians; probably the Republicans."

And now a deeper insight into the problem makers by Pelosi

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/nancy-pelosi-says-white-men-dont-like-clinton-because-of-guns-because-of-gays-and-because-of-god/ar-BBuX78o?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=SL5ADHP

And yes, there are all the "Trump-isms."  Trump on Muslims.  Trump on Mexicans.  Trump on Immigration.  Trump on Women.  Trump on……

There are others who hide behind superficiality while sowing the seeds of racial division, dissent and violence. Others who make excuses for extremism. Others who poo poo climate and population issues. Others who tout watershed events like the North Korean and Iranian nuclear agreements. And there are others who just find it too easy to turn their back on civility, humility and kindness.

And yes, time marches on and the implications are relegated to the realm of trivia and irrelevant memes. So I guess in a world where rhetoric and divisive demagoguery rings supreme, where truth doesn’t matter, where hypocrisy runs amuck, where trust is irrelevant, and where sensationalism is the norm of the day--we can rest easy.

Please, please, please--Let’s not use our intellect to really understand the issues and challenges before us. Let’s not try to grapple with the real issues. Let’s just perpetuate the anger, the mindless bantering back and forth, and the caustic rhetoric that serves no one any good. Let’s perpetuate centuries of derision that is consuming every nook and cranny of our globe. Let’s just keep finger pointing, affixing blame and underscoring the negatives while minimizing and trivializing all that is good about humanity.

Let’s not hold folks accountable because we can just brush reality and accountability under the rug. Let’s just continue to point the caustic finger of blame and innuendo to convolute the landscape of discourse. Let’s just passively sit back and let all the politicians and media herd us simpletons into oblivion.

I would love to say that this is just a manifestation of all the brilliance hovering around the US political season, but I fear it is much more pervasive and global than the agenda of the DNC or RNC, conservatives or liberals, illiterate rednecks or highly polished intellectuals. Yes, the currency of the political season gives a global audience fuel to chime in and dog pile on the latest blog, the latest post or the latest news story of the day.  But I would venture to say, with news around the world, there is more to the story.  Maybe it is our collective fixation on symptoms.  Maybe it is the ease that we find in just superficially taking responsibility for our walk through life and not the hard work of rolling up our sleeves and truly getting to a variety of illnesses that need something other than placebo.

Might we choose a different path? Might we chose to let the things of the past be in the past and focus on making the world a better place for us all now, for our children’s future and for their children yet to come? Might we just for one moment--one day, try to be better? Might “it” be true that “it” is within our power to seize the moment, seize the day and take the steps that will make tomorrow a better day?

Why?  Because we are walking a tightrope.  As such, and before I end, I will take a detour and offer you the sage words of Stevie Ray Vaughan.  As you listen tell me what is looking back in front of you, in the mirror's grin?

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GX5ioDq1m5I  

Maybe just maybe at our core; and at the essence of our being--we might just be able to understand and believe in the real and potential value and goodness of human beings? Might we be able to seek the steady ground and emphasize commonness of human needs? Might we be able to collectively seek and find rational ways of solving human problems?

Might “it” be possible for us to hold ourselves accountable and harvest the feeddstock for a better tomorrow?

Might “it” be?

 

For other works by Joel Anderson: https://www.bebee.com/@joel-anderson

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this post are solely those of the author


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Comments

Joel Anderson

7 years ago #8

#8
Thank you and thank you for sharing the lyrics. I think of his song often as I gaze at the mirror to truly see who is: "Lookin' back in front of me, in the mirror's grin" As I responded below, moonshots are never easy but I for one will continue to do what i can to "nurture and harvest the feedstock for a better tomorrow." Wishing you all the best on your journey. Dare to do the difficult and make a difference; one person--one step at a time.

Joel Anderson

7 years ago #7

#6
Thanks Kevin Pashuk

Kevin Pashuk

7 years ago #6

Interesting perspective from south of the 49th Joel Anderson. Thanks for sharing.

Joel Anderson

7 years ago #5

#1
Randy Keho color me naïve but I prefer to be an optimist about our future despite all the demagoguery running amuck out there. Moonshots are never easy but I for one refuse to allow anyone, anything to change my perspective on the good within us all. Yes, bad things happen every day. But examples abound all around us of the positives within human nature and our fellow beings near and far. They just get dismissed all too quickly and in a world of agenda. Since you mentioned JFK, one might look at "Profiles in Courage," to shake the political tree a bit, ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ISLE and globally. We just need to embrace the essence of Carpe Diem and in truly doing so, nurture and harvest the feedstock for a better tomorrow. That was the point behind this article. And, in my humble opinion is the legacy we need to embrace for our future generations. We either let the status quo continue, perpetuate the madness, instill a dark sense of self fulfilling mediocrity and chaos where the ends justify the means, and in doing so--let the cards fall where they may. Or we dare to be brave, cinch up our bootstraps and dare to do the uplifting, courageous things that are within us.

Joel Anderson

7 years ago #4

#1
Randy Keho color me naïve but I prefer to be an optimist about our future despite all the demagoguery running amuck out there. Moonshots are never easy but I for one refuse to allow anyone, anything to change my perspective on the good within us all. Yes, bad things happen every day. But examples abound all around us of the positives within human nature and our fellow beings near and far. They just get dismissed all too quickly and so not serve ill begotten agenda. Since you mentioned JFK, one might look at "Profiles in Courage," to shake the political tree a bit, ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ISLE and globally. We just need to embrace the essence of Carpe Diem and in truly doing so, nurture and harvest the feedstock for a better tomorrow. That was the point behind this article. And, in my humble opinion is the legacy we need to embrace for our future generations. We either let the status quo continue, perpetuate the madness, instill a dark sense of self fulfilling mediocrity and chaos where the ends justify the means, and in doing so--let the cards fall where they may. Or we dare to be brave, cinch up our bootstraps and dare to do the uplifting, courageous things that are within us.

Joel Anderson

7 years ago #3

#2
Thanks Randy Keho I chose the title because I actually loved the Monty Python rendition. I also chose it for the subtlety behind a statement that one of my mentors used to tell me--"Nothing is ever as good or as bad as first reported." In the song we start out thinking one thing and then get transformed into a totally different reality as it moves along. Whether I effectively captured that in this article, I am a true believer that we can in fact be better at being humans once we dive just below the surface of the superficial. Thanks much.

Randy Keho

7 years ago #2

By the way, I got all serious and forgot to comment on your lumberjack being okay introduction. We used to sing that in high school, back when Monty Python was running on late night public television. That would not be politically correct today.

Randy Keho

7 years ago #1

Apparently, we're going to have to be forced to unite for the common good. Joel Anderson It troubles me to even think about what may lead to it, though. If you think about it, it's usually a major crisis: Pearl Harbor or 911. However, it can be generated by a leader's inspiration: Kennedy's quest for the moon or King's "I had a dream" speech. Unfortunately, I don't see a Kennedy or a King out there today. I do, however, see the distinct possibility of another civil war, if not a World War III.

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