Since Last Post

Time has a way of escaping and before long I realize it's been a week or more since I posted on this blog; since I called my youngest sister; since I took a walk, or dusted, or scrubbed the kitchen and bathroom floors, or a zillion other things.

It's that old case of good intentions gone astray. If I did half of what I think about doing, well, I'd leave Martha Stewart in the dust. Probably wouldn't make the money she does 'cause I'm not inclined to pass off most of her creations as necessities.

Which brings me to my latest thoughts. What's the point of chasing after most of what we're indoctrinated to believe we "need" when most of it disconnects us from ourselves and others?

Buy that LCD flat screen, order in pizza, curl up on the sofa and insulate yourself from the world. And watch "reality TV!" What more could you need?

Park you parents at the local nursing home, your kids at daycare, your household chores with Mighty Maids and leave the "responsibility" of home and family to pursue the "good life." Of course it'll cost you some money, debt and time but, at least you'll be "keeping up" with the neighbors and the glossy print and TV ads.

Ain't life grand?

Not really. The status quo we're told is so important is empty, dull, hypnotic, insecure and a constant, futile form of escapism. And now we have, at the very least, three generations of people who don't even have the ability to analyze the meaning of this mindless existence!

It's insanity and we as a nation, and the "developed" world, have bought into it, hook, line and sinker. The hook is the message that you're somehow deficient without "product X" or "Service A." The line is the purveyor's claim that their product or service will make you "better", "smarter," "sexier" or "healthier" if you part with your money - or credit. The sinker is that you're saddled with more debt, more stuff, more false promises (and disappointments) and repetition as the latest and greatest model/improvement makes its rounds.

And we've cut back on spending - both discretionary and necessity - so alarm bells are sounding in the halls of government because lower tax receipts, along with closed businesses, foreclosed homes, and other ailments have threatened their livelihoods. Their livelihoods. To hell with ours. Imagine if an equal number of government employees were laid off (permanently?) as the average Joe. Of course it never really happens. Some program somewhere is created to keep the government people working. Or they're transferred to another department where magical money has saved the day. Or, better yet, some of the average Joe's laid off are hired by government to administer the government run programs that are "stimulating" the economy.

It's ludicrous but not surprising. After all, either government took their cues from Wall Street or Wall Street learned from government. On second thought, aren't they really one and the same?

And still, people don't wake up to the futility of it all. Is it fear, or ignorance, or numbness? Maybe some of each, depending on your past experience and current station in life.

Whatever the case, if you've found your way to survival and prepper blogs you're further ahead than most. If you're questioning your values, your beliefs, your goals and your associations and are not held back by the opinions, beliefs or dictates of others, you're brave and able to think for yourself. Congratulations. You just might survive the insanity.