I wanted to start an entirely new blog, but I couldn't decide on a title for it, so I figured I'd just throw my feelings out in to the world using this old rag. I refused to change coarse due to minor uncertainly regarding a new direction. A story as old as humanity itself.
I was a little surprised to find that a handful of people are still reading it from time to time. That's the Internet for ya'. Some Russian guy seems really interested. He hit every post several times. Hello, Russian guy. Hello to you.
I don't know who this person is. Could be anyone. I have no way to tell. Could be some crazy American ex-pat. Or a college student. Or some laboring fringe character. Or a North Korean slave who works in a lumber mill in Siberia. That last one is unlikely. I'll assume, however that the person is a Russian resident who has never visited the patch of dirt on which I live. Regardless, I would like to share a tale. The story of what life is like for an average man, on an average day, In America....
Once upon a time...
I live on the outskirts of an old, industrial type of city. It lies at the confluence of two of the largest rivers on the continent. Decades ago, before the Interstate highway system was built, my city was a major shipping hub due to those rivers. Once the highways opened, much of the economy here died. The heart of the town began to economically rot, and that continued for 50 years. All the people who could afford to do so abandoned the city and moved to the outskirts, which creates a micro-economy somewhat healthier than the average for this country.
It's expensive to live on this special little patch of dirt. I should leave, but I'm not sure exactly where I should go instead, so I'm stalling.... See the recurring theme?
I live in a condominium, less than 1,000 square feet. I have a wife and a cat. We procure the necessary money to live here through a variety of means. My wife works for the worlds largest health insurance provider (which profits from the sickness of others). I work at different places all the time, but chiefly, I work for corporate food providers (which profit from making people sick). You see, much of the food here is poisonous. As is the health care. As is everything. Poison leaks in to the ground-water, it falls from the sky, and it flows through our veins. Most of us survive by working in the poison industry.
The cat does nothing; it earns no wages. It sleeps a lot. Financially, it is a leech, but it helps us forget about our long days in the poison business when it frolics about and such, so we keep buying it's food so long as it doesn't bite excessively.
When I'm not hustling poison for a living, I also take care of my family. They are aging, so they need some help. I cook all of their food; nice, clean, healthy food, in an attempt to lessen their health burdens. Six decades of poison have hurt them greatly. This consumes many hours a week, and emotionally burdens me. Between the work hustle and the family responsibilities, I'm busy and tired. Really busy, and really tired.
Despite a history of hard-ships and an uncertain future, however, I am happy. The greatest thing about this place, and perhaps any place, is that there are many kind and wise people. Many of the people are educated. Many are progressively pursuing solutions in the ongoing struggle to increase the quality of daily life for everyone. Many have rejected the horrible beliefs and behaviors of our ancestors, and are moving forward with love and positive energy toward a far superior reality. The Internet is everywhere. In some senses, This is the greatest moment to exist in any location on Earth. Many of us feel that the potential for improvement is virtually unlimited at this moment, and that our lives do have meaning.
It isn't all sunshine and roses though.
The government here is a mafia. It behaves like any mafia does. Our civil liberties are rapidly eroding. This mafia is responsible for an uncountable number of deaths globally. I'm sure you're already aware of this though...
Many people are brainwashed by the government. They wrap themselves in the flag, and are willing to die for the principles they imagine it represents. It's scary.
The religions here are a mafia. They behave as other mafias do. They collect funds and lobby the government (although they don't pay taxes) in an attempt to erode civil liberty. Another recurring theme...
Many people are brainwashed by the churches. They point to The Bible as a rule book, and are willing to die for the principles they imagine it represents. It's fucking horrifying.
There are many fools. They are full of hatred. Foreigners, ethnic minorities, and homosexuals are the main targets of their anger. Many of them believe that their God agrees with them. Their primary motivation, however, is fear. They're merely looking for an easy target to point the finger at. They see the house of cards collapsing around them. The economy is failing globally. The state is becoming increasingly militaristic. The media preaches frightening propaganda in an attempt to convince us that we must be physically controlled, that we must depend on the mafia-type groups for survival and protection. It's an alarming reality, and frankly, many of our citizens are too soft, and weak, and ignorant to accept it. They cling to the flag and Bible out of desperation. We'd be much better off without them.
I hope we are evolving in the right direction. I'm just not sure though.
Maybe it's the same in Russia. Perhaps humanity is the same everywhere. I imagine that whoever the Russian reader is, they are someone who feels at least loosely the same as I do about the nature of this reality. I sure hope so.
From St. Louis to Vladivostok, I send my love to you...
