HISTORY IS ACCELERATING
It is important to keep your eye on the big picture. It is important not to lose sight of the forest because you are studying some of the trees very closely.
Things are happening in the world. Things are changing. And the speed of change is increasing. History is accelerating.
Politics does have something to do with you. Things happening in far away places do affect your life. The three great issues in politics are Liberty, War, and Finance. Each of these is a matter of vital importance to you. What you do, or what you don’t do, does make a difference. The people running the government want total and absolute control over you, your life, and your children. They do not want you to pay attention. They do not want you to do anything. They want you to be ignorant, confused, hopeless, and fighting each other.
LIBERTY: Congress passes more and more laws, eliminating Constitutional Rights and protections, and giving the government more and more power to do whatever they please. Police plant evidence and ignore the Constitution, and the courts let them do it.
WAR: The Russians and the Chinese are building up their military machines. We are just being oblivious.
FINANCE: The federal deficit and the national debt have gone way past being “out of control”. At this point no one is even trying to be financially responsible about the federal government.
There is no infinity of time to do something about it.
HYSTERIA, RAGE, AND OTHER NEGATIVE EMOTIONS
It is easy to become hysterical about the state of the world. This is nothing to be ashamed of. It’s probably a good sign, in that it means you have gotten some idea of what’s going on, and you are taking it seriously. This puts you way ahead of the vast majority.
Going into a panic is perfectly rational.
If you’re not afraid, then you don’t understand the situation.
Think of it as taking medicine that tastes really bad. You really need to take the medicine. But you can’t take too much all at once. That’s OK. Do the best you can. And at the same time, take care of yourself. If you are driving yourself crazy, maybe you’re trying too hard. If you don’t take care of yourself, you won’t be any good to anybody.
HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT TO BELIEVE?
If somebody knows what he’s talking about, he will have lots of details. That’s good. If he doesn’t have lots of details, then he probably doesn’t know what he’s talking about. That is the most important way you can tell who you can trust. Does he have facts and figures? Does what he is saying make sense? If so, then he is, to that degree, someone you can rely on.
The same thing applies when someone is trying to debunk somebody else. Is it all just ridicule, scorn, and pomposity? Or does the debunker have actual facts and good arguments showing that the other person is mistaken. Or perhaps lying. If the opposition is all scorn and ridicule, then discard that scornful person. If the opposition is facts and good arguments, and if the opposition shows that the other person is lying, then discard that other person as unworthy of attention.
You need to be able to do this. You need to be able to make these judgments. This is very important. Without this, you are not capable of independent thought.
DON’T TAKE FOREVER
If you Google any important subject, you will get a huge reservoir of controversy and discussion. Numerous books. Scholars and experts with websites for and against. You could spend a lifetime on any one of a large number of controversial subjects.
If you go out on the street, you can see many cars and trucks and buses driving by. You are looking at the world with your own eyes. But you can’t tell what’s going on in the world that way. Looking at the cars on the street may be looking at the world, but it does not tell you what’s happening in the government. It does not tell you what the Russians and the Chinese are doing. So you need to read and listen to what other people say. And you need to evaluate whether they are making sense or not.
Some people make sense. They use reason and facts. Other people do not make sense. They just babble.
Some people tell the truth. Other people lie.
Some people show good will. Other people show vindictiveness.
It is easy to be overwhelmed. So don’t feel guilty or ashamed if you feel that way. Do the best you can.
Doing nothing is just giving up. Sticking your head in the sand will not solve anything. So don’t give up.
You can help. You can do your bit.
The fate of civilization is hanging in the balance. You are needed.
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