A New and Unique Philosophy?

I must admit that for whatever reason, this week has me feeling as if I am in a ‘funk’. I am not sure if it is all the dopey way people have been acting and/or thinking lately, or if I’m just coming down with something. Either way, and none the less I am in a ‘funk’, therefore, please pardon if I offend, that is not my intention now or ever. Also, please pardon the length of this article; it is required to demonstrate completely what I wish to highlight.

I found it rather interesting this week that all the major media services have begun to report that gasoline prices are raising even higher, each and every day and this may signal a lot of trouble and problems to come. We didn’t really need them to tell us this however, while they continue to report the obvious; you and I can detect and learn of a ‘new’ underlying philosophy hiding under and spreading across the globe along with the increasing of oil prices.

You may not have heard of it, nor had the misfortunate to come into contact with the ‘new philosophy’, so I will attempt to explain it to you. Now I could just blurt it out, however, you would not understand me completely and therefore you would move on to other more interesting, and easier to understand articles to read.  Therefore I have broken down this ‘new philosophy’ into how four different groups of people with each of their unique versions or spin of this ‘new philosophy’ are infecting the overall ‘thought of the moment’.

A good portion of adults have begun to notice that they are getting larger and larger in size. When they weight themselves they can plainly see that they are now a member of the over-weight club.  This causes a great deal of emotional distress and uncomfortableness along with the discomfort of tight fitting clothes. [Please don’t misunderstand me, not everyone that is overweight has their version of the following ‘new philosophy’.  Also, not every overweight person is overweight because of their actions or inaction.]  This group’s version of the ‘new philosophy’ goes something like this while in conversion with experts on overweight issues; they say ‘give me some ‘diet’ that allows me to remain in my usual inactive lifestyle, while eating the same if not a bit more of my favorite foods and snacks’.  This group’s version is simply, ‘I want a miracle cure now, however, not a real solution that involves any effort and/or moderation and personal responsibility’. Again, not all overweight people believe this, however, the group that do, is growing larger everyday in more than just dress sizes. Just as a bad attitude has the effect of a spreading wildfire, so does this dopey way of thinking.

The next group is College graduates. A large portion, no not all again, has begun to exercise their version of the ‘new philosophy’ and it goes like this.  ‘Don't even think of offering me a job with an average starting wage, don’t expect me to grow in understanding as well as in pay grade with greater knowledge and as I learn the ropes of this new position’! Just pay me like the CEO and if that’s not possible I understand. However, you will then just have to give me the winning numbers for next week’s lottery drawing’!  Simply put, ‘I have learned everything there is to know, I am a know-it-all and will not stand to be educated by anyone any further. I will not start out a career and work myself up the ‘corporate ladder’ and pay scale, I will not ‘sacrifice’ any of my nights or weekends while in training because I don’t do training and lastly, just pay me like the top person of this company, and pay me right now’! Again, not all however a rather large percentage does hold to this version of the ‘new philosophy’. This is also the very same group that has learned to dismiss any bad behavior with examples of other-worst bad behavior.

The next group is the non-graduated and other various ‘up and coming’ levels of educated as well as those who drop out before completing various requirements. This group’s version of the ‘new philosophy’ is: ‘let’s come up with the most outlandish, over-the-top, immoral, hurtful, ridiculous activity that we can film with our video camera or phone camera! Then we will upload it to Youtube and we will get rich and famous all at the same time and never have to work another day in our lives’. Simply put, ‘give me money, fame, and even more fortune for my utterly unworthy contribution and reckless behavior under the guise of ‘humor’. After all this is the time of reality shows and instant fame and fortune, and so ‘get out of my way, I want mine and I want it now’!

This group has hit upon one very valid point however. We as a people have learned to forget what a person did to get to the position of fame and fortune they now hold. It’s as if once you get it, by any means possible, the method and means is quickly forgotten and you gain unearned, undeserved respect along with your new found fortune. This has got to stop!  We need to hold people to creditability standards once again. Simple fame does not or should not ever equal respect.

The last and the most destructive group is the pseudo-religious camp.  This group goes around doing actions that THEY one, say and ADMIT are totally offensive to God. Two, these actions are considered and understood to be a sin in God’s eyes. This group however, instead of having any true contrition and guilt of wrong doing, and instead of taking any action to prevent the re-occurrence of the said action, they boldfacely display their wrong actions until approached by another wishing to assist them to see the ‘error of their ways’. Then this group protests loudly and responds, ’you aren’t suppose to judge me, and just because you have pointed out my fault you are a negative person and even a threat to me and to my way of life’.  Simply put, they hold to the misconceived tarradiddle dribble that, ‘God loves me even if I continue to do wrong actions under my control, over and over again even if I am not one bit contrite’. The ‘icing on the cake’ is that they PLAN to do the wrong doing or to continue in the action again and again with no thought of changing or stopping’! They continue to say, ‘God doesn’t punish wrongdoers, He doesn’t wish for anyone in error to come into the light of contrition and put a stop to their wrong doing’. ‘No, He doesn’t detest the action or wrong doing. ‘It is all a simple matter of personal perspective’! What a bunch of slobbering dribble!

Lately, anyone who would point out this group’s version of the ‘new philosophy’ as wrong and an action to resist and stop at once are called a threat, a bad, negative and hateful person.  Even some of the new ‘hate crime’ laws could now apply to anyone pointing out the ‘error of this group’s ways’! 

This group isn’t made up of just one type or another but rather a wide and varying type of people and behavior. The whole misconceived error that God loves a person no matter whatever they do is the root of the trouble. No, God only loves those who come before Him with complete contrition and repentance with the fore-thought of changing the behavior in question. With full contrition and repentance (which infers change or the ceasing of doing the wrong) God’s is then full of mercy! If one goes around taunting God with their actions and this misconceived error, they will find that they are on the fast track to where they do not want to be and to total separation from God and His people! Separation does not infer any hateful fore-thought or intention to separate. Do not allow this religious version of the ‘new philosophy’ to infect your children; for it will only equal more dissatisfaction and a life of pain and separation. Irregardless of religious denomination, the truth and not the misconceived lie applies to all religions and religious denominations and even to those who live their lives the way they think ‘A God’ would want, outside of any formed church or religious denomination or group! Lastly, do not make the fatal error, or allow another to dismiss your words by quickly claiming, that the above discussion of the truth falls anywhere under the ‘work-righteousness’ umbrella. I am not inferring anyone to ‘work away’ any sin or making oneself more desirable to God by actions or any inaction outside of faith and contrition. No, only with full contrition and repentance of ALL wrong doing are we gathered up and embraced by God.

After examining the four groups and their various versions of the ‘new philosophy’ can you now understand how I found it interesting and disturbing that this was quickly becoming the new ‘normal’. ‘The new philosophy’ says that it is okay to want a change of something, however, do not provide any effort or action to change a situation to a more pleasing disposition.

Now I am sure you are also wondering how all this has any connection the current problem of rising gasoline prices. As I have stated before, the very same ‘new philosophy’ has even crept into the current ‘thought’ over the new gas price war, allow me to explain. 

In the four groups detailed, the over all theme was, a want a change, however, I won’t do anything or offer anything to bring about the change.  We all want much lower gas prices and we all want it now. However, we don’t want anyone to attempt to correct the problem by creating more oil and in turn more fuel, increasing the supply and driving the prices down in our supply and demand economy. ‘Nope! Don’t drill here, there or anywhere close to my neighborhood. Don’t even think of drilling over there because of some ‘protected’ insect or fish or maybe some other lower level life form resides there. Just lower the gas prices-now’! 

When things are as bad as they are now, rightful and conscience people make the choice to do the ‘worst of two evils’. Some lower, yet valuable, life form can not and should not be held to be ‘more valuable’ than our way of life and the greater good of our Country and the good it does for mankind over all!

I want you to understand this ‘new philosophy’ is as dangerous as it is ridiculous.  We must understand that our country runs on transportation, i.e. various forms of gasoline and the interrelatedness and/or contingent upon what it does for our economy. Our children could have to learn to do without a lot of fresh produce as well as without as much food period! Why? Because their parents, the store owners, the food suppliers, the food distributors, food growers, the food pickers all need gasoline and/or are affected when our economy uses and provides more or less gasoline!

The most dangerous possibility of the current problem is that our military has the job to protect us and our country. If they don’t have enough gasoline (diesel) they can’t protect us. Planes, tanks, armored vehicles, troop carriers and so on, all need various forms of gasoline. If another country decided to invade the US from the south, our military may not have the resources to protect and to chase back the invaders. Our military may be forced to draw back to ‘a center point’ to re-group resources, and allow a few southern states to go in an attempt to be able to save the bulk of the US! This is a scary possibility.

Now, just as I am no theologian with any formal religious instruction, I have no position of authority with our Government and I say what I do without any insider information from the Government or our military.  Anyone who has studied the ways and means of the past two-hundred years of history and military action can infer the problems I highlighted above. It is a real possibility and threat to the overall way we live! This means that it is a threat to our country-the United States of America! It’s not clever rhetoric and magniloquence, it’s a fact. Everything in our supply and demand economy is inter-related and co-dependent upon each other. Any significant change or decrease in one area causes a decrease and change across the board.  Something as seemingly indifferent as a large percentage of campers not paying the Federal camping fees or park fees, means a lot less money in one part of the Federal government and it will effect the over all Federal government as well as various local economies!

When one sits and ponders, the effects of our current fuel shortage, irregardless of whether it is a ‘true shortage’ of actual production or simply a shortage due to price and expense, it is very chilling and could be the reason why you and I will be feeling as if we are in a ‘funk’ for quite some time! It truly is scary and nothing to laugh or smile about.

Now, is this dopey ‘new philosophy’ really all that new?  Could it be simple old-fashioned laziness with a new coat of paint along with a sense of individual entitlement? The results of the ‘new philosophy’ could be the results of all of us having to learn to do without and to do everything in a very different way, very soon. Remember from past problems and history we have learned that how we as a people respond and how we either take or don’t take action determines how our economy and our way of life will be tomorrow. We are Americans, the proudest people on this planet for a reason. We have created more, while the rest do without more!

Nothing that is worth anything to anyone is ever free or easy, and it doesn’t come without hard work and serious sacrifice. Please recognize the roots of this destructive and counter-productive ‘new philosophy’ and dopey thinking. Wherever it pokes its head, call it what it is and identify it for those who missed it! Please be bold enough to set the record straight. Even if you are singled out as a hateful person, still attempt to set the record straight. Why? Because when we do we are insuring our tomorrow to the way we all want it to continue to be.  Then just maybe soon, and without a great deal or much further personal sacrifice, we all will be so very fortunate once again because of smart minds, strong backs and a God who smiles down on us with favor.