WE'RE NOT AS NICE AS WE THINK

This is where it all started. An observant wolf found that being non-aggressive and hanging around the human camps was an easier and more reliable way to get food. Over the millennia these domesticated wolves through chance or through human scheme became whatever we needed them to be.

But then we couldn't stop tinkering with nature. Though many people state that they love dogs, we went ahead and created breeds of dogs that really shouldn't exist. And we created them only for our amusement.

Some can't breathe properly.

Some we've given disadvantages they can never overcome.

Some are given extremely burdensome coats. 

Some are made to be so tiny that they could be snapped up by a predator for lunch.

Some as puppies, we cut off their tails, not for any purpose other than conformity. Others we remove part of their ears.

Some we make so large that their total lifespans are shortened to as little as six to eight years. Because it's fun to have a big dog?

In some we find amusement that they are both disadvantaged and not so bright.

And some are celebrated for the mess they have become.

Though some of these dog breeds have historical claim to purpose - such as rodent hunting, herd guarding, or property protectors, most of them exist today merely to humor us. We love them but we have purposely made their lives needlessly cruel, with survival dependent upon us.

In some parts of the world the dog population has managed to revert to free roaming packs. Notice in this photo that there are no tiny dogs, overly fluffy dogs, or dogs with very short legs. Such dogs do not survive in real world circumstances. I don't think what we've done to dogs is a kind thing to do to a creature whom we claim to love.

THE BEAUTY OF COMMON SOULS

We cannot all be famous. We cannot all be highly talented. We cannot all be super intellects. We cannot all be brightly shining stars. We cannot all be great leaders. Most of us are the plasma of society.

And that is OK. We should realize that. It is more than OK. It is probably wonderful.

You might feel like a cog in a machine but it's a pretty fabulous mechanism we're living in overall, and you definitely help make it work for all of us in one way or another. Your ego may be bruised by that thought, but remember, you are but one of billions of souls inhabiting this planet.

You absolutely have within your grasp all the day-to-day tools that really count. A smile. A wave. A concern. A generosity of time. A sharing of knowledge and skills. A readiness to work with the team. An ability to laugh and play and love. These things are not headline makers, yet they are essential and invaluable in making our individual and community lives a treasure.

Most of us may not live in the spotlight . We may not win awards. But what unsung gems we are. How beautiful is that.

THE TRUTH

There are two obvious truths. We live. We die. Everything else is supposition and interpretation. 

In order for us to live together as societies, we agree upon some common truths to help guide our behaviors. Thus the greater good is served.

We are all, though, human creatures, not so much the higher beings that we would like to think of ourselves as. Every single one of us buries the truth from time to time. Sometimes it is out of kindness. Sometimes it is to mislead. Sometimes it is out of shame. Sometimes it is to disassociate ourselves from the past. Sometimes it is simply the most convenient thing to do at the moment.

None the less, in general, the concept of truth is important to most people in the most successful societies. Some societies will hold a specific common truth in the highest regard, while other societies may not. That is part of what differentiates cultures and nations from one another.

In the long run, in order for humans to prosper to their potential, both in personal ways and in material ways, truth must be held to a lofty standard.

In the United States right now, our nation's respect for truth has been thrown to the wayside, with too many citizens  just standing by and watching it happen. We never have been a perfect union, but we have always had faith that the truth will eventually rise above any muck we may have gotten ourselves into.

In my lifetime, this is the only period when I've been scared that that won't happen and the "good guys" will not prevail. History as well as current world affairs reveal that this outcome is possible. 

What scares me the most? The fact that ultimately it was the citizens themselves, participating in our electoral system, who put this disgusting man into power. I truly can't understand how so many people drank his Kool-Aid and are still gulping it down today. I don't understand how members of Congress stand mute as our national sensibilities are being purposefully disintegrated before our eyes.

What have we become and how did that happen? Until historians can some day dissect this, ultimately, the answer now lies within each individual. How did the values of so many citizens become so ignorant, ugly, cheap, and self-centered? What will it take to bring back our better angels? Whatever scenario it will take to turn our course away from this one will probably be exceedingly difficult and frightening as well. Good luck to all of us.

SWEATING IT OUT

Holy cow. There must be millions of men in America nervously sweating it out right now, wondering if they will be the next man publicly called out for behaving inappropriately with women. These men know who they are.

What was it this time that made women's outrage at men's dog behavior turn into a national tsunami? How did it take until 2017 for women to publicly call out these dogs for what they are? I don't know. We feminists have been bringing this to light since the 1960's, yet the media never gave it the level of attention it merited. Maybe it is because we currently have a Grabber in Chief.

Harvey

These guys who have been called out in the media are just plain stupid. Stupid because if a man is presentable, nice, friendly, courteous, interesting, and fun, then the woman he is desiring is likely to be open to his attentions, that is, if the situation is socially appropriate.

These men all have something in common - power. Corporate power, co-worker power, political power, financial power, or the power of talent and fame. I can only think that these men must have been blinded by the giddiness of their particular powers. When they should have been mature, responsible people, they let their inner adolescent run wild.

The age old question - why did they do it? The age old answer - because they can.

I'm skeptical that this outburst of sexual correctness will have a long lasting effect, though I sure wish that it would. The sexual instincts of both men and women are not going away anytime soon (I hope). The best outcome here would be for lots of men to get the message that they can get to this particular goal without acting like dogs. They should know that from this point on, if they do prey upon the innocent or less powerful, they may as well be wearing scarlet letters - P is for predator, and A is for asshole.

IT'S NOT WHAT YOU MIGHT THINK

I suppose that many people think that introverts are afraid of people, and also they probably believe that loners are shunning society.

Rather than those stereotypes, I propose that many introverts are simply happy and comfortable enjoying their own thoughts and interests, and I suggest that these tendencies begin early on. 

I think that because introverts spend less time socializing, they tend to miss out on learning both the subtle and overt ins and outs of interacting with people. Thus, when they do end up in social situations, they are unsure about what the expectations are, and end up as wall flowers.

In my view, more often than not, introverts have gotten a bad rap. In all likelihood introversion has evolved in a person because of an abundant self dialogue. I doubt that for many the first ingredients in becoming an introvert are fear or dislike.  

Because introverts enjoy such a rich inner life, it's easy to for them to slip into the category of loner. Often though, someone comes along and drags them into social living. Again, people who spend lots of time alone aren't necessarily harboring disdain for or wariness of others. They're more likely having a satisfying time with their own introspection and activities. 

So I am asking, please don't throw all of us solo people into one bag. We aren't necessarily the ones who end up on the news, with their neighbors saying "He kept to himself". We are much more likely to be just enjoying our contemplations and pastimes. We may indeed have very active discourses going on within our minds, but we're not all thinking of cutting off our ear!

VANITY DIGEST

I don't like anything formal at all. I don't like anything that says either "You must do it this way" or "I've got more than you". I take great comfort and pleasure in living in an average town. I used to have a regular job with middle class pay.

The people that you meet in "anytown" for the most part are good hearted people, who work hard, love their families, and like to have fun when they can. That, in my opinion, is a rich life.

So why in the world would I look at two publications such as Vanity Fair and Architectural Digest? Yes, I do. It is a little bit like spying on another planet or civilization. I don't admire these people with their carefully structured abodes and expensive stuff. I look on in quizzical wonder. Why would anyone desire to live in a context that screams "I am special and above the rest", when "the rest" is the rich foundation of our society?

Both of these magazines, page after page, express the same message - that a person should be: 
forever youthful, always thin, either classically or strangely beautiful, always wearing a look of boredom or disdain, always ready for some kind of kinky sex, and of course, very wealthy or kept by someone who is. 
All this, while dressed in clothing and jewelry that most people can't afford, and living in a house that is surely decorated by someone other than oneself.

The answer as to why I look at these two flaunting vehicles is that I am and always have been interested in art and design. So I flip through the glossy pages, looking at what the designers are coming up with for those who have the most money. Occasionally I do see something that wows me, but more often than not I see designs that seem to exist only to challenge those who already have everything and are bored with it.

Maybe it's that I need to confirm my sense of disapproval over those who shout so vigorously that they are living the better life. Why do I need to do this? I do it because their credo of more/bigger/prettier/fancier is continuously shoved in our faces via all forms of media. Maybe I need to, by observing the gluttonous class, reinforce my belief that the simple life is indeed the most rewarding life.

I know that I could just avoid viewing the media that carries these skewed messages.

But what I would love to see on the faces of those stick models is a warm smile, a look of empathy, a sense that they appreciate life. Not "What are YOU looking at?"

THE FORGIVENESS FALLACY

Wow. Forgiveness sounds wonderful. Everybody involved will feel OK from now on. Well, I don't believe it really exists.

No one disputes the utter horror of WWII. How on Earth did the world move beyond it? My own father bought a German car in 1957, just twelve years after the end of the war. My father was as much a U.S. patriot as anyone. By the late 1960's everyone was buying Japanese cars without a second thought. How did we move on so quickly? Forgiveness? I think not.

When I think about any person in the past who broke my heart, a taste of that old pain will rise to the surface. When I think about things I've done that were not examples of what a good person should be, I still feel inner shame.

Nonetheless, I am not walking around like a wounded soul. I pretty much manage my life as a fairly normal person. So, how does this transition successfully evolve, both culturally and personally? I think we compartmentalize it, tuck it away, and don't look at it too often. I think announcing that we've forgiven is an untruth. A lot of us, with time, can move forward in life with that personal baggage neatly stored inside. Those who are unable to do that, end up with short fuses, scores to settle, and/or an unstable mental state.

So I don't think we should be preaching about the glory of forgiveness. I don't truly think that we are really fully capable of that. I do believe in the idea that the best revenge upon those who would hurt you, is to move forward and build yourself as good a life as you can. That includes cataloging the past, yet focusing the bright beautiful light of the promise of each new day. See? Denying the concept of forgiveness can sound just as gooey as anything!