Only dimly aware of a certain unease in the air

[greatbear]

Reading about the massacre today at VA Tech was yet another moment that makes me think we might be seeing the downfall of the human race in progress. Climate change is currently on us, as the Northeast is getting socked in by snow or heavy rain, and I watch shingles flung off my roofs. Greed and self-centered behavior is the rule of the day everywhere it seems. It also seems people dont really care. I know I preach to the choir when I write here, since many, if not most of my readers share feelings similar to mine. But I look around at people during my daily grind and I sense that many seem to be lining up like so many lemmings in a marathon run that just might not have a pretty ending.

I think the human race is becoming a victim of it's own success.

I however always seem to hope for and see in people their ability to rise above adversity. Unfortunately, it often takes a catastrophe of large proportions to bring out that quality. You tend to not see it in those who 'have it made', as it were. And for the longest time, aside from a few spots of calamity, people have never had it so good, and it often shows but for the worst. Instant gratification is the word of the day. Mind-numbing venues of endless entertainment. Point-and-click, and it's yours. Use that cellphone any time you want. The list goes on. If not measured against disaster, lean times for all or some great calamity, people feel an overwhelming sense of entitlement and greed.

It is said that 'all good things must come to an end'. I feel this is true, for if nothing else, it gives us a gauge for when the next 'good things' come about. It gives people a common goal. And in the worst of times, you will often see the best that mankind has within itself.

I cannot help but feel that mankind will soon have to withstand it's greatest test yet. Let's hope for the best.

Comments

[soundbear69.livejournal.com]

Sadly, I agree. I have been saying that there seems to be a bit of "Bread and Circus" going on in the world and especially the United States. Give them more "reality" shows, but don't show the war. Wait, I can't talk... I work for the "Circus."

[darke.livejournal.com]

I tend to view it as a matter of contrasts. The brighter we shine as a race...that just means our shadows become that much darker and clearly defined.

[danlmarmot.livejournal.com]

I'm strangely desensitized over the Virginia Tech stuff.

On Saturday, 43 people were killed when a car bomb went off.
On Sunday, 38 people were killed in a few incidents.
Those are just a few incidents this month, but that's Iraq, and far away, and out of mind for most Americans.

But they're Iraqis, and their deaths aren't worth noting in the screaming headlines about innocent students being slaughtered.

Watching our President's curious lack of empathy is also disheartening: "The president believes that there is a right for people to bear arms, but that all laws must be followed. Certainly, bringing a gun into a school dormitory and shooting ... is against the law, and something someone should be held accountable for."

I'm just not seeing much hope in the future, nor any sense of a common purpose. Yeah, people have it rich, but they aren't enriched.

Sorry. I'll stop preaching. My despair is giving way to bitter cynicism. Yeah, I feel what you're feeling.

[holy13nation.livejournal.com]

I was shocked and saddened by the news, of course.
But if you can nip into town and effectively arm yourself for Armaggeddon in the space of an hour, and entirely legally, there will be maladjusted souls who act on that, and monstrously.
Some people like to kill other people.
Why make it so easy for them?

sorry about this guys, but I'm an optomistic person by nature.

[beartech420.livejournal.com]

When I see cruel things happen, I just see the need for me to do good and stand up for justice and charity. A lot of pundits will point out that it isn't the evil that men do that fucks this world. It is the apathy of good men that permits evil to grow. Today is the anaversary of Ben Franklin's passing. He found it very important that he was able to write down in his daily journal at least one good deed he had done that day!
BestRegards,
Pete

Re: sorry about this guys, but I'm an optomistic person by nature.

[dougoros.livejournal.com]

I like that daily good deed thing...am gonna try it for myself. It's very true that the apathy of good men permits evil to grow....but are there enough good men to counter the evil? A truly good person wouldn't settle for apathy would he/she?

Re: sorry about this guys, but I'm an optomistic person by nature.

[beartech420.livejournal.com]

it is kinda like a sin of omission. You know there is something that you need to step in and do. Your good angels are screaming in your ears to go for it. But there is this one lazy voice saying someone else can do it or it's none of my bussiness.
BestRegards,
Pete

Re: sorry about this guys, but I'm an optomistic person by nature.

[fingertrouble.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure I believe the human race is 'shining' or these are the good times...too much bad and 'end of empire' feeling around things. The coming oil wars will make this all look like a walk in the park...

The problem with intervening or doing good, as I did recently when two people were advancing on one guy armed with chunks of wood; is the immediate response is incredibly aggressive, even when you remind them of what they are doing they seem to feel they have a right - well not on my street.

Luckily it devolved after I threatened to call the police into drunken name-calling. But that's the problem in a microcosm - you need to relinquish 'freedom' and 'individuality' for society and democracy; some like the right to beat someone to a pulp we all disagree with - so why do people think they have the right to do that, or worse?

[ciddyguy.livejournal.com]

I will agree with a lot of what you are saying too. Right now, I'm rather desensetized(sp>) to this latest shooting in Virginia as this is yet another shooting at a school/college in recent years and we see this kind of thing going on all around us in fact - I do sometimes wonder if things are ever as bad as it seems when the news just seems to scream these trajedies on a daily basis?

Yes, we as a society need to rethink how we live, and I don't think we need to go to a monastic way of life, but be mindful of our consumerism/life choices and how we are using this planet up.

The answer is out there, somewhere, I wish I had it, but I don't.

for the most part

[arkanjil.livejournal.com]

every iteration of human progress has essentially built itself up on the ashes of those who came before; collectively we learn only at a snail's pace, and as we try to progress along as best as we can, our culture and technology and sheer numbers outpace us. And so we stumble and fall, only to rise up again, eventually- hopefully.

the trick of it is how the illusion of permanence inherent in how we live today blinds up but good; it's hard to see anything, when everthing arounds you distracts or entertains or enthralls or enrages. But also too- it's not a given that everything actually will collapse and burn. Change is what's inevitable, nothing more, nothing less.

But it's not likely that those who will follow us will have much in common with who we are now, je?

[knarfd.livejournal.com]

Im not reading the others' comments but my feeling is that CNN et al. are so predictably boring I could puke. This person was sick and had severe mental illness that needed treatment. He fell through the cracks and the results were devestating. If anything it should be a wake-up call for better Mental Health services and stricter gun control. Neither of which will happen-- because afterall, this is the land of eating shit and pretending it's fine chocolate.

[truckerbear.livejournal.com]

I sometimes feel that people still watched out for there neighbor that we could improve the time we have left here.