We lie to ourselves incessantly about the nation's financial condition. We've suspended both the rules of accounting and the rule of law in banking matters (lying). We're too frightened to go into the vaults and find out exactly how much we've swindled ourselves (cowardice). And we aggressively misunderstand issues that will shape our future, such as how much oil is really in the ground, and how long people will be able to live in places like Tucson the way they do (ignorance) - all of this prompting us to march off the edge of a political cliff where we hang today, the cartoon coyote of nations, undone by our Acme techno-fantasies.
Discomfort is probably the only thing that will avail to alter this pattern of behavior.
SHOOT: Something to own up to each of us, our own dishonesty, cowardice and ignorance. One thing is missing in this list of transgressions, although 'ignorance' partially touches on it. And that's our endless capacity to distract, amuse and entertain ourselves. How to go from that to the thankless and joyless task of focussing on...mere reality?
Read the rest of Kunstler's piece here.
No comments:
Post a Comment