This image was floating around Facebook, and it has made me re-think that stance:
My taxes are there for something - they're there to pay for the people to do the stuff that keeps our system moving. However flawed the system is, you gotta give it some credit - the system is there. That's a monumental achievement. I'm not saying that the system doesn't need change, it totally does, but while affecting that change, we need to acknowledge the accomplishments of others that have gone before, even if they're flawed. We're seriously standing on the shoulders of giants over here.
Whaddaya think?
Whaddaya think?
Ah technology:( I posted a long comment earlier this morning and it has disappeared. I will try again but not sure it will be as good:
ReplyDeleteYes we stand on the shoulders of giants but the giants seem to have disappeared. I sometimes feel like we are in one of those stories where people find themselves in a place loaded with incomprehensible technology. Because they don't understand it, they either destroy it or use it for purposes far from the possibilities and the original intent.
We were in Athens last year and I was amazed at the level of art, architecture, philosophy. science and democracy that were alive and thriving 2500 years ago. While there have been many improvements in science and art, it is hard to see that our system and approach to democracy have improved over the millenia. The state of democracy in Canada and the US has devolved to people who focus on denigrating the opposition, focus on getting and wielding power and whose vision extends as far as the next election.
Several years ago I was in Banff on top of a mountain (cable car - not climbing) looking around and wondering at the explorers. To make your way through the mountains and forests across territory that was uncharted to get to....you don't know where - that takes a sense of adventure, courage and persistence that we don't often see today - these are the giants whose shoulders we stand upon.
The giants also built railroads across our continent, put men on the moon and so on. Today's "leaders" are not leading or showing us a vision. They are administrating and not taking us anywhere. We were the best in the recession recovery! Is that the most positive thing that can be said about our country?
As I said at the start, this is the second time I am commenting on this blog. I may have left out something but... Thanks Michael for getting me going this morning. Your blog is quite thought provoking. Keep up the good work.
As much as I agree with you that our current leadership lacks pretty much everywhere (arts, science, integrity, the environment etc.), they haven't been inept enough to destroy all that has been left behind, and I hope they don't get a chance to.
ReplyDeleteMy biggest hope is that come election time (sooner rather than later) we vote in a replacement government which brings back some of the awesomeness that makes me proud to be a Canadian. I wish I could say I was confident that'll happen, but hope is going to have to be enough for now.