Again, it's been awhile since I made a post. The longest since I started this thing back up again. Partially because of the end of the semester and the holidays eating up all of my spare time. But mainly because I've been really in my head lately.
Recently, I was asked a question multiple times by many different people in different arenas of my life that I honestly have yet to come up with a viable answer to thus far. Students. Acquaintances. Like-minded folks that like to talk to me about these things. Blog readers. Everyday citizens like myself that are worried about what's going on in this country.
Here's the question (not verbatim but the basic idea from all parties that presented it): I hear you speak of all the wrongs in this country, and I have a better understanding of the current state we are in now. But what do we do about it? How do we fix it?
This is when I am presented with this question that I struggle to give a solid answer for many reasons:
(1) I am a writer and sociologist. I am conditioned to observe, explain, and teach, not to solve and implement.
(2) Because unlike most like to argue, the current state we are in is much greater than one single issue - civil rights, racism, unemployment, debt, wealth inequality, democratic corruption, police brutality, terrorism, the unfolding of Christianity, etc. - but it is instead the overarching issue of the connection between capitalism and immorality and its unyielding negative effects on all aspects of society. And let's face it...when we start discussing money...capitalism...our prized life source here in America, things start to get a little heated. Or, even worse, it simply gets ignored or labeled as "Communist" anti-American propaganda, no matter how much truth it holds.
(3) I am a member of society as well that has to worry about my survival on a daily basis, meaning I have to hold a stable job, pay bills, contribute to my family, etc., no matter whether I entirely agree with the system or not. So at times, I, too, am guilty of living in my own comfortable bubble, just as the rest of society is, and afraid to embark down a path that might jeopardize that comfy existence.
(4) When I look at recent attempts to make positive changes in this country, they were shut down before they even began. Think of Occupy Wall Street, a highly organized, massive movement with good intentions aimed at the real source of all of our problems. It didn't last long because the corporate-government regime knew of its existence before it was even implemented. When it was shut down, it wasn't done so in a kind way; peaceful protestors were physically harmed and jailed in the process. Not to mention, the entire movement was demonized and made out to be something that it wasn't by those that were threatened by its real goals and purpose. Basically, the amount of power that those that would be targeted in any effort to make real change in necessary areas is extremely strong, and the chances of a successful movement are slim to none.
(5) America is at the center of the entire world. Change in this country has massive effects on every other country. So, in reality, the problems we are experiencing aren't just a national issue, they are a global issue, and every global issue deserves input and involvement from all over the world. But recruiting that involvement in the technological spy world that we live in today is very unlikely as well. Nearly impossible.
All five of these reasons as to why I struggle with this answer almost make me want to give up even trying to make people understand what's going on today and our likely future. But the key word is "almost". Because giving up isn't in my nature, and it hasn't been since I was born.
So, alas, I'm back to not having an answer as to what exactly we do as a country with an environment that is in desperate need of change but that is not conducive to change in terms of what actually needs to be solved whatsoever.
Until I figure out what that answer is, I will continue doing what I always do: observing, explaining, and educating in hopes that people will listen. And maybe with more minds involved, real solutions can be created.
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