Thanks to Survival Acres (John) for posting this where I could stumble across it.
“There should only be one billboard in America; one that says Buy Stuff!”
George Carlin
Okay, off come the nice-nice gloves. I’m calling out any and all WHJ readers, most of whom who have everything they’ll ever need in the way of security and material comforts, who have nothing left to give back to life beyond their own noses and personal interests. What am I talking about? Let’s begin with long neglected friendships, or the non-existent dialogue on politics, or your complete neglect of your impact on the environment, or neglect of any other good cause (such as donating to Katrina victims through a trusted charity), because you’re too wrapped up in your own psychodrama, too stingy and prolly too pooped from trying to keep up with your many obligations.
Sure you’ve got opinions, but you’re too busy, and mostly you have learned that it doesn’t pay to make points.
What are you doing with them besides “stuffing them” or bolstering your self image (and feathering your own nest) in life? There is a larger world out there, and it needs you more than ever, in case you haven’t noticed. Try noticing how many times each day you hold your tongue because you don’t have the time or energy to make your point. The result of everyone holding their tongues is the circumspect, suspicious, deteriorating world of today, being lead down the road to ruin by a few verbose idiots with bottomless checkbooks.
Is there a workable solution that will help you pull your head out of the warm orifice of apathy and do something about the cold, hard world around you? I think so. Take the offense. How about fewer obligations and less stuff for starters? You won’t be able to take any stuff with you; give some thought to this now, before you’re at the end of your days wondering what to do with all that stuff when you check out to the afterlife.
Speak up while you still can. Stand for something more than stuff. The time you save will be your own, and you’ll save money too. Which buys more quality time to spend any way you want: with your kids, your old friends, examing and re-calibrating your moral compass, making your thoughts and opinions known, and ultimately improving our world by making a difference in the world just beyond your nose.
