Change, Hope, Progress

Today we have three shiny new words to ponder. To politicians, these are happy magical words that motivate mindless lemmings to the temporary action of support and the all important vote. For politicians the use of these words, bring the power of control and dominance. For the lemmings, they conjure up wistful thoughts of blissful utopia. Sound like a contrast to you? Read on.

Change (ooohh)
Hope (aaahh)
Progress (yippee, everybody likes progress)

Change is a verb that means to become or be made different from what was before.
Hope is also a verb. It is an anticipation or yearning for an outcome.
Progress is yet another word of action that describes movement towards an objective.

We hear these words a lot now-a-days. What do they mean? Who is using these wonderful words of encouragement and what do they want? Do we agree with them? Before you assume you know, let the thought sit on your brow for a moment. Wrinkle up the forehead a bit and put some brain behind it.

Now, let’s ask ourselves shall we.

What change are we being offered? Is it a change we want?
What outcome is hoped for? Is this a hope we share?
What objective is the progress towards? Is it a direction we want to go?

Think about it.

Change that you want can be very good. Change that you do not want can be very bad. The more important the change, the better or worse things can get. The same goes for someone else’s vision of hope and progress. Will the change you embrace today lead to the progress you hope for tomorrow?

Think about it…. your future depends on it.

Stay tuned next time when our not-so-super everyman-of-a guy addresses the more weighty subjects of wisdom and prominent social systems of government. (Whew. I typed that all by myself!)

History, Words, Character

Hello all and welcome to my very first blog on the world wide web. Wow, I sure hope spell check catches everything :)

Today almost everything we see and hear begins with "lights, camera, action!". Whether it is for simple fun or serious education, someone somewhere has set a stage for it and wants us captivated enough to soak it all up. The airbrushes of Hollywood and TV land are obvious. We know that stuff is fake, right? It doesn't stop there though; news casters, writers, politicians, and preachers alike go to great lengths to make sure you believe them. In the process, we are losing two things of extreme importance; truth and perspective.

Here in my little e-corner of the web I hope to intermittently blurt out a little truth in and amongst my ramblings and shift the camera lens a little for some important perspectives. History, words, and character matter far more than the sensationalism to which we have grown accustom. So lets start by defining some key words. Here goes.

Lie: a purposeful deception of others or self that results in the willful distortion of truth.

Lies
… are easier to accept when they are wrapped in pretty words.
… are most believable when they come from a trusted source.
… are hard to ignore when they are repeated often and loudly.
… are best served with a small twist of truth and a smile.
… are eagerly heard by ears that want to hear.
… are quickly adopted by those who do not question.
… are welcomed by those who will benefit.
… are impossible to disprove unless someone speaks the truth.

Those who lie can be very successful and very persuasive. We see them on TV, hear them on the radio, and read about them in books and on the internet. But no matter how sweet it sounds or how impressive the speaker; no matter how loudly or often you hear it; no matter whether you wish to believe it or question why; a lie is still a lie.

Have you been lied to today?
Would you even know it?

Ask questions.
Consider the facts.

Know the truth and you won’t be fooled by pretty lies.