DONALD IS TRAPPED IN A ROOM OF MIRRORS

The President of the United States controls the politics of the country at the moment, whether we like it or not. 

Donald was elected President in 2016 because he promised a needy segment of the American population that he would help them when he said "I will take care of you".  These people desperate for a "champion" believed him and voted to elect him to lead the country.  His most ardent supporters, mostly white conservative Christians, continue to believe him and make up his "base" to this day. Over the last 3 years the Republican Party has gradually become Donald's Party with his "base" making up its core.  

For historical reference I will admit that I was Republican until the 1990's', now registered as a Democrat, but I am really an Independent. I believe in good government that is honest, just, works for people, provides useful services and protects the least among us.  

Donald elicits a wide variety of emotions--- adulation from his base of supporters, fear from his colleagues and hatred from his opponents.  I have another reaction---I feel sorry for him.

Donald is a 73 year-old man who appears to  have never really experienced a positive emotional connection with another person.

As a science educator I encountered students in my classes that fit Donald's behavior pattern.  In today's public schools, were he a middle school student, he would have an IEP (Individualized Educational Program) and receive some kind of remedial services. He would be described as a "special needs student" and would receive individualized training to help him cope with his deficits or handicaps.

I do not know if Donald ever received any remedial help with his handicaps that he exhibits all the time.  It is obvious that he has limited  positive skills in dealing with people, so I have to assume he never received any help.

So what do I mean by handicaps? Donald has often been described as a narcissist (a person who exhibits an excessive admiration of oneself).  Being self-centered is a common thread throughout  the human species, but Donald's condition is way beyond normal. He constantly craves and sometimes demands approval and admiration, often complaining when he does not receive what he desires.

He does not have the capacity to admit mistakes or errors.  That is another section of his handicap. Since, like the rest of us, he makes mistakes but can't admit them, so he resorts to being a bully.  When confronted with a mistake he often deflects by denying it, blaming the error on someone else or changing the subject. His mind appears to be so fragile that for him to apologize for a mistake, he seems almost on the verge of a mental breakdown, so for cover he resorts to name calling, putdowns and temper tantrums.  He has probably done this since he was a child. 

This is classic behavior for some special needs children.  Growing up these kids quickly discover what works for them. If they don't get what they want, a meltdown or tantrum in front of guests or extended  family, will get  Mommy and Daddy's attention.  Parents in this situation often go to great lengths to avoid the embarrassment of an out of control child.  I believe this is how Donald performs in the White House and why he gets away with behavior most of us would not tolerate in our own small children.

Donald does not show empathy for others. This is another one of his deficits. He does not appear capable of, as we might say "walking in someone else's shoes".  He feels no-one 's pain or fear or joy or love or compassion. That part of his brain is gone and was probably never there.  As a result he can assault a woman sexually, send migrant children sick with COVID-19 back to their home country, deny health care to sick minorities and lie constantly.  He shows no remorse for the terrible things he says or does to other people, because he has none.

Sadly, I believe HE CAN NOT CHANGE, BECAUSE HIS MIND WILL NOT LET HIM.  Donald is a scared old man trapped in a room of mirrors where he sees only himself. He would like to find a way out, but can't. 

Donald is in the most powerful position on the planet and is emotionally unable to lead humanity through these most perilous of times.

God help us.

  

THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC WAS PREDICTABLE

To Fellow members of the Human Species,

This is a rather crude chart I made in 1984 when I was a science educator.  I created it to illustrate what could happen if the population of humans continued its exponential increase into the future.  I warned my students that "you may in your lifetime see some of the options this chart presents.” I did not expect I would live long enough to experience them myself.

TRENDS OVER TIME---

The RED CURVE is human population growth over time. At the beginning of modern agriculture about 10,000 years ago there were perhaps one million people on planet Earth.  That is probably about the number the planet could sustain as hunters and gatherers.    Agriculture allowed for organized  settlements that provided increased safety and a  reliable food supply. The population of humans increased gradually as modern civilization progressed, but did not rise sharply until modern medicine came on the scene in the 1800's.  The human population in 1984 was 4.7 billion.  Today it is 7.7 billion.

The GREEN CURVE is agriculture.  Over time our creativity and the Earth's natural resources have combined to provide us with a generous variety of plant and animal food items that we have used to keep ourselves well fed and generally healthy.  This curve has kept ahead of human demand, but at a cost.  We are using the Earth's resources to produce our food supply, but at an unsustainable rate.  

The BROWN CURVE is the Earth's Natural Resources. Their use accelerated with the  beginning of the industrial revolution, and the onslaught of modern civilization. We have exploited oil, coal, natural gas, metals, water, land and air in our efforts to conquer the planet and use its resources to produce a lot of people with a lot of  "stuff", without considering the consequences. 

MY VIEW---WHERE WE GO FROM HERE

The above chart illustrates 3 potential results for the human population when confronted with a pandemic at a time when we are already facing a crisis around our unsustainable economic system.

CURVE STRAIGHT DOWN. The Earth Abides (book by George R. Stewart) curve that illustrates a complete collapse of the population that could lead to human extinction or perhaps results in a few people who could survive by a return to a hunting, gathering existence. 

CURVE DOWN AT 45 DEGREE ANGLE.  Sharp gradual decline. 

CURVE LEVELS OFF.  In my opinion this is the most likely result of the COVID-19 virus pandemic  The disease so far is attacking the old (like me---I am 80), the sick, and the vulnerable. Children, young adults and those who are generally healthy are avoiding or recovering from this disease. I believe the longterm effects of the disease caused by the COVID-19 virus will be to keep human numbers close to a constant and more in tune with the resources the planet offers. This is a form of natural selection that will keep the human species fit and strong going into the future. Despite the deaths of many from this disease (maybe including myself) this is the best outcome we can expect from the trauma we are experiencing.

Since we as a species do not seem to have the moral or political will to control our population growth, COVID-19 IS GOING TO DO IT FOR US.

WE ARE ...

WE ARE ......

We are what we are because of who we are and where we are. I have often thought that I have lived in the best of all possible times. My segment in time has allotted me the many opportunities that I currently enjoy as a human living in America in  the twenty-first century.

But what if I had appeared in my ancestral Scotland 1000 years ago; or in my ancestral Northern Europe (Germany) 500 years ago; or  as a Kalahari bushman in Africa 100 years ago; or as a Jew in Palestine 300 years ago; or as a member of the Shawnee indian tribe in Eastern North America 500 years ago; or as a Mongolian today? Everything about me would be different. I would look different. I would have different experiences. I would feel differently about my surroundings, other people, animals, plants, food, work, pleasure, religion.

If I had lived deep in the past, I would now be blind (I have a degenerative eye disease that only modern medicine can help).

I had an appendicitis at age 34 when I had three young children and emergency surgery saved my life. Had this happened in Scotland a 1000 years ago, I would probably have died from a burst appendix.

I am lucky to be alive here, now, in this segment of time.

I believe the life force we all carry first appeared on Planet Earth about 3,800,000,000 years ago. This spark of life was first started as an experiment by the Creator and we (all life forms) who inhabit Earth are the current holders of the light. As living beings we do not create new life, we merely pass it on to the next generation. What this means is that the original spark of life has been carried by organisms from 3.8 billion years ago until now. 

Think about this. How many Y's or FORKS in the road did our ancestors face. One path led to death and destruction and the other to survival and living.  Literally millions of times our predecessors faced adversities and survived, others at the same time faced those same problems and died.  We and everything alive on Earth today are the survivors. This is WHO WE ARE.

I  was born in 1940 and grew up on  a dairy farm in a quiet valley in rural Pennsylvania. Our pacifist Amish and Mennonite neighbors did not present a threat to social order and in many ways we were isolated from the problems of the outside world; protected as it were from the real world. Had I been born in Japan, Germany, Palestine, South Africa or China on that date my life would have been much different.We are very much a product of  WHERE WE ARE. 

      

TRIBALISM IS IN OUR DNA

TRIBALISM IS IN OUR DNA

I grew up in a farming community in South-Central Pennsylvania dominated by four distinct tribes of people. These tribes were mostly defined by their religious beliefs and the church they attended. Some of them also differed in dress and farming methods, but all were Protestant and of the same race ("white").  The first 18 years of my life were spent in this agriculturally centered community.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a tribe as "a group of persons having a common character, occupation or interest." By that definition the 4 groups I grew up with could definitely be defined as tribes.

The four included the Old-Order Amish, the Mennonites, the Lutherans and the Presbyterians. I began school in the Fall of 1945 by attending the local one-room school. Concord School was my school home for 5 out of my first 6 years of public education. I was the only kid in first grade and my classmates in this 8 grades classroom included Amish, Mennonites, Lutherans and Presbyterians (I was Presbyterian) and we were taught by a Mennonite teacher. School was the ONLY place where the four tribes actually spent much time together. In school we studied together, visited together, and played games together; but once we left school grounds, we went back to the tribe.  The Amish to their horse and buggy, no electricity and German language; the Mennonites to their plain clothes, white bonnets and black cars; the Lutheran and Presbyterians back to their "English ways" of cars, electricity and tractors.

Anyone who visits a large city on this planet can readily observe that Homo sapiens are tribal.  We collect with people of a similar religion, language, culture, ethnicity, race, etc., because we are more comfortable around "people like us".

This United States is an amalgamation of hundreds of tribes from around the world.  From our beginnings in the 1600's to the twenty-first century, this land has been and continues to be a beacon of opportunity.  My ancestors came to America in the 1700's from Scotland and Germany and along with many others, helped settle what was then known as the frontier in central Pennsylvania. Because this land was so vast, and the opportunities so great, people from all over the world have come here. Today, no other country in the world has the wide diversity of humans that we do.  

For thousands of years the tribe has been our identity.  We were Christian, we were Jewish, we were Muslim, we were Hindu,
we were African, we were English, we were Japanese, we were Indian and it is a very long list. In the USA of today we are struggling with how we can all be identified as Americans. 

It is a work in progress. We are being tested like never before. The challenge we face is---can we retain the values and culture we cherish as a tribe and still be Americans? Can a nation with such wide diversity survive and prosper in the twenty-first century, or is the effort going to be abandoned as just too hard?  Our children and grandchildren will grade us on our success or failure.

The United States is in political turmoil because our current leadership in Washington does NOT recognize that all who live here, are AMERICANS. President Trump is doing everything he can to create chaos among our wide variety of peoples, because he seems to enjoy seeing people fight and he thinks it is to his political advantage. Sadly, he lacks the capacity to appreciate the wide diversity that is America today.

The Know-Nothings (GOP) who are currently running the country have no vision for the future, so they need to be defeated and replaced with people who are forward looking and are willing to work toward a brighter future for generations still to come.

Donald J. Trump looks at a picture of America and sees ONLY HIMSELF. 

VOTE

TRUMP AND THE REPUBLICANS ARE KNOW-NOTHINGS

TRUMP AND THE REPUBLICANS ARE KNOW-NOTHINGS

Donald J. Trump knows nothing and he demonstrates that fact every time he opens his mouth or makes a decision. He knows nothing about the economy, tariffs, trade, diplomacy, war, climate change, or any other issue requiring his attention. He is incapable of normal human discourse so he uses insults, put downs and ridicule against anyone who opposes him or his ideas; and resorts to exaggeration and self aggrandizement. The Republican Party, when prodded to respond to his bad behavior, says nothing or defends his hate filled rhetoric.

Trump and his followers are the current rendition of the anti-immigrant party of the 1840's and 1850's called the KNOW-NOTHINGS. This movement in the middle of the nineteenth century was highly secretive and when asked where they stood on an issue responded with "I know nothing".  

The anti-immigrant sentiment at the time was sparked by an influx of Irish and German immigrants, mostly Catholic, into major cities across the country. Supporters of the Know-Nothings included the working classes and people who had a dislike for those whom they perceived as the elite.  The members, mostly Protestants, viewed the Catholic Church as a threat to their way of life and the immigrants as a threat to take away their jobs. Riots occurred in  major cities including New York, Chicago and Baltimore; but the most notable violence occurred in the Spring and Summer of 1844  in Philadelphia.  The unrest was sparked by conflicts between Protestants and Catholics over singing hymns in schools and led to riots in which Catholic churches were burned and at least 29 people were killed.  Immigration was the singular issue for the Know-Nothings and their influence waned as the threat of a coming civil war loomed large over the country.

The GOP is dying.  At the national level it is being destroyed by leaders unable to expand their view of the world to include people who are different from themselves.  Led by Trump's hate-filled speeches and rallies, the Republican Party is becoming a "whites only" political movement unable to appeal to the wide diversity that is America.

Donald J. Trump is not a normal human. He is interested ONLY in himself and what makes himself look good in the eyes of his "base".  His derisive  bulling attitude toward others makes those around him hesitant to criticize or disagree with his decisions, so they keep quiet and go along, hoping they will survive. When asked about Trump's latest diatribe or terrible action members of the Republican Party choose to say nothing or defend it with some weak-kneed excuse. Calling this political party the KNOW-NOTHINGS at this point in history seems perfectly fitting. 

Trump is a WHITE SUPREMACIST.  

I do NOT believe the vast majority of persons who call themselves Republicans support the goals of the white supremacist movements.  They, like their compatriots from the 19th century, fear the "other"; people who look different, speak a different language, worship in a different manner, or dress in different ways. Their fears and concerns are universal and are born from ignorance, isolation, lack of experiences and limited education. 

The farmer in Pennsylvania, the coal miner in West Virginia, the steel worker in Ohio, the autoworker in Michigan and the cattle rancher in Montana who have voted Republican all of their adult lives now face a "terrible choice". "Do I continue to support a party that is lead by a white supremacist or do I do the unthinkable---Vote for a Democrat?"  This is the political future facing Republican voters in the upcoming elections. 

The future of the  United States and our democracy will be determined by how the current political turmoil is resolved over the next year or so. The KNOW-NOTHING PARTY (GOP) must be defeated in the upcoming elections. It will not be easy. The Democratic Party has to show America it has a vision for the future that is all inclusive, that is forward looking, that is positive and is  sustainable, if it is to rescue the United States from the clutches of the Know-Nothings. The well being of the whole world is at stake and we must not fail.

FUTURE GENERATIONS WILL GRADE US ON OUR SUCCESS OR FAILURE AND IF WE FAIL, THEIR ASSESSMENT WILL BE BRUTAL.

NOTE:  Information for this post was gleaned  from a story in the July/August 2017 issue of National Geographic History magazine.
   






  



  

CLIMATE CHANGE IS NOW AND WE ARE THE CAUSE

CLIMATE CHANGE IS NOW AND WE ARE THE CAUSE

The climate on Planet Earth has been changing most of my adult life.  The changes have been slow and are now manifesting themselves most dramatically in places like Alaska, Siberia, Greenland and Antarctica.  These alterations of our environment are NOT reversible and there is not an easy cure for this condition.  

This is an ecosystem problem. An ecosystem is a web of interconnected entities that make something work.  The human body is our ecosystem and when all of the parts of this marvel are working together we are healthy and we feel good.  When this system breaks down we get sick and feel terrible.

The Earth's ecosystem is called the Biosphere and it is sick and getting sicker due to our activities.  Some have likened humans affect on the planet  as to a disease. If you examine human incursions into the natural environment it is strikingly similar to a kind of cancer.  When a homeowner buys land for a homestead, he clears it of all native vegetation, builds the house and then plants green concrete (grass) and nonnative wallpaper plants to make it look "natural". 

Towns and cities resemble tumors as they expand their boundaries seeking more land for housing, roads, businesses, industries, etc.

It is my belief that the Biosphere is life on the planet and it will treat humans as a threat to its survival. We are facing the possible extinction of the human species if we continue on our present path.

During the last Ice Age about 15,000 years ago humans were mostly hunters and gatherers, living off the land. We were part of the ecosystem with a stable population and living within our "means". The activities we participated in were sustainable  and we did not have a very negative impact on the Biosphere.  About 10,000 years ago humans invented agriculture and everything changed.  From maybe 1 million humans  at the time, a reliable food supply, combined with increased safety of living in enclaves with others, the number of humans increased dramatically.  Today there are more than 7.7 Billion of us on the planet with future estimates reaching at least 9 to 12 Billion in the next 50 years.  This is NOT sustainable. 

If the Biosphere is sick and we are the disease, it has no choice but to use it's immune system to cure itself.  We do not appear to have the political will to limit humans numbers or control the methane and carbon dioxide pollution spewing into the atmosphere. Disease has always been a limiting factor in human existence, but with the worldwide rise of  modern medicine, drugs, hospitals, etc, just about everyone survives. No one wants to go back to "survival of the fittest", but unless we limit our numbers and our impact on the planet, I do not believe we will survive as a species.

Why do I worry?  In the twenty-first century humans are concentrating in huge cities of millions of people, often living in poverty and deplorable conditions where communicable diseases,  like EBOLA,  can spread easily.  Like chickens in a huge house, when one chicken gets sick, they all die. 

We have choices.  The religious and governmental Patriarchal world that has ruled humanity for the last 10,000 years has to change.  This rule by MEN since we lived as hunters and gathers has given us our modern way of life but can not keep on this unsustainable path. If the male of the species can't lead humans to a sustainable future, then it is time to let women take the reins of power, so they can make the needed choices for survival. I for one am willing to step aside and let them run things.  Men have screwed up the world and it is time for us to get out of the way.       

    

TRUMP IS BASICALLY ROTTEN

TRUMP IS BASICALLY ROTTEN

The true nature of the human condition really crystallized in my mind some years ago during a group discussion of good versus evil. After listening to this serious back and forth for about 20 minutes, I raised my hand and asked if I could speak. I said "I don't believe you can describe man as being either good or evil, I think MAN IS BASICALLY ROTTEN." The group broke out in laughter and the quote was mine!

This quote has been my working hypothesis when dealing with my species ever since

After looking in the mirror and realizing I was basically rotten, my first question was "am I alone or are other people rotten as well?". So I started observing human behavior in its raw form and what better place than in a school with a 1000 teenagers running all over the place (the middle school where I taught science for many years). What about politics, business, TV, the movies, the internet and all the places where we humans hang out? It was a revelation and as well as a relief to realize I was not alone. 

I eventually came to the conclusion that we humans are all basically rotten. The struggle to control our basic nature is life-long and never ends. It is EASY to go with the flow, think only of yourself, and allow   your wants and needs to come first. It is HARD to be honest, truthful and put others first---it takes work, courage, patience, perseverance and commitment.

My observations: If we are to survive in human society, we  need to learn to share, to give, to love, to consider the needs of others. Those who recognize and learn to control their rotten nature (selfishness) are able to make positive contributions to family, groups and societies. Some individuals unable to control their rotten nature end up sad, unhappy, bitter, unpleasant and often become isolated from other people. In extreme cases they become social outcasts and end up spending time in prison or mental hospitals, abusing chemicals, attacking and abusing other people or in the worst case---end up dead.

We have a common humanity on this planet. We find people in every society, every religion who do good deeds, share what they have and put others before themselves. And we have persons in these same societies in every country who abuse others, steal and kill. They have not, for whatever reason, learned to control their basic rotten nature.

EXHIBIT #1: DONALD J. TRUMP is basically rotten.  He appears to be devoid of positive qualities that make us human---empathy, kindness, love, wonder, compassion, etc.  He exhibits  the dark side of humanity and appears set on a path of self-destruction that he seemingly can not control.

The entire planet is experiencing the anti-human behavior of this sad, bitter old man, who is unable to experience the true human emotions we all cherish.  For us to have more peaceful societies and move toward a better future, Mr. Trump and other leaders in his mold need to be removed from power and replaced with individuals who will move humanity toward a better tomorrow. 

I am cautiously optimistic about the future.  Most people I know have found a way to cope with their own shortcomings and to develop means to survive in a multicultural, multiracial 
world that they can not really control.  The anger and fear exhibited by some of the citizens in this country is based on ignorance and lack of real life experiences; and can only be cured with education and experience.  Many of these folks are in a bubble where they live, work and worship with people just like themselves. Once we humans get to know people of other cultures, races, religions, etc. our fear of them dissipates and our tolerance increases.

Donald J. Trump will eventually melt away where evil always goes and the world will pick up the pieces and move on.  He and his supporters will be forgotten as people move forward. trying to resolve the many issues we face such as climate change, environmental pollution, over population, nuclear weapon proliferation, resource depletion, etc.  

This will require a commitment from all of us, who care about our country and our world, to get to work. No one else is going to do it for us.  

See you at the polls.