TRIBALISM IS IN OUR DNA

TRIBALISM IS IN OUR DNA

I grew up in a farming community in South-Central Pennsylvania dominated by four groups of people. These folks were mostly defined by their religious beliefs and the churches they attended. Some of them also differed in dress and farming methods, but all were Protestant and were 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 be defined as tribes.

The four groups included the Old-Order Amish, the Mennonites, the Lutherans and the Presbyterians. I started school in the Fall of 1945 by attending the local one-room red brick Concord School. Concord was my school home for 5 out of my first 6 years of public education. When I started I was the only student  in first grade. My classmates included Amish, Mennonites, Lutherans and Presbyterians (I was Presbyterian). All eight grades were taught by a Mennonite lady named Mrs Yoder. Older students often acted as assistants by giving tests, etc, but she ran the show.  I appreciated the education she gave me.

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 on the planet 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.

COVID-19 IS GIVING US A RIDE LIKE NO OTHER

COVID-19 IS GIVING US A RIDE LIKE NO OTHER

In the year of 2020 the coronavirus called COVID-19 is in control of the human species.

What is a VIRUS? Viruses are part of the web of life that has  existed on Planet Earth for billions of years.  They exist on the edge between living matter and inorganic chemicals. A virus is considered a life form, but not a living organism. If we define a living organism as an entity that can reproduce itself, the virus does not qualify---it can't. A virus can not be called a chemical with a distinct formula such as ammonia or methane because it contains living matter. These mysterious entities act as parasites on many  forms of life and are able to attach themselves to the cells of other living things. They are then able to use the resources of those cells to reproduce copies of themselves. One virus particle is thus able to replicate itself exponentially, leading to diseases such as the one we are currently experiencing.  

The COVID-19 virus presently ravaging the human race is called a parasite because it uses us humans as its host, but does not usually kill us.  More than 90% of people who have had the disease caused by this virus have survived. Although this pandemic is killing thousands of people, the fact that most humans survive is a positive outcome; and would seem to portend good things for the human species's longterm survival. 

As a scientist I have found this pandemic to be a fascinating phenomena to observe. Here in the year 2020 we are seeing a tiny microscopic life form, the virus, bring the most advanced creature on the planet, the humans species, to its knees.  It is just a remarkable turn of events.

When asked what happens next, most knowledgeable people will tell you the COVID-19 VIRUS controls the future.  I believe this tiny life form is taking us on a ride like nothing this planet has ever experienced.

SCREEDS

NOTE: My son Andy calls my writings SCREEDS, which I believe is a cross between a scream and a rant. I am 80 years old, so I think I deserve  the opportunity to SCREED once in a while. I appreciate all of you who take the time to read my messages.  If any of you are offended  by what I write, I am sorry and if you do not want them sent to you, please let me know. 

RECKLESS VS CAREFUL, CAREFUL WILL SURVIVE

RECKLESS VS CAREFUL, CAREFUL WILL SURVIVE

From the environs of Lebanon County to the halls of the White House, our government leaders have demonstrated the meaning of the term RECKLESS.  In recent weeks both the  President and Vice-President of the United States, our highest public officials, have acted in defiance of their own government health officials by not wearing masks or social distancing from others, while in public.  

Across the country as the weather warms and pandemic restrictions are eased, people are flocking to beaches, parks and venues that had been forbidden for months. Unfortunately many have relaxed their guard and have not taken the necessary precautions to avoid COVID-19. The reckless behavior modeled by national leaders is a tragic mistake and will lead to needless illness and death for thousands of Americans. 

Locally the Lebanon County Commissioners Bill Ames and Bob Philips, along with state representative Frank Ryan and  state senator David Arnold  collaborated with other public officials in an effort to "open Lebanon County" before the state pandemic guidelines would permit. I was very disappointed that these public servants would be drawn into such reckless decisions.  They demonstrated poor judgment and did not set a good example for the public to follow. 

COVID-19 is killing us by the thousands and you give the "finger" to efforts to protect us. Shame on you for such arrogance.  I believe you and all that act as you do will pay a very dear price for what you have done, as the true nature of this pandemic unfolds.  

Social distancing and wearing a mask when near others in the public square are acts of love and consideration for the other person, as well as an act of self preservation.  

Recently, a colleague of mine visited a local market here in Lebanon County and noted with concern that none of the employees were wearing masks.  Upon inquiring about the STATE MANDATE for wearing masks and why the person was not using one, the employee said "God will protect me". 

According to a recent press report a local church was planning a regular church service with NO MASKS OR SOCIAL DISTANCING required. Also a local sit-down restaurant was advertising that it was open in violation of State COVID-19 GUIDELINES. This kind of arrogance and oppositional defiance will get people killed. 

You dare COVID-19 and it will find you.  This virus is relentless and will track you down if you act in a reckless fashion and it will show no mercy. 

Maybe God does NOT protect the reckless. 

BEES, BIRDS AND WILDFLOWERS DON'T CARE

We humans are dying from COVID-19 by the thousands, but the rest of the natural world continues on, unperturbed. It is almost as if we did not really exist. Wildlife moves back into parks and towns; and sunrises and sunsets suddenly are more noticeable.  Blue sky is now more blue and the stars are actually visible and brighter.

The wildflowers are blooming, the birds are singing and the bees are fleeting from one flower to another collecting nectar and pollen.  They act like they do not have a care in the world, because they don't. Their world has not really changed.

George R. Stewart wrote the book EARTH ABIDES in 1949 in which he describes the after effects of a pandemic that kills 99.9+% of the human race. His narrative is written from the perspective of an ecologist and he describes what would happen to the United States, if humans were plucked from the planet.  He muses that the only creatures on the planet who genuinely mourn the demise of man, are the three species of the human louse.  He describes wildlife, domestic pets, and farm animals as pausing for a bit, adapting to the absence of humans and moving on. 

Rather sobering, isn't it.

Fortunately for us the COVID-19 pandemic is a lot less severe; and most humans will survive to assess the damage; with the hope of a better prepared future.  But we will never be the same. Modern humans have not faced a virus this contagious and deadly before. Our contentious attitude toward its spread, its treatment, its effects and the economic consequences it is creating, do not bode well for a unified world solution.

I just turned 80 years of age.  It would be cool if  I could come back every couple of years to see how humans have progressed.  It seems unlikely I will be granted such a wish, but we do not really know what is in store for us humans beyond the grave.

WHAT, NO FOOTBALL?

In the Fall of 2019 my wife and I attended two of Penn State's home football games. Since I am handicapped,  I go in a wheel chair. The Pitt game was sold out, but I was able to wrangle two handicapped seats and we both went in wheelchairs. I love watching football, but there will be no more cheering with 100,000 screaming Penn State fans in Beaver Stadium for the for-seeable future.

COVID-19 has stopped all major  sports events the world over. No-one wants to talk about the major sports in the United States because there are billions of dollars at stake and the fan base is huge.  This virus is very contagious and we are just beginning to figure out how it behaves.  Sitting next to total strangers in a huge stadium or arena has been sports for the past 100 years, but no more.  

I do not believe any of the major sports will return to their former glory, until there is a massive testing program and a vaccine; and that will take years. With all the money involved it will be really interesting to see to what lengths the professional baseball, football, hockey and basketball leagues will go to salvage their investments  

Colleges and universities also have a big investment in infrastructure, student athletes and the paid bureaucracies needed to run major sports programs.  I was wondering as I listened to the stories about the recent NFL Draft whether any of the kids being selected will ever play the game.

We have had season tickets for the Gretna Theater for many years. There will not be any shows in this famous open-air venue this summer.  I will miss the after-show parties at the Hall Of Philosophy.

What about movies? Who is going to sit in a dark theater next to total strangers and watch a movie for 2 hours? Most of us won't, because we have no idea whether COVID-19 may be sitting in the seat next to us.

My grandson and I spent the month of February traveling through Florida in a 24-foot motorhome. We visited the Kennedy Space Center, Disney World, the Everglades, attended a Pirates vs Bluejays baseball game and stopped in the Smokey Mountains on the way north. We arrived home March 10, just in time to watch the World fall apart. Great trip, but sadly, none of us will be able to repeat the same trip for a very long time.

COVID-19 has changed our lives for ever and our success as a species will depend on how well we respond and cope with the many changes this tiny life form has unleashed. 

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.