That; we pay our laborers $8, our
teachers $25, our Lawyers $500 and our Real Estate Agents $1000 an hour. That; 20% of the people control 80% of the
wealth in this country. That; we spend a
trillion dollars a year to prevent war and nothing to promote peace. That; we constitute 5% of the world’s
population but account for 25% of consumption, waste and pollution. That; the moon (and most women) cycle around
the earth 13 times a year, almost exactly every 4 weeks, but we still have 12
uneven months. That; in the greatest age
of communication, we are all looking down at our phones and not at each other. I
could go on. We all could go on. It’s a
little too ironic. Don’t you think.
But what does That mean. Things happen that are silly, random,
quizzical, amusing, curious, coincidental, contradictory, accidental,
fortuitous, paradoxical, unpredictable and don’t make sense. What’s up with that. But we have a hand in it at times and some
control. Does that mean we like it that
way or are predisposed for that kind of order?
We all love an ironic twist in a story or a song lyric, a chord that
does not fit directly with the others, the white negative space on a painted
canvas, or the intentional flaw on a woven Navajo blanket. It upsets our expectations for order, rhythm,
consistency and predictability. Is irony human nature, to zig when they zag, to
not give them what they want. To question consistency, ceremony and
authority? Or is it evolutionary, for us
to reject the status quo and the numbers and swim against the currents of
society’s slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. Is it free market-based economics of supply
and demand or some derivative of a natural function solved for zero to maximize
and minimize.
It’s That Irony thing, sir. It’s personal, prevalent and ubiquitous. We either look at it and say, ‘Huh’, or’ that’s
the way it is’, and we take some responsibility for it in our own human nature,
science, sociology, mathematics or karma and try to explain it. Like most things it all goes to motive. So ask yourself ‘why are things like that and
who does it benefit, fairly or unfairly’.
If it does not benefit all, or at least most, it should be questioned,
justified, changed or repaired.
Living wages should be paid for all
employees or affordable housing for workers should be provided by major
employers (or perhaps with caretaker unit ncentive in empty homes) and more residents
here should be encouraged to work at home.
Maybe we should cut our own lawns, paint our own houses and clean our
own bathrooms. Development should pay
its own way, including infrastructure, resources and services. No jumping on the band wagon of
infrastructure that already exists.
Zoning should be often downgraded and never upgraded. Build what you bought. Water should be priced for its worth so it
will be used more wisely. Conservation
should be encouraged on all fronts.
People should be paid for the value
they add to society, the risks they take and the difficulty of their education,
not randomly in a race to the bottom or a slice off the top. There should be a department of Peace to focus
on and foster the relationships we need to get along with everyone consciously
and conspicuously. There should be
taxes on consumption and waste and not on income and wealth. We should develop global funding for global
climate solutions. The calendar should
be repaired to coincide with our celestial and human rhythms. Believe none of what you read and half of
what you see. Lastly; blow up your TV, throw
away your iPhone, try to find Jesus, on your own.
There that was easy, if I were king,
but I’m not. I can only encourage people
to recognize the irony in their lives and the world and take a moment to address
it and if necessary, change it. If not,
let the mystery be and take it as itcom comes.
Revel in it. Embrace it. Enjoy it.
Explain it. Own it. Live with it.
Matthew Lindon
Waterandwhatever.blogspot.com
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