Consider that this world was delivered to Man in a state of equilibrium …the religious among you might interpret this as a manifestation of God’s perfection.
Those who are spiritual or addicted to one organized religion or the other, must concede that Man was given the keys to a pretty sophisticated vehicle, in both the literal and figurative senses of that word. And, like an errant teenager, Man has managed to damage and ding it with his unthinking excesses, ill considered actions and disregard for consequences.
At this moment in
Before going further, let me preface by saying I’m not a religious, nor do I feel that need. I don’t purport to be a moralist either, but I do see the need for morality in all of us (humans) … particularly in those we nominate to lead. Those who accept that role should be held to a higher standard of morality and should discipline themselves to achieve it.
You might be interested in why I was spurred to write this piece.
Recently, CBC radio had an item on their program, “The Current”, which examined the revised laws and fast track procedures that are expected to be instigated by the Minister of Immigration, Diane Finley. In an interview, Ms Finley cited the growing shortage of doctors and medical personnel in Canada … an inference of “critical” was in the sub-text of the discussion as to why change was immediately required.
It is a statistical fact Canadians have not reproduced as they should have over the past four decades … to the extent that populations in all regions of this country are reaching the age where they would normally retire from the work force and collect their pensions. There is a problem inherent in that scenario , … no one is available to replace those retirees. That problem becomes cataclysmic when one considers there are growing shortfalls in certain key occupations that cannot be reconstituted overnight. Medical doctors generally take eight years to graduate as general practitioners … specialists an additional two years minimum, depending on the field … sometimes additional years. Nurses and nurse-practitioners take time to educate. Education in this country is the corner stone of all professions but, without people to go through the extensive processes required, we’re beat before we start. This is compounded by shortfalls in the curriculum and ill conceived direction from those in authority who don’t put enough money in to do the job right.
If things continue along these lines, it is conceivable that we all could eventually wind up looking after each other as we sign ourselves into non-existent homes for the aged. This is the “blind leading the blind”… on steroids.
Minister Finley, in a predictable stop-gap measure, has finally decided to fast-track immigration procedures for those who, presumably, want to come to this country and actually work. Most importantly, new workers will contribute “taxes” so our MPs and MLAs can continue to reward themselves with their well-padded pay checks and collect the perks they have become accustomed to getting. So, first and foremost, Ms. Finley’s actions are based on self preservation as she comes to the realization that people are actually an important component to the preservation of our way of life.
In
Money, in and of itself, will not heal anyone. It takes educated people to do that. Politicians and party leaders sure as hell cannot heal you … in fact, they can’t heal themselves. It’s too bad THEY didn’t think ahead when they were setting taxes and cutting funding to educational systems that are barely able to produce students who can read and write … let alone go on to higher education to become the doctors and nurses this country needs … yesterday.
How did we manage to get ourselves in this position? First of all we allowed ourselves to be swallowed up by successive governments who have become increasingly paternalistic. They are the only ones ( so we have been led to believe,) capable of making decisions for us that affect our society and how we fit in it. Granted, many of us have been deftly manipulated, by sometimes quite sophisticated means, into abrogating our responsibility to ourselves. We must change this immediately.
As an aside, let’s take a look at the “Shakers” society … because this is a microcosm of what can result when a society indulges in excess, no matter how well intentioned. The Shakers are experiencing the law of dwindling return … in a manner similar to ourselves, who, by surrendering our destinies to leaders incapable of leading with morality and ethics, will continue to provide similar results.
You can search Wikipedia for all of the details on the Shakers. They were/are a religious sect that exemplifies what can go wrong when anything is carried to an extreme. An imbalance of that equilibrium mentioned earlier. A self defeating anomaly in Man’s makeup.
The concise version is that one of the main tenets of the Shakers belief system is that they will be closer to God if they remain celibate. No SEX. No procreation. No new Shakers, either. And no one is racing to join the Shakers from without. Correct me if I’m wrong, but, I believe the Church of Rome is having similar problems in attracting new candidates to its priesthood. Again, there is that imbalance … imposed by men who lack the ability to think “outside the box”…or look beyond their noses.
Today, there are four remaining adherents to the Shaker way of life, living in
There is a metaphor here for our society and
The current situation didn’t drop on us overnight.
So, how did we get here? There are a lot of factors that continue to contribute to our deteriorating situation.
Immigration Minister Finley has apparently had an epiphany of sorts … rare for most politicians. She is actually placing importance on the HUMAN FACTOR. It’s unbelievable as a concept, but, PEOPLE have actually come into their own as being an important factor of society. Imagine … without people the whole bloody thing is destined for collapse.
So …
Diane Finley, Minister of Immigration may well be bringing too little too late to turn things around in this country we call
We, as a society, are reaping all that four decades of laxity and lack can purchase … the results of an increasingly hedonistic society fuelled by birth control pills, “women’s rights”( to abortions, to work outside the home, to pay taxes ), and the disintegration or denigration of virtually all forms of morality. FUN, FUN, FUN !
Those are the starting points to ponder.
Add to this young people who do manage to be born in a world that is not prepared to mentor or educate them … or even tell them “No” occasionally …and you will succeed in producing a society just like we have today … in crisis.
Take a look around you and tell me whether you think some kid wearing pants ten sizes too big, hanging to his ankles, has any potential to be a surgeon. The odds are he CAN cut ya … but it won’t do you a helluva lot of good. Nobody has the balls to say “NO” anymore.
Instead, we’ll import our doctors and others to do the work. That way, it’s not as apparent that “someone” didn’t make sure the kid with the oversized pants got an education and actually learned something useful to contribute back to society. This will buy time for governments and bureaucracies to continue to ponder and pontificate … while avoiding the real solutions to the problems.
You cannot, through a system of perverse and protracted method of “social engineering”, tear the guts out of a society and expect that it will thrive and sustain itself.
It takes far more than judges, courts, and lawyers paying lip-service to “constitutional rights” half-baked in a crust of “democracy” that is subject to interpretation and lengthy (expensive) negotiation.
Because of past political decisions,
The birth control pill was given a green light by governments back in the 1960s … the drug companies had something they could make a lot of money with and our “leaders” didn’t consider the negative consequences.
Lots of action … and everybody’s shooting blanks. And nobody has to deal with the responsibilities of real life. So they don’t. Consequently, thirty-five year olds live home with their parents and have no responsibility for anything or anyone.
It’s easier that way because the cost of living has exceeded the ability of any but the well educated and rich elite to meet it. This is exacerbated by increasingly higher taxes imposed by governments devoid of leaders who, apparently, surrendered their grasp on reality when they were elected to office and take their orders from the mega corporations who dictate to them and, consequently, to us .
That’s why our country is in crisis, and desperate to find doctors and others to fill the numbers of jobs that are open and begging for qualified bodies. Governments at all levels across
My grandfather used to say, “Promises are like wishes … you can shit in one hand and wish in the other.” Politicians are synonymous with promises … always have been. Where have they gotten us?
Occasionally, you have to “put back” to regain that needed equilibrium … because, without it, there is chaos and panic … which, surprisingly, only took us about fourty years to “achieve” in
Some achievement. No direction … devoid of foundation or recognition of reality … while denying the consequences of cause and effect = what we have today.
Political leaders will be only too quick to disagree, but the perception exists that things today have progressed beyond the abilities of our politicians to “fix” them. Certainly, no one political party can come up with all of the answers … so, why then, do we continue to support the party system? Can someone … anyone give the definitive answer to that question?
We don’t have the luxury of time anymore. The problems are myriad … to the extent that we need to put all of the leaders of all parties to work to begin to fix them. To hell with playing politics … we are in an age where hardball is the game, and we need real leaders prepared to lead … not just talk a good game or have their “people” manipulate public perceptions. Dispense with the phoney differences and get together to work for the common good of our country and the human race because we ain’t buyin’ what you’re selling any more. For proof you can look at your own poll results and percentages of people who actually bother to exercise their right to vote.
To Diane Finley these questions: What compromises are you making to expedite the ingress of bodies? Will selectivity be thrown to the winds simply because you need doctors and health care workers specifically … and real workers who can begin to fill all of those empty positions? Have you fully considered the potential problems you might be importing, as well?
Stumble It!