ok , i've had it!
By bigal3
@bigal3 (1231)
Thailand
June 16, 2011 2:10am CST
I have by the grace of God managed to live to be sixty-six years old. It suddenly hit me while watching a history program that there has not been one place on this planet that has not involved its population and the population of others being maimed and slaughtered. You see I was born June 7th 1944; "D-day" plus three hours to be exact.
I have witnessed shooting conflicts around the world; some of which were not published until now for what ever reason. You, the reader be the judge of that. What is really sad all of mankind"s conflicts have been for in my opinion land, power, various minerals and jewels, and I guess you could sum it all up by saying "MONEY" with "POWER" running a close second.
With all of the social "experts" out there in TV land and now "THE NET"! a person might that mankind would have learned. Even "Plato" knew that from some of his writings.
Now there is a huge conflict politically in my country. Of course, it's getting close to election time again and all of the candidtes are after that $ to launch their campaigns. Still poor people world wide are dying, starving with no chance for good health care for themselves and their children. Oh, did I mention the politicians of those nations aren't hungry and they have "jobs"
I really hate to say this but we Americans have been dupped more than anywhere else else. I, being of Afro-American and Native American Indian among a few other things;(my family was international), have seen it in the early days my grandmother used to tell me about which doesn't sound much different, only the names are different.
WHAT HAPPENED? As I see it, two words "POWER & GREED"! Take the time and think back over the years and I think you'll find those two partners in crime in almost every case, country and international business deal. I ask you the reader to not believe me but do the research your self. Believe me it is out there.
6 responses
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
17 Jun 11
hi bigal I have myself by the Grace of God and I do mean by his g race lived to be 84 and in 1944 I was a senior in HIgh school and all the boys in my class save two were already drafted and at war. I graduated with only two boys in our class. yes I my lifetime I have seen amd read about all these wars. Yes money and power seem to be the root of all those wars too. I do not need to research this as I have lived a lot of this myself. but I choose at my age to live more optimistically as there is also much good in this world and I search that out and am not dwelling on the bad. I alone cannot change it but I can make myself happy for each day. my son and I lived through his losing his job and us being evicted. now hes in gov.sponsored apt with three other men while I am here in this less than perfect retirement center being paid for monthly out of my social security and ssi checks.Its not at all what we wanted but I am diabetic and crippled and my son did not want me just living on the streets so we did the best we could..He still has only a part time job so we still cannot afford a two bedroom apartment but I hope and pray he will get a full time job and I will move out of here soon . Hope is eternal for us. .
1 person likes this
@bigal3 (1231)
• Thailand
22 Jun 11
Hi "Hatley". Much thanks for your response and my compliments to you to have made it in this life for as long as you have. Wow, 84 yrs. I should be so lucky. On the other hand with the world being what I see it is now I'm not so sure. What is your secret to longevity?
I know how you and your son feel. I too with my family have had those difficult down moments. For awhile there no matter what I did seemed to be wrong for my family and me. The real crux of the matter is WHY CAN'T WE HUMANS GET ALONG PEACEFULLY? Now I am in my senior years and I know what you mean about the various ailments that we seniors have to suffer. For me it is Arthritis in all my major joints. Not very much fun! Luckily I was able to leave the U.S. and live in a country that truly respects and appreciates its elders and I get better respect and care here than in my own country. I wish you and your son he best of health and luck in the future. Between the two of us we probably could write SOME IND OF BOOK OR MOVIE with our combined experiences. Take care of yourself and the best of luck for your son getting a viable job soon.
@Orson_Kart (6779)
• United Kingdom
16 Jun 11
I totally agree!
I am from the UK and we have seen conflict dating back throughout history to before the romans invaded our country. In the past I suppose we could blame uncivilised people who were land grabbers, but now there seems no good reason for conflicts other than for incumbents to retain their power over 'their people'.
What's the answer?
1 person likes this
@bigal3 (1231)
• Thailand
22 Jun 11
Hi "Orson_Kart" and much thanks for your response. I seriously agree with you but there is one more reason in my opinion that overides them all. Even if you look back through ancient histoy you will find $$$$'s and greed for land to be the top two. What do you think?.
In my opinion if a person or a nation has control of the financial resources they can call all the shots so to speak. What I see now in this world is exactly that situation. People have forgotten how to care about eachother.
@Pose123 (21635)
• Canada
16 Jun 11
Hi bigal, You are absolutely right and I have observed it many times. I was born in 1939 just a few weeks after world war II started. Money, greed and power are the culprits as you have said. I would go as far as to say that even after millions of years, we have evolved very little, the human race is still very uncivilized. We must come to realize that it is only in helping others that we can help ourselves. This doesn't mean that we let others take advantage of us or walk over us, because that helps no one. Help another find happiness and we will find happiness ourselves, show another a better way of living and we too will find things falling into place in our own life. All the great teachers of the past have taught this but we have been very slow to catch on. Blessings.
1 person likes this
@bigal3 (1231)
• Thailand
19 Jun 11
Hi "Pose123",
Good to hear from you and thanks for the response.
Now down to business.I certainly agree with you about helping others. Unfortunately certain world factions, governments and yes, religious beliefs mess it up for the rest of the world. I have done sort of an un-official personal study on my own for the last four presidents of America. All save one have been in my opinion good people with what appeared to be real concern for the American people and the rest of the world community even though his personal and private traits left something to be desired. However he left the country in in the green not like some others I could name but will not here. But alas, the people around them both in the U.S. and our "ALLIES" along with the financial concerns they represent or have an special interest in wether it be land, "RELIGION', or just downright "GREED".
A classic example of this in my humble opinion is what we see world wide as i write this. From a historic viewpoint Christianity and Islam have been batteling for over I think 600 years. Enter "OIL" and $$$$'S, the banks and the "SUPER CORPORATIONS". The result is what we are currently experiencing.
What is the solution? I do not know but "I DO KNOW THIS IF IT CONTINUES WE WILL GO THE WAY OF THE DINOSAURS". WAKE UP WORLD!!!
Good to hear from you and thanks for the response.
Now down to business.I certainly agree with you about helping others. Unfortunately certain world factions, governments and yes, religious beliefs mess it up for the rest of the world. I have done sort of an un-official personal study on my own for the last four presidents of America. All save one have been in my opinion good people with what appeared to be real concern for the American people and the rest of the world community even though his personal and private traits left something to be desired. However he left the country in in the green not like some others I could name but will not here. But alas, the people around them both in the U.S. and our "ALLIES" along with the financial concerns they represent or have an special interest in wether it be land, "RELIGION', or just downright "GREED".
A classic example of this in my humble opinion is what we see world wide as i write this. From a historic viewpoint Christianity and Islam have been batteling for over I think 600 years. Enter "OIL" and $$$$'S, the banks and the "SUPER CORPORATIONS". The result is what we are currently experiencing.
What is the solution? I do not know but "I DO KNOW THIS IF IT CONTINUES WE WILL GO THE WAY OF THE DINOSAURS". WAKE UP WORLD!!! @bestboy19 (5478)
• United States
16 Jun 11
For some, rich and poor, money might be the all consuming goal, whether earned or stolen; but I believe power is first and foremost in the hearts of politicians. I believe those who are greedy for money and power don't think beyond themselves and if they do, their attitude is, everyone else is doing it, so why shouldn't I?
I was delightfully surprised you didn't accuse religion for all the wars throughout history. These days it seems to be getting most of the blame for the woes of the world, even though those who are fighting in the name of their religion are not really very religious.
@bigal3 (1231)
• Thailand
21 Jun 11
Hi "bestboy...".
Thank you for your response and the compliment.
As it relates to religion if I remember correctly,"GOD" gave mankind the "freedom" of thought and will" and it is strictly up to us as humans to make our own choices be they right or wrong. No, This one cannot be blamed on the "ALMIGHTY". This is strictly mankind's doing. As far as I am concerned the world really needs to "WAKE UP AN SMELL THE COFFEE"!
@SIMPLYD (90722)
• Philippines
16 Jun 11
That's very true. The two , Power and Greed always come in tandem.
Those politicians, for example are hungry for power and when they are there already they will become greedy and do all that they can to enrich themselves to the detriment of the people. They will also do all that they can in order to stay in power thus becoming greedy for power!
1 person likes this
@bigal3 (1231)
• Thailand
19 Jun 11
Hi"SIMPLYD", thank you for your response. I agree with you but I fear it goes it goes even further back than that. I don't know exactly when nor do I care. The point is that we HUMANS REGARDLESS OF WHAT RACE, COLOR, LANGUAGE OR ANYOTHER SOCIALLY DIVIDING INSTRUMENT OF UNDERSTANDING AND CIVILITY have completely lost the plot and it seems from the very begining of our existence on this blue rock in space.
You speak of of political power, greed and such which seems to me to have been around Since "ADAM AND EVE" brought "Cain" and "ABLE" into the world thus was the beginning! I know there are those of you out there in "MyLot" land who will vigorioulsy disagree with me. But I ask you to check it out "HISTORICLY".
Now the big question is "WHAT DO WE AS HUMANS DO ABOUT IT"?
@BalthasarTheRat (656)
• United States
16 Jun 11
I guess the problem isn't that society doesn't know that "power and greed" are a root cause for much of the world's turmoil. The problem is most don't care because they want to be on the winning side of the power/greed equation.
The cultural traditions of much of the world reward greedy behavior, even promoting the success of power as the true goal of life. Here, in the US, it is often referred to as "The American Dream". Perhaps it had a much gentler meaning when our ancestors came here, but now it is largely about being more powerful and/or richer than the next guy.
As long as we create and support societies that encourage greed, we are going to keep getting these effects of greed that you point out.
@bigal3 (1231)
• Thailand
21 Jun 11
Hi my friend. I couldn't agree with you more! However, I also have to add it seems the "American Dream" unfortunately does not for some reason apply to the everyday person any longer regardless of what nation you are from.
I'm glad you mentioned "other societies". Let's face it most of the under developed nations are just as much as the rest of the world involved in these problems as they, and you can see it in the way their leaders govern there own countries and regimes, do not have their own people's interest at heart. In my opinion GREED and POWER seem to be the driving force. What do you think?
I couldn't agree with you more! However, I also have to add it seems the "American Dream" unfortunately does not for some reason apply to the everyday person any longer regardless of what nation you are from.
I'm glad you mentioned "other societies". Let's face it most of the under developed nations are just as much as the rest of the world involved in these problems as they, and you can see it in the way their leaders govern there own countries and regimes, do not have their own people's interest at heart. In my opinion GREED and POWER seem to be the driving force. What do you think?