I recognize how unenlightened I am after the recent election.
I don’t give a whit if people of the same sex marry. I worry a lot about the $16 trillion debt.
I don’t care if pot is legal or not. I care about the financial cliff.
I don’t worry about climate change. I do notice wind and solar is not the problem in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, it’s a shortage of gasoline. To me a Keystone Pipeline that brings oil for gasoline gets priority over another solar farm in the desert that uses Chinese panels, millions of gallons of water, and produces power at three times that of conventional power plants.
I do notice that people who reside where enlightenment is deemed to exist at highest levels are seeing the greatest economic stress in their systems. California, with the Hollywood influence ,and New York, with the media presence. Enlightenment must have a high cost.
I notice some of the most enlightened citizens seem to have a lot of money. They often travel in private jets, live in multiple mansions, and may be limited in education. Bruce Springsteen and Beyonce come to mind.
Or, are highly educated and get paid a lot of money to teach at Harvard a few days a month-like Elizabeth Warren.
Enlightened people talk a lot about helping others. But, it’s always my money they want to use to supply this help. I try to help others, but I write checks or donate time to do that. I believe it’s between me and those I’m helping, not a public issue or a political one.
I take comfort in being unenlightened. When in the company of one who is very enlightened, I find myself seeking a door. They seem smug, somewhat angry. And, very limited in interests. They have the same look about them that those young people who knock on my door toting bibles have. They see enlightenment as a religion, a ticket to heaven. They want to feel superior and this seems to do it for them. I feel sorry for them.
Every day more and more Americans become enlightened. Making us more like Europe and California.
Every day I work on becoming less enlightened. I find I just let common sense and good judgment keep from joining the crowd.
