Musing

today’s Musing written and published from south Calgary, near Fish Creek Park

walk report: -7C/20F, clear, calm; yard snow recedes daily, encourages spring thinking, Gusta, used to being harassed one magpie at a time, found a raucous caucus of them disconcerting – they seem to be disorganized, leaderless, not focused in any direction or purpose other than surviving while sniping at others – difficult to tell if they are discussing magpie politics or when spring will arrive

collectively we have abdicated thinking for ourselves, given up wanting freedom to participate in how we are governed, instead leaving it to TV and blogs to inform us of what is important or who to vote for; fact and opinion matter but we’ve been numbed into some state of not caring because it doesn’t matter, not getting involved because we cannot affect the outcome, not engaging because ‘things are pretty good’

leadership deserves followership – we crave the first, participate abysmally in the second; ‘first world’ countries have freedom won on the backs and blood of those gone before, taking as a given something so precious it is ‘to die for’ as many millions have while we content ourselves in channel surfing apathy, scoffing at those in the arena; right now, I ponder if the people of Kosovo understand participation in democracy better than Canadians or Americans

choosing leaders, we seem to want a popularity contest to produce a clear, articulate and charismatic winner – to be able to say ‘I voted for him/her’ while dismissing yesterday’s man as worthless, someone who never got it right – little wonder great men and women choose other fields to succeed and prosper; using the words truth and politics in the same sentence generates giggles instead of respect, gratitude and reverence

good government will prevail, democratic rights, fair play, opportunity and freedom will always be protected - we assume they will, just as we assume they are now, in spite of so much contrary evidence; armchair judgment always shifting; change is good, right? change is bad, right? that depends; sound bites don’t make change or confirm anyone has the skill to affect change any more than ideas proposed will really affect change at all

this silly season unfolds, I wonder to what degree we, the pandered to, truly thirst to follow anything or anyone, how strongly we feel both need and responsibility to cast votes, contribute to decisions and truly affect change with our vote

media coverage doesn’t make it true any more than a house full of tulips makes it spring

Mark Kolke
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... with your voice, teach in order to learn


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