I have been telling the war mongers for ten years that we need to learn arabic. Not redneck, arabic.
Learn a language, learn a culture, learn more. Christians don't understand the Q'uaran because they don't speak arabic! I joined the islam american culture group and they sent me a beautiful quaran for free. Im not a muslim, but at least i am not so stupid as to dismiss their language and culture as stupid. It is in fact beautiful. They gave us such familiar things as our alphabet, the study of chemistry, and our world-view is more influenced by the middle- eastern history than can be imagined.
I only hope that futting oil doesnt destroy that relationship to an irreparable condition before I can see it in person. I am only twenty five, I have been to the tip of south america, I have been in Europe, but If I die before I have a chance to spend at least one or two years in the arabic world I will die unfulfilled. So rich, so deep. In some instances, more rich, more deep than the consumerism in which I exist. Give me a light cotton robe, some people to talk to, and places to explore.
I am an optomist, but also pragmatic. I have never been in a fight. I feel like if I had a chance to spend a year in Iran, perhaps travel all over the arabic world, I would only meet friends. My travels everywhere, I think everybody wants the same thing. Companionship, discussion, language, culture, food, risks, takings risks and realizing that your not that different.
I think it would be great to speak arabic and travel in arabic speaking countries. I hear that the food is incredible, and the culture is so rich that it would make me cry realizing that my lost scandinavian farming culture had a similar richness that has been lost to western wealth.
food and family isn't good enough. But I have hope. The asian kid from school of rock said "i'm not cool" lawrence. Lawrence is good at the piano.
If this country has hope it is in our young people realizing that money does not equal wealth, rather wealth is happiness, and the only true way to achieve wealth is by having convictions, following them, and doing everything you can to show your worth.
Showboating and rich is over. I am sick of watching priveleged US athletes showboating like war heroes because they did mundane details. We need to start giving them a dose of reality at a young age.
When I see things happen like college athletes getting taken down for stealing, raping, and fighting, and not getting in trouble, and tech people getting in trouble for lying, cheating, and manipulating, I feel the same way.
Where are the parents? Who are we holding accountable?
Our leaders in business are not accountable. Our scientists are not accountable. Our politicians are not accountable. Our governments are not accountable. They have destroyed global wealth. The system is not working. Why not?
What can we do to make it work?