A Late Night Conversation

Thursday, June 21, 2007

[Thrust into the middle of a conversation as two gentlemen discuss their world]….

Friend 1:"I'm not sure what you mean?"

Friend2: "We'll my point may not be entirely clear. Let me rephrase it if you will. Did you ever think that everything we are doing is so much more complicated than it should be?"

Friend 1: "I suppose, but are you talking in generalities or is there a specific claim that you are attempting to make?"

Friend 2: "In generalities, but I can definitely get more specific if you so desire".

Friend 1: "That I do friend that I do".

Friend 2: "Let me preface the crux of this conversation with a blanket statement first. I am laying the blame at your feet, at my feet and at everyone's feet. This desire to be entertained has become what most people live for; there is nothing that really motivates most people beyond self serving ideals and the want to be entertained almost constantly".

Friend 1:"Yeah, I know what you mean. People are lazy".

Friend 2: "Sure, yeah, people are lazy but is that the real reason or just another symptom? I mean why are people lazy and I am talking beyond work, their occupations. And let the record show that I am speaking to more than this laziness. "

Friend 1:"Ok".

Friend 2: "What motivates you?" Why do we allow the things that go on in our world? Why do people not become more involved? Why do people just complain about all that's wrong? Why do most people not even realized what it is that is wrong? Our society is becoming very dumbed down if you will. People come home from a day at work and turn on their television sets and become zombies."

Friend 1: "What motivates me? To do what?"

Friend 2: "Motivates, inspires, the driving force behind what you do, what you know, who you are. I believe this conversation is about to become very cumbersome and all over the board. Shall we continue?"

Friend 1: "By all means, proceed".

Friend 2: "You know this is a rare event, not many people even care to broach this type of subject without a nice cup of coffee. Whadda ya say?"

Friend 1: "I've got a pot of tar brewing as we speak. It's not decaf, is that ok?"

Friend 2: "I don't drink decaf anyway. I guess I'm just kinda fed up with a lot of stuff. The government and I am not talking about the current administration. Beyond that, I'm talking about the pork barrel spending and the career politicians who have no desire to actually represent their true constituency, the people. It's the church, its Hollywood, it's family; it's about getting real and telling the truth and not this slant on late night comedy central that is being accepted as true".

Friend 1: "I guess it's just easier to go to work, then come home and turn on the television. People feel like nothing they do can change anything anyway. You know, it is a fact that each generation becomes more liberal than the one before them and that doesn't necessarily mean that it's always a bad thing. For example, people always used to go about town to go to the movies or whatever, dressed in a suit. Remember Barney Fife, he wouldn't take ol'Thelma Lou to go skip rocks down by the lake unless he was wearing his trademark salt and pepper suit and his fedora".

Friend 2: "I totally understand what you mean. Most people don't even wear a suit to church, if they even go to church and I don't think it's at all a bad thing to be a little more casual with your Sunday wear. Not everyone can afford a nice suit and who wants to wear a suit and make others feel like they are in some way inferior. People have enough to contend with on a daily basis."

Friend 1: "Not everything liberal, progressive means better though".

Friend 2: "Of course not, besides the word liberal has so many different connotations anyway".

Friend 1: "What's your beef with the government?"

Friend 2: "It's just so huge. There is so much waste. I guess I am a little more libertarian in my stance about government, not all the social issues mind you, but especially in the way of smaller government starting with state's rights. Do you realize that there is something like 365 representatives in the House and 100 in the Senate and that all over them have huge salaries with a staff of at least 15 people that make a good living too? Look at how much we pay judges, and most of these career politicians will get a check for the rest of their lives. I just don't get it."

Friend 1: "I see what you mean, smaller government, less red tape and definitely less money wasted".

Friend 2: "They have legislated so many laws, rules and regulations that are great on some levels but just create more of that red tape you mention on most levels. The more rules you make, the more rule breakers you create."

Friend 1: "Of course, you do need rules and laws such as laws against driving under the influence, laws against breaking and entering…"

Friend 2: "Yeah, those are the gimmies, but a bigger question, who is making the laws and why are some people and companies exempt. It's all about how much money you have to support a lobby group or how much money you have to defend yourself in a court case because we all know liberal judges are legislating from the bench. It comes down to money and the separation between the haves and have-nots is getting wider every day. It's not just the republicans, its both sides. Take a guy like John Edwards for example, he has made his millions by doing his part to ruin health care and insurance in this country by suing every Tom, Dick and Harry".

Friend 1: "It's very much like it was when the Pharisees and Sadducees ruled Israel during Jesus' time. The letter of the law kills and they were making laws and rules that benefited them".

Friend 1: "What can people do about it though?"

Friend 2: "Maybe nothing, but maybe if everyone would unglue themselves from the boob tube long enough to realize what is actually going on, and demand that these politicians do their jobs and elect people that will actually represent them and our ideals, the very things this country was founded upon, but its not just here, its in every country. Take Venezuela, Chavez comes in under this cloak of Socialism, a system that if it could work, which I don't believe it could is a system in which property and the distribution of wealth are subject to control by the community, the people. Chavez has seized the oil fields, heck, its not even a state controlled issue, it's a Chavez controlled thing now".

Friend 1: "People like to have their ears tickled. Tell me what I want to hear and then 'boom' you've got representatives or dictators dictating".

Friend 2: "Haha, and Chavez says Bush represents an evil empire. Bush has his problems no doubt, but he isn't doing anything close to what Chavez is doing. I guess its like it says in the Bible somewhere, people will begin to believe the lie, whatever it is and then the lie becomes the truth and the truth becomes a lie. Very interesting…"

Friend 1: "Really, its human nature, its like Snoop D. O. double G. said in the mid-nineties, "you gotta get yours before I gots to gets mines"."

Friend 2: "True, true".

Friend 1: "Who knew old Snoop was a philosopher?"

Friend 2: "I didn't".

Friend 1: "Well now you do Chico".

Friend 2: "I didn't mean to go on such a rant about the government of all things".

Friend 1: "It's ok, I forgive you pal".

Friend 2: "Do you think people like to think?"

Friend 1: "Nah, not really, no more than they like to wait on fast food I guess".

Friend 2: "Ha ha, ain't that the truth".

Friend 2: "I mean really, people can't by and large, tell you what they believe in or why they believe in it. It's all about emotions and feelings".

Friend 1: "Ha, you are the one sounding whiny tonight".

Friend 2: "Hush up little sailor before I tell everyone how much you like to watch Grey's Anatomy".

Friend 1: "Those sound like fighting words".

Friend 2: "Maybe, but seriously, if people would just figure out what it is they believe and in and be able to substantiate it, reiterate, discuss…"

Friend 1: "You are asking too much of people".

Friend 2: "I think not, my only request is that they pony up".

Friend 1: "Well, can you define what it is that you believe in with such conviction?"