Values

“Liberal” versus “conservative” is one more example of the kind of either/or and black/white Western thinking that has gotten us in trouble so often. It has made Congress ineffective, split voters by party and lifted ideology over the common sense needs of people.

What would happen if we began to think in terms, not of political ideology, but in terms of values like decency, responsibility, compassion and the common good? How would we then deal with the issue of immigrants and their children? Or the issue of environmental safety? Or the issue of gun control?

I believe that values are a more reliable guide to quality of life than ideologies are. But we seem blinded to this in the darkness of the Trump universe.

Art?

I have tried to ask myself over time: “What is art?” Each time, my solution seems to lead me back square one. And that says something meaningful about art. 
“What is art?” is a question worth asking. And what’s worth asking each artist: “What makes your art, art?”

Despicable

All presidents have been flawed human beings, just as all of us are. Some presidents have been corrupt and some have been incompetent. But until Donald Trump, no president has been down right despicable. But Donald Trump has claimed that territory for himself. And unfortunately, many who know better still grovel at his feet.

Toys 'R You

Children’s play is not mindless time wasting. It is exploration, discovery, imagination and collaboration. So…

Choose a stick over a Star Wars glow sword.
Choose a big cardboard box over a plastic box with bells and whistles.
Choose a sandbox over a video game.
Choose a tree over an electric car.
Choose together over alone.
Choose duct tape and dental floss over batteries.
Choose something that imagination turns into possibilities over something that is just itself.
Choose the boundless over the limited.

American children

Some lucky children in America are born into an open world that they can grow into.

Some unlucky children in America are born into cages that they can never hope to escape.

Hate and love

If you hate yourself, you will hate others.

If you love yourself, you will love others.

Hate looks for Satans to glorify its own self-importance.

Love opens its arms to everyone.

Hate is cowardice.

Love is a risk-taker.

Crude America

I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of crude America. Crudeness, vulgarity, incivility, in-your-face-behavior has replaced cleverness, wit, astuteness, civility and mutually respectful dialogue.

Comedy, late-night programming and TV drama have jumped on the crudeness bandwagon as if that is what audiences have always wanted. And audiences respond as if that’s always what they wanted. Crudeness becomes manly (womanly, too) and cool, while thoughtfulness and substance demand too much of us.

Crudeness is celebrated and practiced at all levels of society. It gets attention, and even builds careers. But to me, it’s just dumbing down in action. You don’t have to be smart. You don’t have to think critically. You just have to be crude.