4/22/07

Things that I just don't understand

Recently I have been shaking my head more and more at a whole bunch of things. To me - Ecclesiastes-like - it is clear that the more I read, the more I study, the more I travel, the more I work, the more people I meet, the more I blog, the less I understand about the world.

I never understood anything about the Holocaust. I don't understand how people can tolerate the military-industrial complex that takes us into needless wars. I don't understand how people can allow the cigarette industry to kill 460,000 people a year in the US. I don't understand how people can allow the gun industry to provide weapons to maniacs to kill innocent people. I don't know why any single American would tolerate $3.00 a gallon gasoline. I don't understand how Bush got elected, and then re-elected. I don't understand corporate greed and white collar crime. I don't understand the anger of the rightists. I don't understand bigotry against women, gays, Jews, Arabs, blacks, Zionists, Muslims, anyone.

I'm talking as a positivist. I simply don't know how civilization can tolerate these evils.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I never understood anything about the Holocaust.
(If you're speaking 'theologically,' I agree.)

I don't understand how people can tolerate the military-industrial complex that takes us into needless wars.
(How about the needed wars?)

I don't understand how people can allow the cigarette industry to kill 460,000 people a year in the US.
(How about the alcohol industry? At some point, the populace has to take responsibility for their own actions.)

I don't understand how people can allow the gun industry to provide weapons to maniacs to kill innocent people.
(How about weapons to kill home intruders?)

I don't know why any single American would tolerate $3.00 a gallon gasoline.
(Because we are by and large clueless how to prevent it.)

I don't understand how Bush got elected, and then re-elected.
(I guess you don't understand Clinton or Gore, either.)

I don't understand corporate greed and white collar crime.
(Umm, human nature?)

I don't understand the anger of the rightists.
(How about the anger of the leftists?)

I don't understand bigotry against women, gays, Jews, Arabs, blacks, Zionists, Muslims, anyone.
(I'll wisely avoid touching this carefully selected list of yours.)

Anonymous said...

One thing *I* can't understand is why you have an ad for "Interfaith Ketubahs" on your website.

(Umm... earlier, I meant to say "Clinton or Kerry.")