Who?

It has taken me most of my life to figure out who I am.

But I know.

What leaves me puzzled is who WE are.

By we, I mean US … the United Statesians.

My political hiatus was an opportunity for me to think before speaking. I like to do that sometimes.

There are days the desire to write overwhelms my desire to think about what needs to be written, and I’m a sucker for overwhelming desires.

The break allowed me to distill my specific questions, as they relate to the state of the world. I have a picture of it drawn through youtube, google, the 16 newspapers I peruse every day, and the myriad news programs I make it a point to watch.

Turns out that it all comes down to that important philosophical question.

Who are we?

More specifically, who are we in comparison to who we used to be, who we claim we are, and who we say we want to be?

This eventually circles back to Saddam, and Iraq, and Afghanistan, and the global war on terror, our troops, the feeling I have that we’re slowly retreating to separate ethnic corners and waiting for a bell to ring to start the war to end all wars, and all the other things that left me with a sour feeling on my stomach as ’06 ground to a close.

I spent a few minutes with Socrates, Plato, Aristotle and some others during the break, and the great philosophers spend a LOT of time discussing such ethereal topics. I used to think that philosophy was a waste of time. I’ve studied it on my free time, and taken the classes that attempted to make the case for it, and I’m finally sold.

Philosophy is what makes smart decision-making possible.

Irrespective of whether the foundation of your guiding philosophy is religion, a particular economic model, or a political document you hold in high regard, knowing where you stand and why allows you to be consistent, and to make decisions that are traceable, explainable, and repeatable.

For the past few years, America as an organization has lacked a fundamental philosophy. The muddled decisions we’ve endured as a populace, have led to what I’m starting to think are the primary indicators of pending chaos.

That isn’t to say that I believe that some fundamental breakdown of our society is inevitable, only that the game is on, and we don’t appear to have any sort of big picture we’re coloring. That’s never a good sign.

History has enough examples of chaos for us to draw VERY accurate assessments of how certain factors impact the whole.

Putting this era under a comparative historical microscope doesn’t turn up any particularly encouraging signs.

I’ve chosen to ease into my opinions this year. I’ll eventually get to the firebrand stuff I like to write, but I’m interested in hearing from you as I make my way there.

Simple question: As it related to “US” … who are we?

Extra Credit: Are we trending TOWARD, or AWAY from who we claim to want to be?

Bonus Extra Credit: What recent event has most clearly represented that picture of who we are, to you?

Looking forward to chatting with you all this year.

Peace,

--Stew.

(originally posted 3 Jan 07)