There's been such a lot of blather this holiday weekend about patriotism--who has it (McCain, for being shot down!); whose is suspect (Obama, for having a funny name!) Bill sent us the paired Internet photos of McCain in his fighter pilot uniform and Obama in a dashiki, as though costume were answer enough. We've been thinking a lot in our household about where our loyalties lie when times are bad. One of us feels that hard times require circling the wagons and creating a sustainable life. One of us feels that hard times require reaching out to effect change and assist the neediest. These are not particularly compatible ideals. Finding a balance between them is like walking a tightrope of razor wire. It feels, at times, like a battle between unthinking pessimism and unsupported optimism. But at least we agree, unlike, say, the White House, that these are indeed hard times.
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Where Our Loyalties Lie
There's been such a lot of blather this holiday weekend about patriotism--who has it (McCain, for being shot down!); whose is suspect (Obama, for having a funny name!) Bill sent us the paired Internet photos of McCain in his fighter pilot uniform and Obama in a dashiki, as though costume were answer enough. We've been thinking a lot in our household about where our loyalties lie when times are bad. One of us feels that hard times require circling the wagons and creating a sustainable life. One of us feels that hard times require reaching out to effect change and assist the neediest. These are not particularly compatible ideals. Finding a balance between them is like walking a tightrope of razor wire. It feels, at times, like a battle between unthinking pessimism and unsupported optimism. But at least we agree, unlike, say, the White House, that these are indeed hard times.
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2 comments:
"One of us feels that hard times require circling the wagons and creating a sustainable life. One of us feels that hard times require reaching out to effect change and assist the neediest. These are not particularly compatible ideals."
The answer, of course, is that you're wrong. They are apples and oranges, and therefore perfectly compatible ideals since they do not have to have anything to do with one another (unless you force them into diametric opposition). One can circle the wagon and create a sustainable life while reaching out to effect change and assist the neediest. Doesn't mean it is easy, but it is necessary. In fact, I would go so far as to say that if we don't try to do both, we will fail as a community, nation, and possibly species.
And there's nothing more "patriotic" than trying to avoid that particular scenario.
I guess I mean "incompatible" in light of the family's finances and energies. When times are hard, there's less to go around, and you have to make hard choices.
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