Wed 23 Jan 2008
I agree with the writer of the original opinion that we need to understand, appreciate and be able to suffer through hardship and be able to sacrifice.
This thread has gone from bad to worst with nothing more than rhetoric to justify differing, mostly bipartisan, views about our government. I think the original article desrves a bit more analysis, of the personal kind.
I agree with the writer that we need to sacrifice, although I disagree with what that means, I do think we need to be able to look at our society and its problems, find a solution that we find suitable and go about enacting that change. First from a personal level and then by influencing others to react.
A couple of posts complained about what could be the moral decadence of U.S. mainstream culture, so, what are you doing to support or oppose it? Do you still subscribe to cable or satelite tv? Do you shop at malls where the stores have names of “Pink Taco” and “FCUK”? If you are still complaining about reality tv chances are that you haven’t voiced your opinion by sacrificing not having any tv piped into your home. The best way to influence large corporations that are promoting these kinds of things is to remove your dollar from their market and then try to enfluence others to do the same. It’s your economic vote.
I personally think that these things are trivial and amount to nothing when compared to the other problems facing humanity. My views are mine, but I have chosen to sacrifice things in order to foment change. I believe the automobile causes serious problems within our nation, including but not limited to pollution, obesity and the lack of community/human interaction. I therefore don’t drive one. I use alternative modes to get around and encourage everyone around me to do the same. This means riding my bike to work when it is -11 F. or when it is 120 in SG. I have chosen to sacrifice a luxury because I believe it is a serious contributor to a problem.
I think this article could be a good place for you all to start deciding where the problems are and what you can do to change it. We can complain until we are blue in the face about who is to blame and how the politicians should go about enacting the changes, but for true change to be wrought each one of us has to change and sacrifice for those things we believe to be right and true.
What are you willing to sacrifice?
http://forums.thespectrum.com/viewtopic.php?p=51635#51635
