What is the role and responsibility of all of us, as citizens?

I heard a radio show that talked about the lack or loss of camaraderie and unity in America. That talk show has been twirling in my thoughts. Then today I read this article by the CEO of Starbucks. Now please note, I am not a fan of Starbucks because their coffee is nasty and fattening. What I do like is his questioning of us as citizens and what we have become, what we should be.

A Call for Civility and Values-Based Leadership It is an interesting read and hopefully will inspire some decent thoughts.



Many actually hope that society crashes but I question do they want it to crash and get back to what? What spirit are you hoping will be the spirit of our country?

 

I definitely don't want our society/civilization to crash. If it did, I'd last about as long as an anonymous mutant in a Mad Max movie.

I do want our society to change for the better.

Right now, the world is like a sinking lifeboat where half the occupants are bailing water in and half are bailing it out.

Sooner or later, one half will win.

I guess it's our job to bail better and faster.

The problems of the world, if they are to be solved, will eventually be solved by our children, and theirs. So we must raise our children wisely.

And teach by example.

 

UncleMorgan, the only problem with us bailing out is this: Every day for each of us who are bailing out, the government brings in one to bail in, and allows another bail in to cross our southern border to help bail in. We couldn't keep up if we bailed 24 hours a day.

 

Ya'll know there are people who don't get on the internet much and don't watch TV, fox news or movies? What we see is a vocal minority on the net. The 'Non-vocal' majority we don't hear much from .... and these people actually talk to their neighbors. My main point is, just because its on the internet, twitter, facebook, news, doesn't make it the truth for everyone.

 

That is true @Ganado but those that want to hit the reset button I wonder what they want to reset to? I also wonder where the caring, compassion and camaraderie went to.

 

To quote a memorable movie line: It's twue! It's twue!

 

Hi @Motomom34
I don't personally think we have lost that. What we are is a bunch of lemmings and or monkeys that are running to the sea. Overcrowding, and lack of training in how to set personal boundaries or be conscious and present in the moment. What the internet has done is allowed our flight/fright/insta-rage reactions to take place in an environment of words, not actions. As a result its easy to be nasty to people online that you don't know and you probably misunderstood because you (not you personally, you generic) don't have the visual, hearing and smelly clues that normal human interaction requires for 90% of our communication.

Words are only 10% of the brain's communication processing facilities..... so basically online is a mentally restriction that makes us look like a bunch of idiots who are pretending to communicate. I always take this into consideration when posting. Even when shots are fired from my verbal/written arsenal. =)

 

Great analogy - the half bailing water in only have to win once, the half bailing it out have to win each and every time. Once that boat capcizes it isn't coming back up from the bottom without a lot of work and maybe hundreds of years.

 

Sorry...I can't let this go because these types of personalities annoy the hell out of me. They take their moment of free publicity to paint some picture that everyone wants to believe but is pure fantasy. Sure, people are basically good, certainly Americans are and I would say better and more giving then most others in the world. But. We. Have. Serious. Problems. In. America. And, to bury your head in the sand and say that all is well because people continue to do what is decent, what is good, and what is right? Or, even worse to ignore the problems? Yeah, okay, stick your head back in the sand but this time keep your mouth shut!

So, the analogy is people are in a sinking boat and some are bringing water in while the rest are bailing out water...then you have this yo-yo from fantasy land who is sitting at the bow, doing nothing, saying "Not to worry, all is well."

 

The CEO of StarBucks wants us to do community service. How quaint.

 

Of late I have been greeted as a political party not a person. I know that is their problem not mine but what happened to being kind to each other and helping each other? The rise of the black lives matter movement is all very disturbing to me. I feel like we as a nation are going backwards. I feel that we have huge divisions. I happen to like people. I usually like all people, interested in different cultures, foods and customs. I like to hear opposing political views if it is done in a decent manner. I thought his words were nice because I do wish people would accept me as a human. He may not live his words and he many not promote his words because money is his objective but his written words were a plea to start being decent. Or at least that is what I came away from reading the post.

 

I believe it goes much deeper so I will do a copy and paste of another post I just made.

We are being manipulated into a war setting that will not go away.

"Tackleberry said: ↑
You guys are missing the point. The Muslims are simply the tool being used to destroy Europe. Again look up Frans Timmermans and follow the rabbit down the hole."



That hole also leads to the rest of the world.

Europe as always is destined to civil war, yes the Big One (WW l) was but a civil war in Europe. A war caused by civil strife and that begin as tribal warfare of ancient times. German bitterness festered into WW ll, greed and hatred from and by other nations in Europe as well as the eastern city states that were "Made" countries from the division of the old Muslim area into Iran, Iraq, Syria etc, are but more points of a civil war of hate and fear by Despots who care not for peace and any rights but their own.

Now we have opened our borders to this Civil War mentality of those Despots.

 

Obama "you didn't build that, other people did..."

American business man" LIKE HELL I DIDN'T! "
We kept being told, we need .gov to make things work. In truth, we need .gov to get out of the way of business.
The coal industry is basicly being shut down. They employ a lot of people, and provide a lot of power. Why? .gov interference.

We need to follow what is best for our country, not third world countries. This country is our first focus.

 

A Miracle has occured me and @HK_User are on the same page .... ditto what he said

We are being manipulated into a war setting that will not go away.

"Tackleberry said: ↑
You guys are missing the point. The Muslims are simply the tool being used to destroy Europe. Again look up Frans Timmermans and follow the rabbit down the hole."

 

And when any country is on a war footing basic life and kindness takes a back seat to the stress and worry caused by Media Hype.

 

@Motomom34
"The rise of the black lives matter movement is all very disturbing to me." It should because it is racism by its own words. If they would have said 'lives matter' they would have 10X more support than they do now but no for that is not what they want. This is a group of professional agitators marching to their own agenda. Frankly, I think they are racists and want to see whitey dead or at least riots in the streets.

'I thought his words were nice because I do wish people would accept me as a human.'
I think the country has change greatly especially in the past 8 years and people are simply...afraid. They are afraid to speak out against things like 'Black Lives Matter' for fear of being labeled a racist or being against the arrival of unvetted refugees and being labeled an Islamophobe. They are afraid of insulting some gay person in some off-handed way and being sued. They are afraid to say something simple and 'nice' at work like "Hey! I like your dress!" for fear of being called sexist and brought up on charges. On and on and on and on... Honestly, since I have been back I have caught myself a few times saying things that in another country and/or another time I wouldn't think twice about but now...I was afraid. Yep! Hell, people get sued in this country for looking cross-eyed at each other!

Rockwell America is gone yet that doesn't mean we cannot be decent and even kind to each other and I think in general we are, at least where I live we are. But, it does mean people are much more restrained, cautious, and have a healthy fear of you... For you might come to work one day screaming 'Allah Akbar!' toting a AK-47 and wired to meet Allah. People just don't know what to expect anymore...they're scared.

 

Add to that, many if not all of the first Protestors at Ferguson were paid for their time.

Makes you doubt their sincerity.

 

I would like to see paid protesters prosecuted for fraud. You see the same thing when a business gets protested "SHAME ___________company " (big yellow banners, all the same). That kind of crap offends me. It's a fabrication, a lie.