Obituary for Common Sense

[Paperbeam]

George Orwell and Kafka were optimists...

Terry

[CMDRTED]

Hey! I make my living on the abscense of common sense! Or as my son puts it, I interfere in Natural selection! ie ER Doc!

[Mechanic]

There are some absurdities out there, aren't there?

Some great examples are listed every week at thisistrue.com (a great read if you want to subscribe. Moderator: if this is inapropriate to plug, let me know and I will edit this) but the publisher also has a sister publication called Stellaawards.com where you can read about what really happened with the coffee in the lap episode at the bottom of the page under 'the "real" Stella' link for which the page is named. Stella is often used, like in this example, of our out of control litigation system. You may change you mind about the coffee in the lap, but rest assured, there more and better examples of our litigious(sp?) mindset.

I am amused when I read stuff like this, but it also makes me think.
My Great grandfather had a tough life, I don't know much about him, but I know he was a machine-gunner in the trenches in WWI he died not much older than I am right now from complications from mustard gas. His son had a better life.

My Grandfather experienced the depression in Germany, the rise of Hitler, drafted into the People's army at the end of WWII promptly captured by Russian forces and sent to Siberia, thought to be dead for years until he was released. Emigrated to America and passed just a few years ago at the ripe old age of 92. His son had a better life.

My Father, as a child, witnessed some of the horrors of WWII. He managed to emigrate to America, work hard and get enough money to bring his brother, mother and father to America before the Berlin wall went up. He fought for his new country in Korea, made it home to raise a family.

His son has a better life.



I think it's pretty easy to think about the negative reading about some of the absurd things that happen, but I think common sense needs a little knowledge and some perspective. I see common sense here and there. My life is pretty good, how's yours?

[wunwinglow]

Mechanic, I must agree that my life, and that of my family, is pretty comfortable. But when I hear of innocent youngsters being slashed to death with a sherd of window glass, because they refused a fight (current headline story here in the UK) and at the other extreme, (both extremes, you understand) a country of people already reeling from one natural disaster, being thrust into another disaster ten times bigger, because their governing generals are refusing access to the worlds aid workers, no doubt because they are looking to make a quick buck selling all the gifted aid materials on the black market, well..... words fail me.

Tim

[Thomas Meek]

Hello, Phillip;

I agree with mechanic, things are getting better (for some of us.)

The increase in population is evidence that more people are living to reproduce, at least.

Unfortunately the world is still full of idiots.

Be safe

Thomas

[lee4752]

The problem with being an optimist is that one never gets good surprises.

[whulsey]

I like the way you put that lee4752, I'd always came at it from the other side: As a pessimist the rare times I'm disappointed are a pleasant suprise.

[lee4752]

I like to think of myself more as a realist than a pessimist. It's just that sometimes the differences are indistinguishable.