Essay: "Voyeuristic Mysticism" Part 6 of Several

Essay: "Voyeuristic Mysticism: A Parody of the Mystical Experience", Part 6 of Several

       Video is arguably the medium for the ultimate voyeuristic experience. It doesn't matter if it's G-rated Disneyesque fluff, or the trash that is readily available in the seedy part of town or in the smallest corner of certain video stores. By watching video of all kinds, whether on tv, in cinemas, on DVD, VHS, or on the computer, we, with our imaginations, are quite capable of living vicariously through the actions of any or all of our favorite actors, actors or commentators who we happen to be viewing on the screen. In a sense, we are spying or eavesdropping on these characters, and it sometimes seems almost as if we are part of them, or they are part of us. (to be cont'd)

[The original version of this essay first appeared in Eastern Connecticut State University's Campus Lantern student newspaper in the early '90s and as part of my unpublished manuscript "In Mediocrity We Trust... In Debt We Die" And Other Essays.]

Essay: "Voyeuristic Mysticism" Part 5 of Several

Essay: "Voyeuristic Mysticism: A Parody of the Mystical Experience", Part 5 of Several

       What is Voyeuristic Mysticism, you may ask? To the best of my knowledge it is a phrase I have coined myself. It all came to me out of the blue when I was feeling under the weather. It may be hard to explain, but I can start by giving at least a few examples. The aforementioned evil priest embodies the dark side of the term. He is somewhere between Jeffrey Dahmer, Jim Jones ("Let them eat poisoned Kool-Aid "[registered trademark?]) and televangelist Jimmy Swaggart. An arguably more positive version of the purest meaning of the term  is embodied by such people as musicians Jim Morrison ("The Doors"), Prince and gasp, Madonna. All three performers have channeled their spiritual and sexual sides into their music. Listen to their music to see what I mean. In the case of Prince and Madonna, it could be argued that if not for Voyeuristic Mysticism, the balance between their respective spiritual and sexual sides; neither performer would likely have achieved fame, fortune or longevity in the music business. (to be cont'd)

[The original version of this essay first appeared in Eastern Connecticut State University's Campus Lantern  student newspaper in the early '90s and as part of my unpublished manuscript "In Mediocrity We Trust... In Debt We Die" And Other Essays]

Essay: "Voyeuristic Mysticism" Part 4 of Several

Essay: "Voyeuristic Mysticism: A Parody of the Mystical Experience", Part 4 of Several

       In addition to Jimmy Stewart innocently spying on the lovely, late Grace Kelly in Alfred Hitchcock's "Rear Window", Scandal Sheets, 900 numbers, etc.; there is now a surplus of tabloid tv. Geraldo, not too long ago, was on five days a week, with two or three different shows. Geraldo, Jerry Springer and Maury Povich, among others, succeed in part because they are experts at finding and coming up with sleazy ideas from the least likely places. Their mottos ought to be: "If it's not tawdry, decadent, lurid, sordid, vile, sleazy or titillating, then you haven't seen it here." As if these guys aren't enough, there is  such shows as  "A Current Affair", "Hard Copy", "Inside Edition", etc. Not only that, but millions of people watch Oprah, Dr. Phil, once watched Morton Downey Jr. and Sally Jessie Raphael and their ilk every day; especially when they have sleazy topics like: "Risque Women Who Love Risky Men Who Hate Risque Women". Another recent addition to the Voyeuristic Garbage Heap are the "Real Crime Killer Cards", sure to be a big hit at a Correctional Facility near you. Perhaps just as bad, there is a novel entitled "Vox", with the plot and dialogue having to do exclusively with so-called  'phone-sex' conversations. The very existence of 'phone-sex' to me is a pretty pathetic commentary on our society. (to be cont'd)

 [The original version of this essay first appeared in Eastern Connecticut State University's Campus Lantern student newspaper in the early '90s and as part of my unpublished manuscript "In Mediocrity We Trust... In Debt We Die" And Other Essays.]

Essay: "Voyeuristic Mysticism" Part 3 of Several

Essay: "Voyeuristic Mysticism: A Parody of the Mystical Experience", Part 3 of Several

       Every week, Americans rush to supermarkets or convenience stores to check out the latest trash in tabloid scandal-sheets such as the National Enquirer. We buy these scandal-sheets because they print what many of us secretly want to read about. We flock to such trash because they frequently describe the real and imagined failings of our beloved celebrities and reviled politicians alike. In a recent Presidential election, false rumors by the so-called  'Swift Boat Veterans For Truth' ensured that we were cursed with a second term of George W. Bush's reverse-Midas touch. Many other famous people have been brought down by scandal-sheet gossip, lies, rumors and half-truths. People buy scandal-sheets much more than they buy mainstream or supposedly legitimate newspapers.

       Courtesy of the tabloids, we know all about Drew Barrymore's addictions, Danny 'Partridge' Bonaducci's run-ins with the law, all kinds of gossip and rumors about rich and famous actors, musicians and others, and much more information on people's private lives than we really need to know. But as long as many of us buy and crave it, such trash will always be available. (to be cont'd)

 [The original version of this essay first appeared in Eastern Connecticut State University's Campus Lantern student newspaper in the early '90s and as part of my unpublished manuscript "In Mediocrity We Trust... In Debt We Die" And Other Essays]

Essay: "Voyeuristic Mysticism" Part 2 of Several

Essay: "Voyeuristic Mysticism: A Parody of the Mystical Experience", Part 2 of Several

       In America, I have come to the conclusion that we are all living in a voyeuristic society. It is not just AmeriKKKans for David Duke, the reverse-Mensa society who once believed that Dan Quayle was the ideal choice as a vice president or that George W.  Bush would make a good Leader of the Free World; the bozos who believe Rush Limbaugh, Ann(e) Coulter or Sean Hannity are sages of our age; or even Eyewitness Nudes. It is every one of us. Americans are drawn to lurid subjects and sordid details of other people's despairs, miseries, misfortunes, and tragedies, like buzzards are drawn to carrion or moths are drawn to flames. (to be cont'd)

 [The original version of this essay originally appeared in Eastern Connecticut State University's Campus Lantern student newspaper in the early '90s and as part of my unpublished manuscript "In Mediocrity We Trust... In Debt We Die" And Other Essays] 

Essay: "Voyeuristic Mysticism" Part 1 of Several

Essay: "Voyeuristic Mysticism: A Parody of the Mystical Experience", Part 1 of Several

 [Note: The following is completely fictional; it is weird but very well-written if I say so myself]

       "It started innocently enough. One day while saying Mass I felt a great emptiness. I prayed more and more fervently to try to make the feeling go away, but it remained. To keep my spirits up, I mentally undressed selected nubile females in the Congregation; and it was Good. When the same emptiness returned the next week, I mentally undressed every female that I noticed in the pews. Before long, I was mentally undressing the entire Congregation, regardless of their age or sex; and in spite of the fact that they trusted and believed in me. I was becoming obsessive about it, just as much I once was about theology when I was studying to be a priest in the seminary; and it truly scared me. While I slept, and sometimes while I was awake, I swear I heard voices telling me: " 'Obsession, Compulsion. Do it! Forget sin. Forget God!' " I prayed it would all go away to no avail.

       Soon afterwards, laying on of hands became cheap feels, and even cheaper thrills. Confessions became impromptu gynecological exams. I have put myself in more compromising positions than times I have said 'Amen'. I should have been excommunicated, defrocked, jailed, but I selected the most vulnerable and least likely to come forward of the Congregation. The obsession is growing worse. GUILT, SIN, REPRESSION, SUPPRESSION. The longer I do these terrible things, the less guilty I feel about them. The guiltier I feel though, the worse my obsession becomes..."

         I could imagine on a typical tabloid show: "Today on Geraldo, Perverse Priests." (to be cont'd)

 [The original version of this essay first appeared in Eastern Connecticut State University's Campus Lantern  in the early '90s and as part of my unpublished manuscript "In Mediocrity We Trust... In Debt We Die" And Other Essays] 

       

Essay: "A Guide To Cryonics", Part 5 of 5

Essay: "A Guide To Cryonics", Part 5 of Several

   Some Bad Points of Cryonics:

       Artificial  insemination is fine for breeding endangered species, livestock and thoroughbred horses, but in my opinion should never be used for breeding children. For example, if it is ever possible to bear a child from frozen cells, and without procreation, many difficult dilemmas may result; such as: Who would regulate the procedure?; Who would become the surrogate (nobiological) parent(s)? Would taxpayers have to support such children for their entire lives?, etc.

       Frozen Embryos:

       It is perhaps a good idea to cryogenically preserve  embryos of endangered species of animals and plants if eventual revival becomes possible, but again, such a procedure should (at least in my view) never be done for human beings. Why this should never be done is perfectly illustrated in 2009 by an apparently troubled and basically indigent woman who already had six children by in vitro fertilization and then she felt compelled to have eight embryos implanted in her womb. When those babies are born taxpayers will likely be paying for their well-being; not to mention the price of overpopulation and unnecessary use of resources. And, a couple decades ago, in a court case, an infertile couple managed to get frozen human embryos, and then the couple later divorced. The woman wanted to have the embryos unthawed to either bring them to term herself, or to anonymously donate them to another infertile couple. The man, on the other hand, wanted the embryos destroyed. Unfortunately, the judge sided with the woman's so-called right/hope and the scientifically invalid right to life (confusion between potential life and tangible life) to thaw out the embryos and bring them to term; but, as far as I'm concerned, it was in the best interest of the future of mankind and the planet, that these embryos be destroyed. Frozen embryos may have many possibilities for the future of mankind, but few, if any are good for our species or for the planet itself. Incidentally, after the recent completion of the appeal of this court case, I believe that the new outcome allowed for the destruction of these frozen embryos.  As for the lady with fourteen children (or soon to have that many, assuming they all survive) with, according to Wikipedia,  approximately "6.76 billion people" residing on this planet. There are arguably too many people. There are over a billion people who are starving and undernourished. The land, air and waters are already very pollution. It is selfish for someone to undergo in vitro or to have embryos implanted due to infertility, so, therefore, there should be an international ban on infertility treatments and human embryo implantation. 

[The original version of this essay, entitled "Cryonics" first appeared in Eastern Connecticut State University's Campus Lantern  student newspaper in the early '90s and as part of my unpublished manuscript "In Mediocrity We Trust... In Debt We Die" And Other Essays]

Essay: "A Guide To Cryonics", Part 4 of Several

Essay: "A Guide To Cryonics", Part 4 of Several

  Good Points of Cryonics:

       If either members of endangered species, or their sperm and eggs, are cryogenically preserved; then perhaps extinctions could oneday become a thing of the past. Earlier this century, perfectly preserved specimens of long-extinct wooly mammoths and/or mastodons were found in one of the Arctic areas of our planet. it would have been significant if such creatures were cryogenically frozen, but alas, the discoverers of these frozen treasures of the past actually ate what they found. Perhaps if new genetic or cloning techniques were discovered, then these ancient ancestors of the elephant could have optimistically been back among the living after more than a ten thousand year absence.

       Freezing blood and/or bodily organs from the recently deceased may someday avert the dangers of ailing patients needing to patiently wait until organ transplants or blood transfusions are readily available. It could also perhaps make it easier to screen out tainted blood or diseased organs. (to be cont'd)

 [The original version of this essay entitled "Cryonics" first appeared in Eastern Connecticut State University's Campus Lantern student newspaper in the early '90s and as part of my unpublished manuscript "In Mediocrity We Trust... In Debt We Die" And Other Essays]

Essay: "A Guide To Cryonics", Part 3 of Several

Essay: "A Guide To Cryonics", Part 3 of Several

   Who is most likely to buy into Cryonics?:

 

       Just about everyone has a fantasy about immortality, especially the young at heart. Anyone with lots of money, and who perhaps doesn't necessarily accept the inevitability of death, would be an ideal candidate for deep-freeze. For any would-be flatliners, right now the possibility of reviving cryogenically frozen corpses is entirely within the realm of science-fiction. It could take hundreds of years or forever before we have the technology to revive the frozen dead. Then again, in previous centuries, who could have foreseen the development of such things as cars, airplanes, radio, television, and nuclear power, among other things. One thing for sure, anyone who has their head severed before deep-freeze is very unlikely to ever be brought back to life. Once the neck is broken, and the spinal cord is severed, death is instantaneous.

      

    The cost of Cryonics: (as of the late '90s)

       It generally costs around $30,000 just to freeze one's head, and it would probably cost at least  $100,000 to preserve an entire body. These prices don't take inflation into account, of course.   (to be cont'd)

Essay: "A Guide To Cryonics", Part 2 of Several

Essay: "A Guide To Cryonics", Part 2 of Several

      Cryonics:

      What is it?:

        Cryonics is the act of freezing cells or entire corpses with the hopes of reviving them someday. Some people with  terminal diseases and money opt to have their body frozen, just in case a cure for their disease might someday be found. If a cure is found, the body can then be thawed out. By now, at least hundreds of corpses have been cryogenically frozen. Most (pardon the expression) frozen  'stiffs' are entirely intact, but some people have their head removed from their body before they are placed in deep-freeze.

       Cryonics is an outgrowth of cryogenics, a science which studies the production and effects of low temperatures. Frigid cold can either kill or preserve life. The tricky part of cryonics is preserving bodily tissue without destroying cells.

         How is cryonics done?:

       Liquid nitrogen has a freezing point of minus two hundred degrees Celsius.       Experts in the field of cryonics can freeze most living things or corpses with minimal damage to cells. (to be cont'd)

[The original version of this essay, then entitled "Cryonics" first appeared in Eastern Connecticut State University's Campus Lantern student newspaper in the early '90s and as part of my unpublished manuscript "In Mediocrity We Trust... In Debt We Die" And Other Essays]

Essay: "A Guide To Cryonics", Part 1 of Several

Essay: "A Guide To Cryonics", Part 1 of Several

       It would seem that only Fate is crueler than the human heart when a patient becomes unrecoverably incapacitated. Everyone's life shows some of the cruelties of fate. People who would deny such unrecoverables the Right to Die can be just about as cruel as fate can be.

       Deciding when to terminate Life Support should be up to the patient first (a Living Will, DNR letter [Do Not Resuscitate] or verbal consent), relatives or loved ones second, and should only be up to the government or the courts when no other option is available. And, of course, such a decision should never be up to any of the not-so-moral morality groups which are so prevalent today. 

                               For Those Who Are Against Euthanasia:

       If, say a pet dog is on its last legs and is visibly suffering, it is usually more humane to put the poor animal out of its misery than to allow the pet to suffer. It is arguably cruel to let such an afflicted animal to suffer out its last days. Perhaps that is why in the wild carnivore's typically prey on the weak and the sick. As far as I'm concerned, the exact same principle should apply to incapacitated patients who are unlikely to recover or even live a normal life. The mercy killing that Claus Von Bulou allegedly committed  was wrong and Dr. Jack Kevorkian did go too far, but in the future mercy killing should perhaps be legalized for those realistically beyond recovery; provided certain regulations are followed. (to be cont'd)

[The original version of this essay, then entitled "Cryonics" first appeared in Eastern Connecticut State University's Campus Lantern student newspaper and as part of my unpublished manuscript "In Mediocrity We Trust... In Debt We Die" And Other Essays]

                      

       

       

Essay: "Women and Their Furs", Part 8 of 8

Essay: "Women and Their Furs", Part 8 of 8

       Ivory has many uses, none of which are essential to anyone; except perhaps the elephants. Carvings for ivory (scrimshaw) have been made for centuries, such as for jewelry. Adventurers sometimes make the handles of daggers and swords out of ivory or rhino horns, and poachers themselves have been known to make the butt of rifles and pistols out of ivory. A rhino's horn(s) seems to have fewer uses than an elephant's tusks, but the demand for rhino horns is high enough that white rhinos are basically extinct, and there are perhaps 3500 or less black rhinos left in the wild as of the early '90s. A rhino's horn could be used as a receptacle for gun powder, could perhaps be used as a canteen, among other uses, but the most common use is as a superstitious belief that the horn has 'aphrodisiac' qualities. Asia has the highest demand for rhino horns.

       Orientals use powdered rhino horns as folk medicine and even as an aphrodisiac, and neither use is likely very effective. If U.S. residents  and others refrain from buying ivory or any relics of rhino horns there might be much less of an incentive for poachers and other unscrupulous individuals to slaughter rare, threatened, or endangered species.  

[The original version of this essay first appeared in Eastern Connecticut State University's Campus Lantern  student newspaper in the early '90s and as part of my unpublished manuscript "In Mediocrity We Trust... In Debt We Die" And Other Essays]

Essay: "Women and Their Furs", Part 7 of Several

Essay: "Women and Their Furs", Part 7 of Several

       [Poachers cont'd]:

       These Kenyan poachers are well-known for their brutal tactics and ruthlessness. For instance, they have been known to cut down an entire herd of elephants with machine guns, including the babies, in order to greedily profit from ivory. Illegal hunters have just about completely destroyed the white rhino, and have left only around 3500 black rhinos [in the early '90s] in the wild. There are no doubt much fewer if any in 2009. They sometimes use chainsaws to remove horns or tusks from these magnificent creatures, often while rhinos or pachyderms are still alive. Poacher-bandits have been known to rob and murder US tourists, and are suspected of murdering conservationists Joy Adamson (of  "Born Free" fame) during the early '80s, George Adamson (Joy's ex-husband) in 1988, and Diane Fosse ("Gorillas In The Mist") as well.

       It may be next to impossible to stop the poaching of fur-bearing animals, but there may be a way to save the 250,000 some-odd  remaining elephants and 3500 some-odd rhinos [both as of the early '90s] still alive in the wild. If it is possible to surgically remove tusks (an elephant's molars) or rhinos' horn(s) without seriously harming or killing the beasts, that may deter poachers from indiscriminately slaying these creatures. Also, if the punishment fit the crime; or, if the poachers were perhaps subject to the same cruel fates that they impose upon elephants and other creatures, that might supply an incentive for illegal hunters to stop killing off the last of certain rare and endangered species (especially fur-bearing animals). Likewise, if people in the U.S. and elsewhere covet and buy jewelry and objects d'art made from ivory (scrimshaw) and/or rhino horns, not to mention fur, and incentive is supplied for poachers to cruelly slaughter rare, threatened and endangered animals of all kind. (to be cont'd)

[The original version of this essay first appeared in Eastern Connecticut State University's Campus Lantern student newspaper in the early '90s and as part of my unpublished manuscript "In Mediocrity We Trust... In Debt We Die" And Other Essays]

Essay: "Women and Their Furs", Part 6 of Several

Essay: "Women and Their Furs", Part 6 of Several

       Although I have never thought twice about eating fish, pork, poultry or beef, I have a great deal of respect for Bob Barker (former host of  "The Price Is Right") for quitting as emcee of the Miss USA pageant after fur coats kept being awarded to contestants. I have personally hated fur coats (even those with fur trim) as long as I can remember [see the poem "Down with Fur" in a previous post], long before I ever heard of Bob Barker. I would never personally ruin a fur coat with red paint or blood, but I have absolutely no sympathy for anyone whose fur coat(s) is ruined in such a way.

    Poachers: Poachers are hunters who mostly hunt rare and endangered species, often for high profits. Other poachers hunt abundant species at illegal times or out of season; or, in illicit ways, such as using bright lights to stun their prey. Since poaching is illegal, in many places (such as Kenya), poachers organize into heavily armed cartels or gangs, ruthlessly ready to kill anyone who gets in their way. In parts of Africa, I hear the ivory poachers are organized very much like the Medillin, Colombia drug cartel(s). (to be cont'd)

[The original version of this essay first appeared in Eastern Connecticut State University's Campus Lantern student newspaper and as part of my unpublished manuscript "In Mediocrity We Trust... In Debt We Die" And Other Essays]

Essay: "Women and Their Furs", Part 5 of Several

Essay: "Women and Their Furs", Part 5 of Several

       If you buy fur, think of the bloodshed, brutality and pain inflicted to make the coats and other forms of apparel. Remember that fur is meant for animals, not for human beings. If we were meant to have fur it would grow on us naturally. If you had a dog, would you consent to letting someone kill it and wear its coat? If not, why buy or wear blue fox, bear, raccoon or coyote coats? If you had pet ferrets, would you skin them alive to make various articles of clothing? If not, why buy or wear  mink, ermine, sable, chinchilla, or the like?

       Does animal fur keep you warmer than plant-derived, synthetic, or non-lethally-derived fabrics? And whether it does or not, why buy or wear fur at all? By the way, it is very hypocritical of someone to say, buy coats of seal skin, unless the purchaser or wearer of seal pelts could picture themselves actually clubbing to death vulnerable and virtually defenseless baby and adult seals. In all cases, I think that if someone is considering buying or wearing fur; they should at least watch, if not participate in, the slaughter. (to be cont'd)

[The original version of this essay originally appeared in Eastern Connecticut State University's Campus Lantern student newspaper in the early '90s and as part of my unpublished manuscript "In Mediocrity We Trust... In Debt We Die" And Other Essays]

Essay: "Women and Their Furs", Part 4 of Several

Essay: "Women and Their Furs", Part 4 of Several

       With the beginning of the twenty-first century upon us, I think it is about time that the fur trade permanently go out of business. If this essay even causes one person to think twice about buying or wearing fur coats, I will have accomplished my goal. There are currently plenty of synthetic fabrics, plant-derived fabrics, and even fake fur (not animal-derived), all of which look just as good as, if not better than, fur coats. In fact, wearing animal fur and pelts can actually detract from one's appearance.

       Leather, as long as it comes from abundant species of livestock, which are usually slaughtered anyway; or wool, which is sheared off, is acceptable, as far as I'm concerned. Rabbit fur is borderline acceptable, since rabbits often become overpopulated, to their own detriment. (to be cont'd)

[The original version of this essay first appeared in Eastern Connecticut State University's Campus Lantern student newspaper and as part of my unpublished manuscript "In Mediocrity We Trust... In Debt We Die" And Other Essays] 

Essay: "Women and Their Furs", Part 3 of Several

Essay: "Women and Their Furs", Part 3 of Several

       Some of the original traps used for catching small animals caused the trapped creatures (like raccoons) to bite off their own paws in order to get away. Many modern traps are designed to prevent escape. For instance, one kind of trap breaks an animal's back, and an underwater trap causes an animal to drown by constricting their chest cavity. Bear traps present a cruel fate to any living thing unfortunate enough to be caught in its teeth. What if a house pet stumbles into one of these various kinds of traps, or if any unsuitable creature is maimed or killed by such a trap? It takes pure hubris to believe that animals caught in traps do not feel physical, emotional and psychological scars from being caught in a man-made trap.

       Fur ranches are arguably even crueler than trapping or shooting wild fur-bearing mammals. These animals are somewhat pampered and treated with care to give them a false sense of security. Then, as soon as the animal's fur is ready for human exploitation, the fur-bearing animal is slaughtered. (to be cont'd)

 [The original version of this essay first appeared in Eastern Connecticut State University's Campus Lantern student newspaper and as part of my unpublished manuscript "In Mediocrity We Trust... In Debt We Die" And Other Essays] 

Essay: "Women and Their Furs", Part 2 of Several

Essay: "Women and Their Furs", Part 2 of Several

       Since many people will pay top dollar for fur coats and like products, trappers and others have an incentive to slaughter unsuspecting wild animals, sometimes in cruel and heinous ways.

       An animal caught in a trap will no doubt be in physical pain, but will also likely suffer great emotional distress. The creature will also possible starve to death, bleed to death, become crippled or seriously injured, that is if it is lucky enough to escape. Sometimes trappers drown their quarry, or treat them cruelly in other ways. If a fur-bearing animal is shot and then escapes, it may feel the pain of the bullet; which it cannot ever remove, for the rest of its life. Also, if the wound festers and becomes infected, its death could be very painful indeed. (to be cont'd)

 [The original version of this essay first appeared in Eastern Connecticut State University's Campus Lantern student newspaper in the early '90s and as part of my unpublished manuscript "In Mediocrity We Trust... In Debt We Die" And Other Essays] 

Essay: "Women and Their Furs", Part 1 of Several

Essay: "Women and Their Furs", Part 1 of Several

       Picture a scene which has occurred since the dawn of time. A vulnerable herbivore forages for various plants as a food source. Meanwhile, a hungry predator voraciously hunts for a meal nearby, and a vulnerable herbivore would make an easy target. 

      Cut to the present: A third party enters this world. Hunters arrive with bows and arrows, firearms, or other lethal weapons, or trappers set traps in the most inconspicuous areas. Now any unsuspecting creature might lose this game of survival.

   Aspen, Colorado: Not too long ago, a mayor and animal-rights activist in Aspen proposed banning any further sale of fur coats in that region as a referendum on the next ballot. Well-to-do tourists often wear fur coats, and some probably buy their furs in shops near local ski lodges. If fur coats  were banned in Aspen, there might have been a nationwide precedent set; but, unfortunately, the proposal was defeated. I understand that the ban may have been defeated because the rights of merchants and potential customers might have been infringed upon; but what about the rights of the fur-bearing animals?: the rights to live, breathe, eat and perhaps to procreate? (to be cont'd)

[The original version of this essay first appeared in Eastern Connecticut State University's Campus Lantern student newspaper in the early '90s and part of my unpublished manuscript "In Mediocrity We Trust... In Debt We Die" And Other Essays]

 

Essay: "Whatever Happened To The American Dream?" , Part 6

Essay: "Whatever Happened To The American Dream?", Part 6 of 6

       The 1920s was a time of unbridled greed, which eventually led to the Great Depression. In many ways the 1980s (and certainly the George W. Bush years of 2001 to 2009) were similar to the twenties. Reckless spending during the 1980s  led to a recession and an Economic Re/Pression (recession/depression plus political repression) during the Bush years. What the U.S. automobile industry did to the American Dream of Preston Tucker (a automobile innovator), Reagan and the Bushes did to the American Dream of first the poor and then the Middle Class. Although then, as now, millions of people have happily pursued the ideal represented by the American Dream, for many Americans, the American Dream turned out to merely be a Pipe Dream or even a nightmare. 

[The original version of this essay first appeared in Eastern Connecticut State University's Campus Lantern student newspaper in the early '90s and as part of my unpublished manuscript "In Mediocrity We Trust... In Debt We Die" And Other Essays]

Essay: "Whatever Happened To The American Dream?" , Part 5

Essay: "Whatever Happened To The American Dream", Part 5

       Since the American Dream is a dream largely involving hopes of financial and material wealth, many of the worst aspects of human nature and behavior often emerge: For instance, when certain individuals step all over other people's rights to achieve their piece of the pie. In other words, to satisfy their own ruthless concept of the American Dream. For example, the unfortunate belief that "The Ends Justify The Means" causes many unscrupulous individuals to lie, bully, cheat, steal, or sometimes even kill their way to the top. Also, the fact that in this society people are often more admired for their material possessions, the clothes they wear, or the size of their bank account a lot of the time, rather than their character, humanity, or other nonmaterial qualities, is another unfortunate result of the myth of the American Dream. (to be cont'd)

 [The original version of this essay first appeared in Eastern Connecticut State University's Campus Lantern  student newspaper in the early '90s and part of my unpublished manuscript "In Mediocrity We Trust... In Debt We Die" And Other Essays]