Be For Real

 In my eyes today the most important trait that I have is that I am "for real". Real in my thinking and my actions towards others. I live in today and try not to live yesterday over and over. I'm not looking at the future with fear since it is unreasonable to be afraid of something that is either not life threatening (since we will all die at some point) or out of my control at this moment. I still believe in the "golden rule" of treating people the way you want to be treated. This seems to be a rule that has been forgotten or replaced by the rule that those who are more educated, have more money, or power treat others as being less than themselves. Racism is rampant, whether implicit or explicit. I am trying my best to be antiracist both to others and my own ethnic group.

The world today and particularly the United States is in a state of decline. Our politics are completely off the rails as the oppressors take advantage of the weak among us or just don't care. It is all about winning, having more, and the divide between what used to be two strong parties has deteriorated into winner take all and anything to beat the opposition. People see the facts and the world the way they want them to be instead of the way they are. Truth is whatever you believe and can convince other to believe.  

I believe in telling people what I believe based on as much knowledge as I can muster. Those who can't believe facts are prone to conspiracy theories and paranoia. I try to treat everyone with some respect or dignity because I don't know their situation. I don't go out of my way to cater to those who believe they are above me, just because of who they are or want to be. Smile in your face and talk about you behind you back is just not my style.

It is no wonder that most motion pictures portray the future as not a pleasant place. I read where there were creatures on this planet tens of thousands of years ago. It is hard to even imagine when our current calendar only has been counting for the last two thousand years. What will life be here after I am gone and we have climate change, technology changes, governments rise and fall? I'd really like to know but we can only guess. If at some point we learn to all live together on this small planet as "one" race, things could be very different. Until then I'll just try "to be for real."

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