"My disposition as a human being is kind of a go-along-to-get-along person. I tend to trust authority. I tend to think people in charge broadly know what they're doing, don't lie to you, aren't going to start wars for no reason, and, you know, watching Iraq happen and then watching the financial crisis happen and then Katrina in the middle of that, you know, you turn around and you think, 'Wait a second: No one is on top of anything. Who the heck is in charge here? These people who say that they know what they're doing don't know what they're doing. I'm not going to trust them the next time they tell me they know what they're doing.' It's a radically unmooring feeling to recognize that people that you just figured kind of had it under control don't have it under control and might be totally incompetent or completely corrupt or totally self-dealing."
Earlier today I read a post by Jim Wright of Stonekettle Station from 2011 ....... seems we've traveled a fairly similar road over the past few years. (though I've got a few years on him).
I grew up in a very "conservative," Republican household. My parents were charter members (I think) of the John Birch Society, I grew up in Arizona and revered Barry Goldwater (I still do in many ways) and my Mom has despaired as of late for having participated in raising a "Liberal."
I spent over was twenty years in the Air Force and worked (very hard and successfully) for a private company for fifteen years until I managed to catch cancer and was let go.
I came to adopt certain principles over my lifetime: hard work, loyalty, tolerance and a belief that in our country everyone had a chance to get ahead. Sadly, I've seen that my values aren't reflected in today's society.
We value "the deal" more than the product; "capital" over labor; credential over competence; and appearance over substance.
It's a shame .......
To quote Jim's last two sentences:
"One day I looked up and realized that I was on the other side.
And you know what? I’m just fine with that."
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