Diary: Self Image and the Mirror

[degringolade]

 
At the Beach

I suppose that, If I were a good person, I would be all twitterpated and offended at the antics of the Donald and his cohort of hangers-on.  I realize that the American self-image is one of rugged individualism, but that is an ideal, that along with Catholic Sainthood, is a rare thing and definitely not the norm.

But, more and more, I am beginning to see my country as just another player in the world, albeit a big and strong player, but one pursuing its own best interests in a world of diminishing resources.  In my personal brain, where I sort things out to figure out which way the world is going to lurch this time, I pretty much just try to pull away from my tendency toward high dudgeon and try instead to look at the actual events (as much as that kind of thing is possible).  

There was a not-very-good but not-all-that-bad movie in the seventies (1975, when Jerry Ford was still president) named "Three Days of the Condor".  The ending of that film might well have started me down the path to the resigned cynicism where I write from now.  But then again, I suppose that perhaps my cynicism runs deeper that that.

I think that all of the folks out there who are running off their mouths without sitting down and really pondering what is happening right now might want to take a break, sit down with a cup of something, and think about it for awhile.  What are the goals to all the chicanery that is happening out there in the wide world?  What are the common variables between Ukraine, Iran, Venezuela?  Who are the players and where do their goals conflict?  What are the resources that are firmly in our grasp and what resources do we lack?  Where do the differing ideologies between the parties rub against each other to produce friction?

I don't know the answers right now.  These kind of things are only seen through a glass darkly and I am not at all certain that, even if I squint, that I will be able to make out even the faintest outlines.  

My current working hypothesis is that of Ernest Bevin,  U.K. Minister of Labour and National Service circa 1945:

“The Kingdom of Heaven runs on righteousness, but the Kingdom of Earth runs on oil". 
 

This is but a initial hypothesis.  It is so incomplete as to be laughable.  There are other streams of causality that run into the main channel, but my gut tells me this one is the source.  I will be pondering this while I wait for more data to come in.  Because right now, I can't even be sure of who the players are.

 

Comments

Is that a mussel shell?

[(Anonymous)]

Yes, I know I said I wouldn't gush over your pictures. But, I love the beach and am always looking for pictures to paint. Sooo...thank you.
Now sliding back to my quiet corner.
valeris

Re: Is that a mussel shell?

[degringolade]

Uhhhhh, It's a shell. I don't know what produced it.

It is pretty though

seconded

[chefxh]

I'm thinking oil. Kevin tells me that while 47 boasts that the USA produces more oil than Venezuela, it is crap from the tar sands. Los venzolanos have the good stuff, the stuff you need for Jet B. Iran has always been about oil. Ukraine has the natural gas.

I think Bevin was spot on.