My son is currently living with his grandmother, my mother, because he cannot find a job, not even a temporary one. This is actually to my mother’s advantage because of projects she wants to get done at her home. My stepfather would help with a smile on his face but he has heart problems, diabetes, and is on oxygen. My mother was originally going to ask her son, my brother, but having her grandson there works out much better. My brother has his own family to take care of so his free time is limited.
Helping my mother out is a good thing. We have gotten so shallow that we think we should have everything and not have to do anything for anyone. It is a good time to learn humility.
On a much larger scale, the United States citizens in general are having problems with employment, repossessions, foreclosures, and other symptoms of what they [whoever they are] is calling a recession. From all the conversations I heard my parents and relatives have during the entire time I was growing up, what is going on seems to be an awful lot like The Great Depression of the 1930s.
A columnist at the Boston Globe, Robert Kuttner, thinks like I do but is calling it The Great Collapse this time around. You can read his thoughts here.
I will go one better. It seems to me that this happened way long ago as well to the Roman Empire. The first time they went under, they recovered, or at least thought they had. Then the civilization was swallowed up. This sounds like the U.S. to me.
Of course, the citizens of this great country cannot face this possibility. How can history repeat itself? After all, we are so much smarter now. Right? I doubt it. The same mistakes have been made throughout history and it is our turn now.
I am an aspiring author hoping to make my mark on the Internet.
It does remind me of Roger and Me,
except this time it’s the whole country,
and not just Flint, Michigan…
I hadn’t heard about this documentary. It’s worth a trip to the library.
Thought provoking, and as a European I hope I can get away with adding to this. Your comparison with the Roman empire is interesting, and when you look at history you see the same repeated over and over. The Egyptians, The Greeks, The Romans, The British all had incredible empires spanning the globe, and all collapsed. Is it the turn of America? Who will have the next? China? India?
You are absolutely right, Mike. History can’t seem to help but repeat itself and maybe that is the way it is suppose to be. I, for one, think it is U.S.’s turn to fall apart. It has been a great ride but our turn of the ferris wheel is over. I think China will be the next with India running a close second. Ever since China has opened up, it has been getting stronger and stronger.
Totally agree with history repeating itself. I daresay this is much due to people’s unwillingness to learn/teach history (there are some good students/teachers – but it’s quite remarkable to see what does not get taught in schools even 15 years ago when I was in it) and there complete faith that it “won’t happen to us”. The US has long been into nation building (i.e. Empire building) and subsequently the fall will be very akin to what you mentioned. Although, honestly, this feels much more like what happened in Russia when Lenin waged his war. A lot of the ideas being bandied about here are very similar. At least in my not so humble opinion.
Glad your mother is getting some much needed help even if it is due to the economic issues in our country. Learning community, helping others and reaching out is something very vital too many are abdicating responsibility of.