Hope, Change, and Democracy

Normally I would refrain from comment regarding politics. However, my own personal pursuits have dovetailed in an interesting way with current events. I have been reading about the history of western philosophy along with examining Futures studies. It is in this research that I have begun to think long term. It is easy to find the flaws in past civilizations, the failures are well documented. When examining the possibilities for the future the road is less obvious.

One thing is clear from examining political and intellectual leaders of the past who have invoked positive change. They were able to inspire people to act, or at the very least, to think.

Recently a wave of optimism has been generated by the campaign of Barack Obama and it has initiated a new kind of dialogue among the pundits, candidates and those who support them. It would seem that not since the Kennedys (Robert and John) have we seen this kind of enthusiasm surrounding a politician, including the potential to incorporate support from both Democrats and Republicans.

The message is not available via public debates or the media. You can get a fair amount of information about Obama and his platform on his website, as you can for most of the candidates. It is not specifically his positions on the issues that have created the buzz. It is the manner in which he has begun to deliver his message. The energy is one centered around hope, a desire for change, and optimism. It is this energy that I embrace. This should not be considered my endorsement of his platform or of him as a candidate.

It had begun to look as though the Democratic candidates had little separating them in terms of their positions on the issues. With the notable exception of Dennis Kucinich and Ron Paul who differentiate themselves with platforms largely centered around a more devoted allegiance to the constitution, with the expected Liberal and Conservative slants.

One could argue the merits of various positions in each platform. I have little interest in doing so. I see a larger problem than cannot be ferreted out by such debates.

It seems that a wave of pessimism, cynicism, and negativity has swept the country. One might get the impression that we, as a nation, have given up on the promise of Democracy, Freedom, Liberty and a Sustainable future for our Children. There is a tendency to define ones self by what your against, rather than what you stand for. Even those who protest such an observation, use the definitions they have established as a means of separating themselves from those who do not see things as they do.

The "Positive Energy" that has emerged from the Obama campaign is the first light of Hope I have seen so far. It appears to have emboldened many who have felt, as I do, that we have wallowed too long in negativity. Perhaps this kind of attitude can awaken a spirit in us that has longed for a forum to be heard.

Much of what has been the focus of the campaigns to date has been used to highlight those issues where people are likely to disagree. I think this energy can be focused on actions that the majority of us can feel positive about supporting, and in turn generate hope. This is what we collectively need right now.

Perhaps the individual issues are not as important as the feeling that we are all in this together, and that we are focused on a common goal. I am not naive enough to believe that I should all of a sudden trust the politicians to get something right. But I do know that this is a burning desire of most people I know right now. We all want to find something we can feel positive regarding what is to come.

If I could just see a glimmer of Hope. Some concrete ideas that consider more that a presidential term (or 2) as the future. We need some bold ideas that reach 50 years forward to their destination. Short term solutions have proven to be miserable failures in delivering lasting (positive) change. It is easy to generate disaster that can last for decades with short term solutions.

Sure, it's hard to think in these terms, and especially difficult to generate enthusiasm for solutions that don't benefit the constituency in the short term. Hope is what I'm looking for, if I can see measurable progress, I can maintain my enthusiasm, even if I don't reap an immediate benefit.

Sacrifice, pain and suffering are intolerable if War, Terror, and the Demise of the Planet are all that is promised in return.

This new wave of Hope has inspired me. I think it is catching on. Let's hope we can collectively find a way to take advantage of it, for the benefit of us all.

The Nobelity Project