Money, fame and corruption

Sometimes nearly unlimited money brings with it an upsurge of narcissistic indulgence, particularly in entertainers. The only real constraint on their behavior is from media exposure and lawsuits. As a result they get caught in a conflict between their desire for approval from others and their desire to engage in totally self-absorbed behavior, such as sexual exploitation of others.

Their money gives them the illusion of privacy; behind closed doors they believe they are able to indulge their most secret desires. When the illusion is broken they may suffer a severe narcissistic break in the form of depression, often deep enough to result in suicide. As members of the audience, we are willing to tolerate the most unacceptable behaviors as long as the perpetrator of those behaviors is willing to continue to entertain us. By continuing to buy tickets, we condone and even encourage those behaviors. It's as if child-molestation (for example) is tolerable if we like to watch the molester dancing or singing.

Like the Romans 2000 years ago, we will encourage and pay for savage or uncivilized behavior as long as it keeps us entertained. As a result, our society seems to have lost the power to reject those who deserve rejection the most.

Spending public moneys

This is a proposal format for ALL future ballots that involve the expenditure of public funds.

It is proposed that we fund the following project:
Emergency room treatment for indigent patients will cost $X billion for one year, beginning in January. Each year this proposal will be remade with the current costs per year attached.
I, (name here), a taxpayer in the United States, Social Security No. --- -- ----, am willing to have my income taxes increased for next year by X%. This amount is fixed and cannot be exempted and will be added to other scheduled taxes.

The above is pretty much self-explanatory. It's easy to give money to needy people, when it's in the abstract or it's other people's money. Because spending seems to be a solution to all problems, it is important that we recognize what we are doing and take responsibility for it by recognizing that the funding comes directly from us, no matter how worthy the cause. We shouldn't vote for something we're not willing to contribute to.

The Old Age Gang

When will I get "old"? Is there a line I cross without knowing it, only to look around later at a new country with old inhabitants? What are the hallmarks and identifiers of old age?

We all have images of what "old age" is like. In our minds we think of "old age" as a special group of people with common qualities. They have their own group. They associate with each other. They eat, drink, walk, communicate and share tastes with their own kind. By thinking of them as a group, we imagine group boundaries. We imagine ourselves outside those boundaries, as NOT a member of their group. We do this to distance ourselves from "them".

We know, of course, that one day.... but not now. Not yet. Whatever "old" quality I find in the mirror, I deny that it is a defining characteristic. I have not yet joined the group.