SENSE AND SENSITIVITY

 What is it? The water. the air, the schools, the parents, the media? Is it that as one ages, the emerging world appears to have gone mad, shredded sense and sensitivity, or is it a real problem? Is it unique to the times, or a repetition of age-old situations and differences? Either way, 'what the hell' is a growing mantra of the day. The elders are tired, the young are blase, incapable, unwanting, undeserving of the growing burdens they must take on. They all scratch their heads, in complete confusion with each other. 

Sadly, the responses as to how to correct and better the situation are not what we need or want. What we get are those who back away and become insular in their thoughts, while the rowdy ride to the top of the heap. Those seeking power, by any means, who mesmerize the seeking crowd, seeking validity, rewards, to be part of the crowd, in the trend of the day, they are those who will succeed.   Fed the malicious and/or useless tropes of the day the crowd of nonthinkers are satisfied even as society advances the wrong way in direction.    

Sense and sensibility go missing, AWOL, or disappeared, it makes no difference as the outcome will be the same.  A definite loss of sense, the ability to think logically, realistically, recognize and differentiate good from evil and the necessity to champion the one over the other. Additionally, there must be a fine-tuned sense of sensitivity. What sets people off? Why do they get offended at what is meant as a joke? Why have we categorized some less worthy than others? And let them know it? Have we gone way off the track the other direction, and in empathy with one group, trashed another? Why are we forever apologizing and off balance? Can there not be a mass recognition, though not excuses, that people are human and make errors, even with the best intentions. Learn that, know it, live it. Going massively overboard in compensation simply riles up the now devalued group, negativity grows apace, sensitivities die a painful death.      Those remaining as supporters of a policy of inclusion - of sense and sensitivity - are disappointed and alarmed. All the original good intentions, the promise of a better society and positive future society drain noisily down into the sewer for discarded, failed good intentioned policies. Once we knew that and came together to change things, with some for and some not, but accepting of it. If, that is, it was perceived as touching on reasonableness, doable, more of a gentle to medium wave rather than that of a tsunami.  At times less is more, though impatience to right wrongs says otherwise. At times Don Quixote is not the answer in reality, albeit the instigator of change.  

Somehow, soon, we must balance, work for that balance, combine sense and sensitivity, and use that combo. Society can be fixed, but by rehabbing rather than destruction and razing. A total razing invites disaster and fewer opportunities to exercise sensitivity along with commonsense as there is no room for either in a world gone mad. Try we must was the old ad jingle. Try we must in this damaged   world of ours. It will be slow, with setbacks, but with proper, hard, consistent effort we can make progress - if we do not give up, if we stand strong and demanding, with surety of guarantees of security, etched in stone. 

It will be hard, for the hurt, the anger, the call, the need, for revenge is deep inside, very difficult to expel, but truly, what is the alternative? Can we set aside our anger, find someone capable of rational talk, and work hard to achieve what appears to be unachievable, forever? 

The jingoism must halt. Its foolish statements from foolish mouths only serve to rile up both sides and deflects from the  real problems which can and must, emphatically so, be tackled and resolved.        Will the peace between all ever get here? Do we want it enough to work hard, to compromise, to demand attention from all sides. If not, understand that problems cannot be solved while whirling through space on remnants, pieces of a divided and divisive world, of an earth never to be able to save itself.  

I wish I had the power, the wisdom necessary, the words to bring about that blessed state of peace among all nations, I do not. There are most certainly those who do. They must be found and encouraged and supported, to do what is necessary. No other option. Not any more. The fevers of hate are too high, impervious to the attempts to put them out.  We must discover new methods which will be successful.  Soon, very soon. _______

Yitzy, the hole remains open, the tears continue to flow. I miss your grin, your eyes so bright and shining, so curious about the world.

Always and forever. Always and forever.