WHERE'S THE BEEF?

  For those of you too young or forgetful, this is the line from an iconic ad for a fast-food chain transfigured into a contribution to the lexicon of phrases. It testifies to a questioning as to what is or has been promised, an understanding of its promise kept or forgotten, and at times demanding of an answer. That is for today, at least for the purpose of this posting.  

What and where is/are the beefs and what has been answered or avoided? What is their portent for us?  How clear is this beef and its consequences to the onlooker, the population receiving them? These beefs are often existential in effect, even as that is denied, even as the harm resultant is clearly ongoing. Even as the American psyche has been and continues to be wounded with these beefs, cutting deeply into us, our society, and our future. If we do not understand this societal fact or belittle their role in shredding beliefs, then we are in trouble. Majorly!

So, I picked up yesterday's papers and perused them for ongoing and developing, widening examples of beefs new and old, static and transfiguring. In fact, basically the only semi positive trend or beef is the growing ones that more and more people are expressing, albeit not nearly as much and as seriously, as effectively as it should be. As it must be. 

That is the growing understanding of the nation as to the harm we are now self-inflicting, the lies fed to us, and the pressure to think the emperor is clothed in blazingly beautiful outfits mirroring his inner soul. Truth is that the barefaced lack of costuming matches the barefaced evil intents of this would be emperor, ugly both inside and out, and eminently injurious to our safety and wellbeing. We are late to this party, very late. Whether too late is now being discussed more frequently. It behooves one to be aware and involved, lest apathy lead the way to major life changing shifts within American society. Think not that it has not already begun. It has. Well on its way to total adverse effects, many of which, too many, are in active play. 

Too often, too many, particularly in changes affecting the world in general, are already in play. In fact, some believe we have already reached, even overtaken the moments of no turning back. Perhaps we might be able to remedy one or two, but seriously, many doubt that possibility, both for lack of methods and   lack of enthusiasm. Powers that be oppose demands upon the fortunes they so obscenely create for themselves. Their greed knows no bounds and they work hard to enforce their claims that all is right in the world; just trust them. 

There have already been much negative impacts upon the food chain, in both growth and supply. Environmental and climate changes have had awful impacts in this arena, in all aspects. Traditional crops have become inappropriate for areas, leaving farmers to confusion. Labor is also short in supply due to paranoid new legislation voted upon by unthinking toadies without clear understanding of the negative impact of such rulings. Distribution becomes more difficult even as the needs are growing, along with quite healthy and harmful input of black marketeers and terrorist groups.   

What have we done?

We have increased the level of paranoia in this world. Clearly growing. Clearly spreading. More demands to wall off the world. Denying the lessons of history time and time again. Misguided actions of leaders of the world's nations lead to the horror of war, be it by proxy or by worldwide involvement.  That was true years, centuries ago and remains so today, even as we deny it. We persist in plucking with blind eyes and unfeeling fingers, the worst of yesterday and applying it to the challenged world of today. As expected, though unacknowledged, the results are the same. 

It remains a worthless and dangerous political plank forever, yet on it goes, its adherents of crazed shouting and spittle-stained mouths. Always, no matter the 'end' of the conflict, the result is invariably the same and most definitely not good for mankind. Problems go unheeded, no positive alternatives of positive cooperation and on we go with Deja vu. Again, and again and again. Each 'new' war having roots in the most recent war of the nation's past.  We are no different today than yesterday, many yesterdays. Fighting a losing battle no matter the declared 'winner', for war inevitably has no victor. We are the peoples of a planet refusing to understand the dire need of cooperation among all nations, for the orb we share is small and delicate, already so deeply harmed by the nasty foolishness of mankind.  Will we ever learn?

Along with warfare waged against our fellow human beings, we wage warfare upon this long-suffering planet of ours. Depleted the world of the necessary warriors of climate control. The trees. We have deforested major areas of the world and done the same in small areas. Denuded the land of trees which refresh our air, provide much needed shade on the newly boiling lands of earth. They increase the ability of the land to absorb huge amounts of water, neither too hard baked nor too soaked to absorb it. Nor is there enough open land now to do so for we have paved over our paradises with cement, raising temperatures, or draining the water tables for showoff unnecessary pools, mainly unused, and for growing lush lawns in deserts. 

More is the name of the gain. More highways. More ticky-tacky homes. Overpopulation, denser areas inimical to good lives and clear air. More smog and pollution. More tension among those fighting for resources, for fewer traffic jammed roadways. But never in the same zip code as the developers and governmental figures. 

Along and on we go, persisting no matter the proof presented and the growing necessity to fix the problem, before too late. Erosion and flooding and drought, monster storms, insufficient plans for prevention and rescue. All the while most of us stand like dummies, refusing to see the forest for the trees or the trees for the forest. Blindness and willful denial, even as complaints rise in number and intensity.

Will we ever learn? Will it be a case of too little too late? More homes destroyed, places of business wrecked and people, men, women, children, hunters, campers, hikers, people living their lives condemned to death because mankind refused and continues to refuse, to think, to follow threads to conclusions and think of new ways, better ways to handle this mess of our own creation.

What have we done?

Nor is the majority portion of this world exempt from damage by mankind. Our oceans are losing, already have lost much of their ability to absorb all that we have thrown at it, in it.  All that we have forced it to endure. The fish within who have provided humanity with food for eons, are now challenged by the newly shifting currents, different temperatures and new dangerous environments for them. Yet we persist in denial, downplay the level of pollution and inimical change, discount its role as provider of sustenance for mankind.

We refuse to preserve the ocean. Or maintain the rules we do have on that subject. Nations openly flout restrictions and bristle with arms and threats should they be interfered with or challenged. The beaches are heavily eroded. Yet we continue to do the wrong thing for the wrong reasons at the wrong times. What is temporarily convenient has become the chosen path. That which is necessary long term is disregarded. Discarded. For selfish reasons.

What have we done?

We have made a mess of it all. We must do better. And we must do that now. Where's the beef? For sure it is within our environmental climatic and. living worlds. We have made life hurtful, more dangerous for many in our blind rush to .... what, for what ... What can we do? What should we do? How /should we do it? What are realistic, achievable goals What is the timetable?

This is for brains bigger and brighter than mine. All I can do is answer the question as to where the beefs are. What they are. Then depend upon those with knowledge, experience and desire to do the right thing. To fix this world of ours which we have so damaged, so taken for granted.

What have we done?

What have we learned from our yesterdays, for our todays, and certainly for our tomorrows.

Hard put to answer that. 

What have we done?