Everything You Know, You Learned in Kindergarten

And haven't learned anything since.

That is unfortunately true of many people -- that the first things they learned, were also their last.  That used to be adequate for when things changed slowly, and new information took a lifetime, and even generations to finally win out.  And that same cycle, would repeat for another few millennia -- until someone created the wheel, or invented fire.  Then, everybody who had attended kindergarten, had a Ph.D.  So it is not surprising that now, people with a Ph.D., think that is all there is to know, and can be known -- and not that it is just the beginning rather than the end of their quest for useful information.

That is not more elaborate and contrived explanations on why everything goes wrong -- but are the right answers that eliminate those problems -- and humanity can move on.  That's when we realize we're on to something -- and are not hearing the same or even different excuses played over and over again -- while learning from those mistakes, are forbidden and suppressed.  And so we spend more money while the problems get worse, and explode out of control.

That's not unlike what is happening in many of our major population centers now -- as they spend increasingly more money on problems that continue to get worse, and often explode out of control -- while wishing it were otherwise.  That's not going to make it happen -- but is merely wishful-thinking -- as though there is no difference, and telling the difference, is now illegal and prohibited.  That is not unlike the cities that are being sacked by vandals and lawless -- in the hope that they will stop.

Those are the people we need to build fences against, because they don't respect our boundaries -- and further inviting their incursions, won't make them come to their senses.  We have to.  That is the unfortunate truth of life -- that some people need to be reigned in -- because they don't have that self-control, and only those who do, can transcend to ever higher levels.  That's especially important when one is "retired" and there are no others to tell them what to do.  What will a person do?

For a few, it is to indulge their lifelong dream to dissipate themselves in whatever manner possible -- in binge eating, binge drinking, binge watching, binge recklessness -- until somebody else cares enough to tell them to stop.  But they're not going to do it themselves, and for that, one has to lay down rules -- because an honor system does not work with those who are dishonorable.  Their objective is to get away with anything they can.  So one has to make this distinction -- between the honorable and the dishonorable, and not assume they are playing by the same rules.

Those are the people who have no compunction about preying on the innocent, gullible, trusting, unassuming elderly and vulnerable -- whenever they're allowed an opportunity.  Most people are not so disposed, but a few are, and that is the need for this ability to distinguish the wolf in sheep's clothing -- lying among the lambs.  That is what the good shepherds do.  That is doing one's part -- in any society one operates in.  They don't just lead the lambs to the slaughter -- ruthlessly as some would have us believe.  They've earned their place at the banquet.

Many people now do not see the connection -- between one thing and every other, and think that everything is merely arbitrary -- according to the story of the day, which everybody is beholden to copy as their own, and "edit" for greater clarity -- which often turns out to be another story entirely.  In that manner, they can claim it as an original -- as though they thought of it themselves -- but is just the story line repeated throughout every journal.  Nobody would know the original authorship -- and so much the better -- in the new improved "journalism."  Rumor is as valid as facts -- until the readership becomes weary of being misinformed and misled -- for a few clicks more.

In this manner, many promise to deliver, but never get around to it -- and send whatever they have to sell, regardless of what the customer wants, and dares them to return it.  It's not a good way of doing business -- but they got their money, and obtaining value for it, is your problem.  That is now the experience of many in the marketplace who are unwary -- but that is the risk one takes, to receive favorable exchanges -- and knows how to recognize them from the fraudulent and unscrupulous.  They sell you the sizzle, but not the satisfaction.

Fortunately, as time goes by, one needs to buy less and less -- while returning to reliable and trusted sites.  That in itself, is worth something.  Thus the rich get richer, and the fly-by-nights move onto the next scam and multi-level marketing opportunity that will soon be included in the Dow-Jones averages.  Thus the rich get richer, and the poor have no idea what they are talking about.  Everything they know, they learned in kindergarten -- and stopped learning anymore.  It never occurred to them that knowledge should work, and make a difference -- or is worthless, and not worth repeating.  But for these victims of the learning wars, repetition is all they know -- even if they are useless and futile.  They think if they simply repeat it often enough, one day it will come true -- and not that it should be obvious from the get-go, each and every time.

That's how divorced many have come from reality.  They think "virtual" knowledge is good enough, and often, as all there is.  And so the world of reality escapes them -- and they suspect nothing.  They may say that reality is anything you want to believe it is -- and give Ted talks on it -- to a proudly undiscriminating audience, who knows what they want to hear.  They are no longer "bothered" by the truth.  In that and any other universe, there are still the few who are bothered -- and know it makes a difference.  They have never been everyone, or even the majority; often, they have been only one -- who stood alone, and stood their ground -- despite all the intimidations to conform.

Those are the great individuals and ideas that have stood the test of time -- as much as the mob-mind tears that notion down.  There are no such individuals they will insist; all have caved to the popular opinion -- or suffered the boot.  At least that's what they'd like us to think.