Mood:
quizzicalTopic: special needs
Brian,
I have seen so many emotionally disturbed children the past few years that
I have reached a few general conclusions. First, far too many children are
being placed on psychotropic medications for even minor disorders such as
the much heralded ADHD. The driving factor here seems to be a concerted
effort on the part of pharmaceutical companies to expand their market to
include adolescents and children. As the Beatles once sang, " I get by
with a little help from my friends!" Second, children, in many cases, are
being reared by parents who are unconcerned, alcoholics, or drug addicts.
Or the children have been abandoned and are being reared by relatives.
Finally, we and the children live in a world gone insane; the rising tide
of globalization in the name of capitalism is creating a world where
people are only concerned with materialistic gain and no longer possessed of
value moral/spiritual ideals.
In summary, I fear that until we stop the denigration of the human spirit
in the name of a World Economy where every material need is met and every
individual takes a pill to feel "just right" that not only the children
but mankind as well will sink into the deep, dark abyss of
self-destruction.
What is your perception? Am I wrong or right?
Best regards,
Mead
Hi Mead! Have you ever read "The Prophet" by Kahlil Gibram?
It was written in 1923 - and would appear to have been cast aside by the early 20thC mind.
There are some things in that way ahead of its time - and possibly way ahead of the present time.
I came across it while writing the journal, and its value was shown by the journal's reference
to it - especially about laws and how a society can construct a 'criminal'.
I think that, overall, your perception is all too close to right in the way that conglomerates and
governments are presently operating. The way of both seems to be a gradual restriction of
choice. Morality and Spirituality have been trampled on - and made to wear a mask. They are
wheeled in only to make political or commercial gain - and neither morality, nor spirituality, have
much value in the market place.
As Gibram pointed out, a King who can not dance may make a law forbidding anyone to dance
within his Kingdom. There are too many people in high places who have the mean spirit of the
'carpet bagger'. There are too many people ready to apply their cynicism like the Venetians,
who diverted the fourth crusade onto an attack on Constantinople.
The problem is that Capitalism sees itself as the victor in the cold war. My view is that it was
the cultural richness of the West in the '60s and '70s that played a bigger part. Cultural richness
is too diverse to market, so Capitalism gnaws at itself.
Pete Seeger and Bob Dylan introduced a mainstream idea that culture should challenge establishment.
As analogy, Athens (culture and trade) and Sparta (government and control) challenged each other
constantly. However, they eventually joined together in alliance - and became less. Thebes built
an army based on emotional and spiritual bonding - and successfully challenged Athens and Sparta.
In this analogy, Thebes has yet to form.
I can't see how we can have a free market when companies who honourably treat their workers are
undercut and cast aside by scavenger companies who treat their workers like slaves and have scant
regard for anything other than profit. Other scavenger companies have only one aim: to scam the
consumer and get something for nothing.
A generation will come who will tire of this greed. From this will come Thebes.
Nothing is more promising toward this goal than to know that school psychologists can question
themselves and society, because the children under their care may need to do exactly the same
thing.
The only thing I can do is publish what I can of the journal (and post journal thoughts) online -
and hope it may reach a mind or two. It runs on the principle: I can't change the world, but I can
influence those around me. They can influence me. Eventually, the world may be changed through
the grapevine.
Cheers
Brian
