CRAZINESS & SO-CALLED COMMON SENSE REDEFINED!

THIS IS THE FIRST INSTALLMENT IN OUR COMMON SENSE & CRAZINESS CRITIQUE SERIES.

It's April fool's day so this one is for those of us who foolishly give away personal power. Some of us surrender our power through tears. Others surrender their power through anger. Then there are some who never take power but go along with the tides, times and trends of society. Yes, the majority of us fall into one of these categories. Yes, we have been victims too! This is the too "naïve to believe" intellectual rendition of this topic. The video and audio clips that we'll be adding to most of our new posts will be a little more explicit. It's time to exercise our innate authority and use our power to practice the principles of change. MAYBE IT'S TIME TO EXECUTE OUR OWN PLAN B! Don't get these topics or subject matter twisted. This is not a referendum on birth control. It's about a PLAN B. Our children are shouldering the effects of our Common Craziness and inheriting our past for their future!

Let's now define Common sense as having a lot to do with ordering priorities! This basically prioritizes the way we put the most important things ahead of the least important things. Let's consider the fact that we are not actively addressing many of societies most prevalent and pressing problems. These would be the things that are the most impacting to all of us! It seems that we expend most of our energies and efforts on polarizing issues. As a society, we would rather fight over things that seem more important to some of us rather than deal with things that are most important to all of us. Well, which is more important, all of us, some of us or the option for none of us? Things that are important to us will find a way to be addressed. Things that aren't as important to us are given a blind eye or are given excuses. There are no excuses for inequality, hunger and poverty. Craziness is defined as a behavioral extreme manifested in a wild or aggressive way. If craziness is the opposite of common sense then we can conclude that common sense creates order while craziness creates disorder. History teaches us that as a species we often manifest characteristics of craziness in our behavior, but we've often been saved by the common sense of a PLAN B. Most types of reproducing species, even if their own survival is threatened, attempt to insure the survival of their offspring. Instinctual survival can always become a PLAN B. Today, let's consider three categories for this edition of our common sense and craziness critique. They are (1) Drugs, (2) Violence and (3) Environmental Control and Destruction. ​Let's ask 3 questions. (1)Can we continue to allow society to seek happiness through chemistry? (2) Will we continue to tolerate the manipulation of our competitive spirit to perpetuate superiority and violence? (3)Will we continue to let the power of bullies, borders and businesses negatively impact the entire planet? Everybody sees the handwriting on the wall. Many of our children from around the world are organizing and speaking out! EVEN THEY CAN SEE WE NEED A PLAN B!

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When did we become such a substance dependent/addicted society? There is no way anyone can deny our culture accepts and prescribes an overwhelming amount of substances to deal with just about every physical, mental or emotional issue. Americas affair with pharmaceutical and other brain altering substances (alcohol, marijuana and hallucinogens included) has become the way we enhance our leisure and entertainment or address our problems. As we approach an alarming mental health crisis, SUBSTANCE ABUSE IS NOW HAVING A MAJOR IMPACT ON EVERY ASPECT OF OUR SOCIETY. The opioid crisis, perpetuated by the pharmaceutical industry, is no different than the cancer crisis perpetuated by the tobacco industry and the alcoholism perpetuated by the liquor industry. So, although we regulate and create rules, we accept the carnage of what we allow. Craziness allows it and our so-called common sense regulates it! Maybe this is why a new brand of protests are emerging from our children who refuse to be powerless. The problem is expanding across multiple social strata and penetrating traditional barriers that normally insulated or separated us from its effects. What was once a segregated part of society is affecting us all. The ways in which we addressed these issues in the past are losing their effectiveness. We cannot continue to employ yesterday's tactics to tomorrow's problems. We need a PLAN B! 

Years ago, the greatest fear experienced going to school was being victimized by a bully. The Plan B was simple just avoid the bully. Shouldn't children have a right to homes and schools without the fear of violence? The number of inhumane behaviors inflicted upon civilian society seemingly increases in proportion with the amount of violence absorbed through news, images, games, sports and entertainment. However, the truth is that violent crime, although trending upward in the past few years, had been on a thirty-year decline. Why is it that from 2014 through 2016 that the violent crime rate increased by 6.8 percent and the murder rate increased by 20.4 percent.  A sudden rise in murder seems to surface with societies stress. Although this may appear as a small blip on our screens it is having a significant impact on our sense of security and general well-being. The stress it places upon the children in particular is contributing to the current and growing mental health crisis we are now facing. We now have our children involved in matters they have no control over. That alone creates a stressful environment for learning and growing. What can we do about it? Should we arm teachers, place police forces inside schools, tighten security with guard dogs and metal detectors, frisk and body scan anyone entering or leaving the premises or should we just make stricter laws to penalize offenders after the effect. The current plan is not working effectively. Looks like we'll need a PLAN B!

Although there are many other worthy causes, issues and concerns that must continue to be addressed, maybe we need to start prioritizing our efforts and energy. If we don't deal with the threats to our planet the other problems won't be around to work on. Be-cau-se, they will not have a place (planet) where they can exist, manifest or express themselves. There is no planet B! There are so many instances of couples, who after years of trying to have a child, finally were successful.  We would naturally expect them to treasure that child in a way that appreciates the miracle of childbirth above how the average person might regard it. This place (the planet we live on) is our only child. The doctor says it took a miracle to get this one and we are incapable of having another. Besides that, raising this one has taken so much effort that we haven't nourished, cherished or properly nurtured her. Being that this is our only child shouldn't we protect it from harm fiercely?  Hats off to Greenpeace, The WWF (not wrestling), The Sierra Club, The Nature Conservancy, Rainforest Action Network, Environmental Defense Fund, Surfrider Foundation, Oxfam, Save the Children, The Union of Concerned Scientist and others. We can either protect the planet or protect corporate profits. The power now rests within both the individual influence and collective purpose of people. What we support and where and how we spend our money is the determining factor in what happens. We do not need political representation to effect change. Even if we choose not to get personally involved, we can support anyone of the above listed groups and refrain from financing any organization that opposes or fails to help our mutual causes and interests. This is a practical blog forum. Be encouraged to practice doing something about what matters to us all. Don't send a dime here, pick one those organizations fighting for our common cause and send some dollars their way. Embedded in each organization's name is the link to their site just click on it. Let's practice by supporting something! Even if we can't muster up enough intestinal fortitude to contain our common craziness for ourselves let's exercise instinctual survival and at least save the children! STAY TUNED FOR PART II COMING SOON.