Politics

I don't usually like to dwell on politics specifically, but it is a midterm election year and all the news is about what is going to happen. The Republicans are going to lead a smear campaign and try to focus on terrorism while the Democrats are going to be anti-Republican, but not too much. The way people are supposedly acting in America makes me want to return and become in the cause for common sense. Life has become about hate and victory. Hate of everything that is different, and victory against all who oppose us in our cause.

Yes, their are many people toiling away to make the world a better place by simply living their lives and improving upon our systems. But, they do not control the purse strings that are in control of the global economy. The world needs to refocus on the micro and forget about global politics. Global politics are simply the things that have the potential to destroy the world. If everybody focused on the samll ways they are impacting the environment and the people around them, then the whole world would benefit. If every factory in China understood the environmental havoc it is wreaking upon its people, then China would turn into the beautiful land it once was, not filled with corruption and wasted lives (yes, wasted lives is one of the harshest things I can say, as life has unmatched potential to bring joy). If Americans looked at how we were imposing our will on others and over-consuming, then the environment would breath a little sigh and maybe people in other places would sort things for themselves.

No, we can't ignore the world and let people commit atrocities until some part of the conflict is eliminated (usually the weaker half). We should put are faith in a bigger system, or just act in a smaller microcosm. A quote that is old, but I recently came across, but probably read before "When two small countries have a conflict, the UN steps in and the conflict disappears. When a large and a small country have a conflict, the UN steps and the small country disappears. When two large countries have a conflict, the UN disappears."

We all, me especially, should have a sign above our mirrors that says "What do you see?"

I want to write about some Zen stuff that was breathtaking(?). I couldn't find a better word. Beautiful and complex, my brain still hurts from trying to understand it all. I am just trying to see how it fits into my life-view. If I accepted it, would I have to abandon some of my Jodo Shin beliefs. We will see as I read on, but I mainly just didn't want to leave this post to waste.