I Knew Something was Wrong

I knew this, soon after I was born, in 1936. I didn't know what was wrong, but I knew whatever it was, it was seriously wrong. And I could see other people did not know this, but insisted instead - that nothing was wrong!

And to this date, they still insist nothing is wriong. And this attitude is stronger than ever - when, in fact, the situation is worse than ever. The world they see, is not the real world.

This, in itself, is nothing new - people have often been unaware of many things, usually without knowing this. Our various sense organs, can only detect so much - and our mind can only process so much. And we often yearn for the simple explanations, that religion provides.

I must resist the temptation of a historical explanation here. A long explanation of the causes of today's problems. Instead, I will stick with what I saw and felt in my own life. This will give me plenty to write about.

I was born into my father's hometown of Ft. Madison, Iowa - close the intersection of Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri, on the Mississippi River. It had the Santa Fe Railroad, in the West End of town - and the Sheaffer Pen Company on the East End.

My father's family had moved there, because of the jobs the railroad offered. These were critical - everyone had to have a job! My father, however, was a small businessman. These were common back then - it was easy to start a business, and make a decent living at it. Dad had a photography studio.

He thought himself superior to his working-class family.This is hard for us to imagine now - but America back then, was a class-conscious society. And everyone was keening aware of what class they belonged to.

And my family was religious also, they belonged to the RLDS church. For them. the most important distinction possible!

I was born into a complicated and unstable situation - that could not last, and in fact, did not last. But the people of the time, did not know this - and thought of their situation as normal and everlasting!

This was typical of America in the 20th Century - a time of huge change, but people who were not aware of this! As I said before, I knew something was wrong - but did not know what was wrong.

But I went to college - this was easy, back then, and became an Electronic Engineer (U of Illinois, 1959). I did not know it then, but America, was going to become even more out of touch with its world.

To be continued.