The Loss of the Small Business

I remember when this happened, back in the Fifties - and I remember how no one noticed this (except me).

Looking back at it, I can see two things must have happened. First, we lost our social awareness - our ability to see how we were, socially. Second, big business destroyed small business - without anyone noticing this.

This affected my Father, directly. He was a small businessman, and could never work for anyone else - he had to be his own boss. He lost his photography studio, his own business - and never got another one - despite his desperate attempts to build new ones - a whole wheat flour mill, and bakery.

He did not know what was happening, and neither did anyone else - even thought it was plain as day. The small business, and small businessman were finished.

The most tragic result, was the loss of the Family Farm - a basic American institution. My uncle, Arnold Ourth, died trying to make his farm work - as it had for hundreds of years before him.

Through all this - Americans noticed nothing! And still notice nothing - even though their world was changing drastically. Their world now, bears little resemblance to their world of only fifty years ago - but they pride themselves, on noticing nothing!

I must repeat that - they notice nothing, of importance. Which means they scarcely exist! And are unable to oppose the destructive forces - that do exist, and are very active.

This, to me, is the important fact of our time - we are destroying ourselves! As many empires before us have. And, as before, the people involved, do not notice what they are doing.