They only want a better world for them.
This is the case for almost everyone, which makes their position seem impregnable. "Might makes Right" they are fond of feeling.
But underneath this lies the Truth: We are in this together, whether we like it or not.
To put this in practical terms: Afganistan is two countries, a poor one (most of the country) and a rich one (which we can defend easily).
By the rest of the world.
And if you are the product of a dysfunctional family (as most of us are) this is certainly true. Your family is against you, all the way.
If you are trying to do a good job (no matter what that is) you will find almost everybody is against you.
One of the big events of my life was when I tried to work at Adaptec. Which was a complete failure, because they wanted it that way.
They thought they were making something wonderful when they were not making anything at all.
TED has a service now that allows you to specify the kind of presentations you want to watch, and delivers them to your inbox.
The ones I selected are very upbeat and antidepressive. But evidently, this is what I wanted: cheerful food without limits.
Let me know how it works for you.
I can remember when I was in college, and very eager to become a success, what an impact the book The Organization Man had on me. This was the Gospel Truth, and I knew it was!
I was becoming an Electronic Engineer, but what I really wanted was to get a job. And when I graduated, I grabbed the first job that was offered to me, which kept me out of an office.
I went to work for the FAA. They gave me a car, and I drove to my first job in Sioux City, Iowa. This was at a remote location, that was patrolled by a skunk and her young.
In town, I spent much of my time at the Library, which was a disappointment to the young women there.
It wasn't long before I was working out of NYC, and I got married to a woman who helped me spend my money.
The Prophet I am referring to was Joseph Smith III, who I am learning about by reading his Memoirs, published by the Herald House.
This is not read very much, and I can see why. It tells us too much about him. It shows us how determined he was to follow in his Father's footsteps and move people from his father's church into his church.
If he was a normal boy, he would have asked his mother "Why is Daddy in jail?" But he was not normal, he was Religious, and seemed to think Being in Jail was a normal state of affairs.
There is a passage in the Memoirs that indicates a bribe was paid to get them out of jail. Why they were in Missouri in the first place is not explained.
Somehow, he ended up in Lamoni, Iowa, and stayed there quite a while, building up his RLDS church, before moving to Independence, Mo. He spent a lot of money there on building projects. Especially the Auditorium, a huge building, where General Conferences could be held.
I was standing in the Checkout lane in Walmart. When the woman ahead of paid her bill with a 100 dollar bill. The Checkout clerk called for the Store Manager, who looked at it, and told the clerk to give her the change for the bill, and walked off with the bill itself.
What happened here?
Drug salesmen come in two types: wholesale and retail. The wholesale type wants to make a quick buck and then disappear before they get arrested. Our jails are full of these types, mostly uneducated black people.
The woman with the 100 dollar bill will ger a shopping cart full of groceries, but nothing else. She will give the change to the person who gave her the bill, who will also disappear.
This operation has taken dirty money (from drugs) and turned it into clean money (in a bank account).
Americans love war, especially since WWII made them the most powerful country in the world.
When they lost that, especially after 9/11, they freaked out, and became obsessed with Terror.
And became terrorists themselves in the Vietnam War, which they lost.
Now, the most observant of them, ask "What's next?" Or they get involved in another endless war.
