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29 Thoughts for 29 Years



29 thoughts for 29 years

Because I will be turning 29 this year I thought I would come up with a list of the 29 big questions that I have been thinking about and want to write about.

1) I value and respect the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.  I am fairly passionate about the 1st Amendment and all the freedoms that that entails, especially the right to free speech.  I think too many people are in their own echo chambers and safe spaces that they don't even want to have a civic discussion or understanding of a point of view that differs from theirs.  You need the 1st Amendment to protect speech that isn't popular with most people, or those in power.

2)  I think there is universal salvation for all people when we say all of us are loved and saved.  If not, how is it determined who gets salvation and who doesn’t, in a non-arbitrary way?  Everyone is here to grow and understand, even if they induce suffering and pain.  We should value and respect each person, what they bring to the table and what they bring to the universe.  We need more people who love and accept all people, like Mr. Rogers.

Additional links
https://www.patheos.com/blogs/unsystematictheology/2016/09/christian-universalism-or-eternal-judgment-the-bibles-pros-and-cons/ 

I have read the Jefferson Bible and have a collection of Bibles and religious books on my bookshelf.  I read the New Living Translation of  the Bible in 90 days.

https://www.monticello.org/site/research-and-collections/life-and-morals-jesus-nazareth

https://thehumanist.com/magazine/march-april-2012/features/the-bible-according-to-thomas-jefferson

http://www.neighborhoodarchive.com/

https://www.misterrogers.org/the-messages/


3) Lean Sigma and "just in time management" are broken management efficiency systems that greedy boomers took from Japan and then created their own half-assed versions.  Using those systems produced massive COVID-19 shortages of stored PPE, ventilators, and medical supplies.  Maybe now we can run systems with a post-scarcity mindset.

 4) Land use efficiency, such as duplexes and multi-family structures, are important for housing density, affordability, and quality of life.  I really have enjoyed the almost two years that I have owner-occupied my duplex.

Additional links
5) Could a majority of people regularly work from home?  Until COVID-19, I don't think where I work currently, or prior employers, would have enabled people to work from home.  Well, here we are in large numbers and it seems to be a smooth transition that happened very quickly!  I am very grateful that I have a union job that is Monday to Friday, 8 hours per day, with decent pay and benefits.

Additional links
https://theecologist.org/2019/apr/26/telecommuting-good-environment

6)  I really enjoy working from home!  Not having to commute buys me back at least an hour of my time each day, if not more, and I only have one asshole to deal with!  Everyone talks about going green and doing something to improve the environment, and this is a really smart way to reduce gas consumption, avoid construction, and promote safety on the highways!  And, thanks to the internet providers who built our infrastructure so that we are able to communicate with fellow workers momentarily if we need to reach them for further information!

7) How can homestead bankruptcy exemption be useful in bad times?  The exemption can protect you from bankruptcy and lawsuits.  In Iowa, you can have up to 1 acre max of land in town or 160 rural acres, and no dollar limit on your homestead, so you can keep all the equity in your house.  Most states aren’t that generous with the equity you can maintain in a dire situation.  If your house is paid for, you know you will always have a roof over your head.  There is a lot of peace of mind in that, and if you picked the right house, you should be set for life.

8) Seeing the mass unemployment numbers that will set records beyond those of the Great Depression - how many of those jobs are gone for good, maybe half?  It's concerning that so many small businesses, and the employees that work for them, were existing paycheck-to-paycheck, with little (if any) emergency funds to rely on to help when the good times stopped.  It shows how fragile small businesses are and how hard it is to earn a living wage.

9) How do we define an essential worker? How do we determine what is essential work? My guess is that half of all jobs are non-essential, if not more. I am glad that I have worked in the utilities industry since I was a teenager and my work is deemed essential but I was still allowed to work from home.

10)  Healthcare should be available for all people.  With the unemployment rate as high as it is, many people only have health insurance if they have a job.  What if we disassociate healthcare from employment, and have some sort of exchange or marketplace where everyone can get healthcare of some sort?  Look at all the ads for the other types of insurance. I get numerous offers for car, life, and homeowners insurance all the time, from dozens of companies.  Why can't the health insurance industry compete, and I mean really compete, not just get fat cat kickbacks?

11) We are now in a post-scarcity society.  We just printed a few trillion bailout dollars for people impacted by COVID-19, but was that a good or a bad thing to do?  So where were all the deficit hawks that historically would not support this type of legislation in the past and why were they generous this time?  Now everybody wants a handout and everybody wants a cut of the money.  

12) Will people invest and take science, logic and reasoning as real values that people should use?  Or will some still think that the world is flat and that vaccinating children is an international conspiracy?  “Friends don’t let friends have delusions.” :)

13) What will post-secondary education look like in the near future?  I think Kirkwood, U of Iowa, Iowa State, and UNI (state-funded schools) will survive since they have state financing, infrastructure and real estate.  But what about private colleges?  If the post- COVID-19 era makes more people fearful of going somewhere in person, will this house-centric mindset change people's use of post-secondary education?  If you are going to take classes online, why not just go to a community college for half the price because you're not going to get the on-site experiences anyhow?  Why pay the extra money if you are going to get basically the same experience either way?  Is “the college experience” worth it?  It may have been historically, but with access to today’s technology and the possibly “permanent” tendency to social distance, it may be an icon of the past if students think it has priced itself out of being relevant today.

14) Will people fly as frequently again?  Will there still be jet-setters going all over the world?  Do they really need to see all these fancy places?  Is it really worth it if they become the bearers of death, the bringers of destruction and disease to the masses?  With a globalist and neoliberalist culture that promotes this type of travel, what is the price of a selfie on the base of Mount Everest?  With videos, websites, television, and multimedia content available on your cell phone, TV, and computer isn’t that good enough for 90% of the stuff in life?  Is the financial expense, as well as the potential physical risk really worth traveling in person in an effort to see the real thing?  Don’t we learn from both personal and virtual experiences?

Additional links
https://newrepublic.com/article/154201/ive-climbed-everest-21-times-its-not-mountain-used-be

"When did a monumental achievement in human history become just another bumper sticker on a rich guy’s car? Paying your way up Everest isn't impressive." Kyle Sammin


http://www.lawcha.org/2020/03/31/class-capitalism-and-coronovirus-at-disneys-newest-attraction/

15)  Never take hand sanitizer and toilet paper for granted again. I've been buying that stuff in bulk since before it was cool!  I am keeping more food at home now, and I had a good amount of stuff beforehand.  Forget minimalism -  make sure you have a nice stockpile of things that you can use and value.  Will we make better sanitary and healthy practices a habit after this and continue to sing the whole happy birthday song while we dutifully wash our hands?

16)  How will local events change?  Groundswell was ahead of the curve by canceling their open mike nights before the virus hit.  Will the Jaycees still sponsor Uptown Friday Nights?  Will Mindbridge hold Anime Iowa and ICON IOWA?  Will Freemasons meet on the level?  What will society look like in a year?  What will our social calendars look like in the year 2030?  How will large events be impacted by COVID-19 in the long term?


17)  What do we value and trust in traditional media?  What is its place in the new media landscape?  Social Media and newer independent forms of online media are good, I just think their use is over valued.  With all commercial media, people are in it to make money, get ratings, etc. that helped create a sound bite society instead of more in-depth investigations and research.  The large software companies run algorithms and various invisible content filters on their platforms that people use, but how does that distort our reality?  I like Broadcast TV and radio because they are free.  I like  old Gazette archives, and the new Gazette articles are not bad.  

18) Why do people worship money so much?  Some consider it more important than their own family and friends in their lives.   Are we just greedy fat cats that want to get every last penny we can?   We say we love our family but we focus on materialism.  We want the new iphone.  We want the latest TV with all the bells and whistles.  We covet the newest version of the vehicle we drive.  Our neighborhoods must meet certain standards.  Can any of these things take the place of a good friend?  (Note: IPhones and toilet paper are very different types of consumer consumption!)

"I don't have a problem with someone using their talents to become successful, I just don't think the highest calling is success. Things like freedom and the expansion of knowledge are beyond success, beyond the personal. Personal success is not wrong, but it is limited in importance, and once you have enough of it it is a shame to keep striving for that, instead of for truth, beauty, or justice." 
Richard Stallman

19) Reach for the point that is “enough” for you in your life!  When you have enough, you can be comfortable with the life you lead, be content with what you have in life, and focus on many things in life that really matter instead of making money and other greedy myopic-focused goals.

Additional links
Enough: True Measures of Money, Business, and Life John C. Bogle BOOK

“Over a ten-year period commencing on January 1, 2008, and ending on December 31, 2017, the S&P 500 will outperform a portfolio of funds of hedge funds, when performance is measured on a basis net of fees, costs and expenses.” Warren Buffet Won 
http://longbets.org/362/

20) How do we emphasize non-commercial values?  I've really enjoyed taking photos and videos of anything that interests me.  I just love the imagery.  I enjoy art in its many forms.  There is nothing like reading a book.  Music is a true gift.  The beauty of nature never gets old.  Look for life enriching experiences!

21) Writing can soothe the soul!  I often write my thoughts down to clarify what I am thinking and feeling.  I started using a website as a teenager that challenges you to write 750 words per day.  I did that for 375 days straight in 2016-2017, but I have used it many times but not continuously.  A lot of my ideas and projects have developed from that site because it allows me to brainstorm (even my 29 thoughts started on it).

22) How important will water, electric power and the internet continue to be?  Look at how crucial it is to have clean water to drink, cook and flush with.  We need electricity to keep the lights on and to power all the things we plug into them (Alliant Energy, you may be greedy but at least you keep services available with minimal outages).  A functioning internet connectivity is essential today to be online so we can look up and store information, communicate, get work done, and be entertained.  These are the three core utilities that people really need to thrive.  Everyone takes it for granted that the lights will stay on, the toilets will flush, and the internet will connect.  But remember, these are really nice inventions of the last hundred years, or so.  But we also can't forget about gas, trash and cash.  Nobody rides for free! 

23) Where are we as individuals in regard to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs?  Where are we as states and as a society in general?  Have we lifted up all people and helped make life better for them and for future generations, or are we just complacent?  In America, we should be able to achieve at least the first few levels for our people, or at least we should empower them to be able to get to those levels.  But the highest point, the point of being self-actualized, when do we reach that and how do we get to that point?

Additional Links
https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-maslows-hierarchy-of-needs-4136760

https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-23902918

https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html

24) What does the “right to work” mean?  Does it really mean that we have the right to work, or does it mean the employer has the right to exploit the employee?   With right to work laws, you can get kicked to the curb and have minimal rights with no recourse.  Most jobs should have some sort of union, or workers council, that represents the grievances and challenges of workers. The worker/employer relationship is not balanced; it's not two parties trying to work out a fair deal.  The employer can dispose of any worker at any time for any reason, or for no reason at all.  The worker wants to earn a living wage and the business wants to earn a profit.  Is it possible to create a mutually beneficial relationship?

Additional links
https://aflcio.org/issues/right-work

https://www.openglobalrights.org/workers-rights-really-are-human-rights/

https://www.workingamerica.org/

25)  Who actually owns our computers, our software and our technology?  Is it the end user or some large corporation?  I really appreciate Android and its functionality and features but I have always been a fan of free and open source software.  I use and value Linux for a complete operating system, Libreoffice for a word processor and office package, Firefox as a web browser, and F-Droid as an alternate app repository for Android.  It's nice to have the freedom to use and install non- corporate software.

Additional links
https://f-droid.org/en/

https://www.libreoffice.org/

26) Is the cruise industry really a good thing?  I've never been on a cruise ship before because I've never really had the desire.  I REALLY don't want to go on one now.  How many times has there been news of a virus of some kind that has infected a cruise ship and turned a vacation into a nightmare? This year “getting away from it all” on a cruise was permanent for some passengers.  If you are willing to take the risk, go ahead, but don’t expect the United States to bail out the fat cat cruise industry!  They don’t even pay U.S. taxes because they operate out of other countries to avoid paying them.  And they exploit their employees by making them work long hours with minimal pay.  If you ask me, I think their ship has sunk.

27) Are closing public streets and right-a-ways in a large downtown area really a public-private partnership?  Or is it the city’s greedy oligarchs showing they can do whatever they want, and that they will not be held accountable for their power? Should we demolish historic buildings just to pave a parking lot?  Is that what “paving for progress” means?

28) How do we value human life?  What is a “just” war?  Was any U.S. war after the Revolutionary War a “just” war?  Can you be both pro-life and pro-war?  We value the American woman and her womb, but poor people in the 3rd world?  Bomb them all and let God sort it out?

Additional links
https://www.consumerismcommentary.com/what-is-the-value-of-a-human-life/

https://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2017/09/how-do-we-value-human-lives/

https://bigthink.com/culture-religion/value-of-human-being

https://www.iep.utm.edu/justwar/

https://www.counterpunch.org/2019/04/05/you-cant-be-pro-life-and-pro-war/


29)  How much of this list will be on next year’s list?  How much of it will still be relevant and how much of it will have changed?  Can we find common ground with people and common values so we can benefit the common good, or will we keep an Us vs. Them mindset?  How many people did I piss off writing these ideas down and sharing them?










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