Once a celebration of the advent of summer (not around here but you take my point) May Day also did double duty as a distress call (probably be interesting to research the origins of that bit of linguistic history but I'm content knowing warmer weather is just around the corner (even if we do keep the flannel sheet on 'til June!)
As I heard it, the celebration of May Day goes back to pagan times and is akin to Thanksgiving which celebrates the harvest, May Day celebrates putting in the new crop...a bookend sort of thing although it has been adapted in various nations to, er, 'motivate' and build patriotic fervor within the populous.
Which sort of belies the fact that left to their own devices people will get together for a party with no particular reason needed. Sort of a once a quarter thing whether they needed it or not.
Interestingly enough we still preserve these 'traditions' but what's missing is their basic purpose of building social cohesion.
Back in the day it took a village, today we all pretend to be islands, independent of one another.
But wait, it gets worse.
Back in the day we'd get together and talk with one another during break-time, not anymore. Today's youth grew up with their toys for company, so when they moved into the workplace, they sit down with their electronic companions and surf the web, occasionally discussing what they find there but not often...in fact, when something like the Baltimore riots is occurring they seem to treat it as though it were happening on another planet and not in their own backyard.
Again, I have to temper this disturbing news with the fact that it's not just the kids anymore, the 'grown-ups' have adopted this behavior too!
Understand, if we don't discuss what's going on around us we won't address their underlying causes and solutions WON'T be found...or worse, a 'for profit' solution will be pursued and it will cost more than just money to the families of the victims.
I marvel at the prevalence of 'escapism' taking place within our society and it feeds on itself. People that spend all day gabbing on the phone for business walk out of their offices and strap their cellphone to their ear was they walk out of work!
What did these people do before cellphones? Must have been awful lonely but at least in the old days they thought about things. Having been on the receiving end of these telephonic handholding sessions, I know just how mindless these conversation can be.
What I'm saying is many of these people who can't hang up are calling (pretty much anyone) to avoid being 'alone with their thoughts'.
Worse, when they're alone with their thoughts, media outlets take it upon themselves to 'spin' the news stories they encountered online into whatever the talking points of the day dictate.
Unlike my humble self, the corporate owned media has no problem telling you what to think, in fact they insist on it!
Somewhat ironic to see so few people self-identifying as 'conservatives' yet they echo conservative talking points precisely because they don't take the trouble to think for themselves!
Sort of gives new meaning to the term 'empty headed'!
In this respect we are a lot closer to flushing ourselves down the drain than most would think...
Please reconsider what the eye that never blinks tells you and remember that it looks different when you're standing in the other guy's shoes.
As I heard it, the celebration of May Day goes back to pagan times and is akin to Thanksgiving which celebrates the harvest, May Day celebrates putting in the new crop...a bookend sort of thing although it has been adapted in various nations to, er, 'motivate' and build patriotic fervor within the populous.
Which sort of belies the fact that left to their own devices people will get together for a party with no particular reason needed. Sort of a once a quarter thing whether they needed it or not.
Interestingly enough we still preserve these 'traditions' but what's missing is their basic purpose of building social cohesion.
Back in the day it took a village, today we all pretend to be islands, independent of one another.
But wait, it gets worse.
Back in the day we'd get together and talk with one another during break-time, not anymore. Today's youth grew up with their toys for company, so when they moved into the workplace, they sit down with their electronic companions and surf the web, occasionally discussing what they find there but not often...in fact, when something like the Baltimore riots is occurring they seem to treat it as though it were happening on another planet and not in their own backyard.
Again, I have to temper this disturbing news with the fact that it's not just the kids anymore, the 'grown-ups' have adopted this behavior too!
Understand, if we don't discuss what's going on around us we won't address their underlying causes and solutions WON'T be found...or worse, a 'for profit' solution will be pursued and it will cost more than just money to the families of the victims.
I marvel at the prevalence of 'escapism' taking place within our society and it feeds on itself. People that spend all day gabbing on the phone for business walk out of their offices and strap their cellphone to their ear was they walk out of work!
What did these people do before cellphones? Must have been awful lonely but at least in the old days they thought about things. Having been on the receiving end of these telephonic handholding sessions, I know just how mindless these conversation can be.
What I'm saying is many of these people who can't hang up are calling (pretty much anyone) to avoid being 'alone with their thoughts'.
Worse, when they're alone with their thoughts, media outlets take it upon themselves to 'spin' the news stories they encountered online into whatever the talking points of the day dictate.
Unlike my humble self, the corporate owned media has no problem telling you what to think, in fact they insist on it!
Somewhat ironic to see so few people self-identifying as 'conservatives' yet they echo conservative talking points precisely because they don't take the trouble to think for themselves!
Sort of gives new meaning to the term 'empty headed'!
In this respect we are a lot closer to flushing ourselves down the drain than most would think...
Please reconsider what the eye that never blinks tells you and remember that it looks different when you're standing in the other guy's shoes.
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