The Biggest Risk -- Ignorance!

Watching the AIG hearings this morning I heard one Congressional Representative (did not catch name or State) say that those who took the risks should take the losses. He then mentioned "the taxpayers who did not take a risk." I do not know anyone who fits this category! Taxpayers did take a risk and deserve to face what we now face. Taxpayers took the risk that comes with ignorance. It is a risk to watch mind-numbing programming (pro-wrestling) instead of reading a book! It is a risk to stay stupid! It is also a risk to stand back and hope that someone else will solve the problem. That is the risk I took. I took the risk that someone elses' voice would sound a warning. I am paying the price for that risk I took. I cannot complain that I lost 50% of the value of my retirement accounts. I risked, I lost.

Many years ago I stood with my family looking at a statue in a cemetery. As I recall, the statue consisted of a central figure representing some aspect of our nation. It was a figure like the Statue Of Liberty or Lady Justice. The figure was wound tightly by something, either snakes or vines. The writing indicated that our ability to accomplish all that liberty demanded was being hindered by corruption from within. The words, the statue, the setting were all very powerful to me (I think I was around 11 or 12.) I remember saying to my father that the "government" should come and look at this statue, hoping that "they" would be as affected as was I. My father simply said, "We are the Government." I had memorized the Gettysburg Address and Lincoln's words thundered in my head; "Government of the people, by the people and for the people." I have never forgotten that experience. I knew at once that he was correct. I knew that I could not pass off my responsibility to be part of the solution or I would be part of the problem. Because of this, whenever I hear the terms "the government" or "the state", I mentally substitute "me," "us," or "we".

This morning as I listened to the people WE elected to represent us I heard many examples of one of the biggest reasons we are in such a mess. Most everyone was looking to blame someone ELSE. One Representative asked, "How could the Government be so stupid as to . . . ?" Again, I made the mental substitution and I ask; how could WE have been so stupid as to allow this all to happen. WE ARE THE GOVERNMENT. We took the risks to be ignorant or to do nothing. Rep. Scott of Georgia made a comment about the government having a responsibility to restore the confidence of the American people. I want to go on record saying that WE the people must restore the confidence of our children in US. We must own the failure. There is not "them", the wicked, greedy government, and "us", the innocent albeit ignorant people. WE CANNOT BE IGNORANT AND INNOCENT.

This is indeed an uncomfortable truth. But if it remains unaddressed then we will make some adjustments, heal somewhat, and go back to risking the whole thing all over again. Several days ago Monica Novotony pointed at the Bernie Madoff mess and asked what WE can learn. I want to give my answer to that question.

WE can learn that the real causes of this mess relate to basic attitudes which WE hold. WE have to change our attitudes in order to avoid this type mess. Today, Sen. Olympia Snow of Maine said something I have been longing to hear; "The American people need to jettison the Wall Street culture." I agree. That culture holds:

1. It is the money I make not what I produce that matters. I was shocked to read Ed Liddy's OpEd piece in the Washington Post and see this:

"I have been fortunate in more than three decades in business to see firsthand the wealth creation that well-managed American companies bring to their employees and their communities. I have seen the good side of capitalism."

WEALTH CREATION!?! What is that? Is this the "good side" of capitalism? Is this what "educated" people now call the "good side"? If so, no wonder we are screwed. The notion that wealth is created may be the biggest reason we fail. Products and services, things that have value, are created. Not wealth. As people sought to "create wealth", look what has happened. We lost focus on true value, we were then free to make value appear out of thin air. We could accept the unfounded inflation of prices if it "created wealth" for us. The madness increased exponentially and the only result that made sense is what is happening now. Likewise, jobs that create nothing of value are the most sought after. No one seems to be proud of the creation of their own hands, unless it is wealth.

2. Somehow we have accepted the attitude that jobs performed behind a desk are mysteriously worth more than jobs performed behind a toolbench. WE have all accepted the attitude of "CEO Worship". Perhaps the attitude that works is that any person's honest 8 hours of labor is worth the same as any other person's honest 8 hours of labor. Yes, I've heard the BS such as "but no one will put the work into study and preparation if they're not compensated at a greater rate." WE all really know that this is pure bullshit. (And if it is true that lacking incredible salaries and bonuses, no one would be a day-trader--I say GOOD.) Anyone with a passion for medicine will study medicine. This is who I want as my doctor anyway. I have a Ph.D. I spent many, many years of study and preparation to do what I do. I did not do it for money. If I had, I would likely be useless. I did it for passion. If all labor was equally valued maybe people could follow their bliss. Money is not bliss. We all know this but we refuse to accept the hard truth.

3. We want to pretend that all people have the same opportunity to succeed. While this may be the ideal, it is far from the truth and we all really know it. Somehow we can pretend that the kid who grew up with all the breaks had NO advantage over the kid who grew up on the south side of Chicago. Then we can pretend that when the advantaged kid succeeds and the poverty-ridden one did not, that it is all because the "loser" just didn't try hard enough, hence the advantaged one really deserves the wealth. I have spent lots of time in prisons and youth lock-ups. It is no coincidence that the histories of the people incarcerated are similarly ugly. That is why they are there, not because they are unwise. These things are far from being simply matters of choice, and any of us with a brain truly knows it. We just have not chosen to address it.

4. We give lip service to equality and egalitarianism. We do not want to truly seek them.

5. We give lip service to "ethics", "morality" and "compassion". We taut them for the other guy and even for ourselves when it is convenient.

6. Political correctness replaces wisdom. Stupidity is okay if it doesn't offend the wrong people. The only politically incorrect thing is the same as the basically incorrect thing--ignorance.

I am begging for the media to pick up on the fact that those truly responsible are the electors not the elected. WE are responsible.