America, the Two-Faced . . .

Don't get me Wrong; I like America!

As with any Human Institution, there are always going to be things wrong with America. The 'wrong' that I'm going to briefly harangue you about is a pretty serious problem. It's not as bad as the drug problem, and gangs, and the Marching Morons situation, but it is worthy of mention. Even though... Well, even though.

I was pointed towards this post by the Hand of Almighty Coincidence, which in this instance took the form of a post on a friend's blog. It was about a 'touching' obituary. Which concluded thusly:

"... In lieu of flowers, the family request that you love one another, forgive each other and always do what is good and pleasing in the eyes of God."

I certainly have to quarrel with that sentiment. It's a WONDERFUL sentiment!

But this is America. America the Beautiful would not exist if we all followed that sentiment. Because Capitalism (the foundation for getting at what is best in men) could not exist if such sentiments ruled our interactions.

Capitalism has some fundamental corner-stones: Buy low, sell high. All that the market will bear. Bury the competition. Etc., etc. And yet we are a country that has declared itself a Christian Nation, with all the baggage this heaps upon our aleady strained backs and shoulders. And so many of us exist as two-faced entities, doing our best to make a buck, while at odd moments of the day and week, making some kind of effort to Do Unto Others as You Would Have Them Do Unto You. Which I always thought was an aphorism best suited for sexual relations. But I digress...

There is no answer, no cure for this dichotomy. We are stuck with it and with the havoc it causes. We are America the Beautiful; Shop Early, Shop Often, what we can't afford we can always finance, and God Bless Us One and All.