RICKFORD THE GREAT

The modern world is no longer an infant in our history. Looking at the clock of the past, modernity has not yet even reached minute one. Such a simplistic view sheds no light on the strife recent humans have endured, and therefore is an inadequate gauge of progress. In terms of political, economic, social, moral, technological, religious, militaristic and exploratory endeavors, we’ve accomplished more in the past 400 years than all of history combined. Petty squabbles over land and territory gave way to enslavement and tyrannical rule all in the interest of those in power, keeping their power. The idea of equality eventually morphed the Dukes and Kings into Elected Officials; Presidents. Governments formed around the interests of their denizens, rather than the greed and paranoia of those thought to have divine right. Through wars that have defined and liberated millions; rebellions that gave control to the individual. Conflicts that have established fair reign and free thought across the globe. The introduction of prosperity to every man and woman alive. Decisions made that lead to thousands of innocents’ vaporization and their homes left in ruin. Massacres of those dogmatic in their beliefs, willing to die for their view of the greater good. The present has been defined by blood shed, and blood saved. An era of great sacrifice and great progress being fought every step of the way by the remnants of a tyrannical past, and those with visions of an autocratic future. These events and many like them loaded the barrel of the gun pointed at the head of the world, and put our collective finger on the trigger. That gun has remained loaded and cocked, but our hand has set it down. Diplomacy and peace is the path of light while war and bloodshed is the path of dark. We’ve strayed from both, and are heading down a colorless path not yet defined by history.

Our collective hand is the willpower, the passion, the ambition, and the desire of every man woman and child in existence. The past has shown us what humans can accomplish when armed with the unyielding human spirit, and the dedication to sculpt a better world. Sadly, the present has dove into a pool of self-righteous false enthusiasm.

Allow me to direct your attention to fictional present day American, Robert Smith. He is an average man with an Associates Degree and a fair paying managerial job at the local shipping company. His good work ethic rewards him with a modest annual salary somewhere in the vicinity of $40,000 a year. He was at work one day and noticed some misconduct involving a higher up executive, Steve Goodman, the man in charge of enforcing safety regulations in the warehouse. Robert Smith had noticed empty beer cans and liquor bottles in Goodman’s office. Robert brought the matter to Steve’s attention, and told him that his drinking on the job must be reported to Human Resources. Now Steve Goodman enjoyed a much higher salary than Robert Smith, and had a pompous attitude to go with his money. He slipped Robert a wad containing multiple hundred-dollar bills, and told him that he never saw anything in regards to the aforementioned alcohol. Robert Smith, being the greedy self-indulgent American he is, was bought off and silenced. Being the crafty consumer he was, Smith stopped by Sears on the way home and picked up a toaster equipped with 3G capabilities and slots for corn dogs. He traded his beliefs and moral fiber in for a gizmo that will only serve to increase his cholesterol and keep him updated on Justin Bieber’s Twitter feed while in the kitchen.

Later that night, Robert Smith returned home after a long day’s work in order to enjoy the fruits of his corruption. He turns on his TV and recognizes his workplace on the news. The shipping company’s warehouse had exploded. Apparently a warehouse worker had lit up a cigarette next to the facility’s propane supply, which had a valve that someone did not close tightly causing propane to seep out. Smith quickly grabbed his laptop and logged onto Facebook. “Turn on the 6 O’ Clock News! How can such negligence be allowed to happen in today’s society! Like this status if you think we need to increase safety standards in the workplace!” is what he wrote. He got a new job as a Regional Director for a logistics company in the area, and carried on with his life never to care about workplace safety again.

This is the attitude, and the self-righteous self-indulgent ultra-hedonistic mindset of so many people in the world today. The same story can be applied to almost any situation.

Look at how people are reacting to Joseph Kony, a Ugandan warlord who is responsible for some indisputably cruel crimes against humanity. He was popular for less than a month, and already is becoming forgotten. He was performing similar acts as he is now since before most people complaining about him were even floating in the moist warmth of the womb.

People like Kony are what this world used to be full of. Ambitious individuals who are so adamant in their causes that they’re willing to make immense sacrifices in order to succeed. Hitler did the same thing. Yes, I’m well aware that the consensus is that these people committed horrible acts and deserve only the worst. Think about the people from the past who took strides in the right (or what we consider right) direction. Ben Franklin, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Galileo, Colombus, Magellan, Washington, Lincoln, Edison, Rockefeller, Issac Newton, Alexander the Great, Einstein, Martin Luther King Jr. hell even JESUS. Even if everything in the bible is complete bullshit, Jesus has still shaped the world in a way that very few others have.

We need another great leader, or great incident to restore this lost population of people to what they’re supposed to be. The world is a sleeping giant being bought and silenced by those with the money. The increasing gaps between the rich and poor everywhere is just a stepping stone to the eventual decay of everything our forefathers have built. This world needs more Joseph Kony’s, Joseph Stalin’s, Adolf Hitler’s, Fidel Castro’s, Osama bin Laden’s, Saddam Hussein’s, Genghis Khan’s, Grigori Rasputin’s, and Kim Jong Ill’s, or World Wars. Something. ANYTHING, to wake up this sleeping giant that we are. The world has become fat and lazy. Bought and silenced by the rich. The common men who once fought for the simple right to think freely have now been satisfied with a neat gizmo, a fun gadget or a cool toy.

WAKE UP AMERICA!!!

Joining a cause group on Facebook will do nothing.
Informing people of current events via Facebook statuses will do nothing provided others follow your example of self-righteous false enthusiasm.
Get off of your ass and make a difference.
I have volunteered at a soup kitchen multiple times. I can say I made a difference, however small it may be. I’m nowhere near the level of someone like Abraham Lincoln. Rick Haertle isn’t carved in the annals of time where my name will echo for all eternity.
But at least I didn’t tell other people to help the homeless and then just sit on my ass squeezing the free stress ball I got for signing the “Feed the Hungry” petition.

Make a difference, or let Kony do it for you. And when he does, you’ll have no right to bitch about how awful the world is since you let it happen.