Our anger doesn’t leave; it shifts around. Lots of people are proud of their brand of anger these days. We’re mad at the government for fighting the wrong war, then bail outs, then health care. We’re mad at Goldman because they work all sides of the deal so they can’t lose. Then it’s BP’s turn as they foul the Gulf. Now its Congress for not balancing a budget that we ran up with lots of help from greed, financial manipulation and wishful thinking by almost all of us.
Aren’t our lives tied to Goldman and the government? We helped create them. We want to invest our money in our 401(k), and watch it grow while we watch TV. Just earn me some money and get me a return, Goldman, or 401k. Don’t we want techno-laced health services whenever we need it?
We have expanded and indebted ourselves for decades now. Now that that expansion game is over, and the pain of shifting our economy comes home to roost, why should we be surprised that bureaucrats and Congress and Goldman end up being enemies? Remember, Pogo, it’s us.
Is our anger helping us? Anger has its place but is not enough. Anger mobilizes. Anger also makes things simple, creates convenient enemies, and keeps us from changing ourselves. Anger pointed only at others leave us all unsatisfied and the world unchanged. Let’s also have compassion and wisdom. Let’s pray for tolerance and openness and courage for tough times.
Let’s appeal to higher principles, like Lincoln. Old Abe fought a war, but didn’t decide God was on his side. He simply said, “God help us all.”
