Donke-Phants

When I was just a kid, but old enough to be curious about politics and government, I asked my dad (a pretty bright guy) about the differences between democrats and republicans. And I remember very clearly that he looked at me intently for a few seconds, probably trying to decide what to say, how to say it, and whether or not I was old enough to grasp his opinion. Anyway,… after a short pause he asked if I "really wanted to know what he thought." (I had already learned from previous experiences that if I answered affirmatively, this meant that I was going to get a true opinion; and one that I might not like.) Of course, I responded that I did.

"Basically, when republicans are in power, rich people get richer more quickly; and when democrats are in power, poor people get poorer more slowly."

When I responded that there didn't seem to be much difference between the two; and asked further which group we were in, he said "we're democrats!" He also added that what mattered most for me, as far as he was concerned, was that the more education I got, the "better off" I'd eventually be.

Well, I'm in my mid-sixties now, have spent most of my life in education as a teacher; and can say with some certainty that my dad was absolutely right! Furthermore, I have further concluded that the main reason most people aren't better off financially is that most people are still unwilling to do what it takes to get a better education, -- in other words, most people are basically lazy, which of course, keeps them uneducated and guarantees that they remain poor.

In a sense, this too is an example of the law of the jungle, or "survival of the fittest!" Will things ever change? Probably not! And, what is most upsetting to me as an educator, all anyone needs to do to see the overwhelming ignorance in our society is look at what our citizens do with their leisure time -- largely hedonistic and voyeuristic endeavors like eating, sex, computer gaming, TV, videos, movies, and recreational drugs including tobacco and alcohol as well as pharmaceuticals.

What percentage of the population goes to school via the web, or by evening or weekend courses? Nowhere near as many as those that watch professional wrestling on TV, or party hardy on friday nights!