"And if you
cannot remain indifferent, you must resolve to throw your weight into that
balance in which the fate and condition of man is weighed." -- Lajos Kossuth
Strong words
old Lajos said. They seem to have a particularly strong significance during election
time. And WOW, the whopping lies that are being told to us. I don’t have enough
time in the day to try to truth-check what is coming out of the mouths of
people. I think that this is how anarchy starts to take root and grow.
Indifference
is something that I am never accused of, but I have never really sat and
contemplated what to do about it. I have actually wished to have that type of
attitude—one of not being indifferent--lifted from me, because it appears to be
joyful at times to be free of having to care about some things and some people.
Serial killers, fracking, telemarketers and such. Forgive me if you fit any of
those categories and please don’t call me to help contribute to your defense,
election or other fund. Especially over the phone at my dinner meal time.
There are
times that I definitely feel that “my give-a-damn” is broken but it is only
spotty and random times. I have had to grow more quiet and contemplative recently,
practicing placing the tongue on the roof of my mouth as to prevent me from
speaking my mind which lately leads to much grief (try it and you will find it
a fascinating technique to achieve and maintain a state of silence but do it
with your mouth closed or you look pretty stupid).
All this
need to be, do and say is leading me to a life of constant, silent
acquiescence, where I don’t talk much anymore because I feel I have said all
that I have had to say. Or all anyone wants to hear from me at least. I feel
myself brooding and even tell the wife when she asks me that “I am brooding.” And
no one seems to be really listening anymore and that is a shame. Part of the
reason I suspect people have quit listening is that they are always being
shouted at rather than being spoken to politely.
So I need
to find a way to find that “resolve to throw your weight into that balance in
which the fate and condition of man is weighed” part of the equation. My big
problem with it is it tends to be a way of forcing my opinion of right and
wrong on others. I believe everyone is entitled to their own unique stupid
opinion.
So which
direction to throw my resources at? I need to just find the right lie.
Lajos
Kossuth de Udvard et Kossuthfalva (aka Lajos Kossuth; September 19, 1802 – March
20, 1894) was a Hungarian
lawyer, journalist, politician and Regent-President of Hungary
in 1849. He was widely honored during his lifetime as a freedom
fighter and bellwether of democracy
in Europe.
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