Signs Of Our Times

Ebola.

D68.

The mysterious polio-like paralysis virus that may or may not be connected to the D68 virus.

ISIS (or ISIL if you prefer), their reach, and their origins.

Public corruption in high places.

Misinformation from media (at best).

Economic woes (stagflation at best, inflation/depression at worst).

Government intrusion into everyday life.

Small percentage interest groups dictating ways of life.

Near oppression of certain religious thought and expression, while other religions are not only untouched, but celebrated and protected.

All of the above remind me of the old saying: “May you live in interesting times.”

Man's history on this planet is replete with the rise and fall of kingdoms, empires, and civilizations. Some were quick. Others not. Since my college days I have long discussed and debated how civilizations were rarely brought down by one single event. It was almost always a grouping or series of events that would ultimately relegate an empire or civilization to the dustbin of history. You as the reader may not agree with the assertion above, but, I will bet that we would agree that like today, those civilizations did not realize until it was too late that their way of life was almost gone, AKA “the normalcy bias.”

There have been Cassandras of every lost civilization. We have our own today. Like Cassandra of Troy, they have been largely ignored, until recently. However, by and large, they are still criticized and pushed to the fringe by the very people they are trying to warn and save.

It is arrogant to think that our current civilization and way of life will buck the trend. Our country has for far too long been complacent behind its walls of water to be worried or concerned about events and happenings on distant shores that may have direct consequence on our own shores. We have locked into our own normalcy bias.

All the items listed at the beginning of this piece are real. Not fantasy. Not illusion.

Real.

With real consequences.

Try to ignore that.