Some ironic thoughts

When I think about several things, sometimes on face value, the thought often seems kind of crazy or silly.

Here’s some thoughts.

Thanks to modern medical practices, and some good education about diet and exercise, I think our life spans and quality of life are being extended. Now I think we are also talking about extending the retirement age. I find the linking of the two ideas ironic. Is keeping we humans healthier longer so we can work longer? I don’t think so, but that seems to be what is happening in the USA.

The present USA federal executive and the recent control of the two federal legislative houses by the same National political party prompt another ironic thought. It is one thing to debate the politics being practiced by the party in federal power, and another thing to debate the competency of those actually practicing these policies. Linking those two is a normal human tendency, and often results in people talking past each other. I find this ironic because it is really two different things, at least to me.

Are we in one United States, or fifty different states united for federal purposes? The question still goes on all the time, and I find it “interesting” when people say, in essence, why can’t all people think like me? Extend this to the whole world, with the Eastern value customs often being different from the Western value customs. I find it ironic that many humans think of the world has a whole vice a collection of many different states and government types, some which seem to perform better than others.

People often think of intelligence, education, and experience as being much the same. I find that ironic, since they are all different ideas, at least to me. How many people have heard others say that their kids are smarter than them? Well, if that were correct, then I think we should have a bunch of little Einstein types running around, and most of us don’t think that is the case. Better educated, perhaps? Better connected because of ancestors, maybe? But smarter, or more experienced, I don’t think so.

I find it ironic that many humans think their status quo will go on indefinitely. It could be our politics, our language and customs, even such things as public electricity or clean water and waste water treatment, or public travel at modern speeds, all on demand. Now the old expression that death and taxes will probably always occur is correct, and probably for sure change will always also go on. I believe this change idea for three reasons: humans are involved, and both gradual and catastrophic evolution are happening and will continue to happen.

Now the reader may apply these ideas to their experience and thoughts. I suspect other words like naive, idealistic, inexperienced, dichotomy, educated fool, shame, key-stone-cops, and even dumb may cross their mind. Another old time expression comes to mind too, kind of like Clausewitz's famous "fog of war" idea. This one is slightly older, but in modern terms says: "for lacking knowing what to do, we do what we know".

Last I find it ironic that most humans who promote change faster than other change already going on are also usually comfortable in their status quo existence. Their quality of life is usually pretty nice. Other humans live in a more base way where their status quo is not so comfortable, or predictable. Their quality of life is not so good, like coldness, sickness, and hunger are every day kind of problems.

I conclude this post with one example to show this is not just some idealistic diatribe about ironic situations. I once went through a Philippine village after a typhoon had come through, and all was pretty well devastated (so was where I lived at the time). And no government "help" was coming in, and people, husbands, wives, and kids were hungry and unhappy; and I went armed with 45 ammunition after that experience, and did not return there on purpose.