Feeling Good, or Not?

A friend told me the other day that he isn’t as positive-minded as I am; he believes human nature is more negative than I take it to be. This is helpful perhaps in the sense that we are not disappointed when things don’t work out as well as we had hoped; and the reason is laid at the feet of people holding back, acting in their own self interest, whatever. They dampened what could have been better, or could have been good.

I understand. I, too, have had those feelings. In fact I felt that way for many, many years. Probably my negative bent was even heavier than my friend’s. But I changed a lot in the last few years. Why?

Because I finally figured out I can’t do anything about their feelings. I can only be in charge of my own.

That and I also concluded, being negative didn’t accomplish anything. Oh sure, I felt better for a while building a case against the other dopes who ‘caused’ the problems or who stood in the way of fixing things; it comforted me to realize that I wasn’t at fault! I felt good about myself. Me. Yup. Me! 

But that didn’t do me any good at all, really.  

Nope. I had a change of heart when I realized there were solutions to problems we all share. I began to think about solutions to our problems. I could see glimmers of possibility. And that from someone like me who doesn’t have all the information or technology, or education to best deal with the problems. But I knew there were people like that who could. The question became: why weren’t they doing these things?

I thought a bit more. Thought about not just the problems, but what would it be like in the future without the problems? Those periods of dreaming provided some interesting ideas. Primarily ideas that defined the problems away!  For example:

• If oil has a finite supply, then we have to find alternative fuels
• What alternative fuels could those be? Hydrogen energy cells; geothermal energy; wind and solar energies
• Physics research is also getting us closer to space-related energy forms which do not burn fuel at all
• Engineering and technology is gaining energy efficiencies which make alternative energy more realistic; it also prolongs use of diminishing energy sources

Another set of ideas formed: If the ideas above were to have a chance to be pursued, what needs to happen?

• We need to continue energy research in physics
• We need to pursue engineering advances in  hydrogen energy cells, geothermal energy, wind and solar energies; this takes research AND investment in new industries
• We need to invest in college and university education programs which produce graduates who will be able to support these new directions
• We need to invest in vocational education to produce technical workers who will support these new directions, industries
• We need to move our national attention and policy toward non-petroleum energy; this reduces or removes subsidies; levels the playing field between competing energies; redefines economic power centers
• Governing bodies/legislative bodies have to get synchronized with these new directions; the old needs to be de-politicized.
• The electorate needs to understand these relationships among the competing ideas and power centers; they need to vote accordingly

Thinking far enough into the future helps us understand our current problems more clearly. It also keeps us from making the mistake of taking baby steps while we are creating solutions to the old problems. Great leaps are needed. 

The seeds of solutions to current problems are not here in the today; they are in the future. We then have better objectives to work with in designing solutions. Merely defining what we are not doing does not define a solution. It only tells us what needs to be changed while we are designing and defining solutions. 

Perhaps that last paragraph is the crux of our political gridlock? Too many people looking for simple solutions and not work? Too many people finding fault with others rather than looking for ways we can accomplish great things together? Too many people settling on short term solutions rather than investing in the long-term approach?

The America I believe in invented a way to the Moon. It put man on the Moon.  It found a way to Mars. It has circled the Sun. It has glimpsed galaxies far far away. It returns photos for us to study. My America cares about its people. It researches illnesses and cures. It educates its people, of all abilities and handicaps. It nurtures our minds with art, and music and beauty and…. It enriches our lives because it knows the payback is terrific!

These are the fruits of positive thinking. These are the joys of focusing on what is good in life, in each other, in mankind.  

The opposite of this thinking is death and destruction. It is defense against the unknown. It is power struggle. It is political nonsense. It is warring ideologies.

Which would you rather have working for you? Which would you rather be a part of?

To me it is a simple matter of adopting the future or succumbing to the past. One is very alive and possible. The other is very dead and fruitless.

Indeed, which one will we choose to follow?

April 2, 2012