When our Country changes, is it not for the Good of its People?

Is this not progress?

from JoeUser Forums

Let me go ahead and make my "PC" statement now, this article, or what I say in it, my oberservations’ and opinions are in no way pointing to anyone or any individuals or in any way reflecting on any comments made previously by anyone.

 

 

 

 

 

My recent article about Gays and whether or not their marriage bothers anyone was an eye opener into the way some people view change, some positive, some not so positive and those views will never change. 

We can't have progress without change.  I don't see it and I'm sure neither does you dear readers, see progress without change. 

I wonder sometimes what it is that makes some people so adamant about ‘change’ and all that it represents?  Some of us will always be afraid of change because it simply means the life as we know it will no longer exist.  You hear constant talk of what our country used to be like, in the beginning.  In the beginning all that was, was great for our country back then, at that time.  So how about now?  Have the many changes that have happened over the years, been so bad for us?

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What are the needs of our country as a whole?  What are the needs of each of us on a whole?  I couldn’t give an answer to satisfy you, probably only myself, and my responses would be guess work at what this would be for you.

It makes me very afraid to think that some would rather our country be left ‘in the dark ages’ and not have changed at all. 

Without the changes that have happened, without the growth that has happened to the United States, I would not be here, neither would a lot of other cultures, or businesses; and sadly, I think that is the way some of the majority likes it.

If the changes that have happened over time to America, had not taken place, would there be no Gay people demanding their rights?  No immigrants demanding their rights?  The working class demanding their rights?  No change would have been the best thing because life would have remained as it was for so many years in the past, right?  This reasoning might seem exaggerated, but how else would you phrase this?

The one aspect of change that we have witnessed and are experiencing is the dissatisfaction that comes with change, or the unhappiness that is experienced because of it.  When the majority’s needs are not met, and nothing is done to satisfy them, this does create a backlash of hate and fear.

 

Isn’t it inherent in humans to seek change for the betterment of them? As our society advance through technology and the needs thereof, so will it need to advance socially and the needs that goes with it, for the good of the people.

 

 

I found a book online "Interpreting Social Change in America" written by Professor Norman F. Washbourne, I am linking a copy of a summary of one of the chapters in his book. http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=85621183

 

He made some observations in his Study that are quite interesting regarding Change in America and how it affects its people.

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Reply #1 from JoeUser Forums Top
No change isn't for the good of the people at all. Just look at all of the changes this country has gone through that have been very, very bad for the people.

They went and freed all those slaves. What a terrible mistake! How is that good for the people? After all everyone knows that those slaves weren't actually people but they went and set them all free and told them to fend for themselves.

They went and gave women the right to vote! Now just look how bad things are! It's terrible and is the reason politics and the economy are so screwed up now! Nothing good came out of that change at all. They should have remained silent, barefoot, and pregnant in the kitchen where they belong!

Next thing you know they went and gave all of those black folks equal rights! What a horrible change for the country! Imagine, they actually thought it was a good idea to start treating black folks like they were just like everyone else! What a disaster that turned out to be!

Those idiots in Congress actually started passing bills forcing employers, government offices, landlords, banks, and pretty much every other kind of business to treat people equally whether they were white, black, hispanic, male, female, or even GAY! The horror!

Now we have a black and a woman running for President! How did we ever come to this?

The end is near and it all started when we gave women the right to vote!
Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top

The end is near and it all started when we gave women the right to vote!
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Hey! I resemble that remark!lol!  There are changes that have been made that were for the good of all of us, at least for many of us.  I really think progress is a good thing, not to get rid of tradition, but rather to improve the desposition of a society. How can that be wrong?

Start11 - Customize the Start Menu and Taskbar in Windows 10/11.
Reply #3 from JoeUser Forums Top
Hey! I resemble that remark!lol!
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:LOL:
Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top

For a lot of people, the idea of 'their' world changing is just too hard to handle.  They can't reconcile that the world they know and feel familiar and comfortable with is no longer.

Good article, Donna. :)

Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top

hey can't reconcile that the world they know and feel familiar and comfortable with is no longer.
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This is very scary for a lot of people.  They feel they have no control.  People who fear the unknown sometimes do stupid things.  I live in Florida, which might not be deep South, but many of the people who are from the days when the world was more what they wanted it to be are here, you hear some not so nice things, and especially now with the elections...let's just say that Obama winning the Election would not be an option!  And I'm not talking politics!  Sad, sad world to be in today and hear people talk that way.

Reply #6 from Stardock Forums Top

Good article, Donna
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Thx Maso!

Reply #7 from JoeUser Forums Top
I believe the real problem happened when everyone figured out that money could be made from anything. Once upon a time people were able to build a house in any spot they found, hunt for their daily meals and just go about their days with out a care for todays world problems. Now, you need money to eat, money to have a roof over your head, hell, you even need money to park your car. Everything has been commercialized to the point that a person that does not have money can not even live off the land in this country without someone wanting them gone or arrested or something.
Reply #8 from JoeUser Forums Top
Lifestyle advances in technology and such are not done necessarily for the benefit and betterment of our society but for profit. It's understandable that people need money in order to survive in this day in age but now it has become a race to get the most money in the shortest amount of time with the least amount on money spent in the process. Quantity over quality has become our lifestyle. "The Customer is always right" has been replaced with "The more Customers the better".

Change is necessary. Nature changes all the time. The difference is Nature changes for good reasons, we change for selfish reasons.
Reply #9 from JoeUser Forums Top
Barack Obama wants to change America not because it's best for the country, but because its best for those who agree with him. But then so does Hillary and McCain.
Reply #10 from JoeUser Forums Top
I live in Florida, which might not be deep South, but many of the people who are from the days when the world was more what they wanted it to be are here, you hear some not so nice things, and especially now with the elections...let's just say that Obama winning the Election would not be an option!
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Well, fortunately not all of us Floridians are racist asshats. I think there is a lot less of that sort of thinking than there was even 20 years ago. But I agree, it still exists, but I can say I see and here a lot more of that sort of thing in Northern states than I do in Southern ones these days.
Reply #11 from Stardock Forums Top

Barack Obama wants to change America not because it's best for the country, but because its best for those who agree with him. But then so does Hillary and McCain.
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I just want the best person who is going to do good for our country to win!  I'm sick to death of politicians! We need new 'blood' in Washington!

 

but I can say I see and here a lot more of that sort of thing in Northern states than I do in Southern ones these days.
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You travel all over and are privvy to this type of talk.  I'm glad to say that there aren't as many who think this way but like you said, unfortunately some do, and they have guns!:SURPRISED:

Cest la vie! 

 

 

Reply #12 from JoeUser Forums Top
Change usually has two sides. There are those who benefit and those who do not.

Those who benefit are the ones who consider it good those who do not consider it bad.

There have been good changes as MasonM points out. There are some changes that have been bad as well.
Reply #13 from Stardock Forums Top

I think why most people are resistant to change is fear. When people don't understand something or something is different from them more times than not they fear it.

 

Reply #14 from JoeUser Forums Top
Yea, change is not easy. I like to have things they way they are. But sometimes one just can not avoid change and all one can do is adapt. But I refuse to have to adapt to changes that will only make things worse, not better.
Reply #15 from JoeUser Forums Top
Change is good. Just think how it would be if you never changed your underwear.
Reply #16 from JoeUser Forums Top

Change usually has two sides. There are those who benefit and those who do not. Those who benefit are the ones who consider it good those who do not consider it bad. There have been good changes as MasonM points out. There are some changes that have been bad as well.
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This is true!

 

I think why most people are resistant to change is fear. When people don't understand something or something is different from them more times than not they fear it.
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Agreed, and this is the normal reaction for anyone!  People don't let go of their fear of change until they see the outcome or what the promise is for them. Will it be better, will it make their lives worse?

 

But sometimes one just can not avoid change and all one can do is adapt. But I refuse to have to adapt to changes that will only make things worse, not better.
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I agree with this also.  It would not be good to change if things are going to be worse, but sometimes how do we know it won't get better if we don't give the change a chance?!

 

Change is good. Just think how it would be if you never changed your underwear.
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Uggghhhhh! [knocks visual out of head~]

Reply #17 from Stardock Forums Top

Well, let's not knock conservatism too hard here.

I'm going to use the analogy of a boat here... liberalism (in the sense of being pro-change) is the engine, conservativism (resistance to change) is the anchor, and the driver is the "will of the people".

This article basically asks why you would want that anchor slowing down your perfectly good boat. Well, I'm just going to go out on a limb here and establish the fact that pretty much everyone already knows: the "will of the people" is retarded! Let that driver go too fast, and he's not going to come to his senses, he's just going to plow into a dock and bring the whole thing to a screeching halt. In this sense, or proverbial anchor keeps the engine from making everything go out of control.

Forgetting my laboured analogy, the liberal attitude is "we need to change this, this and this, and then..." while the conservative attitude is "whoa! WHOA! QUIT MESSING WITH MY THINGS YOU NUT!", which ideally balances out into "careful progress". It's the same with authoritarianism vs libertarianism... the authoritarians remind us that people are too stupid to handle themselves, while the libertarians remind us of the power and utility of freedom. Political forces in general don't having a "stopping point"... they need another political force to put the breaks on when things are going out of control. It's old greek wisdom, but it's still appropriate: everything in moderation.

So, while the desire for change is a basic drive, so too is resisting it... and all things considered, that kind of tug of war is exactly what we need.

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Reply #18 from JoeUser Forums Top

Have the many changes that have happened over the years, been so bad for us? What are the needs of our country as a whole?
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Government (Public) education is one of the major needs in our country that must be addressed.

I'd say that most of the changes in public education over the last 40 years have been for the worse and dramatically so.

Some atheists are still agitating for change to the Pledge of Allegiance by eliminating the words "under God".

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reply #19 from Stardock Forums Top

So, while the desire for change is a basic drive, so too is resisting it... and all things considered, that kind of tug of war is exactly what we need.
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I agree that the tug of war is good for us.  We can't always have everything we want, all of the time.   And without having to work for it, we won't appreciate what we receive when we get it.  In other words, a healthy dose of realism has to be there to keep both sides in check!

 

Government (Public) education is one of the major needs in our country that must be addressed. I'd say that most of the changes in public education over the last 40 years have been for the worse and dramatically so.
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Having work with teachers in the past, having three kids going through public schools, I have to agree that our education system has suffered a lot.  There is still so much to be done, one of them is recognizing the teachers who are there doing the work, and letting them do their jobs without fear of reprisal from all ends.

 

Some atheists are still agitating for change to the Pledge of Allegiance by eliminating the words "under God".
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I'm not ignoring this comment, but I don't have a response for this right now because I truthfully don't have all the details on this.  I am aware of the trend that have been going on over the years, recently, on eleimating any reference to God or Jesus in some aspects of our society's celebration.

Reply #20 from JoeUser Forums Top
Excellent Analogy StarStriker1!
Reply #21 from Stardock Forums Top

There is still so much to be done, one of them is recognizing the teachers who are there doing the work, and letting them do their jobs without fear of reprisal from all ends.
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I have the greatest respect for good teachers. So, yes, giving them recognition like a pay raise while at the same time getting rid of those bad teachers would be positive change.  The problem is with the unions and this age of litigation. bad teachers just get transferred to a different school and the reason (s) why they are bad gets slipped under the rug.

 

 

Reply #22 from Stardock Forums Top

quote]Some atheists are still agitating for change to the Pledge of Allegiance by eliminating the words "under God".

I'm not ignoring this comment, but I don't have a response for this right now because I truthfully don't have all the details on this. [/quote]

I am aware of the trend that have been going on over the years, recently, on eleimating any reference to God or Jesus in some aspects of our society's celebration.
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Yes, removing the words "under God" from the Pledge is part of this trend. It's groups like the ACLU efforts to stamp out all public expressions of religion from the workplace, public places and academia.

That's why schools offer only thoroughly secularized programs for fear of lawsuits from the ACLU.  This change is nothing other than the ACLU's perverting the public understanding of civil liberties and the meaning of the Constitution.

So another change we've made for the worse that I'd add to the list is the relentless assaults on public expressions of traditional religious traditions and values.

I've noticed "change" in the political world.  Now that the primaries are coming up in June, we're getting loads of mail from various liberal politicos identifying themselves as social "progressives" .  I'm getting ready to call some and ask progressing towards what?

 

 

 

Reply #23 from JoeUser Forums Top
Some atheists are still agitating for change to the Pledge of Allegiance by eliminating the words "under God".
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Since it got sandwiched in there, ruining the credenza of the phrase, YEARS after the pledge was originally made. Heaven forbid we go BACK TO THE WAY IT WAS ORIGINALLY.
Reply #24 from JoeUser Forums Top
Heaven forbid we go BACK TO THE WAY IT WAS ORIGINALLY.
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"Heaven forbid"....interesting choice of words, SanChonino.