That Was Then This Is Still Then

Some time ago, it became clear that FDR won in 1932 as a result of a fairly even distribution of people in small towns, villages, and famrs. They shared the burdens of the depression in a similar way.  Their situations resembled each other by and large. 

Urbanization has rapidly moved people into suburbs and large metropolitan areas.  Mechanization and industrialization of farming and food production has reduced the population of farmers to less than ten percent of the overall population.  Among other results, we raise urban children who do not know that chocolate milk does not come from chocolate cows.  

Chocolate cows may sound trivial, but it points to a real and larger issue.  That issue is the disconnect in conscious and cultural framework between those who live in urban, suburban and rural settings.  

I confess to having this disconnect.  A part of me understand the desire of some to live in a rural setting.  Such a setting might permit a person to concentrate on rasing and loving a family.  That setting offers the opportunity to connect deeply with nature and develop self-suffency and enhanced self-efficacy.       

Now, a person can also do this in urban and suburban settings, but this writing seeks to focus on the lack of understanding between the people in the different setting.  Could this lack of understnding have slowly crept into the fabrci of our nation over time as we rushed through the depression, two hot  wars, a cold war, a a resurgence of once  beleaguered  now challenging the Amnerican hegemony in the market place.  

None of this is easy or pleast stuff to grasp.  The human spirit shys away from the hard work that lies ahead.   But, accept this new rality we must, if the best priciples of our founders are to prevail.

America, as the shining city on a hill cannot shine and embrace chauvinism, demagoguery, and selfishness at the same time.  We must embrace communicably and individually slef discipline and enlightened self interest.    We must frequently spend a period of time reflecting on what these characteristics of slef discipline and enlightened self interest means in any given situation.