Growing Old but not Bitter

I never was a fan of 'general statements' but I seem to run into them a lot these days. How often have I heard 'they say..' and I wonder who this almighty 'they' might be?

Recently, I have noticed that many of these general pronouncements, obviously without any fundamentum in re, are turning me into an old curmudgeon. Suddenly, when sitting around with friends I find myself sounding off about the Federal government, or the oil sands (formerly the tar sands!), the increasing costs of everything, the bad behaviour of a neighbour's dog, or even the weather! As if I could do anything about any of these things! I usually wake up to these negative episodes when I am trying to fall asleep at night. As I review my day, a custom I have developed recently before going to sleep, I ask  myself, "Why did I say that? Not only does it make me appear to be an old whiner, but more importantly, someone no one wants to be around".

So my most recent  resolve is to stop this negative trend right  now and not allow myself to become an aged bitter complainer. Life is too precious to permit events beyond my control to drag me down and beat me up before going to sleep.

Nevertheless, I find myself being curious about the expanding Occupy Wall Street phenomena which, no doubt, has been influenced by the uprising in Egypt and Tunisia.  Are these just a bunch of unhappy kids kicking up their adolescent heels with no political platform or is there some foundation to what they are saying and doing? So much of the public attention is only directed at the occupation of the tented parks, and not  focused on what they are saying. I suspect, however that their influence is greater than the few who are camping in one hundred cities around the world.  So often the public  is directed towards the external actions and ignores the basic message. Like a doctor who treats the pain, but fails to deal with what is causing the pain.

I can't speak for others, but I admit I was upset ( perhaps engaging in a small amount of bitchery!) at the banks (i.e. all financial institutions as defined by the movement) that  can take some responsibility for the current recession. The issuing of junk mortgages, governments ruled by lobbyists, the mendacious Madoffs of this world   or the greedy multinationals more interested in satisfying their stock holders than their customers  is enough to turn any old man into a grump. I think it was Bertolt Brechf, a German poet and playwright in the 20th century, who said: " which is the greater crime, to rob a bank, or to own one?" So many of our public figures have violated their fiduciary responsibilities, and put their own agenda ahead of the common good.

I am hopeful that now most of the Occupy movement has been ejected from their encampments they will find a new and more effective voice to make honesty and inclusion virtues that are fundamental to a strong democracy.
Perhaps it's time for all of us to pay attention to their message. In the meantime I will work on honing my positive attitude.

And that's Dick's View of the World this Week