Dust in the Wind
Yesterday I spent my day organizing a lifetime collection of photographs I call, “Heart & Soul, A Reason for Being” into a music video. The challenge for me was putting my gallery of photographs to music. What music would best inspire not just my heart and soul, but my reason for being? I came across a song that oddly suited – Dust in the Wind. My immediate esoteric thought was our reason for being is to be dust in the wind. It sounded rather discouraging and downright sad.
Many of us spend a lifetime seeking our reason for being. We do so with our writing, music, art and photographs. We meditate and ponder or existence – happiness, suffering, successes and failures. If we only exist to be dust in the wind, why pursue our reason for being? Why even ponder? If the only thing we can be assured of in life is death, how does anything we do really matter?
In making the video, it was almost like watching my life pass before me. It doesn’t just represent my past, but the past of lost civilizations, modern day buildings that have and will one day fall and deteriorate. It was a stark reminder the impermanence of life. Everything will pass, but a legacy of what was and what we have done and created will be left behind – good and bad.
What will be said of us when we are dust? What will be said of our society and culture when another civilization unearths our ruins? Will we be regarded as a great society or looked upon as a place of debauchery and degradation? What legacy will we leave behind?
Perhaps our reason for being is a journey of self-discovery and the gift we are to leave behind for the next generations, whether that gift is majestic architecture, an invention, a cure, a philosophy, an art or perhaps more importantly to raise children that will too benefit the greater good. Maybe if we focus on who we truly are and what we can give this world, instead of pursuing things we want, desire, or enforce our demands on others, our reason for being dust in the wind is a freeing and inspiring concept.
We all breeze through this life rather quickly. Wouldn’t it be great if we passed along some goodness to those who come later? We could eventually be dust in the sunshine that radiates our goodness onto others and that is something to live and strive for.
What Makes Britain Great?
While listening to my favorite Christmas song, “Feed the World,” performed by various recording British recording artists in 1984, I thought to myself how much the British rule and how often American imitations simply do not compare. The United States tried many celebrity charity songs, but some how none are as memorable and had the same impact as Band Aide. This lead to the greater question, how can a tiny island in the North Atlantic have such a profound effect on history and world culture like no other nation?
This small island was one of the few that held off the Roman invasion over a thousand years ago. Native clans and tribes fought off the invading army which soon 
weakened the entire Roman Empire. With all the soldiers and all the money, Rome could not conquer Britain. And adding more insult, one of the heroes of Britain was a warrior Celtic matriarch named Boudicca, who united all the tribes of Britain against Rome after centurions killed her husband and raped her daughters. Imagine the Roman army being thwarted by a female Celtic warrior.
Centuries later it was Henry the VIII who defied the Catholic Church and established a new Church of England. His daughter Queen Elizabeth united her people and sparked a golden age of knowledge, culture and exploration that made England one of most powerful countries in the world. And in the 1800’s under the rule of another great English Queen, Victoria, England’s power spread from North America and as far away as India and Hong Kong.
Into the next century, Great Britain was a world power and one of the three Allied leaders in both World Wars alongside Russia and the United States. It was Winston Churchill that gave his country courage and strength to hold back the impending Nazi invasion, where larger nations have fallen victim. Although the Nazi’s marched very easily into Russia, North Africa and Western European nations, England remained strong despite constant Axis bombings.
In 1964 came a British Invasion of a different kind. Instead of a military envoy, mercenaries and diplomats, it 
was musicians who changed the culture of the world forever. In fact it was a conquering attitude the Beatles had. Drummer Ringo Star recounted their attitude on the Beatles Anthology, “We conquered Sweden. We conquered France and then we conquered America.”
It was the beginning of a cultural revolution that spread with a message of peace and love and a liberation from conservative values and archaic mindsets. Many in this country have tried to duplicate and mimic talents, but all attempts paled in comparison. Few understand, that was more than just music and art. It was an attitude and a changing perspective.
Other nations have tried to conquer the world, spread their versions of democracy and what not, but with minimal success. As big and powerful as the United States is, we haven’t defended our land against invaders, and we really haven’t conquered the world in a massive culture revolution. Ironic, as big as the United States is, we still cannot call ourselves Great.
What is it about Great Britain that after a thousand years they still dominate politics and world culture? What is about the people of this small island that creates their reserve and makes them a force that cannot be conquered?
When the Army Stands with the People.
If anyone watched the recent people’s coup in Egypt you will find it was remarkable (but with some exceptions) none violent. It certainly did not shed the blood of the French or Bolshevik revolutions. The most notable thing I saw was Mubarak army stand idle among throngs of protesters. Egypt’s army stood down and supported the people’s movement. Within days, Egypt had won its independence.
But this was not they only historical incident. During the Storming of the Bastille in France many of the Grenadiers (sympathizers of the revolution) stood by as French protesters raided the Bastille and stole ample amounts of gun powder and ammunition that would stock the people’s army. It was the army who refused to wage cannon fire on the people that made the event successful, thus changing the tide of the revolution in the 
people’s favor.
So here we are American 2011 and we have Marines shouting in the streets their support for the people. And it’s growing. Just recently, I read that the group Occupy Marines plans to protest the Iowa Caucuses in January. Many US Servicemen are supporting the occupied movement. Not just history, but current events indicate
when the military sides with the people; the people win.
Let them eat cake!
In 1770 Viennese pretty, party girl married the prince of France. Her name was Marie Antoinette. And by 1774 she ascended to the throne and became Queen of France alongside her husband King Louis XVI. She lived in posh decadence eating colorful candied cakes, pastries, bon bons, drinking Champagne and attending parties in the most lavish silk gowns, while the people of France fought in the street for loaves of bread. She was most notoriously known for tossing her dinner scraps over the balcony of the palace to the peasants and yelled, “Let them eat cake!” This quote was later to be noted as untrue, but still –not good PR.
Disgusted by Marie Antoinette’s lavish lifestyle and her seeming lack of understanding and indifference to the plight of the people of France, women marched from
Paris twelve miles to the Versailles Palace armed with pikes. These women broke into the palace, brutally killing many of Marie Antoinette’s staff and destroying the palace. She narrowly escaped with her life. But she was soon caught trying to escape the country with her husband and was returned to Paris until she was eventually tried and executed. Rich, pretty, party girl lost her life because she remained clueless to the plight of the people in her country.
Today in a America we have people who have a hard time finding a job, supporting their family, going into debt and possibly even dying because they can’t afford
health coverage, so you can guess my impression of heiress, pretty, party girl Kim Kardashian’s divorce. I’m not that concern about the divorce, more so because she spent on $10 Million dollars on wedding and the rich Kardashian family will not have to pay a cent. (a marriage that lasted 72 hours). And apparently, poor Kimmie doesn’t understand why people are upset. Perhaps if you’re flaunting millions of dollars on a lavish, high-profile wedding that you walk out on in 72 hours is well…careless, clueless and disgusting.
A change is happening in this country; wealth is no longer what many people admire. After the Bolsheviks took over Moscow people moved and squatted in the homes and mansions of the upper class. I wonder if the Kardashians would like Billy Ray and Susie May Johnson and their six kids moving in. In France, the people xecuted those who flaunted wealth and greed. I think Kimmie would like to keep her pretty head.
We have an opportunity in this country to do it right – to make it work for ALL people. We do not need to go to extremes; we just need to be sensitive to the plight of others. Can we do it? Will those of the higher echelon take lesson in history and learn history is not on their side, or will they remain greedy and clueless? Will this country ignore history and go to a dangerous extreme?
401K – Wall Street Scam
For centuries, history leaders, kings and queens sold an idea to the people in order for their own personal gain or fame. They convinced the people to build temples and towers to gods that would save them from famine. They encouraged people to eat certain foods in order to cleanse their souls and spirits. And they enlisted young men to fight battles to protect the homelands. Regardless, much of this was for the glory and fame of the leader of that time. Many times it worked, but it always backfired.
Years ago in the mid 1990’s I took a job that offered 401K benefits. I rebelled against these benefits by telling a coworker I didn’t want to have to invest in another’s fortune for my own retirement. My salary and savings should not be another’s gain. At the time, when I saw the money she was earning, of course I signed up and invested in accounts and companies I knew little about. I succumbed to the peer pressure if contributing charity to Wall Street stockbrokers.
Some fifteen years later, I earned a modest amount of money via the 401K retirement benefit, but nothing to give my any retirement security. I played the game; I invested in the 401K, supported the establishment and where has it really gotten me? Financially, I am still in the same place I was fifteen years ago. Many can criticize and say, I didn’t learn the system, follow the market and make the most of my investments, but I say sorry, I was too busying living my life, smelling the roses than paying attention to Wall Street and their precious market.
About a week ago, I felt vindicated when Rachel Maddow reported my exact same hesitance with 401K. “401Ks are a scam!” Thank you Rachel! This is an absolute watch for anyone who works and has a 401K for retirement.
Let’s face it; 401K benefits Wall Street and yes, we have some meager gain that we are to life the balance of retirement lives. To many it sounded great at the time, to me it was rather fishy, but I bought into it.
What happened to the American dream of working hard, saving your earnings for decent life after retirement? Many like to blame middle class, working class Americans for NOT working hard enough. We are criticized for not playing the game…but it’s hard to play the game when the cards are stacked against us. Many want us to remember America’s better times; well in better times working hard and saving our hard earned dollars actually had some value.
Corporate Sponsored Talent
I am a Beatles fan. For years I have listened to their music and with the invention of YouTube it has made it possible to watch some of their remarkable performances and videos. Not only were they ahead of their time and even beyond our time, they were a cultural and society phenomenon. It is amazing that four young blokes from Liverpool, who got their start playing strip clubs in the red light district of Hamburg, could have had such an impact on the world. It will be a long time until the world sees their match.
I am not here to compare music of the 1960’s to today’s music. I can leave that to the music critics. The one thing I want to discuss is how musicians and bands get their start. How do they make it in comparison to the likes of the Beatles? True every band has managers and agents and the Beatles had a great one in Brian Epstein. But the one thing I can say for sure, the Beatles were not corporate sponsored. No, I’m pretty sure Walt Disney would have rejected the greasy haired leather clad rebels at first sight. And I’m pretty sure before 1964 in American Coca Cola would not be putting their logo underneath the Beatles banner. The Beatles, a very proud working class Liverpool band rejected anything white collar or corporate and especially royalty from their beginning days.
In my book, Lost in American Dream,” I make light of a young dreamer who wants to make it big in the big city but is let down by the superficiality of talent.
Let’s face today, appearance out shines talent to the point we don’t even know what talent is. Today’s talent is how the Beatles used the term in a Hard Day’s Night – a hot chick. Yeah, we get it. And that’s exactly what talent is today – a hot body.
But today while flipping through YouTube, I came across a band that was actually sponsored by McDonalds. Yes, Ronald McDonald is getting into the music business pimping rock talent. It was a cute, prepubescent boy band rapping about something – probably Big Macs. And that is not the only one. There are hundreds of greedy little wannabe rock stars who will sell themselves to the highest corporate bidder. What does this say for today’s music talent or even our society? To me it says we can be bought and if we’re not for sale don’t even bother trying. That to me does not inspire the American Dream.
Alas we have the memories of the Beatles who lashed out and sang against the big fat cats who tried to buy and sell them, promote and pimp them. They stood for peace, the stood for individuality and they stood for freedom of expression. Perhaps if corporations didn’t meddle so much in the music business, Lady Gaga wouldn’t need to wear a meat suit to get attention?
But another thought is perhaps, maybe this is sutble propoganda of corporations. They are feeding us music that suits their agenda to purchase what they are selling. Pure talent and pure inspiration requires more liberal thinking, that corporate CEO’s may not like. Just a thought…
Occupy Wall Street – It’s not possible.
On November 10th marks the twenty second anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. The wall was built nearly thirty years ago separating families, friends and loved ones in Berlin and East Germans. Those who dared to cross where either arrested or shot on sight. During the years that followed East Germans lived in oppression under Communist regime that denied them the basics lifestyle needs.
On a recent trip to Eastern Europe I learned that not only did the communists restrict freedoms, they also
destroyed the culture and arts of the countries they occupied. Churches, Synogues, Castles – anything that promoted a prior nationalistic pride were destroying and a structure heralding a Communist leader was built. No one of the time thought
in their lifetime, they would see a change.
But in early November of 1989, East Germans simply started leaving the East German in mass numbers. The Czech border was jammed with East Germans trying to make their way into West Germany. With their population hemorrhaging, and power fading the East German government had no choice but to acquiesce and on November 10th the borders from East to West opened. Just like that, in a blink of an eye Communism fell in East Germany. There were no bullets
fired, no fists flailing, no shouts of protest. The world simply changed overnight in a peaceful, quiet manner. It was magnificent.
Today there is a fuss of those occupying Wall Street and beyond. To many, their efforts are futile. What can they really achieve by occupying space? What are they actually doing to change the world? What they are saying is this, “This is my country, my life and I am not going to tolerate further exploitation.” The more Americans who mutter these words, the faster the change will occur and we will be free from Wall Street and corporate xploitation.
On November 4th 2011 is a date for all Americans to move their bank accounts form all major banks and move them to small banks and credit unions. If a mass amount of Americans do this, big banks will have to answer and respond. We can break the big banks and those who back them. The question is, can Americans peacefully make a magnificent change to make our country better and stronger?
