I am a slothful man. There is a difference between lazy and slothful. I am typically lazy. As I type this I am sitting in my filthy La-z-Boy recliner wearing nothing but some nylon running shorts. This particular pair of shorts is one that I found at Diamond Fork Hot Springs about five years back. Somebody had left them hanging at the Kokopelli pools. I noticed they were my size so I threw them in my backpack, took them home, and washed them. Five years later I am wearing an atricle of clothing that I found abandoned in the mountains. I am wearing the sticky remnants of some Pho' broth that spilled on me. I've been up an hour already and have not bathed. That is sloth.
I have also not blogged for about 10 months. That would be clear evidence of calculated indifference. Anyone that knows me realizes that my indifference is not calculated. By definition, calculated indifference would in fact necessitate desire.
One of my favorite books is 'Eat the Rich' by P.J. O'Rourke. While it was written about 20 years ago, it holds up well. The central theme about the book is why do some countries suck and others don't. In it he gives a simple overview of what makes markets, how currency is derived, and examines various economic systems. He visits countries, travels around and talks to regular folks.....and their finance ministers.
Uncle Peej (as I'm fond of calling him) is also a gifted writer that manages to pen statements that are astute and wildly funny. He has written other books that would serve as excellent companions to 'Eat the Rich'. Among these are 'All the Trouble in the World', 'Give War a Chance', and his most famous 'Parliament of Whores'. I feel that 'Eat the Rich' is his magnum opus.
All that stuff that our parents were yelling at us about during high school and college is right. All of the things they told us to do are the same things that nations need to do. Perhaps it is time we need to revisit these virtues. The following list is blatantly lifted from Uncle Peej's book.
1) Hard Work
2) Education
3) Responsibility
4) Property rights
5) Rule of Law
6) Democratic Government
there is only one item that I would add to the list and that is:
7) Being part of something bigger than yourself.
For many that is manifested in adhering to a faith. For others it is an adherence to a particular ethos. Merely existing within such a system doesn't impart wealth. That is reserved for those that truly believe that they are an integrated piece of a larger and greater whole.
Note that culture is not listed. People equate culture with fine arts. Having the Utah Symphony visit equatorial Africa won't lift them out of poverty. Yet clearly there are some cultures where poverty doesn't exist. It is the values espoused by the culture that impart prosperity.
As a child my father taught me some very racist notions. He told me that all races and cultures bring various things to the table and are to be studied and appreciated. There was one that is superior......the Japanese. Think about Japan then read the above list. Now picture a place, a people, a country, or any place that poverty exists. Read the list......it should be pretty obvious what their problem is!
When was the last time you saw a poor person of Japanese ancestry either here of in Japan? How about a Swede? Have you ever seen a prosperous Somali or Bolivian. Even the ones that are either pirating ships or trafficking Coke are perpetually back on their ass the moment the cash flow halts for more than a week.
Russia is a well-educated nation. In Russia, chess is a spectator sport for hells sake! It exports food. It is swimming in oil and gas, rare minerals, diamonds, and any other natural resource you can think of. Why does Russia suck? Look at the list.
China, Egypt, Iraq, Pakistan, India, and Iran are all the location of ancient and sustained civilizations and cultures. China and India are the only two that are getting better. The others suck and are getting suckier. Look at the list.
Cultures that derive their character from the above list thrive no matter where they exist. The reason that the Swedes and the Japanese are not poor is because they refuse to live anywhere that doesn't adhere to the list.
So back to my unkempt (and progressively smellier) self that is flopped in a recliner that even the filthiest person on earth would hesitate to sit in. How do I stack up personally on this list?
Hard Work
I work hard.......in a sense, and only at work. My wife can attest that nothing short of the prospect of sexual favors will exact any housework out of me. What I do in the Pharmacy is often fast-paced, requires constant focus, and involves being on one's feet for hours on end. Still it's not a particularly demanding job from a physical sense. I worked a number of jobs that involved getting dirty, being in temperature extremes, and lifting and moving large amounts of heavy shit. These jobs suck. The people that do them are not without dignity or worth. These jobs are quite necessary. Nonetheless these jobs suck. The reason I went to Pharmacy School is to get a job that was clean, indoors, and didn't involve heavy lifting. I had just such a job when I delivered pizza, but being a Pharmacist pays a bit better.
Education
I got through Pharmacy School, and half way through an MBA. The lion's share of my 'education' has been feeding my hobbies. I like to war-game and spend time in the wilderness. If I can either in a natural hot spring, it's even better.
Responsibility
You know what? I should probably cut my losses short by stopping right now. Suffice it to say that the list is correct. We need to adhere to it on a personal level. When this is done, we can do it within our family. When this is done, we can do it within our community. When this is done we can do it within our State. When this is done then we can do it within our country. When this is done, then (and only then) the world will change.
Right now the only changing I am going to do is stand up, shower, and put on some clean clothing in which I can appear in public.
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