Time to Usher in a New Era?

By now, everyone has heard the about the Mayan prophecy that states the world will end December 12, 2012. (It is, by the way, a Wednesday.) Many people are skeptical of the world's supposed end coming up, and a few others have been thrown into a new view of the world because they believe the world will reach its demise in 2012. (I know, this first part will sound crazy, but read through to the end.)

The only problem is that the majority of people do not know the actual prophecy. The Mayans did not predict that the world would cease to exist in 2012, but rather they predicted that an era would end and a new one would begin. The world (figuratively, not literally) as we know it, will come to an end. Life and the world itself are not ending, but rather we, as a species, will reach a new time period. The Mayans predicted it will be a period in which we become more in tune with nature, our spirituality (our connection to the universe around us and/or our connection to a higher power), and each other. (See source.)

Humans, by nature, are repetitive and predictable, as a whole. It is not illogical to think that accurate predictions about human society can be made if they are based on facts, science, and studies of human behavior. This is what the Mayans have done. Does this mean that there is going to be some massive occurrence and everyone is going to wake up different one morning in December of 2012? By all means, no! The next major election will be in 2012, and perhaps the candidates and propositions on the ballot will be the beginning of major change and reform and usher in the new era.

With the current state of the world, this is not something that is as far-fetched as many people may think. Take a look at what's going on: The economy, current politics, the unemployment rates, a changing environment, and so on. All around us, things are happening unlike they ever have before. We live in an age of technology, of a global community, and that in itself has an effect on the changing world around us. Unlike fifty years ago, people communicate with each other at the speed of light across continents, oceans, and time zones. Many people spend more time in front of their computers than talking with others face to face. When breaking news happens, the world is aware of it within an hour, whereas before information could take days or weeks to reach the other side of the country. We have the potential to connect with others in a way history has never seen before.

People today are different than they were just a couple generations ago. Many people today have more liberal views than ever before. Today's youth has become an "I don't care about what others think" generation. Many people born in the 1980's (who will start turning 30 next year) grew up with the idea of being true to oneself and not being concerned with the judgments of others, and in turn, don't judge others. The 1980's babies (many of whom are now having babies themselves) are breaking free from old traditions and more old-fashioned ways of thinking. Many people born after 1980 are pro-choice, support gay marriage, and are not as conservative as many of their grandparents were. It's not just the under 30 crowd, though. People who grew up in the 1960's and 1970's grew up in the "hippie" era and support many of the love and human fellowship ideals still today. You would be hard-pressed to find someone born after the civil rights movement of the 1950's and 1960's who is not an egalitarian.

How does all this tie together? Well, we are on the brink of an amazing revolution. As Grover Norquist points out in his book "Leave Us Alone", most of those people who were born in 1920 will no longer be voting in 2012 elections, for obvious reasons. At the same time, people who are born in 1996 will be voting in 2012 elections. As the older generation passes on, the new generation will take over. We will experience a social evolution over the next couple of decades that has the potential of changing the face of society as we know it. The Baby Boomers are retiring, their kids are grown, they are becoming grandparents, and starting to come into their golden years. (Baby Boomers are anyone born between the years 1946 and 1964. The oldest of the Baby Boomers are now 63 and the youngest are 45.) Soon the leaders of our society will be those who were babies in the 1970's and 1980's, carrying the morals and principles of their generation.

As we see the older generation pass, the new generation will take over, and the trumping ideals will be those of the younger, more socially progressive generation. This could be a big turning point in world history, changing society as we know it. With luck and a little hard work, we have the opportunity to become a world in which everyone is treated truly equally, amicable, more tranquil, and more in tune with each other. If we take initiative, we have the power to bring about the positive changes, even as individuals. PEACE!

Where does the Government draw the lines?

The United States has always been known as "the land of the free," but freedom in this country is somewhat an illusion. Our government has control over just about everything, and there is very little we can do without good ol' Uncle Sam sticking his nose in our business.

It is nothing new that the government takes our money. We fork over a good portion of our paychecks to taxes, and yet our country is in debt. California was even handing out I.O.U.s for state tax returns this year. Each year, about 40% of our income goes to taxes (source: Why you're always broke). It is no wonder it is so hard to pay bills and save. What is worse, the government has backwards priorities when it comes to the things they do with our money. For example, California has raised prices on tuition and cut back on grants and loans for students, in many cases preventing the previous benefactors from continuing on with furthering their education. There are several problems with this: for one, education is extremely valuable and should be cherished and encouraged, not made more difficult to obtain. For another thing, none of the money that the government is getting from the increase in tuition is going back to education. Why does the government think of education as such a disposable item? How do they expect the country to be bettered and become more advanced if education is not available to all the people?

The government has a lot of rights to our money, even after taxes have been taken out. There are many cases in which the government can reach into personal bank accounts and take out money, without consent or notice to the account holder.

There are several things that the government takes a role in that they should not be able to. If it has nothing to do with safety, then the government should not be able to dictate how we live our lives. Government should have no role in religion, love, marriage, sex (other than protecting its citizens from harm), and anything else that is a personal choice. Let's look at the example of gay marriage. Regardless if you believe gay marriage is right or not, the government should have no say in whom can marry whom. We are the land of the free, yet the government feels it is okay to take away the rights of some like that? It is not equality and it is not freedom to say that one group of people can be married but not another. The government should only take charge in matters of public safety, not interfere with matters of the heart.

Recently, there has been a movement against the obesity epidemic in America, and I am all for this. However, there is a group of people who think the government should step in and control our intake and output, meaning the government would control what we eat and how much we exercise. This, frankly, is completely anti-American. Yes, I agree that people should aim to be healthy, but letting the government control this is just one more step towards the world of George Orwell's 1984, in which the government controls literally everything from food to sex and even tries to control the thoughts of its citizens. That isn't freedom, it is dictatorship. If we choose to sit on our asses in front of the television while pounding down a gallon of ice cream topped off with a slice of chocolate cake, then we should have the right to do so! People are smart enough to make their own choices, and taking away the right to choose is an insult to our intelligence. Yes, there are people out there who need a little extra help, but they cannot and should not be forced to change if they do not want to. They should be given the resources they need to educate themselves and be allowed access to help if they choose to take it, but the government has no right to make the choices for us.

Abortion is another hot-button issue that the government should not have any say in as well. I'll tell you honestly that I am against abortion, but not against a woman's right to choose. I feel strongly that abortion should be a last-resort thing when there are no other options or when the pregnancy is potentially harmful to the mother, but a woman has the right to choose. It is her body, it is her choice. If the government makes abortion illegal, then they are putting many of its citizens (especially young ones) in danger. Many women will seek out abortion, especially scared teens who don't want their parents to find out, and not getting the proper care can cause serious problems or even death. Getting an abortion takes a toll on the body, and if women have no choice but to go out of the country or get "back alley" abortions, they put themselves at risk for disease, excessive bleeding, and loads of other potential problems. Making abortion legal would make it possible for these women to get the care they need and keep their freedom to choose.

The government takes a lot of liberties that they really do not have the right to. We need to do something before our beloved country turns into a dictatorship. I am thankful, at least, that I have the freedom of speech to write this, and that it is not a crime to speak out against the government. At least, not yet...