Brave New World

The title should not suggest there is anything in this blog that resembles the Aldous Huxley handbook for the future - by the same name. Huxley admits that his many experiments with mescaline and LSD may have influenced his satirical predictions. My drug du jour is old age.

No, this "Brave New World" is based on some simple observations of what's going on in this nutty country of ours. It is also not meant to refute our need to hear all sides of an issue.

The Sullivans from Forest Hills may not have been poor but they were desperately hanging on to that thin line separating "poor" from "low middle class" in the war years. We were not alone.

Back then, even if you could, you seldom went out and bought something you knew you couldn't afford - even if it would keep the kids from arguing that the neighbor kids got better stuff.

I had a friend who tired of hearing this argument from his daughter. He asked her to take a ride with him and started to cruise the better end of Westchester. When she became impatient and asked him, "What in the world are you doing"? he replied, "I'm waiting for you to pick one!"

OK, here it comes, and I'll spare you the ten miles through the snow part.

Our cost strategy in the "olden days" was to put on a sweater and/or extra blanket rather than shovel an extra load of coal in the furnace - to consume ALL the leftovers - to eat vegetable soup for three days straight - to plant a garden in the back yard - to wear our dad's old shoes even though 2 to 3 sizes too small - and to tie the soles of those shoes with a rubber "gum" band to get rid of the "clip-clop" sound. Oh yeah, and apples sauce wasn't so bad for dessert.

Most such plans worked and enabled us to get a better grip on survival during the hard times.

We did not explore all options. My suggestion that we contact the most wealthy childless couples in the borough to determine what my youngest brother might bring in the coin of the realm - fell on deaf ears.

There were many other examples but this would start to sound like a Russian novel should that continue to be our theme and that's boring even to me.

The first point is that there was no expectation that sacrificing would make us complete and bring us to "wealthy" status. It was more one of those "the sum of the parts excedes the whole" thing. (Don't bother to correct ). We felt that by making a commitment - including a budget - we could see some positive change and and "improve" our predicament.

That theory does not appear to wash these days based on my reading of the letters to the editor. For every cost saving suggestion, such as "malpractice reform", someone would inevitably come back with the argument that this is such a fractional part of costs contributing to the health care mess, it's not worth the effort.

Is there nobody around who still remembers the "The Parable of the Talents" from the New Testament? (Ahh, I forget we're not supposed to discuss religion - but, it's ok to trash the muslims?)

Despite our repeated failures we are a nation that continues to look for instant fixes and we abhor incremental progress via a denial of instant gratification.

I know this is not a unique thought and please be assured our mail contains no solicitations from Mensa. But, think about it for a minute.

Which situation would you rather be in: enjoying the pride of responsible ownership knowing it took you a little longer than your brother or cousin - or own a home " before your time" and feel the hairs on the back of your neck go up every time the mailman brought you registered mail?

A second point is to express our regret of the trend where folks apparently believe that "two wrongs make a right". "Therefore," the protagonist argues, "we did it before" (even if the results were a disaster) so, "we might as well do it again".

Think about it the next time you read about the report of a repeat convicted child molester..

Finally, we are amazed at our lack of disgust regarding people who tell outrageous lies on television interview shows -in newspaper reports - on talk shows, etc. What the !@#$ is spinning? How did the term escape from a discussion of fiber arts, exercise, and dancing ?

No, this is not one of John Avlon (The Daily Beast) " wing-nuts" speaking out. It's "Pap-Pap" and ole P.P. is scared to death about the world our grandkids are going to inherit . I also fear that should they have questions for me, I either won't be around to answer or will be busy drooling on my bib.

The number of grandkids I embrace has now climbed into double-figures. In the event that things don't improve and/or they decide to read this blog someday, it is my fervent hope they will find some clarification as to how we got there. I also pray they will be brighter and more analytical than their old "Pap-Pap" - and , possibly have a more open mind.

My hope, and prayer, is that they will also have a strategy for dealing with the intimidating person who asks of them: "Have you stopped beating your Mother - YES OR NO?"

Now, there's a Brave New World I could endorse.