Tag Archives: World

Random Thoughts 4-4-22


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We are always living in History in the making, some years are more notable than others and sometimes there are worldwide incidents that will overshadow the rest. We are living in times where extremism has once again reared its not so pretty head, world superpowers trying to regain once lost territories with little regard for human life or freedom. And almost in every nation’s political system, there is a battle between the extremes of their political parties.

The civilian population is being fed political propaganda of one sort or another through opinion pieces often disguised as news which leaves them either divided or confused. Democracies are facing growing pains and some want to say that democracy is dying, though I just believe it is growing and changing. Any political system that is too rigid and/or too inflexible to adapt to change in the world is destined to fail.

So here we are at a pivotal and important time in history, will we navigate through it and come out the other side better as a whole? We are on the edge of what may be a world war, a war that could bring about the end of humanity and possibly all life. What we do individually is as important as what we do collectively in the end. Of course, the war scenario is more in the hands of the leaders of all the world nations, but it is the lives of each person that will be put on the line.

War is never a good option, though it will always be an option as long as we have militaries and conflicting national interests. Diplomacy is a better option but it requires all sides to be willing to compromise to bring peace. As we see in Ukraine war is a terrifying and ugly thing to live through. There is very little respect for life and/or compassion on the battlefield and most of the time civilians are looked at as unfortunate casualties / Fatalities of war if not cannon fodder by some.

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Extremism, Imperialism, and nationalism are all diseases infecting the world and may one day bring the end of humanity if we are not very careful. I am not saying one shouldn’t be proud of their nation or that you should abandon having your extreme ideals, I am saying you should also be open-minded to the possibility that there are other views and nations that could be just as good if not equal to your own.

Well, what do I know? I am just an average man in the mix and these are just my opinions that were formed from my half-century worth of experiences. I could be wrong just as well as I could be right or somewhere in the middle. I do know that war is not a good thing, what happened in Ukraine to the civilian population thus far is an atrocity and should never have happened.

We are at a pivotal point in history, which way will we pivot? what will be the new direction of humanity as a whole? We will continue down the road of war, greed, and extremism? or will we find a better path for humanity and forge a future all of our children can be proud of and live in. The choice is not only in the hands of the Governments that rule our nations, the choice is in everyone’s hands in the end.

Random Thoughts 10-25-2016


006-2.jpgIn our world there is two kind of strengths within a human, the physical and the mental. The physical has always been celebrated in ancient as well as modern society. Might make right mentality has existed since the dawn of man, though it had its purpose in ancient times since we had to battle not only each other for land and the resources therein we also had to battle the forces of nature and the predators that roamed the lands. Might is not always right, matter of fact it usually it is wrong regardless that it seems to still rule our  world.

Humanity still seems to choose the path of war, hate and fear over the path of peace and mutual co-operation. We rather fight over the remaining resources on our wonderful planet called earth than to share them and work together to find solutions to our current problems. Think what the world could achieve if the Governments would dedicate just half the resources they dedicate to their military to feeding the hungry, healing the sick and finding alternative energy sources that are renewable and less toxic to our home here on earth.

Think what the would happen if people across the world could achieve if they invested all their energy into improving the community and the lives of one another. Too much energy is wasted on fear, mistrust and holding on to hatreds from the past. Can not move forward until you resolve and let go of the past. The day we finally see we are more alike than different and that we all are one species regardless of the differences between us is the day humanity will become the species we are destined to be.

Political Correctness is not the answer that is just refraining from saying what we truly think and feel. The only answer is to change who we are inside, to grow beyond our fears, hatred and distrust of one another. Repressing feelings does not change them, usually it just makes things worse and multiplies their strength. We need to face those feelings and learn to understand them as well as their root. Then overcome them by removing the root cause. Yes easier said than done but very possible, that is one of the wonderful things about humans, we can always change and grow.

In the end it don’t matter who was right or wrong, its more about what is the right thing to do. It does not matter that we think differently, that we look different or we have different beliefs. What matters is every one of us is just as important as the next, we all play a part in this tapestry of life. Think of humanity as one large machine, one that self replicates and changes the landscape of its home. A machine should be designed to work together for a common purpose or goal. At this point in time the machine or the species of humanity is working more against itself than together, though I believe the majority of us desire peace, happiness and the ability to coexist harmoniously. Those in power don’t seem to understand or they are blind to the fact they are walking the path of extinction.

It is time for humanity to wake up, for the those in charge to grow up and focus on the well-being of all humanity not just their own nations or their agendas. Stop the sabre rattling and sit down with each other to find a mutually beneficial path for all the countries and people of the world. Not a one world government but a world full of governments that focus on the wellbeing of all of humanity.  Put away our fears, misunderstandings and distrust of one another. Forgive and forget the mistakes that each side has made and focus on a future where we can avoid repeating the same mistakes.

Do this for yourself, your families and the generations to come, I believe we all want the world to be a better place for our children and the children to come. The survival of the human race hangs in the balance and its up to all of us to make sure we walk the path that will be the best for all of mankind.

Just Some Random Thoughts on a Tuesday Afternoon.

God Bless and Peace
Raymond Barbier

The World, The web and a needed change


MP900289198The world is connected by a spider’s web of communication, information and all the junk that comes with such a large social connection. There are no more borders between the people or barriers between the cultures of our world. Yet governments still fight over imaginary lines on a map and the resources that they consider critical. Only if the governments could learn from the people and start looking beyond the illusions of separation and tolerate the differences between us all they might be able to pull together to find peaceful solutions to the problems this world faces as a whole. I am not promoting one world government, I think that would be a bad idea due to the ability of one person controlling everything. But I do support the idea of one world co-operation for the betterment of our world for everyone. The promotion of peace, compassion and the acceptance of our differences as an asset instead of a hindrance. So many of the problems we face in the modern world has been with us for such a long time, so many grudges between nations, Peoples and belief systems that have been amplifying through so many generations. It is so hard to try to fight against such anger and fear when it so embedded in the core of a groups beliefs. Trying to convince those who been raised to hate to see that there is hope and that people change individually as well as in multitudes.

MP900444203We have so many tools at our disposal as citizens of the information age to share our cultural differences as well as to become a more peaceful world. The internet with all its tools at our fingertips that can help spread a peaceful mentality as well as gathering together as a world to deal with the issues we are facing in modern times. We as a species have such great potential and yet we cling on to negative ideas and beliefs and hold ourselves back from our destiny. We can become the great caretakers of our world and explorers of our vast universe. World hunger, water shortages, disease and the disregard for life can be things of the past if only we can grow enough to except each other as we are and co-operate on a global level for the good of our world. Seems sad we still hold on to prejudices and hatreds that have plagued us since the dawn of civilization. We need to grow up as a species and take responsibility for the crimes we have committed towards our planet and all life that lives upon it. Take responsibility and begin healing the wounds we inflicted on our world as well as the hurt we caused to our fellow humans and animals alike. We need to get past our lust of money, power and the fear of the unknown.

MP900437376The future of our world and our species is in our hands and we should take life and all that is in it seriously. Not only this generation of humans are in danger by our current path, so are the many generations being born today and those that will follow.  We can let them inherit the mess of ours along with the aftermath of the problems from the generations before ours or we can step up to the plate and try to fix the problems we face today. Some of the choices we will have to make will be hard and will require sacrifices that we may not like but it is something we will have to do in order to change our future into  something our grandchildren can live in as well as enjoy.

We are the architects of the future and the students of the past.
Raymond Barbier

Just an opinion of a common man


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As usual the Congress has half way done their job and gave themselves more time to act like children fighting in a school yard. They keep trying to cut entitlements and yet they are not putting their own wages and benefits on the line to save our national budget. The poor and lower middle class always seem to either pay the bills for the government or loose entitlements to help the government to spend money on earmarks and pork. I think they really need to take a look at all the projects they are funding that doesn’t help the citizens nor the nation and cut them off from funding. Leave Social Security and Medicaid/Medicare alone. Far as welfare it should remain but should be structured to be an assistance program not a life long support system. Unfortunately there is a lot of entitlement abuse and fraud going on in our great country, many people who are capable and unwilling to work use the entitlement system in our country. But there are many who need the assistance and either are denied or are too proud to accept the help. Should we get rid of entitlements? No, To become caulis and uncompassionate is not the answer. More regulation and a better system on confirming the need of assistance is a must. Follow up inspections of the recipients and their residences to confirm that they are indeed in need and not just abusing the help is what must be done.

There are many ways to reduce the national debt, one is to reduce our foreign aid, Borrowing money to give it away to another country is just plain stupidity. Instead we could help the developing countries and countries in need by getting them loans from those countries able to lend. The tax code also needs to be revamped, The rich have too many loopholes and tax breaks while the middle class and poor have very few tax breaks at all. Both rich and poor should have to pay the same percentage of taxes per dollar earned. Why should someone who makes millions pay less per dollar in taxes than some one who makes thousands? Another big strain on our budget is all the military actions (wars) we are involved in, The world seems to want the U.S. to play the role off planetary policeman but yet none of the countries seem to want to help pay the bill for our involvement. This is a world of many countries and or nationalities and therefore it should be a global effort to enact change and also to police the rouge nations. The U.N., N.A.T.O and the rest of the global organizations should work together to improve the quality of life for all of mankind and be a part of the global solution.

Not one man nor one nation should shoulder the responsibility for our world alone, it should be a totally global responsibility and universal effort to fix the problems our world faces today. Regardless of ones religion, race or creed we are all part of the great human race. Not one life is greater or lesser than another and all life is sacred.

I think all the governments of this world need to either grow up and face reality or they need to wake up from their dream state.

Well once again I rambled on long enough.
Peace and Truth Be your Guiding Light
Raymond Barbier