Comments on: Not Burning The Flag – But Not A Happy American Either http://www.ripplesofimprovement.com/fear-and-american-politics/ Taking charge of my life ~ On the way to my dreams ~ Sharing my experiences Wed, 25 Aug 2010 17:34:22 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Friday Vibes: Be Political | The Pageless Book http://www.ripplesofimprovement.com/fear-and-american-politics/comment-page-1/#comment-192 Friday Vibes: Be Political | The Pageless Book Mon, 03 Mar 2008 03:17:30 +0000 http://www.ripplesofimprovement.com/index.php/mad-lifestyle/fear-and-american-politics/#comment-192 [...] Crovis, from Ripples of Improvement, wrote an article this week about her anger with the present state of the United States. It’s [...] [...] Crovis, from Ripples of Improvement, wrote an article this week about her anger with the present state of the United States. It’s [...]

]]> By: Cathy http://www.ripplesofimprovement.com/fear-and-american-politics/comment-page-1/#comment-87 Cathy Fri, 11 Jan 2008 03:21:14 +0000 http://www.ripplesofimprovement.com/index.php/mad-lifestyle/fear-and-american-politics/#comment-87 On the one hand, I’m a very isolated American. I’m not really familiar with politics in other countries. I presume by Anglo-Saxon Countries you are referring to the UK and America? Does that include Australia? Ah, either way, from my limited view, it appears that George W. Bush (the president I didn’t elect), is leading this country in a hand basket…if you get my drift. I won’t get too into politics in this reply (because I believe I will have to get into it more when I start figuring out how to actually affect the environment in a positive way), but I will say that I believe that the idea of “manifest destiny” is still alive and well in America. I’m pretty sure that this was an idea from the days of British colonization. Which, of course, America started as. Except, we haven’t given it up. So many Americans seem to have this idea that the world is their oyster to do with as they please. And, everyone else must feel the same way because that way is right. Um, NO! Ahem. I really do not understand why America’s foreign policy seems to be that the entire world needs to be a democracy. There are other forms of government that work and not everyone thinks that America is the best model anyway. Well, at least I don’t. And I’m sure I’m not alone. But, moving on. I’ve heard of the ‘downshifting’ idea, and it has appeal to me. I’m not ready to go as far as No Impact Man (who for one year lived so as to have no net environmental impact), but I’m ready to start doing more than just recycling and hosting my blog with solar power. By the way, this is just one more thing I can add to my list of “things I love about Australia”. Already on the list is the idea that treating a medical condition with lifestyle changes is a better idea than throwing pills at the problem, which is what happens in the medical community in America. Oh boy, that’s another rant I could go on. I’m learning that Australia is much worse off for having water than we are here in the States. However, if it wasn’t for the internet, I never would have heard of the 4 minute shower timer or downshifting. I love how the internet not only opens my mind to other ways of life, connects me to others (like you!), but also shows me that there is still hope in the world. On the one hand, I’m a very isolated American. I’m not really familiar with politics in other countries. I presume by Anglo-Saxon Countries you are referring to the UK and America? Does that include Australia? Ah, either way, from my limited view, it appears that George W. Bush (the president I didn’t elect), is leading this country in a hand basket…if you get my drift.

I won’t get too into politics in this reply (because I believe I will have to get into it more when I start figuring out how to actually affect the environment in a positive way), but I will say that I believe that the idea of “manifest destiny” is still alive and well in America.

I’m pretty sure that this was an idea from the days of British colonization. Which, of course, America started as. Except, we haven’t given it up. So many Americans seem to have this idea that the world is their oyster to do with as they please. And, everyone else must feel the same way because that way is right.

Um, NO! Ahem. I really do not understand why America’s foreign policy seems to be that the entire world needs to be a democracy. There are other forms of government that work and not everyone thinks that America is the best model anyway. Well, at least I don’t. And I’m sure I’m not alone.

But, moving on. I’ve heard of the ‘downshifting’ idea, and it has appeal to me. I’m not ready to go as far as No Impact Man (who for one year lived so as to have no net environmental impact), but I’m ready to start doing more than just recycling and hosting my blog with solar power.

By the way, this is just one more thing I can add to my list of “things I love about Australia”. Already on the list is the idea that treating a medical condition with lifestyle changes is a better idea than throwing pills at the problem, which is what happens in the medical community in America. Oh boy, that’s another rant I could go on.

I’m learning that Australia is much worse off for having water than we are here in the States. However, if it wasn’t for the internet, I never would have heard of the 4 minute shower timer or downshifting. I love how the internet not only opens my mind to other ways of life, connects me to others (like you!), but also shows me that there is still hope in the world.

]]> By: Evan http://www.ripplesofimprovement.com/fear-and-american-politics/comment-page-1/#comment-83 Evan Thu, 10 Jan 2008 03:28:26 +0000 http://www.ripplesofimprovement.com/index.php/mad-lifestyle/fear-and-american-politics/#comment-83 It's striking that within a few years of 'beating Russia' the Anglo-Saxon countries (I live in Australia) turned themselves into the kind of police states which Russia had been (and looks like becoming again). This is an illustration at a national level of the personal psychology that: you become what you hate. There are some signs of hope. In Australia there is a phenomenon called 'downshifting' (not confined to Australia of course). In a report by the Australia Institute it was found that in 5 years 25% of people had voluntarily simplified their lifestyle (excluding those returning to study and retirees). A big problem I think is that there are so few outlets for the views of these kinds of people (in this blogs may be very important). Yours in hope, Evan It’s striking that within a few years of ‘beating Russia’ the Anglo-Saxon countries (I live in Australia) turned themselves into the kind of police states which Russia had been (and looks like becoming again).

This is an illustration at a national level of the personal psychology that: you become what you hate.

There are some signs of hope. In Australia there is a phenomenon called ‘downshifting’ (not confined to Australia of course). In a report by the Australia Institute it was found that in 5 years 25% of people had voluntarily simplified their lifestyle (excluding those returning to study and retirees).

A big problem I think is that there are so few outlets for the views of these kinds of people (in this blogs may be very important).

Yours in hope,
Evan

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