Just Wondering
I support and agree that no civilized ethical country should leave millions of it's citizens without health insurance, especially children. It certainly doesn't meet the minimal religious obligations of any major religious teachings. BUT, I wonder where all the additional doctors, nurses, technicians, etc are going to come from? You just can't press a button and they exist.
I wonder if this country will ever establish enough medical schools so that we have enough of our own citizens to be our doctors?
I wonder if medical school education in this country will ever be made efficient, sane, and absent barbaric practices? Like there is no need for all doctors to go through 4 years of medical school, several years as an intern, and several years as a resident----all of which runs up hundreds of thousands of dollars debt. For example, a dermatologist hardly needs 4 years of medical school---to be an expert on the kidney, heart, etc. to the same degree as an internist.
I wonder why internists, who need to know the most about practically everything, are paid less than specialists who only need to know a lot about less?
I wonder why interns are still required to spend so many continuous hours on duty? What place has this sophomoric fraternity type hazing in the medical profession? How does that in any way contribute to good health care?
I wonder why priests and ministers always imply God is involved in marriage vows?
I think if God were involved in putting a marriage together the marriage would never go asunder.
I wonder if people who play the lottery, go to the casinos, or bet on horses can pass a math test?
I wonder why it is unethical to torture prisoners and ethical to medically torture dying patients who just want to die peacefully and painlessly?
I wonder, if energy supplies are running out and air pollution a serious problem, why people are allowed to own gas guzzlers?
I wonder, since so many people die of alcohol and nicotine related deaths at a high medical cost, why alcohol and nicotine are legal and marijuana illegal?
I wonder why people decided it was a waste of time to try and ban alcohol and gave up, but for 50 years now think marijuana can be banned successfully?
I wonder why Congress allows Professional sport teams to be owned by the wealthy? These wealthy owners not only own the team but operate outside almost all the controls imposed on other businesses. When is the last time a wealthy owner of professional sport franchise ever was bought to court on racketeering, fraud or any other major charges? How lucky we are that they are all such honest guys.
I wonder how it is that wealthy owners get to decide which wealthy owners can buy a team?
I wonder why Congress permits wealthy owners, piling up millions, to blackmail cities to build them a new stadium or else?
I wonder why Congress allows all major decisions in professional sports to be made by representatives of the owners and the Players Union? Why are fans not represented at the bargaining table?
I wonder, if professional sports is for all the people, why owners are allowed to make all the seats available at a price only the affluent can afford? In some stadiums a preferred few are allowed to go to all the games and the vast majority of fans can never have access to a ticket.
I wonder why the American people have bought into the notion that the sky is the limit for the wealthy? There seems to be no such thing as enough is enough. Even when 1-3% of the people end up owning 90% of our wealth, there is hardly a murmur. I guess we now have, in reality, a wealthocracy.
I wonder why so many people really think that God would reward individuals by 'saving' them, or helping them, or favoring them via inherited religion? Humans have a knack for making God some kind of angry idiot needing our support for HIs will to be done.
I wonder why so many people think they have a 'right' to practice irresponsible reproduction and the state has no 'right' to interfere? I thought the needs of society came ahead of individual needs?
I wonder why human sex is so outside the box of reason? We seem to be the only species which makes it a hodge podge of unfathomable behaviors.
I wonder what percentage of jokes involve sex?
I wonder where any politician for a major office finds the energy to campaign for two years to get elected?
I wonder why Viagra is so popular for the elderly? I mean fine, you can get an erection, but who the hell really wants to be in bed with you at an old age? Like when does duty end?
I wonder why, if true love is more than skin deep, that couples at the alter almost always are close on the beauty/handsomeness scale?
I wonder why our particular sex life is not a subject of detailed discourse when we are in social settings? I mean everything else we spend time at and enjoy we bore others with endless details. Just once I would love someone to elbow up to someone at a social event and say, "Hey, let me tell you what the wife and I did last night, I had a huge orgasm......" Most would probably respond, "Hey get away from me".
I wonder why our pets can get medical attention the same day we call a vet and yet when we call our doctor the first appointment may be weeks away? Huh?
I wonder why it is ethical to mercifully put a pet to sleep and it yet the law says it is unethical to do it with human beings, even if they ask for it?
I wonder why so many people exchange gifts at Christmas by giving each other a list of what they want---the size, model number, color, etc. I have a better idea, why not each exchange $10,000? That way you can brag how big a gift you got.
I wonder why two people, neither of whom is in any real need (anything reasonably priced, which they really need, they have already bought) bother to exchange gifts at all? What percentage of time is it anything you want so much?
I wonder why it is the people with the loudest and irritating voices who use the cell phone so much in public?
I wonder if it is legal to get on a cell phone in public places and make up conversations? Like, "Ma, are you and the neighbor going to have sex tonight, or is that tomorrow night?" "Look tell the bastard to sign the contract for $6.5 million or forget it." "Look, I want to end these sexual encounters. You are so young and I fear your boyfriend could find out". "Ok, I'll squeeze one more performance in if you are sure it is sold out". "Mom, you're pregnant? You are 65 years old." " I am really hungry, has the lobster been flown in from Maine yet?" etc.
I wonder why there can't be one fair graduated income tax and after that you spend your money as you wish with none of it being taxed?
I wonder why real old people can't get special license plates so you don't waste time on a tirade behind them until you finally pass and realize their age?
I wonder why Sport Commentators yell and pontificate so strongly when their predictions about games are rarely more than 60% correct? I mean, why not express your ignorance more quietly?
I wonder why an athlete, just once in a while, can't just step to the mic and say, "I had a real lucky day today--the ball came my way, it came at a crucial time, I happened to catch the ball this time, my opponent slipped, I didn't, and by chance there was no one between me and the end zone. There is no one to thank, my teammates were not really involved beyond their expected role, I doubt God was involved here, and I will ask my agent to speak to the owner about the salary implications of this catch. Good day."
I wonder why colleges insist on pretending their athletes are students? Why can't they just pay them money to play, and if any of them want to take some courses, fine, let them do it? I mean why should some bozo, with the academic ability of a near moron have to pass courses in order to perform something at which he is very good? I mean huh?
I wonder why no Constitutional Amendment can't be passed to require Federal Budgets to be balanced like in many State Constitutions? Then we couldn't engage in wars without paying for them up front, or any thing else and pass the costs off to the next generation.
I wonder why cities can't own their professional sport teams so the huge profits couldn't be used to bail cities out from their economic woes?
I wonder, now that scientific proof is beginning to pile up that concussions and other serious football injuries often cause severe medical problems in middle and old age, just what can be done to make football a defensible sport? Humans have become so fast and big and strong that injuries in a sport like football are a dime a dozen.
I wonder how many years it will take before boxing is outlawed for the physical damage it does to the brain?
I wonder how all these serious and unprecedented problems facing our planet can be solved when so few who vote have any remote understanding of these problems or their consequences? This is scary.
I wonder why bicyclists are required to ride in the direction of traffic when that means they cannot see approaching danger?
I wonder why the most DURABLE bonds are between a person and pets or nature?
Divorces are numerous, friendships come and go, and most human relationships have periods of distrust, irritation, anger, lessons being taught, etc. The bonds an individual forms between himself/herself and pets or nature are rather durable and minus all the drama. Nature and pets are calming influences, human interactions are filled in varying degrees with commotion and aggravation. Maybe we can't do without them, but there is a cost.
I wonder, why, when we are old enough to really live are we old enough to die?
I wonder why we use the phrase 'all men are created equal' when I think we really mean all men deserve a level (equal) playing field. I mean really, we all know we are not equal in anything unless we are identical twins.
I wonder, now that effective terrorism is available to all countries everywhere, and modern weaponry with it's smart bombs etc. is useless, how any society, where wealth accumulates in the hands of a few, can survive in the future?
I wonder how any political organization which has opposed every effort over the years to provide more freedom and justice to women, blks, prisoners, gays, the poor, those with differing views on politics or religion, can see themselves as suitable representatives of all the people.
I wonder why almost all of us, in one way or another, get any pleasure in denying freedom and justice to others. The pleasure just seems to be a matter of degrees.
I wonder why, when we get persecutory or greedy impulses, we use religion as the justification? This seems absurd to me. These are things we should fight against, for ethical/religious reasons, not seek to justify.
I wonder what 'respect me like a man' is suppose to mean? It is used in sports a lot. If you can't beat the shit out of someone are you lacking in manhood? Seems a bit like the caveman mentality to me. I think I would like to function a bit above the level of a caveman.
I wonder how far one needs to push the Golden Rule to be considered an ethical person? Maybe if we spend on others less fortunate, equal amounts of money that we spend on ourselves for non necessity items might be fair enough. That way others are equal to ourselves in importance. If I spend $30,000 on a car, when a $20,000 car is all I need, then I need spend $10,000 on the less fortunate. Sounds good to me. You first.
I wonder why so many of the rich and famous seem so unhappy most of the time?
I wonder if there are really any advantages living to be ancient? We all know when we visit people really up there in age that they are no where's near their old self. I think if you took a prisoner and gave them medicine which would render them hardly able to move around, hardly able to see well, hardly able to hear well, and hardly able to remember things, it would be considered extreme torture---unless you are Dick 5X Draft Deferred Cheney.
I wonder why so many of the patriotic smash mouthed right wing warmongers have never sought a military adventure or career? Well, patriotism needs limits.
I wonder why Whitey Ford's first name isn't more popular? Like Whitey Limbaugh etc. Am not sure the first name Blacky has ever been used. Like Blacky Obama which has a decent enough ring to it.
I wonder what percent of priests and ministers actually work for a living, at least in the sense of what is usually meant by work.
I wonder what percent of their time most ministers and priests actually spend in direct individual contact with the poor and different amongst us? Or what percent of their time they spend conducting ceremonies or preparing for ceremonies?
I wonder, if somebody gets murdered before he gets 'saved' if he is eligible for Heaven? And suppose the person who murdered him gets 'saved' after he murdered him, does he go to Heaven and the person murdered, who had not yet been saved, go to hell?
I wonder what so much internet exposure to pornography before puberty does to a person's sex life after puberty?
I wonder, if one goes to Heaven what age will he/she be, which spouse will he/she be with, which pets, which friends, etc.
I wonder why, in social settings, no one ever goes into act specific detail about their sexual adventures? Every other portion of their life they go on and on about ad nausea.
I wonder why, with earth's human population now putting pressures on so many natural resources like water, arable land, energy, forests, etc. that societies across the globe make little attempt to curb excesses like huge houses, 3-4 cars per family, and in some places, especially the U.S., actually curtail expenditures on public transportation, energy conservation, etc.?
I wonder when the citizens of Afghanistan, some of the poorest on the earth, living in the toughest of climates, will ever be allowed to live in peace? For centuries now these tormented souls have had their lives threatened by ever changing forces of war lords, religious purists, drug lords, central government forces, and foreign occupiers with smart bombs. It is so bad now that maybe the only solution is to relocate everybody in the country and let them return under controlled stable conditions to start anew. Living in Afghanistan is about the closest one can come to living back in the Stone Age. To stay alive in Afghanistan is to support which ever forces control your neighborhood any given month.
I wonder, how many times before a person dies does he/she ever know anything for certain?
I wonder, clearly contentment cannot be an ever present condition, so what percent of the day does one need to feel content to be in the top10 percent?
I wonder, we all laughed when Ross Perot's Vice-Presidential candidate opened up his Vice Presidential debate with: "Why am I here? Who am I?" I don't know, can any of us answer for ourselves that question?
In my retirement each day I find new things to wonder about. For me, this is the challenge of retirement, to wonder about so many things, to gain a more informed understanding, limited as it might prove to be, about so many aspects of life. Idle chit chat about Nothing by human Nothingburgers has limited appeal to me the older I get. If I left this musing open for a year the length would be impressive. People some times ask how I find things to write about. Wrong question. It should be how do you select which topics to write about.? Just don't ask what it all proves.
