Welcome to Awakenings!

Saturday, October 13, 2012

American Prosperity

You never know who or what is going to cross your path at any given time - a visit, a phone call, a chance encounter, a letter, etc. With each one comes a definitive purpose. For me today, it was an email message - a message that touches the heartstrings of Awakenings but resonates of a ghostly presence from the past.

Just looking at the video picture below exposes its nature in the form of a cartoon. Ah-h-h! Not a cartoon of today but one from the year 1948. You might ask yourself, "What can a cartoon of 1948 possibly have to do with today?" It has often been said that history repeats itself. Is it history that repeats itself or is it innate for man to constantly repeat events of history? With each repetition, what has been learned that changes events before recurring yet another time? Sounds like someone stuck in the mud and their wheels going round and round, doesn't it? OOPS! I have digressed a bit so let's get back to the cartoon and its message. . .

With every message will come various interpretations. As you view the cartoon, keep in mind that it was created in 1948 but also notice the date of its initial upload to YouTube: Sunday, September 20, 2009. When you finish watching the cartoon, take a few moments and read some of the comments posted as a result of its first viewings. Then, think about the events, changes and proposed changes in the years since.

Consider this question before you begin to watch the cartoon: What is the secret of American Prosperity? See if your prediction is the same as the message at the end.



How did you do? Did you make an accurate prediction?
What are your feelings on its message?




4 comments:

  1. So weird, The year I was born was 1948.That we have come so far, yet fallen backwards. We are once again ready to drink the bottle of Ism.
    Or has the bottle been drank and those that haven't had the drink are forgetting the true values of this great country by listening to those who have drunk from the bottle.
    The people need a verse for John Q. Public again.
    We need a Mr Smith goes to Washington. We need A George Bailey to show us the Mr. Potters. That believing in your heart and knowing the right thing to do.
    We need people like you Sharla, that shares the light. We as a people need to tune into what is slowly, faster lately hurting this Great country. The answer is awareness.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Not sure if you will receive this reply and I have no way to respond directly to you since the comments posted under anonymous. I am very concerned about our country. "We the people" does not carry the meaning nor impact today that it did when first written or even centuries after. Instead of moving forward, learning from mistakes, too many steps have taken a backward trend. I know we are so very fortunate to live in a nation where so many freedoms are commonplace. The issue is maintaining those freedoms. In the wrong hands, they can all too quickly disappear as we blindly look back in wonderment of when and how America became subjucated, instead of free.

      Delete
  2. I can't figure out what the message is actually saying. It concludes with "let's all work together" but before it gets there, it seems to be assuming that anyone who believes that unbridled capitalism may not be the only possible route to a good life is a Fascist or worse. one thing, Then it proudly announces that we use up MOST of the world's resources and have all these great benefits that in fact, we didn't have then and have even less of now. Fox News of the past? Maybe I just don't believe that making as much money as possible is the only important thing. I'm probably out of step with the world. I always was.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Notice in the posting I eluded to the possibility of varying interpretations. I too found flaws in the presentation and noticed different understandings in the comments that had been posted. It is interesting though from the perspective of being written in 1948. Of course, that was at the end of WWII and America was pouring billions of dollars into the restoration of the European economy. I have to place myself right beside you in the belief that making as much money as possible is NOT the only important thing. Guess we are walking in each other's steps. . .

      Delete