I’ve been writing a monthly piece for my high school class newsletter forever it seems and I’ve been able to keep up with that. But that’s a whole other thing than posting journal work in this blog. The one is little more than wordplay and some gentle, friendly reflection. The journal is a place I can internalize, examine and develop ideas and issues for my own benefit. So far this year I haven’t done much of that. Rather than opening a can of worms I would simply say that my culture has made a hard turn to the right and my left leaning conscience does not help rationalize the funk I’m in.
Critical Mass is a science term dealing with the minimum amount of radioactive material required to sustain a nuclear chain reaction. In the social context it refers to the point when a process or idea gains enough momentum to become self-sustaining; it does not require a majority. I don’t think the current social thrust represents a majority of Americans but the ‘Right’ certainly does have critical mass. That would account for authoritarian undermining the rule of law, of weaponizing the Justice System, attacking independent media, the militarization of law enforcement and scapegoating marginalized groups. That’s how authoritarian regimes consolidate power. I find it difficult taking comfort in that paradigm. So when I work at internalizing ideas and issues for my own benefit there is no benefit.
Crap! I did it anyway; opened the can of worms. Thus far into 2026 I have posted five times and the year will soon me half past. I keep listening to a 20 year-old song by John Mayer; it goes;
Critical Mass is a science term dealing with the minimum amount of radioactive material required to sustain a nuclear chain reaction. In the social context it refers to the point when a process or idea gains enough momentum to become self-sustaining; it does not require a majority. I don’t think the current social thrust represents a majority of Americans but the ‘Right’ certainly does have critical mass. That would account for authoritarian undermining the rule of law, of weaponizing the Justice System, attacking independent media, the militarization of law enforcement and scapegoating marginalized groups. That’s how authoritarian regimes consolidate power. I find it difficult taking comfort in that paradigm. So when I work at internalizing ideas and issues for my own benefit there is no benefit.
Crap! I did it anyway; opened the can of worms. Thus far into 2026 I have posted five times and the year will soon me half past. I keep listening to a 20 year-old song by John Mayer; it goes;
Me and all my friends, We’re all misunderstood
They say we stand for nothing and
There’s no way we ever could
Now we see everything that’s wrong
With the world and those who lead it
We just feel like we don’t have the means
To rise above and beat it
So we keep a-waiting (waiting)
Waiting on the world to change
We keep on waiting (waiting)
Waiting for the world to change
It’s hard to beat the system
When we’re standing at a distance
So we keep on waiting (waiting)
Waiting on the world to change
Waiting on the world to change.
There’s no way we ever could
Now we see everything that’s wrong
With the world and those who lead it
We just feel like we don’t have the means
To rise above and beat it
So we keep a-waiting (waiting)
Waiting on the world to change
We keep on waiting (waiting)
Waiting for the world to change
It’s hard to beat the system
When we’re standing at a distance
So we keep on waiting (waiting)
Waiting on the world to change
Waiting on the world to change.
I liked the song straight out but reading the lyrics I get it. I’m waiting for the world to change as well. I find little ways to be thankful for the good life I enjoy, volunteer with the Hunger Outreach Team; we solicit donated food, prepare, deliver 200+ healthy meals & another 200 brown-bag lunches, twice a week to a park where hungry people trust us to share what we have. The only thing we require in return is a peaceful meal site and they leave the park clean as they found it.
Every time I look across the serving table at a hungry soul holding an empty plate out for me to serve up some salad or pork & beans or fried chicken I remember my Mother’s council; “There but for the Grace of God go I.” I neither judge nor condescend, I just spoon up food and usually get a genuine thank you. I don’t think people set out to be failures. It is something I can do in the moment and see the benefit unfold.
There was a movie in 2000 with Helen Hunt and Kevin Spacey titled ‘Pay It Forward’. It revolves around a 7th grade homework assignment to plan and implement an action that will make the world a better place. The movie follows a chain reaction of good deeds from one person to another. An expanding network of people who know nothing of the project benefit from the initial good deed and you get a feel-good movie. In the following quarter century, ‘Pay It Forward’ has become an axiom for doing unsolicited good deeds with no conditions or expectations. My mother would call that The Grace of God but I would call it Making Good Karma (what goes around comes back around). That’s all I’m trying to do, make good karma; what you put out into the universe will come back to you, some day, some way.
Every day I think about Good Karma rather than writing a journal post that will gravitate to the dark side. At the end of the day I’m Waiting, (Waiting) Waiting for the world to change.
