2020-07: The Evolving New Normal continued

Introduction: The View from the Bridge
by John McDaniel

Think of the View from the Bridge as analysis for the captain of a battleship during conflict. YOU are the captain of your ship (life). We offer our analysis for your consideration.

The View from the Bridge is an opinion piece that explores how societal changes can/will impact the future, especially as these changes apply to the Graphic-Products industry and small businesses in general.

As time progresses, there is a constant flow of new information coming in for evaluation. Our analysis is presented to help guide the captain’s (your) actions. Knowledge is power.

We will attempt to be brief and to the point. That said, we don’t know, what we don’t know. So, don’t take our conclusions as the only possible future. As the great sage Yoda once said – “Difficult to see. Always in motion is the future…”



Earth as Life-Lab

Since I’m commenting on societal changes and suggesting possible futures, I thought it might be helpful for you to understand how my comments are influenced by what I have come to understand during my life-long spiritual journey.

First of all, I now realize that my entire life, from my birth to my future death, has been, is now, and continues to be “Life-Lab”. Life on Earth is my opportunity to experience manifestation, i.e. creation.

At first, it’s easy to see manifestation in the physical world. (1) I think of some object that would be useful in my life; and then (2) invest my energy in bringing that into the physical realm. This is what “tool-makers” do.

It is the Biblical story of Man’s Creation. I take some elements of the Earth, dust, sand, wood, stone, etc., and add human energy, i.e. the “Breath of Life”, I breathe while working. And using these elements and forces, manifest a shelter, i.e. a house.

All the physical objects on Earth are created and maintained combining the “Dust of the Earth” and the “Breath of Life”. Humans are not the only life-form on Earth that creates and uses tools. Check out crows, apes, beavers, octopuses, elephants, etc.

OK, so if this is a lab where I can practice creation and not destroy the Universe in the process, where is the classroom?

It’s on the other side of life. I’ve been here many times in the past and will be back in the future. The Earth is a playground. It’s where I can meet and interact with fellow travelers. Each of us is here to help one another along our chosen paths.

I AM not this Human body! I’m an alien. I’m “In the Earth”, but not “Of the Earth”. My body is an avatar that comes with “Best-by” and “Expiration” dates. Best-by and expiration dates may vary greatly depending on how well I care for and maintain my assigned avatar (body)

My avatar is a gift of Love! The seed for my avatar was planted in an act of love between my mother and father. My mother’s body then assembled elements of the Earth to create a body for me to use. Sound familiar? My mother’s body assembled the “Dust of the Earth” using her “Breath of Life”.

I entered this realm during the birthing process. I entered as a baby who forgot his past. That is by design. It’s the gift of forgetfulness. Remembering past lives can be very distracting. Life on Earth is a blessing that should not be waisted, pining over some past-life event.

I will leave this realm as an old man. Hm, I’m already an old man, so let’s say older man. When I exit “Stage Left” those who remain behind will experience the death of my body, my avatar. Please don’t morn my demise, celebrate my graduation.

OK, so if I AM not this Human body, then what AM I?
I don’t know the complete answer. So far, I realize I AM a spark of consciousness that, in this lifetime, is experiencing life as a Human Male.

FUGAOWE?

Accepting the reality that I’m an alien raises yet another question. A question that reminds me of FUGAOWE, that Native-American rent-a-scout who worked for General Custer. FUGAOWE was leading General Custer’s army and came to the top of the hills surrounding the Little Big Horn. That’s where he uttered those immortal words, “Where the Fudge AR We?”. That sojourn didn’t work out so well for Custer.

OK, I’m an alien running around EARTH in an avatar from “Bodies R Us”. Why am I here? And, where the fudge is here? More on these questions next time.

The Continuing Economic Impact of Covid-19

As we pointed out before, the economic impact of the current pandemic varies greatly by industry.

Our opinion is that the graphic products industry may be able to transition into the coming new economy without a lot of disruption. Individual results may vary!

For the most part our industry consists of small businesses — entrepreneurs who are resourceful and flexible, entrepreneurs who have met the challenges of starting a business. As a community we are not faced with the same challenges as restaurants, hair salons, movie theaters, airlines, etc.

Covid-19 will pass as a pandemic. The virus will remain. The pandemic will leave in its wake a total transformation of human society and economics worldwide. Our current system rewards money over people. It’s powered by fear and apathy. Fear of the “Other”, the “Stranger”. And apathy, good people ignoring the fate of others.

Covid-19 sent me home with little to do except watch “Others” peacefully protesting who were met with violence. And looters who distracted from the message. The Universe is asking, “Is this OK?”

Fear, in Germany, and apathy worldwide allowed Hitler to rise to power. Some historians say that, had the allied nations honored their agreement with Poland, and pounced on Hitler when he first attacked Poland, Germany would have been defeated and WWII would have ended before it really began.

In the documentary series, Oliver Stone’s Untold History of the United States | Netflix, Stone’s premise is the underlying motivation for both WWI and WWII was suppression of the people.

It was Capitalism, ownership by an elite few, vs Communism, collective ownership by the many.

The Russian Revolution and execution of the Tzar Nicholas II and his family sent shockwaves through Europe’s ruling families. So, Oliver Stone proposes that they started WWI to distract the masses. 

I bring this up because Covid-19 is revealing the cruelty of uncontrolled capitalism as an economic system. Someone said, “If we don’t learn from history, we are destined to repeat it.” It’s sort of like summer school. Learn during the school year or lose your summer vacation. Vote wisely, or no fun for us!

I also bring this capitalism’s profit vs people’s needs up because we will be witnessing the demise of large multi-national corporations. (Please don’t panic. Remain seated during the entire performance.)

Big banks will fail in the coming credit-card, mortgage, and debt meltdown. Let’s not bail them out again. Trickle down doesn’t work; bubble up does. Give money to those who are poor, and it will be spent almost immediately. Give money to the rich, and they just add it to their pile.

Fossil fuel companies will shrink as more people work from home and the electrification of transportation accelerates. Let’s stop subsidizing fossil-fuel companies. They don’t need to find more oil that we won’t need. There is already a glut.

Health care insurance companies will no longer be necessary once universal single-payer health care is passed by congress.

Drug manufacturers will have to compete. For every drug developed with ANY public funds, the patent is owned by the people who paid for it. In other words, owned by the people of the USA.

And the list goes on, airlines, big auto, etc., etc. What we need to do is provide for the workers and let the companies fade into history.

It’s interesting that many of these companies are deeply Republican (Red Shirts). Remember the Red Shirts in the early episodes of Star Trek? “He’s dead, Jim; he’s dead.” Usually a red shirt.

Money, Money, Money

I need money to house, feed, clothe, and to transport my body (avatar) from place to place. I suspect you might need money as well. So, I thought I’d like to explain my understanding of money.

Money is defined as currency, a medium of exchange, and a medium of exchange is defined as money or currency. But what are we exchanging? What is the underlying value? Some say nothing.

Money is a Battery

I say, Money is a Battery, a storage mechanism for human energy.

Let’s say I have a job working for or with someone else. Unless I’m donating my services, I will agree to some compensation for my time and energy. If that compensation comes in the form of the currency of the realm, then I can exchange my energy, stored in currency of the realm, for another’s energy stored in goods and services.

Let’s say I have a business creating graphic products. My job is to create and/or decorate some physical object to meet another’s needs or wants. If I want my business to be self-supporting, then I must closely monitor the human energy required to produce the product. And, in the current money-focused economy, the system encourages me to maximize profit.

The current economic system we have here in the USA keeps everyone running in a squirrel cage. Keep producing or face homelessness and starvation.

Remember A Christmas Carol? Scrooge – “Are there no workhouses?”
Yes, only today they are called private prisons.

In the Biblical saga, when God cast Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden, God didn’t introduce them to a real-estate agent or financial planner. As I understand it, God said, “I make you stewards of the Earth. Go forth and multiply”.

In Short

Thank you for your attention. Keep in mind that we don’t know what we don’t know. So, don’t take our word for it. Meditate and find what is right for you.

As we’ve said before, working from home may become the norm. Commuting to an office, not so much or so often. (great for reducing air pollution, not so great for oil producers and gas stations.)   

The economic transformations COVID-19 has initiated will last long after the dis-ease is brought into balance (i.e., suppressed). We consider ourselves blessed to be here to witness and help in this transformation.

These changes will favor small businesses that work from home.

Our Recommendations

  1. Vote! – I am finishing this article Saturday, August 15, 2020 and learned that Congress is in recess until mid-September. I don’t know how you feel, but I am outraged.
    1. We are living in the worst health crisis in 100 years. Tens of thousands are dead.
    1. We are facing an economic collapse that rivals the crash of 1929. Thousands of our fellow citizens are facing evictions, hunger, and homelessness. Hundreds of small businesses are closing forever.
    1. We have a President that is actively suppressing the vote! He won’t come to any agreement that funds the post office. Isn’t interfering with the mail a crime?
    1. And we also have a Congress that has gone home to sell their votes to the highest bidder/briber.

Looking to the November election, for anyone currently in office, “Tell me what you have done to improve life for the least among us (not the billionaires)? As I evaluate the actions of the current administration, I’ve concluded it’s time to flush twice. My mother always said, “When you clean house, get rid of things that no longer serve you”. It’s time to fumigate Washington DC.

  • Be at Peace
    • NO amount of worry ever changed anything in my life.
    • I can only control my actions!
  • Calmly follow healthcare advice whenever possible.
    • Don’t worry if it’s not possible. (refer to rule 1a)
    • Don’t take unnecessary risks. (Please, no more partying at the beach.)
    • Don’t panic – according to some healthcare professionals 80 to 90% of all USA residents will contract the disease.
  • We are all in this together.
    • Support workers in any way you can.
    • Let elected officials know we want a NONE OF THE ABOVE option on the ballot for all public offices. I believe NONE OF THE ABOVE would have won the 2016 election.
    • I have also chosen to tell my representatives, people first or find another job.

Next time – confessions of a semi-lifelong Republican, more what is Money? And alternative economic systems.

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