The history of this country is a history of tragedy. I suppose I could say the same about the history of our world, but like all good citizens, I want to focus on us; at least for now. From the conquest of the Native Americans to slavery to a civil war to two world wars and a great depression to the ongoing necessity of a civil rights movement to the election of our first black President to the election of Donald Trump, our history is riddled with events that remind us of our national character. We work to assert and maintain our power while at the same time posing as a people of compassion and hope. The election in 2008 of our first black President represents the masquerade; the election of Donald Trump in 2016 brings us back to our truer selves. I avoid naming Barack Obama because I don't believe he purposefully meant to represent false hope. Mr. Obama (I believe) was sincere in his efforts to bring us together as a better people. Donald Trump is sincere in his efforts toward divisive power, and Donald Trump is more representative of America as it is. We won nothing in 2008, and truthfully, we lost nothing in 2016. We are the same.

So what do we do?

I believe we absolutely must embrace our nature. Not to glory in it, but to squeeze the life out of it. Those who pretend compassion and hope, are not helping. There are aspects of our character that we can use to muffle and ultimately suffocate our character. We must first rid ourselves of our compassion for the ignorant and of our hope for re-education, in order to kill off divisive pride, and open ourselves to the formation of a new character.

I believe it is important to have no, (absolutely zero), pre-conceived notions for this new character. All of our energy must be focused on the task at hand. We do not have the luxury of so-called time to be nice. If it is not already too late, too late is around the next bend. And anyway, being nice has never really been part of our character. Being nice is a pretense.

Now for the task at hand. My only suggestion that could be mistaken as nice, (but is not meant to be nice; only serviceable), is a universal basic income; see this suggested draft.

Next, get rid of politics and politicians. There are several ways to do this; none very nice; (here is one suggestion covered in this same previous thought referenced above). Unfortunately some bureaucracy will remain but I believe it can be simplified. And with politics gone, the media will naturally and drastically downsize; as it should be.

Next, we implement a voluntary re-education. With a universal basic income in place, those who choose to be ignorant will at the least be out of the way. The rest of us can come to some common ground and work to save ourselves; and by proxy, we will also save the ignorant.

If it is not already too late.

In my mind, this is the task at hand. Of course I have thoughts beyond mere survival, but I believe it obvious, (though not by our actions), that survival is paramount, and to focus on compassion and hope or hatred and power, (as all of our politicians are doing), is to ignore reality.

So in my mind, this is the task at hand: quell the ignorant masses with a universal basic income, which in turn will ease the conquest and extirpation of politicians and their politics, thus increasing our chances for survival.

If it is not already too late.

When I look back at my thoughts as words here, I feel dread; I feel hopelessness. But I cannot feel these things because these things insinuate and encourage hope; and even the tiniest sliver of hope may keep me from the task at hand. I must reach deep and yank at my brutality; tease it, irritate it, enflame it, and make it rise up and devour any and all hope; first mine and then yours. We cannot afford hope. It is too late for hope. Hope will slow us down. Hope will encourage compassion and/or the pretense of compassion which will hinder progress. Some may argue that hope is necessary. Some may say that without hope we will simply give up. Some will say that without hope and compassion we will be unable to check hatred and power. Some will say unchecked hatred and power will lead to violence. I am not advocating a physical violence; that is not an answer. I believe that a large majority of us will continue to realize a widespread common decency. I believe we can maintain and enforce this decency and at the same time recognize our (false) hope and our (pretense of) compassion as merely a justification for our quiescence and lack of urgency. I believe we can guide and direct our national character in such a way that those who seek simple comfort and warmth will not have to sacrifice their desire; I believe, (if given the opportunity), we can help them in their quest. But for those seeking to move toward Truth and Wisdom, those seeking survival, I believe sacrifice is necessary; first, a willingness to see us as we are - ugly, misshapen monsters; then a willingness to acknowledge our repressed savagery and call it forth to vanquish pretense and ego; and finally a willingness to sacrifice “Me” for the sake of “Us” and “Us and Them” for the sake of “We”. For the sake of the future.

If it is not already too late.