Taking off

Yes, there really is "mental illness," and sometimes the problem really is a chemical imbalance that completely distorts someone's thinking and makes them behave wildly irrational. Some people really do have brains that are off-kilter. Many of them respond, partially at least, to chemical treatments.

But that is not what concerns me today. Today I worry about how crazy, sick and off-base our culture is. The more I read about our current government, with it's war policy, energy, policy, science policy, law-enforcement attitudes, monetary policy, student loan scandals, on and on. The more I feel that the corruption is pervasive.

This is not new. This country, and probably every other country has had scandals, corruption, scoundrels, crooks, sleaze-bags and opportunists. Most people, given the chance, especially if they were sure they could get away with it, would take the money and run. I'm not saying I wouldn't.

But to design the whole government to not only keep your friends rich and in power, but to exploit those out of power, and keep them scared, seems to be a throw-back to five-hundred years ago.

It makes my job more difficult because my clients suffer, as they fight against forces that make their lives much more difficult, when this shouldn't be happening. Mortgage companies, insurance companies, credit card companies, for example, have gotten legislation passed that allows them to take people.s money and not give it back. 29% interest rates, New Orleans, healthcare, sub-prime loans, are some of the ways that people who just want to go to work and pay their bills are suffering.

We also are living in a hyper-capitalistic society. In order to keep all this money flowing into the right places the pressure is always on for people to spend and buy. I see some of my clients buying all kinds of ridiculous shit that they can't afford so that they can feel like they are part of America. $400 handbags, $700 cameras, $3000 HDTVs, quads, boats, Hummers,or Escalades. I have never seen so many women who have credit-card debt that they keep secret from their husbands, or men who buy expensive toys as soon as they get credit approval. It starts with the kids; so many eleven year-old girls feel pressured to buy brand-name clothes or they will not make it into the "in-crowd."

We have just seen what being on the "outs" will do. That poor, suffering, distorted creature wanted to go out and kill 'rich people." That isn't a random thought.

So, what am I going to do about it?

It's my wife's birthday. I am going to take a pile of American dollars, convert them into Euros and go to Italy. The next post you get from me will probably be from Rome, or perhaps there will be nothing for ten days as I just eat and drink and look at frescos and the lovely Sophias.

The only advice I leave with you is to save your money. Then you can come to Italy too.