Welcome to the Second American Revolution
the video blog of Joel A. Wendt social philosopher ... and occasional fool*
*see also: In Praise of the American Spirit (the successor material to this theme)
some general background information
In my various political writings,
on my website Shapes in the Fire,
will
be found a great many details which I will not repeat here.
Three books can also be found there to be read for free, and can also
be purchased if desired from my storefront on lulu.com:
1) Uncommon Sense: the degeneration,
and the redemption, of political life in America; 2) Hermit's Weblog: everything your mother
never told you about how the world really works; and, 3) On the Nature of Public Life.
The videos on YouTube (and perhaps Google Video), connected to my work as a citizen, were done from a particular point of view, which it is the purpose of this background information to illuminate.
Most everyone, not entirely asleep as to the current social, political and economic conditions in America, is aware that some responsibility must be borne by the citizens themselves. It is my view that we could elect a saint to the presidency, and not make much headway, for the fundamental work of change has to be created by us, by the citizens. If we don't change what we are doing, thinking and feeling, then how can we really expect the elected officials and others whose deeds contribute to our shared social existence, to transform the situation by themselves. The citizens are the basis of our form of government - and if we really wish to have a nation of the people, by the people and for the people, then it is clearly time for us to get to work at the by the people part.
Many people think that all that is required of them is that they form an opinion and perhaps vote on occasion. Real citizenship requires a great deal more, and much of our present situation is due entirely to our having failed to carry out these deeper responsibilities. Yes, we have the burden of raising the children, and doing the work (those who bother to do these things, instead of just party as much as possible), but at the same time citizenship requires much more. If we can learn to do that more, then we will see the changes we desire slowly manifest.
In my various political writings these problems are worked at from a number of directions, which come down to certain Basic Fundamentals. 1) become more personally informed; 2) change (deepen) what you think and how you engage in discourse with your fellow citizens; and 3) take a point of view that accepts responsibility for the whole, not just for ones personal knee-jerk opinions. Anyone can make a loud noise (witness the conservative talk radio shows and the liberal blog-o-sphere), but it takes a finer degree of thoughtfulness to work for the whole - to realize in practice what is meant by We the People. The Constitution doesn't begin, We the Democrats or We the Libertarians or We the Conservatives or We the Blacks or We the White Folks - it begins We the People.
This is the point of view I intend to offer in my video commentaries as a citizen - to think of what I say as if I was myself as fully responsible for things as is the President. I have to ask myself: If I was the President, and responsible for the whole people, what would I offer? At the same time, I am not a politician, nor do I have any desire to be a politician. Oh, I dream of having the power of that office, but eventually I wake up from the dream and realize that it hides a personal nightmare.
What I am is a citizen, and in a way that is a higher and more important role than being President or a CEO of a big corporation, or the Pope or a talking head on a major TV news show.
So the question is: What can I offer? Each citizen will answer that differently, in accord with their capacities and interests. At present, I am 68 and see but a few years ahead. Of all my political writing I like my America Quartet poems the best, so in my video material that seeks the political side of things, I will try to express myself via the art of that same passion as expressed in those poems. Hopefully, for those who appreciate real poetry and political passion, my efforts will not be too painful.
That to me is the point of view that will create true Citizen Governance - where we accept responsibility for each other, and not just for our class, or race, or instinctive political and traditional persuasion. Again, for emphasis: the Constitution doesn't begin I the People, it begins We the People. So as a member of We the People, I am going to offer something seeking to express the art of citizenship. Others will offer what exists of the best in themselves. Most likely it will be the totality of all that is done by all the citizens, that will serve the future becoming of America.
Now as some realize, Art can be effective, and passionate, so I hope to express not just the beautiful, but my outrage as well. If I am effective, maybe I'll be shot or arrested, for I suspect we are tragically wandering toward a time of fascism (hopefully not to long). As to being confined or shot, well if you read my book Uncommon Sense: The Degeneration, and the Redemption, of Political Life in America, you will find there an updated version (or 2nd) Declaration of Independence. Like the original, at the end of this 2nd Declaration, it is said: "And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor." If the Founders were willing to place their life on the line to stand against the tyranny of those times, how can I do anything less in standing against the tyrannies of this time.
The videos on YouTube (and perhaps Google Video), connected to my work as a citizen, were done from a particular point of view, which it is the purpose of this background information to illuminate.
Most everyone, not entirely asleep as to the current social, political and economic conditions in America, is aware that some responsibility must be borne by the citizens themselves. It is my view that we could elect a saint to the presidency, and not make much headway, for the fundamental work of change has to be created by us, by the citizens. If we don't change what we are doing, thinking and feeling, then how can we really expect the elected officials and others whose deeds contribute to our shared social existence, to transform the situation by themselves. The citizens are the basis of our form of government - and if we really wish to have a nation of the people, by the people and for the people, then it is clearly time for us to get to work at the by the people part.
Many people think that all that is required of them is that they form an opinion and perhaps vote on occasion. Real citizenship requires a great deal more, and much of our present situation is due entirely to our having failed to carry out these deeper responsibilities. Yes, we have the burden of raising the children, and doing the work (those who bother to do these things, instead of just party as much as possible), but at the same time citizenship requires much more. If we can learn to do that more, then we will see the changes we desire slowly manifest.
In my various political writings these problems are worked at from a number of directions, which come down to certain Basic Fundamentals. 1) become more personally informed; 2) change (deepen) what you think and how you engage in discourse with your fellow citizens; and 3) take a point of view that accepts responsibility for the whole, not just for ones personal knee-jerk opinions. Anyone can make a loud noise (witness the conservative talk radio shows and the liberal blog-o-sphere), but it takes a finer degree of thoughtfulness to work for the whole - to realize in practice what is meant by We the People. The Constitution doesn't begin, We the Democrats or We the Libertarians or We the Conservatives or We the Blacks or We the White Folks - it begins We the People.
This is the point of view I intend to offer in my video commentaries as a citizen - to think of what I say as if I was myself as fully responsible for things as is the President. I have to ask myself: If I was the President, and responsible for the whole people, what would I offer? At the same time, I am not a politician, nor do I have any desire to be a politician. Oh, I dream of having the power of that office, but eventually I wake up from the dream and realize that it hides a personal nightmare.
What I am is a citizen, and in a way that is a higher and more important role than being President or a CEO of a big corporation, or the Pope or a talking head on a major TV news show.
So the question is: What can I offer? Each citizen will answer that differently, in accord with their capacities and interests. At present, I am 68 and see but a few years ahead. Of all my political writing I like my America Quartet poems the best, so in my video material that seeks the political side of things, I will try to express myself via the art of that same passion as expressed in those poems. Hopefully, for those who appreciate real poetry and political passion, my efforts will not be too painful.
That to me is the point of view that will create true Citizen Governance - where we accept responsibility for each other, and not just for our class, or race, or instinctive political and traditional persuasion. Again, for emphasis: the Constitution doesn't begin I the People, it begins We the People. So as a member of We the People, I am going to offer something seeking to express the art of citizenship. Others will offer what exists of the best in themselves. Most likely it will be the totality of all that is done by all the citizens, that will serve the future becoming of America.
Now as some realize, Art can be effective, and passionate, so I hope to express not just the beautiful, but my outrage as well. If I am effective, maybe I'll be shot or arrested, for I suspect we are tragically wandering toward a time of fascism (hopefully not to long). As to being confined or shot, well if you read my book Uncommon Sense: The Degeneration, and the Redemption, of Political Life in America, you will find there an updated version (or 2nd) Declaration of Independence. Like the original, at the end of this 2nd Declaration, it is said: "And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor." If the Founders were willing to place their life on the line to stand against the tyranny of those times, how can I do anything less in standing against the tyrannies of this time.
link to beginning of YouTube playlist of these videos
http://www.youtube.com/user/joel232001#p/c/835510B8EE5BC5ED/0/oTREq5SM-5c
links to individual videos
video
blog
#1 Welcome to the Second American Revolution http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTREq5SM-5c
finding out the true story of the People of Peoples
video blog #2 The Second American Revolution: the Citizen as Government http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiMjkCHUoMA
video blog #3 The Second American Revolution: Ralph Nader's Novel
http://www.youtube.com/user/joel232001#p/a/u/0/D9Me0VG8uPc
video blog #4 Second American Revolution: The Ground Truth (book by John Farmer)
http://www.youtube.com/user/joel232001#p/a/u/1/NbgT8J-XImU
video blog #5 Why should anyone watch this blog? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n972kW-mQ18
video blog #6 Washington D.C. as a moral swampland: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TX8MaQaSb3g
video blog #7 media as the enablers of politicians who are addicted to power:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mY9xAUoBl0
video blog #8 seeing politicians and media from another psychological direction
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06rbRxk56JU
video blog #9 the need to see these psychological matters in their context
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-YvYlHR3Ho
video blog #10 the major contextual element is the dying of Western Civilization into a new becoming
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N53CVO6KYAM
video blog #11 the movie the Dark Knight as a metaphor for the social present
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9vcRO8bHnA
video blog #12 the Scott Brown election - phenomena of the social below
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zp5iIiwhYj0
video blog #13 polls and their significance: part one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYxA4iYKFaE
video blog #14 polls, push polls and focus groups
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfkLIRu3ywo
video blog #15 the demise of the Republic and what to do about it: part one
finding out the true story of the People of Peoples
video blog #2 The Second American Revolution: the Citizen as Government http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiMjkCHUoMA
video blog #3 The Second American Revolution: Ralph Nader's Novel
http://www.youtube.com/user/joel232001#p/a/u/0/D9Me0VG8uPc
video blog #4 Second American Revolution: The Ground Truth (book by John Farmer)
http://www.youtube.com/user/joel232001#p/a/u/1/NbgT8J-XImU
video blog #5 Why should anyone watch this blog? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n972kW-mQ18
video blog #6 Washington D.C. as a moral swampland: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TX8MaQaSb3g
video blog #7 media as the enablers of politicians who are addicted to power:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mY9xAUoBl0
video blog #8 seeing politicians and media from another psychological direction
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06rbRxk56JU
video blog #9 the need to see these psychological matters in their context
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-YvYlHR3Ho
video blog #10 the major contextual element is the dying of Western Civilization into a new becoming
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N53CVO6KYAM
video blog #11 the movie the Dark Knight as a metaphor for the social present
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9vcRO8bHnA
video blog #12 the Scott Brown election - phenomena of the social below
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zp5iIiwhYj0
video blog #13 polls and their significance: part one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYxA4iYKFaE
video blog #14 polls, push polls and focus groups
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfkLIRu3ywo
video blog #15 the demise of the Republic and what to do about it: part one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kN1vSvjJqgc
video blog #16 understanding the meaning of the "connection" between money and campaign rhetoric and us
video blog #16 understanding the meaning of the "connection" between money and campaign rhetoric and us
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sd6bJXTZjGg
video blog #18 the process of creating a new constitution: avoid immediatly jumping to the end, taking time, getting to know each other. finding good questions, understanding the past and how we got here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vswkg5ESsiE
video blog #19 problem of not listening, because too busy thinking of own point of view, what happens if we listen, and not only listen but start to think about how we can help the other guy and not just take care of ourselves first
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNS8_gSkHTU
video blog #20 what we can do in the face of our troubles - loss of homes and loss of jobs
video blog #18 the process of creating a new constitution: avoid immediatly jumping to the end, taking time, getting to know each other. finding good questions, understanding the past and how we got here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vswkg5ESsiE
video blog #19 problem of not listening, because too busy thinking of own point of view, what happens if we listen, and not only listen but start to think about how we can help the other guy and not just take care of ourselves first
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNS8_gSkHTU
video blog #20 what we can do in the face of our troubles - loss of homes and loss of jobs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NZAkRpSvVc
video blog #21 is America in decline, or is something else happening - a crisis of spiritual growth is what is happening
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgwYKb3U86E
video blog #22 China and American agriculture - good reasons to take our power back by creating a new constitution - the crisis of character growth part two
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meE0Heq1b3I
video blog #23 more on what it means that the politicians work for us and we get to decide what kind of government we have - crisis of character growth part three
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lq9N9emttCg
video blog #24 the Corporation: part one: social form, corporation and due dilligence (the valuation of shareholder values over worker values, consumer values and environmental values).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TE3lGL1uvcI
video blog #25 the Corporation: part two: source of structure of form - from outside rules and motives of corporate leaders, beginning emancipation of large international corporations from the Nation State.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2APAsokEQRs
video blog #26 the Corporation: part three: further phenomena of emancipation of corporation from Nation States, nature of form (as a social "wave"), nature of corporate culture, problem of lack of empathy, and conscience.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnOhLIn2y9k
video blog #27 the Corporation: part four: the human qualities that express themselves in the nature and form of corporations, absense of higher human qualities here, relationship of form and substance.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSnIK7X39ow
video blog #28 the Corporation: part five: aristocracies of wealth have succeeded aristocracies of blood - democracy an illusion, the culture of the corporation is not even under control by the wealthy, this is then the battlefield and background.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UgoEuy_XR0
video blog #21 is America in decline, or is something else happening - a crisis of spiritual growth is what is happening
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgwYKb3U86E
video blog #22 China and American agriculture - good reasons to take our power back by creating a new constitution - the crisis of character growth part two
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meE0Heq1b3I
video blog #23 more on what it means that the politicians work for us and we get to decide what kind of government we have - crisis of character growth part three
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lq9N9emttCg
video blog #24 the Corporation: part one: social form, corporation and due dilligence (the valuation of shareholder values over worker values, consumer values and environmental values).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TE3lGL1uvcI
video blog #25 the Corporation: part two: source of structure of form - from outside rules and motives of corporate leaders, beginning emancipation of large international corporations from the Nation State.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2APAsokEQRs
video blog #26 the Corporation: part three: further phenomena of emancipation of corporation from Nation States, nature of form (as a social "wave"), nature of corporate culture, problem of lack of empathy, and conscience.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnOhLIn2y9k
video blog #27 the Corporation: part four: the human qualities that express themselves in the nature and form of corporations, absense of higher human qualities here, relationship of form and substance.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSnIK7X39ow
video blog #28 the Corporation: part five: aristocracies of wealth have succeeded aristocracies of blood - democracy an illusion, the culture of the corporation is not even under control by the wealthy, this is then the battlefield and background.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UgoEuy_XR0