Waiting For Change This New Year?

 

Nothing Changes on New Year’s Day – U2

I’m always taken in by the ambivalence of this lyric. As the seconds countdown to a new year we are always optimistic, drink  in hand, and  ready to toast,  that the changes we seek in our personal lives and in the world at large will come to fruition.

The poor will share in the wealth of the world. Peace will be a reality. Kindergarten bullies will stop assaulting their fellow classmates. Our politicians will work for the common good and in the public interest. We’ll all lose those extra five pounds we picked over the holidays. Gas prices will return to 2008 levels. Journalism will make a comeback and report news instead of manufacturing it.

Don’t hold your breath. Really, don’t hold your breath. With the changes in our health care system your policy might not cover respiratory ailments. And if it does, your deductible probably quadrupled. Let’s face it it’s getting harder and harder to be optimistic. The difference between an optimist and a pessimist, I like to think, is that the pessimist is better informed.

Generally speaking, knowledge and the thirst for it has become something of an anathema. We glorify the idiot at the expense of the competent. When I was in high school, we searched out those students who were above average, even well beyond above average. There were special classes called “honor classes” which sought to develop these students to their maximum capabilities. These were to be the leaders of the future. But somewhere along the line, probably in the nascent stages of political correctness, the focus shifted to the incompetent and “special needs” classes. “Average” became the new “above average.” Barely literate, you are now considered average. Congratulations to us all, we’ve come a long way, baby.

So here we are embarking on a new year. Can change happen? Of course. Yes, let’s be optimistic. Let’s hope the economy improves, really improves; let’s hope the Israeli-Palestinian stalemate is resolved; let’s hope the middle class can survive this dysfunctional administration and congress. And most importantly, let’s hope political correctness is in our rear view mirror next year at this time.

Do I think any of this will happen. Nah.  But that’s just me.