I never received a response for my last column; which is a little disappointing. That can mean one of several things. It could be that people read it and just liked it so darn much that they couldn’t think of anything bad to say.

It could also mean that no one actually read it.

Either way, it doesn’t really bother me. I don’t write a consistent column; I’ve never really wanted to. Generally, I’ll write about whatever’s bothering me at the time. I have a penchant for ranting (ask anyone that actually knows me).

So, I’ve been bothered recently over the actions of the government, but there isn’t a terrible lot I can say that would matter if no one takes any action.

The more I think about it though, the closer I draw to the conclusion that we (as a nation, species, you and me) don’t know what to do about the myriad of problems facing us in this world.

Life is suffering, and hell stems from inside every one of us. The problem that most people face is an egocentric one.

Everyone has their own problems to deal with. Work, relationships, school, whatever it is. The trend is that we become so wrapped up in our own lives that we tend to forget just how many people there are in this world.

The human mind cannot actually comprehend the size of our population. It’s an impossibility.

We then transition into the fulfillment of basic needs. We lose sight of the fact that we’re animals. We believe that we are above this world, or we act like alien beings born into a foreign existence.

It couldn’t be farther from the truth. We  are not born into this world, we are born out of it. You are the culmination of thousands upon thousands of years of conflict and struggle.

Knowing this, would you truly wish to continue the cycle of suffering?

Have you ever given pause and thought about throwing everything you have away?

Some people can, some people can’t. Jack Kerouac said that “if you own a doormat, you own too much.”

I have a good friend who has never once thought twice about giving any of the things he owns away.

After a while, you have to come to terms with the fact that some day you are going to die.

Everything that you own, and everything that you have ever created will become dust.

I never lose hope in that though. I’ve always taken solace in the fact that we’re living stardust.

Isn’t that fascinating? We are all the children of an untold number of dying stars.

Destruction after all, is a form of creation.  Hell, every eight years we’re not even the same person, all of our cells have died and been replaced.

Knowing all this gives me the slightest hint of hope.

Maybe when people stop focusing on trying to buy and accumulate more crap that they don’t need and instead focus on trying to help other people with their problems, then society may finally be ready to do away with preconceived notions of patriotism or nationalism and see the fact that we’re all trapped on the same goddamn rock while playing a desperately stupid game of King of the Hill.

I’m king of the castle, and you’re a dirty vassal. Ha.