Serious illness leaves no aspect of life untouched. Your relationships, your work, your sense of what life is and ought to be these all change, and the change is terrifying. Arthur W. Frank, Reflections on Illness 1991
These are the days when men of all social disciplines and all political faiths seek the comfortable and the accepted; when the man of controversy is looked upon as a disturbing influence; when originality is taken to be a mark of instability; and when, in minor modification of the original parable, the bland lead the bland. John Kenneth Galbraith, economist, Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, The Affluent Society, 1976
It is an axiom of statesmanship, which the successful founders of tyranny have understood and acted upon, that great changes can best be brought about under old forms. We, who would free men, should heed the same truth. It is the natural method. When nature would make a higher type, she takes a lower one and develops it. This is the law also of social growth. Let us work by it. With the current we may glide fast and far. Against it, it is hard pulling and slow progress. Henry George, Progress and Poverty, 1879
Time changes every man. Unusual circumstances change them in unusual ways. Bryant Gumbel 2 26 93
The transformations of this century are not merely a matter of historic events; there is no day on which history will leap from necessity to freedom. There is rather a molecular process, composed of millions and even billions of personal decisions, whereby, men and women assert their will to take control of their own destiny. Michael Harrington, Fragments of the Century, 1973
CHANGE, PROGRESS, DISCOMFORT, INVENTION "The world owes all of its onward impulses to men ill at ease. The happy man inevitably confines himself within ancient limits." Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804 1864)
TIME, CHANGE "You cannot step twice into the same stream. For as you are stepping in, other and yet other waters flow on." Heraclitus
ACTION, CHANGE To dispose a soul to action we must upset its equilibrium. Eric Hoffer, The Ordeal of Change 1964
CHANGE, REVOLUTION Sacred cows make the tastiest hamburger. Abbie Hoffman
CHANGE, RELOCATION, MOVING The finest flowers are those transplanted; for transplanting means difficulty, a readjusting to new conditions, and through the effort put forth to find adjustment does the plant progress. Transplanted men are the ones who do the things worth while, and transplanted girls are the only ones who inspire a mighty passion. Elbert Hubbard
CHANGE, NEW I believe that the aim of the avant garde should be to re discover not invent in their purest state, the permanent forms and forgotten ideals of the theatre. I make no claim to have succeeded in this. But others will succeed and show that all truth and reality is classical and eternal. Eugene Ionesco
Great innovations should not be forced on slender majorities. Thomas Jefferson, 5-2-1808, Letter to Thaddeus Kosciusko
Today's truth may not stand as tall, nor at all tomorrow; But the spirit of its telling should never change. Kall
If the shoe fits, wear it until it wears out, or seasons or needs change. Kall
There are many things you CAN do, that you have never done. Kall
There are many things that CAN be done that have never been done. Kall
Rob Kall is executive editor and publisher of OpEdNews.com, President of Futurehealth, Inc, inventor . He is also published regularly on the Huffingtonpost.com. He is a frequent Speaker on Politics, Impeachment, The art, science and power of story, heroes and the hero's journey, Positive Psychology, Stress, Biofeedback and a wide range of subjects. He is a campaign consultant specializing in tapping the power of stories for issue positioning, stump speeches and debates. He recently retired as organizer of several conferences, including StoryCon, the Summit Meeting on the Art, Science and Application of Story and The Winter Brain Meeting on neurofeedback, biofeedback, Optimal Functioning and Positive Psychology. See more of his articles here and, older ones, here.
To learn more about me and OpEdNews.com, check out this article.
and there are Rob's quotes, here.
To Watch me on youtube, having a lively conversation with John Conyers, Chair of the House Judiciary committee, click here Now, wouldn't you like to see me on the political news shows, representing progressives. If so, tell your favorite shows to bring me on and refer them to this youtube video
My radio show, The Rob Kall Show, runs 9-10 PM EST Wednesday evenings, on AM 1360, WNJC and is archived on www.whiterosesociety.org Or listen to it streaming, live at either www.wnjc1360.com or here.
A few declarations.
-While I'm registered as a Democrat, I consider myself to be a dynamic critic of the Democratic party, just as, well, not quite as much, but almost as much as I am a critic of republicans.
-My articles express my personal opinion, not the opinion of this website.
Unfortunately, wisdom plays little role in the divisive partisan political rivalry for power.
Oh, there are flashes of wisdom once in a while in campaigns, but most partisan politician's idea of change is to gain power over those who disagree with them, so they can make changes that please them and their financial supporters.
The trouble is, usually about half the population becomes losers in this contest for power, and sometimes, as has been the case under the Reagan and Bush regimes, the majority loses while the wealthiest few win big.
It's insane, foolish, juvenile rivalry, and it divides and polarizes us. It's like kids playing "king of the mountain."
Joseph J. Adamson has a plan to liberate us from all those who would rule over us, whether in the name of religion or patriotism. He suggests a way that will put an end to the presidential monarchy, and an end to oligarchy, and establish government that is truly of, by and for the people.
This is one of the absolutely best commentaries/compilations I have ever read. It sums up everything we face in trying to find that right, true and correct moral path. Kudos again and again, Rob.
by
Georgianne Nienaber (145 articles, 46 quicklinks, 13 diaries, 337 comments)
on Tuesday, January 8, 2008 at 6:21:44 PM
thirteen pages long?.............Rob, you should have made it fourteen........maybe things were a little slow at the office...........Uhh, never mind.......sometimes I just babble........
by
Ernest (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 132 comments)
on Wednesday, January 9, 2008 at 3:00:05 AM
Great set of quotes. Here's one I think you're missing in your thought pattern.
"Change is only a sterile means not an end unto itself" Andris Smerotkins
I think a lot of commenter are missing the point of what is going on.
What the public are saying to me is they want "HOPE" Change is only means to Hope.
Change by definition can be either disirable or not.
Politically, and from a maketing perspective Obama is selling hope from Change.
Andris' Law of Desperation: The more out of control the populous believe they have become the more they will grasp for (straws) someone who offers Hope.
What surprises me though is how those who actually analyse policy aren't pushing the candidate's for meaningful systemic changes while the public in the mood for change. Now is the time.
Demand that the candidates tell you HOW they intend on fixing the excesses of GWB and ensuring that they can never happen again then support the candidate most practical and useful response.
Now is the time for horse trading while the candidates are desperate and accessable. Lock them in. Get them to commit to a compact with the Citizens of America.
Your turn now
by
Andris (4 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 531 comments)
on Tuesday, January 8, 2008 at 7:59:45 PM
This is not a site for this kind of fraudulent hogwash crap . Take your diversion and brainwashing stuff to forums more receptive for it. Here we talk sense. Which means that nonsense is not welcome. And once you are branded a con man trickster no one will care about your blather. Hang on if you wish to be ridiculed but expect no more response from me never. I don't have time to waste.
by
ramsheyi (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 453 comments)
on Wednesday, January 9, 2008 at 6:00:32 AM
We should always consider before making change........I want to steal this comment from someone , Confuscious Says, "If it's not broken don't change it" or very similar to that in any case...........it can be applied very successfully to most issues............The trouble is most of our political and economical issues are broken....horribly so.....
Why would I make such as radical comment like that?..........Because we are suffering horribly so from setback...........Not the same suffering as we see in 3rd and 4th world counties, let me clarify that one......there are no poor people in America......and if you think there are, you've been sheltered to long..........However, we are suffering from the setback of a modern culture, standards of life and lack of progressive leadership............
So what's it gonna be Americans?..............$10/gal gas and all that goes along with that?.................or change?............When answering that question, do it with courage, enthusiasm, devout passion and unrelenting determination that we are going to get it right this time...................
In my opinion, we don't want our neighboring countries to hate us. We should live and let live...........Spiritually, most of us have a need to share with our neighbors and help them grow............We can also learn from them............As it is now, we are suffering from political interference..........
by
Ernest (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 132 comments)
on Wednesday, January 9, 2008 at 2:48:34 AM
German proverb To change and to change for the better are two different things.
Change your language and you change your thoughts. -- Karl Albrecht
There's nothing that will change someone's moral outlook quicker than cash in large sums. -- Larry Flynt
Radical changes in world politics leave America with a heightened responsibility to be, for the world, an example of a genuinely free, democratic, just and humane society. -- Pope John Paul II
We are not to expect to be translated from despotism to liberty in a featherbed. -- Thomas Jefferson
Change before you have to. -- Jack Welch
Willingness to change is a strength, even if it means plunging part of the company into total confusion for a while. -- Jack Welch
by
Tony Forest (6 articles, 15 quicklinks, 149 diaries, 1338 comments)
on Wednesday, January 9, 2008 at 6:38:32 AM
"When the best leader's work is accomplished, the people say, We did it ourselves!" -- Lao Tsu, in the Book of Tao
I like that best because it is particularly appropriate with regard to the work of Joseph J. Adamson, who writes anonymously from behind the scenes. Why? Because it is the truth, and nothing but the truth, that will finally unite us and liberate us from ALL those who want to rule over us.
He shows us how we can establish government that is truly of, by and for the people, and that serves all the people by using the common wealth for the common good.