Different Views

Reiki Clown’s written commentaries on characteristic human evaluations and subsequent repercussions to the seemingly obvious.
Never let it be said that humans-at least the “mature” ones-are quick on the uptake. I qualify my statements by mentioning that the subjects under observation were confined to the parameters of the United States. That group of states whose populace, in mass majority, considers themselves to be of higher caliber-intellectually, moralistically, and spiritually-than those native to other developed countries. Americans as they are wont to refer to themselves when speaking of the group in its entirety display some of the most baffling behavior I’ve ever chronicled. Let me hasten to add that there are, as with any situation, exceptions to the rule. The younger humans, those not yet indoctrinated into their roles as “mature” adults and a scattered few mature citizens, those who never allowed their sensibilities to be perverted, exhibited acute grasps of the energy situation.
Having allowed me the luxury of sharing my opinions with you let me now elaborate regarding the source of these judgments. Early 21st Century headlines, both verbal and written, made incessant mention of the vertical upsurge in gas prices. Barrels, dollar signs affixed floated across computer and TV screens embellished with backdrops of oil rigs busily sucking forth liquid gold from the bowels of the earth. Such visuals illustrated the rising value of oil in much the same way greenbacks, organized in stacks and bound with inch wide confining belts of paper signified (particularly when placed in brown or black attaché cases) an abundance of wealth. You’d hypothesize that even the most unsavy viewer would grasp the relationship between the rising cost of a barrel of oil and the rise per gallon at the pumps. As blatantly obvious as the huge placards displayed across the breadth and depth of this nation warning prospective gasoline connoisseurs that more and more of their hard earned dollars-symbolized by a flat piece of plastic bearing its identifying magnetic strip-were about to be removed from their bank accounts may seem to some, the continued behaviors displayed evidenced that, generally speaking, powers of perception were at an all time low. An encouraging volume of Hybrid vehicles began gracing the highways but most new car buyers cringed their comparably higher cost when compared to the cost of a vehicle powered solely by gasoline.. Apparently the unhealthy environment, not to mention those escalating gas prices didn’t factor into the deciding equation for these types.
For some reason many political and business pundits foretold of an eventual price drop. The first anticipated one failed to occur following the Fourth of July Weekend and now projections point to a decline after Labor Day Weekend. And I quote, “providing (the fact that they felt it necessary to qualify predictions should have raised all sorts of red flags) there are no natural occurrences such as major hurricanes to disrupt production”. Even if they did drop-a point of note, there hadn’t been a substantial, sustained drop in years so why one should be looming on the horizon defied rational thinking-only a stiff vertical plunge would relieve the financial issues.
A pathetic few-or so it seemed-exclusive of the President and/or other members of the influential governing body seemed to grasp the permanence of the increases. As prices reached then surpassed the $3.00 a gallon for Regular, the harsh reality began to crack the Veneer of Oblivion behind which so many continued speeding on the roadways in their gas guzzling behemoths.
Displaying his usual stunning poor timing August of 2005 saw the President signing into law, amidst much hand shaking and gleeful political grinning, a thousand page bill giving those agencies responsible for increasing the quality, complexity and mileage of roadway infrastructures billions of dollars to continue the debacle. Very little if anything went to encourage big business or any size business to seek alternative means to accommodate American’s energy needs. Means such as air, water and sun, none of which if harnessed in an ethically proper manner, will deplete Earth’s resources or produce residual toxins such as is now seen (an example of which would be nuclear energy).
There were people who bought hybrid cars (those vehicles that use both gas and electricity to propel vehicles from point A to point B) then converted them further. The procedure, done in private garages, increased the electrical use of these cars. Some got as many as two hundred miles per gallon, dramatically reducing toxic belching soiling the atmosphere. Big arguments put forth by big politicians and big business touted the impracticality and exorbitant costs of converting. Apparently they chose to ignore the successfully working examples of inventive laypeople.
I won’t even broach the subject of mass transportation other than to say that no mention of it was made in the transportation bill.
Living with my favorite little girl during the oil embargoes of the 1970’s provides me with memories of sitting in the car waiting, at times up to an hour, to have our $5.00 allowance of gas pumped into the Duster’s gas tank. Five dollars went a lot further then than now. As well as costing much less per gallon, vehicles got better gas mileage then than most of the hybrids boasted in the early 21st Century. At least the hybrids-straight from the factory-went further than any other generally manufactured vehicles in cutting emissions. It was a step in the right direction.

The Personal Touch

We found this diary entry published in the early 21st Century. Included in the report of a symposium exemplifying the depths to which the national health care system in the United States had fallen, we find it a eye-opening and horrifying symptom of the overall issue.
Well,the Postal Service is finally forwarding my father’s mail to me. It only required two official notifications (both of which I received conformation of) to get them to and I wonder who’s deciding what to forward and what not. I know what mail he received and they are definitely keeping (probably tossing) many items which should be deposited, complete with little yellow forwarding labels, in my mailbox. The many catalogs he received would, of course, not be forwarded but such items as The New Yorker have always been sent on to the new address. This magazine comes out on a weekly basis and I’ve not received a one. Among the bills, insurance adjustments, and medical pronouncements are several reminders that he has missed such and such appointment and to please rectify the situation. Then there is the piece de resistance- The Survey.
Apparently my father’s opinion counts. It says so in big, bold black letters, the first sentiment read upon pulling the white sheets with their numerous black words streamed into sentences each with its own little loopy question mark at the end, from the envelope.
Dated June 14, 2005 precisely six days after my father’s passing the following letter was typed and sent to him.
Dear my father’s name,

At Presbyterian your health is our primary concern. We value your opinion of the quality of care you received during your recent visit to our facility.

We strive to deliver the highest quality health care services in a professional and caring manner. It is important to us that we do everything possible to ensure our patients leave a Presbyterian facility with the knowledge that they received the best health care possible.
The feed back we received from our patients is very valuable to us; therefore, we invite you to take a few moments to complete the enclosed questionnaire and return it to us in the enclosed postage-paid envelope. Please open and honest as possible, as all your comments are kept confidential.

If you have an immediate issue as a result of your visit that requires resolution, please do not hesitate to call me at 123-4567.
We appreciate your time and efforts in helping Presbyterian continually improve its services for you, your family, and our community.

Sincerely,

Nincompoop

I’m not sure how much feedback they get from beyond the grave. I’m guessing that most people who get that far are busy adapting to a new lifestyle and don’t care to fill out such a survey. Survivor reaction to receiving such a mailing might be more of an issue. I laughed, taken in the context of today’s nonpersonalized (yes, I know it's not a proper word but I'm using it anyway) world it’s just one more ironic, sad and frightening feature of life. It does provide good fodder for satirical commentary on the overall deplorable conditions we allow ourselves to exist within. By one token humanity in the developed worlds takes exception with being treated as nonentities but by the same token very little other than gum flapping is proactively done to change the realities.
I can well imagine that emotional reactions exhibited by many recipients of such a survey would run the gamut from fury, horror, insult and many would be set back in unimaginable ways in their quest to deal with a loved one’s passing. Receiving daily reminders of the event in ways that are a necessary part of dealing with the legal and other ramifications of a loved ones passing are inevitable, why have that exacerbated by the inaccurate spewing of computers fed faulty information? Surely if humankind can manipulate electronic components to grab invisible particles and encourage them to form visually recognizable images on a screen and in so doing transport information regarding the admission of a human to a particular hospital we can also manage to transmit the information that they will be unable to fill out a survey because they have passed on out of this life. The theory behind sending out these surveys is, of course, to place the seed in the recipient’s mind that the hospital seeks to provide compassionate, well orchestrated, knowledgeable medical care. I’m not particularly encouraged when something as major as the condition of the patient upon leaving the establishment fails to receive due recognition.
On a lighter note I can think of a couple of additional questions to include under the category of discharge. These questions would inquire as to the means of transport from the facility: hearse or family vehicle; and ask what the ultimate destination was: funeral home or family home. None of this is meant to convey disrespect. Sometimes humor is the healthiest way to defuse an otherwise caustic situation. As a race we’ve come so far in many ways in our quest for “advancement” yet we’ve lost so much, including the ability to personalize and so react compassionately. This type of mistake wouldn’t have occurred when we were viewed as flesh and blood complete with unique personal characteristics. Now that we are numbers and images on a screen we’ve lost personality; reduced ourselves to nonentities.