Just A Short Note
I've been wanting to post something substantial for a while, but this isn't it. I was just watching a lazy evening of TV and something really struck me, so I thought I'd toss it up here. (Pardon if it waxes a little dramatic, my late-night thoughts tend to do that.)
I struggle with finding people to look up to, especially in today's world. The generation ahead of us isn't retiring easily, even sound judgments are turning sour on them. Our generation is wrestling - and losing - against the world we've inherited with all its faults. The people on TV and in the news, even the more intelligent ones, are easily reduced by a healthy dose of cynicism. As I've told a few good friends, it's just increasingly difficult to find someone to point to and say, "this person has it right," or even, "there's something good here, even if I don't know exactly what it is." I don't know if that's the definition of a role model, or just finding hope in humanity, but it's hard to maintain at the moment.
Watching President Obama on TV, though, I realize that I'm hanging on the guy's every word. I'm not infatuated or brainwashed, I realize when he completely dodges a "Who Watches The Watchmen" question. But I still openly admire him. I think whatever he's working on, I trust him to work on it, which is something Bush triggered the opposite of. Bush made me want to be an armchair analyst, something about Obama's attitude and way of thinking allows me not to be.
I still don't like being an "American", and I still kinda like the idea of moving to Canada, but I also (for the first time...ever?) actually enjoy being a citizen of America, because I get to be one during his presidency.
I struggle with finding people to look up to, especially in today's world. The generation ahead of us isn't retiring easily, even sound judgments are turning sour on them. Our generation is wrestling - and losing - against the world we've inherited with all its faults. The people on TV and in the news, even the more intelligent ones, are easily reduced by a healthy dose of cynicism. As I've told a few good friends, it's just increasingly difficult to find someone to point to and say, "this person has it right," or even, "there's something good here, even if I don't know exactly what it is." I don't know if that's the definition of a role model, or just finding hope in humanity, but it's hard to maintain at the moment.
Watching President Obama on TV, though, I realize that I'm hanging on the guy's every word. I'm not infatuated or brainwashed, I realize when he completely dodges a "Who Watches The Watchmen" question. But I still openly admire him. I think whatever he's working on, I trust him to work on it, which is something Bush triggered the opposite of. Bush made me want to be an armchair analyst, something about Obama's attitude and way of thinking allows me not to be.
I still don't like being an "American", and I still kinda like the idea of moving to Canada, but I also (for the first time...ever?) actually enjoy being a citizen of America, because I get to be one during his presidency.