The biggest concern for those who seek and attain progress in whatever aspects of life is the chance for relapse. For example, most, if not all, people are worried about the economy. The economy has made progress since the financial collapses of 2001 and 2008, where rampant deception almost toppled "Too Big To Fail" companies. Considered one of the greatest countries in the world, America has seen its fair share of ups and downs as has many countries around the globe.
The #OccupyWallStreet movement began as a simple protest against corporate greed and has evolved into a populist movement similar to one that took place right after the Gilded Age ended. The lack of unions and labor laws caused uproar around the countries for working Americans who lacked protection from the government. Today, Obama gave a similar speech to Teddy Roosevelt vowing to protect the middle class and its interests. Teddy Roosevelt should be remembered as a president who fought to break up trusts in the oil and telephone industries, which monopolized in order to maximize profits.
To me, it becomes rather eerie that after a hundred years, the same issues are being debated. Sure, the civil rights movement has earned rights for women, minorities, and soon the homosexual population. However, people should look at the human rights movement. The unions, organizations that protect the general interest of employees, garnered the most strength after decades of activism, but became unraveled after the 1970s. 1979 is a year that is referenced by not only artists, but the OWS movement as well. The wealthy inequality gap exploded that year and has not stopped since. The diminishing power of unions can be seen in the oil spill that shocked the world. Deregulation and propaganda are powerful allies that can permanently convince a significant (about 30%) portion of the population that some lies are facts.
The media is a powerful entity in today's technological world. The media is owned by corporations and censored by the government. In order to seek the truth, people have to read between the lines and find the answers themselves. The integrity of journalism has probably been compromised. It's very hard to find journalists like Bernstein and Woodward who seek to expose the truth because it is ultimately the right decision. We hear about all the political corruption involved in Congress and the White House. All of the lobbyists and corporate greed is entwined in today's political system, but people don't seem to care enough. Perhaps, they're in denial of the truth.
An example of the media's power is in today's sports entertainment - Tim Tebow. Wow. He is impressive. A devout Christian devoted to help the world wherever he goes. He speaks volumes about his faith to the media. He is the model Christian. However, he is a polarizing figure as people start to hate him and even mock him (see: Tebowing). He is a great story that captures his role in the recent 6-1 run by the Denver Broncos, but is also greatly discredited for his "imperfect" skills as a QB. How is he any different from a Christian? Not everyone is perfect.
The progress I made has been stunted. It is ironic that I relapsed after not smoking cigarettes for months. My gains I made from working out are beginning to deteriorate. My spiritual life is becoming shaky. My battle in living peacefully versus recklessly partying is becoming more intense. Relapse is a good word to use at the moment, but I don't want to think of it like that. I hope to get back on track and further distance myself from what I don't enjoy. Self-control and self-discipline is what brought me the most happiness. Time for me to take it back.
Can't wait until Christmas! The Bulls vs the Lakers. No more NBA lockout! Woo!
