Monday, January 31, 2011

Changes!

This Egyptian unraveling is fascinating. How does a society change? Really, fundamentally change? We all live in societies, it's the collective energy of the people, their thoughts, their dreams, their actions, their interactions that make society.

Suddenly there is a spontaneous eruption - people actually take to the streets. A revolution, or evolution, or just a slight disruption? And where does it lead? Does the Dictator, the Strongman, the Authoritarian Ruler step down? And who replaces him? How do the voices of the protesters get channeled into something new?

Or is it like that Who song, "Meet the new boss, same as the old boss." This leads to questions about our own society. It seems the politicians are always the last to know. And our society morphs sometimes so slowly and sometimes so quickly. And where exactly are we going?

There's the need for freedom and safety, and human rights, and the ability to live a happy life. And there's lots of contention and opposition to any premise that's floated in the ether. And we clunk along. And then years go by, and we think things are so different, and then we again we think things are just the same as always too.

We have our cell phone, our laptop, our Google, and still there are all those human foibles and follies to contend with. We create love and joy and mayhem too. That's our social network - our lovely aquarium. And really is change like the rain? Or fog? Or lightening?