1000 DLS

Ok, this post leads on from the other but they are kinda different. So this week saw America elections take a historical turn as Barrack Obama wins the presidency. Whilst many people were very glad that a younger, charismatic black man had taken the presidency, some people were unsure. My friend began this whole debate at the dinner table with regards to Obama's policies. She said as a Christian we should not align ourselves with such policies. But another friend said that it would be wrong if McCain had won, even though he was said to be Christian, some of his ideals were not Christian-like and thus gave true Christians a bad name (Im just relaying the arguement here). Then we started debating Obama's taxation policy. Then there was more or less a split between the Humanities students and the Economics/Business/ Commerce people. Although the Commerce people had a relatively good point in terms of higher tax for richer people decreasing the profitibility and productivity of the country (USA), I realised how capitalistically minded, profit orientated we are. Their theory was tax everyone the same even though poorer people will be harder hit, because if you turn a country into a welfare state, people will just get lazy. We shouldnt give people welfare because they are just being lazy and staying at home (here again Im just relaying the argument). And as usual, the conversation and this post becomes very socialistically inclined and concerned with the workers.

But also as a politics student (not the best but an average one) I felt like I knew very little. I didnt have a solid foundation of knowledge to give my opinion, so I thought. So I more or less just sat and listened, maybe that's my journalistic side coming out more.

But after this debate I went to Bible study where we looked at Ecclesiates. This sermon spoke about some of the futileness of knowledge. Eccelsiastes 1 verse 12 "I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 I devoted myself to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven. What a heavy burden God has laid on men! 14 I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind." But there is hope but not in terms of seeking God who fulfills all promises.

That was another topic of debate was the role of religion in the state, but I'll leave that for another time.

Whilst this sounds like a contradiction to my previous post and most of my life's work, but I sorta agree that ignorance can be bliss. When we were younger and didnt know anthing I was alot happier. Then I grew up and had to learn about so much stuff. Then came varsity where I learnt about economics and many of its Catch 22 clauses. I learnt about global warming and that its my fault. I learnt about my country's underdevelopment and all of its Catch 22 clauses where you try to develop a country but how, whose idea of development is it? Do we save the planet and leave some countries poor and underdeveloped or do we try and "develop" them. And I think wow how depressing is this. We chase after knowledge but where will this land us up?
Ironic for a person whose career is based on communication, information and influence that I think ignorance is bliss. Especially, after I said I will vote, but need information to intelligetnly vote.


So we taking this debate and stuff to Biblestudy next week. Will tell you what happens.