I do not undestand this planet...too many contradictions!

Another article, another instance of my mind going too fast for me to handle without writing some of it's thoughts down. The article is in the December 10-11 Weekend Australian Magazine and is speaking of the debate regarding Raw (unpasteurised) milk.

Humans have drunk milk for centuries and yet now, in only the past 100 years or so, we've somehow come to the conclusion that we must, at all costs, only drink milk that has been pasteurised. Why? Well honestly I have no idea.

This recent article is only the latest instance in a long list of things that I find completely baffle me these days. Everyday I find another contradiction, another regulation, another seemingly obvious solution to something that the public and government find impossible. I look back at decades like the 50's and realise that in the 50-60 years since we have changed so many things and yet benefited little.

Here are just some of the things I find very puzzling:

• We obsessively regulate some things (such as milk) and not others (like the number of hours doctors work).
• We force pilots to take breaks but put doctors and nurses (who are there to keep us from dying at our most critical moments) on 24 hour shifts and longer.
• We bombard ourselves and our children with images of sweets, fatty and salt food items (many of them snacks).......and then wonder why obesity, heart disease and diabetes are on the rise.
• We tell our children we are fine the way we are but tell ourselves and teens that a)everyone who is different is bad whether it be different ethnicity, religion, social class etc
• and b) that everyone must conform to a figure from a photograph in a magazine which has been significantly altered. Then we wonder why children fight and why depression and eating disorders are on the rise
• We make children sit down from the age of 5 to at least 16 (or beyond) during their most impressionable and habit-forming years and then wonder why obesity is on the rise and why they are not healthy.
• We force children to learn in a single way (sitting down, taking notes and reading) and then wonder why not all people learn as well.
• We tell children to tolerate others and then attack other countries for being a different faith or background.
• We tell ourselves that money can't buy happiness but spend out entire lives trying to get it, win it or apply for it.
• We say that it's not about material goods but about the things like family, health and happiness and then give ourselves messages that all involve the newest craze to give to a family member, improve our health or bring us happiness.
• We say there are no jobs and yet health is in crisis, housing is in crisis, some roads are appalling, education is appalling and we do not have enough people trying to improve technology to be more environmentally efficient.
• And finally....we go on and on about the environment but we make agreements to begin in 10 years or more and continue to do things just as we did before.

Ok...so there are more than a couple but this list is just the tip of the iceberg and it shows how completely illogical we can be as a species. Personally I find it very sad and incredibly frustrating. I feel despair when I read of yet another person becoming so desperate to be heard that they use violence. We have over 50% (not a specific statistic) of the population in serious jeopardy because of lack of food, healthcare or safety.

WE ARE SMARTER than this! We are MORE COMPASSIONATE than this. ONLY WE CAN CHANGE THIS! We have the ability to change this world. I'm not say we should go back to the 1950's. Going back isn't possible and we have made some positive changes since then however we need to do something for whilst I understand we can't fix every problem that occurs I believe we can fix about 95% of them a lot more easily than we think but we HAVE to stop telling our children one thing and then doing another. And we can ONLY do it by working together.

I am a little sorry for turning this post into a classic "we must pull together" message but not entirely because I fully believe what I am writing. And part of me can't help feeling that this world has the uncanny ability to even things out. I think that if we don't it will do it for us and I doubt we will like the method. Plus I watch the news with such frustration...I feel like I know how to help this world but no way of expressing it or getting people to do it.

Ok...I'll stop rambling now. It's late and I've gone on long enough. The rest is up to you, me, our friends and family...it's up to the world to try and give ourselves, and everyone else, the real chance at happiness....who knows...it just might be crazy enough to work. :-)