You Can't Get They'ah From He'ah


If a tourist asks a Down-easterner from Maine directions, he might be told, "You can't get they'ah from he'ah." This phrase was popularized by the infamous Bert and I created by the late Marshall Dodge in the late 50's. Attempt to ask anybody what it indicates and you will get as several answers as respondents. The definition I will use is that "the road you are on won't take you where you want to go."

President Obama has a new vision for America but we need to recognize that the road we are on will not take us where we want to go. The paradigm we cling too will not manifest the new vision. Take a look at the economy. The efforts by former President Bush had been to remain the course and give extra money, our funds, to the pretty institutions that generated the crisis. Whilst President Obama seems to have a superior grasp of the accurate nature of issue, we are still talking about giving much more income to those very same institutions. You simply can't get economic recovery on that road. Basically put, individuals do not need a lot more credit. It is the abuse of credit lending institutions that is the genesis of the problem. How is the average American helped if they go deeper into debt? The actual dilemma is that we cannot get rid of our bills since of the high interest rates for credit cards, mortgages, auto loans and the like. You pay and pay but the balance in no way goes down. This road is a dead end for the consumer.

President Obama's vision is unattainable if we insist on traveling on a road that will not get us they'ah. Peace in the Middle East will not be achieved by traveling on the exact same road. We will not have universal health coverage by traveling the exact same road. We will not manifest the notion of 'love thy neighbor' by traveling the worn out religious road. We will not educate our youngsters by traveling the identical road. To accomplish the new vision we have to have a new paradigm, a change in the fundamental thought process. The President talked about "worn out dogma." He gets it. But, do the pundits, economists, educators, well being workers, environmentalists or the consumer get it? It is not just a matter of performing business as usual it is about a entire new organization. You can only fix an old auto for so lengthy and then it fundamentally breaks down. Pills and wasted surgery will only hold off the discomfort or illness for so lengthy then the body breaks down. You can only preach righteousness for so lengthy whilst you enable genocide, strife and poverty and then the system breaks down. You can talk a superior deal about decreasing carbon emissions and about alternative energy, but the system is breaking down. The old patches and band-aids are no longer functional, they are worn out and the bleeding is showing on the gauze.

We do not want to talk about sacrifice. That is also a 'worn out dogma.' What it certainly indicates is that you and I have to suffer although the heads of corporations get bonuses and high-priced retreats. The old paradigm says that if you sacrifice, perhaps your children will have a better life. Sorry, that worked for a number of thousands of years, but it is worn out. There are no shortages of cash. There are no shortages of tips. There are no shortages of job possible. There are no shortages of understanding to convey to our school youngsters. There are only shortages if we think in them and, the 'worn out dogma' wants you to believe in them. That has been their "Secret."

Just the other day I received in the mail numerous requests by banks offering to give me all kinds of credit. We still see the ads for new cars, pills for scores of new dysfunctions and enticements to invest in this or that fund. Religions are issuing new lists of sins, stirring up old hatreds, and condemning any action that even hints of totally free selection. This is worn out dogma. Sociologists say we require to break the cycle of poverty. The new paradigm says we need to create a cycle of prosperity. The worn out dogma says we want to preserve the jobs of auto workers. The new paradigm says we will need to employ men and women in new modes of getting folks and goods from point 'a' to point 'b.' The old way is to search for new oil and gas. The new way is to say we need to develop new, sustaining, non-polluting forms of energy. The old way says take a pill. The new way says to focus on a healthy body, mind and spirit. The old way says to go to church each and every Sunday. The new paradigm says that wherever you are, you are on holy ground.

If we really want change, we need to abandon the old roads. They have taken us to this point, but as any Mainer will tell you, filling the potholes does not last incredibly long. Quite often you just have to bite the bullet and tear up the old raid and build a new 1 for the reason that "you can't they'ah from he'ah."