I'm going to try and re-create mine and Brandon's conversation we had last night for you. It kept us up way past bed time and you'll surely agree that it's some of the strangest pillow talk you've ever heard. Helpfully, I will write my words in pink and Brandino's in blue.
"I can't believe that 1/5 of humanity is freaking Chinese! I'm so grateful I'm not Chinese."
"What? I wish I was Chinese. I think it would be nice to be Communist."
"PARDON ME??"
"Yeah, I think it would be way less stressful."
"What if they made you work in the coal mines?"
"Maybe they would have me do something good like be a jet pilot."
"But you have bad eyesight."
"Well, whatever, at least I wouldn't have the stress of choosing what to do."
"What if they assigned you to be a ballerina and rehearse Nutcracker with Bene Arnold year-round?"
"Still, it would be worth being taken care of."
"Taken care of? You think China takes care of its citizens? Have you been living underneath a rock? Don't you love America and knowing you can do whatever you choose, and have infinite possibilities?"
"Still, it would be nice to know that you just didn't have a choice of what to do... and if you couldn't support your family, at least it wouldn't be your fault."
(insert various exploitives from Alana's swear-tionary)
Don't worry, we were also hysterically giggly. It was light-hearted.
Yes folks, this was the gist of it. We went on and on arguing for an hour and a half. OH, if only I could understand the mind of Brandon.
But hey, he does have a few valid points... none of which include, "Maybe they would make me a fighter pilot."
When I was little I remember dwelling on the origin of money. I harassed my Mom with so many questions around 3rd grade that she finally bought me a book about it to shut me up. It was some fable about how money began and it satisfied nothing, only stirring more questions.
"Why do we need money?" "Why don't we just trade for stuff?" "How did money start?" "Why don't the rich just share with the poor and we could all be equal?" "Mom, why don't they just sell everything at the store for a penny and then everyone will buy it and they will make more money?" I didn't realize that it costs money to produce products.
The whole concept of working for money really boggled my brain. What was natural to my brain was communism, consecration... the commonwealth! I think I came into the world with those ideas innate. What's even stranger is that Brandon said he thought the same as a child. The beauty of this is that I think it could be the "higher law", as innate ideas are usually TRUTH.
So... in a perfect world with perfect people, I think a commonwealth is indeed more "righteous". But, it's just not realistic. Not for me anyway... I am too selfish and paranoid of others selfishness. PLUS, it just never works... not forever anyway. Just go and ask your Mormon progenitors for a bedtime story. (perhaps entitled: My Neighbor Has a Bigger Barn; KISS OFF!) The Utopian society: a precious, sweet, My-Little-Pony ideal, never permanently and peacefully realized. We are mouldering in corruption, after all.
Paul, how could we forget our Utopia in Literature class at Dixie College? We had to read Utopia, Brave New World, and Lost Horizon. By the time our Brave New World assignment arrived Paul and I thought it a brilliant idea that we would each read half the book and tell the other about it. This didn't work so well... Paul, you know you got the good half!
Do you realize that there are places in the world TODAY fighting for their right to... yes, socialism, as they think Capitalism is pure evil?
But back to China. I think a lot of them genuinely have pride in their country, truly believing in their Maoist ideals, willing to suffer whatever they're handed for the "better good". All for one, one for all. And I can respect that. BUT, I'm even more for a revolt. Who doesn't love a good-old-fashioned revolution? Don't you think it's just a matter of time? And if they're not going to go after themselves then they're coming after us next... "The Sleeping Dragon", any away you look at it.
During the closing ceremonies last night I was just envisioning the grand finale to be a series of nuclear missiles being launched from the "memory tower"... one headed towards each continent. If they're trying to create a new image, they might start with NOT scaring the crap out of us with 2,000 warrior drummers, likely chanting "you don't stand a chance, there's a billion of us suckers".
But back to Mormons. We are asked to live the law of tithing, supposing that this is a grade-school, mini-version of the law of consecration. (table consecration) "We just have to practice and if we get it right, we'll get to be commies! Yay!"
To get serious, I certainly believe in tithing and I do believe consecration is a higher law. When I'm "on fire with the spirit" (hallelujah!), as in feeling charity, I can see how IT IS SO. Plus, I came in to this world with my brain wired that way... innocently. Now, some reigning body telling me I can only bear one child... not so innocent, and sorta evil. No one has got it quite right yet.
Our lovely conversation ended with me vehemently telling Brandon to just "go ahead and vote for Obama then ... see how you like socialized medicine." Again, a nice idea... until he wants that elective ruptured-disc surgery he's been eyein'. Likely, he would end up in a lottery until his number came up... congratulations... you get surgery! What??!! This is America! Yes, some people get the shaft and don't have health care, but it's the LESS of two evils! Don't give in to the temptation of a handout; more government is a slippery road. The American story is independence!
I better quit, as I haven't even gotten started.
