Labor Day Weekend

This was a big weekend in my childhood family. Labor was celebrated and encouraged, labor provided everything that we had as I was growing up. I grew up at the end of the baby boom, with all of the benefits. Public schools were excellent, and we were integrating, so I was able to experience being with people that had totally different lives from mine.

The American Labor movement left many people behind, mostly because their skin color and language. My dad was active in the union at work, and even spent time as the equal opportunity officer. What EOO meant then was supporting Appalachian and Southern white men. I frequently answered the phone (no voice mail then), and I never spoke to a person of color. I switched to Spanish in high school so I might be useful.

In the past year I have become a supporter of Andrew Yang for several reasons. I had issues with his presidential campaign, mostly because he had not worked his way up in the political organization. The executive branch needs to understand how to govern, and how to work within a federal infrastructure. The man we currently have as POTUS has no experience in government, he doesn’t even have Citizenship in the Nation merit badge. Andrew is not my first choice for POTUS, but he has considered the qualities that the person must have.

We all need to feel like we are a valued member of the community. Under capitalism income seems to be the measure of individual value. Actually, under unfettered capitalism that is measure of individual worth. Social capitalism allows for a different outcome. Let us assume that everything we pursue as a goal contributes to the overall good of society.

People I Mostly Admire is excellent. I have seen a couple episodes of "The Big Bang Theory", but did not actually find it amusing. I was very close to what I remember life being like in a computational chemistry graduate lab. Mayim Bialik really shined in this episode. I almost feel vindicated.

My podcast feed included On Being interview with Mary Oliver. I recommend "On Being" to anyone that is looking for a spiritual take on living. Poetry seems to be part of this experience.