Sunday, March 25, 2018

two sides to history

 I become passionate about certain subjects. I've been known to get carried away at times. There are some that say I'd be a good case for the head doctors ! I laugh about that because I don't put much stock in what they have to say. I don't believe you can learn human nature by going to school. There are folks that have a knack for that sort of thing and others that don't. Mostly, I believe it is just common sense and a logical approach that will get you through. I had a neighbor that used the expression " off your nut " when she thought you weren't quite thinking straight. But I'm getting off topic here. I was thinking about my writing on certain subjects. I do get passionate and forget that there are two sides to history. What was,  was not always what I saw.
 I was reminded of that yesterday. I had made a comment about the sport fishing folks destroying the commercial fisherman. It is a topic that I get upset about. Now I was never a commercial fisherman myself but knew a few. The salt of the earth those folks, hard working and good honest folks. I heard their side of the story and little else. The other side of history was like a black hole to me. The sport fishermen were just out for a good time weren't they ? That's my feeling about it and why should they impact a man trying to make a living ? Yes, the Captains of those boats were making a living too, I understood that, but it seemed like they were getting favored status in that regard. Rich folks and corporations were lobbying the legislature on their behalf. The poor fisherman didn't have any fancy lawyers or representatives. There needs were just set aside in favor of the sport fishing industry. And it was the industry that was being protected, not necessarily the owner/operators of those charter boats. They were just a necessary part of business, little else.
 I also heard the tales of regulations being imposed that severely impacted the industry. I heard about the large outfits that had fleets of boats to compete against the family crews. I was aware even then , that a way of life was disappearing. Progress was rolling over the old ways, there was money to be made and nothing would stand in the way of that. Tourists and tourism is where the big money was. It was a business getting out of hand. A business that would eventually destroy the very thing that attracted folks there in the first place. It has ever been so, and to rail against that is to spit in the wind. The folks with money willing to spend it to gain more money. Those without money left to fall by the wayside. With luck those still surviving will become an attraction themselves. Like those reenactors at the amusement park. Eventually being paid to ply the trade not for profit, but as an amusement for others.
 All that is one side of history. The other side of the story I've never heard because no one wants to tell that. There are no interesting characters in that history. There are lawyers, courts and corporate interests. There is no emotion to that, just cold hard truths. Corporations hiring " experts " to testify in the court because of their " degrees " not their knowledge. The only story to tell from all of that would be how greed won out in the end. And the story there is all about " progress. " That is what the final explanation always will be. It's progress.
 Progress is always good. right ? Isn't that what we are taught ? Man has struggled to make progress since the beginning. But what is the goal ? In the end, when we reach the most advanced stage of all, what will we have achieved ? We began with the ideal situation. We were living in the garden of Eden. The Devil told Eve that she and Adam could be as Gods if they knew what God knew, and that is what you could learn by eating that fruit ! What they learned was they were naked and afraid. Man has tried to make progress ever since. The goal ? To get back where we started. That would be real progress now wouldn't it ? I hoping there is another side to history and I'm hoping to see that one day. Wouldn't that be heaven ?  
  

No comments:

Post a Comment