[Superman]

Very interesting question(s) and philosophical/anthropological thought. I'm going to refrain from politiking here except to make the observation that our practices of conspicuous consumption do not seem to be maximizing our happiness. Hmmmm......

Our cars are built to spec, and they must be maintained and adjusted and operated to spec. When we try to operate the vehicle outside those design specs, synergy disappears and disaster strikes. Downshift, 9000 rpm.....the motor becomes a junk metal container. I liken this to our human condition. In spite of our amazing resilience, I'd argue that humans are built to some finite design specs. Operate this machine outside those specs and you're asking for trouble. It looks like most of us are asking for trouble these days. Are we all shocked that cancer rates are high and rising? Perhaps we need more unpronounceable chemicals in our lives. Heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, etc. Maybe we should spend more time on our asses with remote controls and mouses in our hands.

Nostatic, true to form, takes his beloved child to school, and deloberately incorporates a walk taht concludes with terms of endearment and a hug. I think we might all recognize him as perhaps the wisest of us all, here. I do. We are designed to live our lives in the context of community. Not just "a" community. Community, and all that represents. But our economic system prefers that we NOT have each other to rely on, but rather that we are each at the mercy of our earnings and our employer or business. "Security" is a word with as twisted a meaning as "freedom" these days. Okay, sorry for the gratuitous politiking.

I think Nostatic (again, I am hardly surprized) is raising arguably the largest and most important question in our lives today. How do we live, how can this work better, and how do we get there? Oh yeah, I almost forgot. Tax breaks for corporations. (Oops...sorry again)