A post from Ben

Kate is getting big. There, I have offered the controversy of the week. It definitely looks like a baby, however, so it is beautiful baby big-ness. Today is Kate's father's birthday, so happy birthday to Mister (which is how his name appears in our cell phone;).

News from this side of the world isn't too exciting as of late. I am back in school now. I have a little cubbie in a room full of other cubbies where I sit and pretend that I like looking at a computer screen for 6 hours a day. I like school and I feel grateful to have days and weeks on end to dedicate to learning. It is truly remarkable that I can spend my days being mostly unproductive as far as life sustaining efforts go, and still be able to receive a sufficient, though modest income for my family. One day, as the dream goes, I will be able to earn a sufficient yet more than modest income while still spending my days learning, thinking and exploring interesting questions as to why dogs bark or why Kate likes chocolate...you know, the truly deep and troubling questions of our times. Maybe if I were to really dig deep I might explore the dynamics of a society which interacted without the seemingly divisive existence of money. I detest the position that money and our need to seek after it has taken in today's world. I am strongly of the opinion that this world is ha-mung-ous (a word from the world of Kate) and filled to the brim with resources, 'enough and to spare,' using LDS scripture. I guess my feelings, at least in large part, stem from my love hate relationship with capitalism. The innovation from which we currently benefit is undeniable, yet at what cost? What does the principle of comparative advantage have to say about respecting another's self-determinism? I think, and maybe presumtiously and over simplistically, that the human experience is one of seeking stability and meaning. Because culture is a variable in our lives, this meaning is relative to the life-worlds, or in a non-sociological word, the families and social environments in which we were raised. The moment that profit driven change sweeps the landscape in a frustrating search for efficiency and labor maximization is the same moment that profit (an arbitrary concept in and of itself) trumps the independence and self determining efforts of individuals. There is no opportunity cost calculus for rapid cultural change. I am not one for romanticising traditionalism, but change seems to be welcomed when we are doing the welcoming. Acting vs. being acted upon seems to be the difference between improvement and alienation. Okay, diatribe over...sorry for the harangue on capitalism. At the moment I am one of those that criticises without any answers to offer.

Maybe I will write about puppies next time.