What Happened?

For most of us in this country, we are experiencing a very difficult time. We are dealing with an election in a completely polarized America. Our financial system is literally crumbling and our personal assets right along with it. The leaders of our country are really not sure what to do about it. It seems like the whole foundation on which this country stood has slipped away. And, people like you and me are shaking our heads asking, "What happened?"

How did we get into a situation like this? How did gas get so expensive as well as food, health care, and every single thing we need to survive in this world? Is there any politician we can really trust? Should we or should we not be in this war? Is our government really one of the people, by the people and for the people? Have Americans changed that much?

The ancient wisdom of Kabbalah has an answer. It talks about the program under which we operate. This program is not particularly flattering to man. However, if one thinks about it for a while, it begins to make sense. The program is very simply, "How can I get maximum pleasure for minimal effort?" How can I feel better? How can I have more?

What kind of pleasure does one seek? Any pleasure! People measure pleasure by their five senses. These senses create man's perception of reality. If something feels good, man desires more and more. There is never an end to it. The reason the search continues throughout life is because man is trying to fill a void that has nothing to do with getting more stuff, power, knowledge, entertainment, culture, sex, and every other desire under the sun.

Kabbalah states that man's real desire is a spiritual desire. Since one has no idea that this desire is missing, man simply keeps on thinking that the next "thing" will fill the lack. The saga continues.

At this point in time, we live in a world that moves so fast we cannot keep up. Houses and cars are bigger than ever. Vacations have to be further from home and more exotic. Purchasing a bottle of barbeque sauce takes forever because there are so many choices! Quite frankly, most of our lives are spent taking care of our stuff or figuring out what is the next desire to be filled.

If we take these things into consideration, is it surprising that CEO's of companies want more and more, even to the point that it takes the company down? Should it be surprising that accounting firms lie because they do not want to lose the income from the big account? Or that our politicians are only concerned about their own precincts because they desire to be re-elected? After all, we live in the "Me" world. Or, as Apple markets, the "I" world. We have our Ipods, Imacs, Iphones. Yes. It's all about me.

Kabbalah says that as long as we continue to live in a world where we only consider ourselves, this is as good as it gets. If we do not change, we will continue to experience war, greed, a failing economy, and all the things that we see going on around us.

Looking at what we are living in right now is not a pretty sight. It is never comfortable to look at issues that are unpleasant. However, it is necessary. Until we can see what is not working, there is no way to correct it.

There is a wonderful example of the way our world is presently functioning. Simply imagine your own body. Suppose your heart decided it did not wish to share any blood with your kidneys. And your feet did not want your body standing on them. Suppose your lungs refused to share its oxygen. Obviously, your body would not last too long.

This is the way our world is functioning. It is polarized. Each country is concerned with what is best for its people. Our states and cities only care about its own inhabitants. Our politicians care about their own personal issues, as does the healthcare industry, Wall Street, and each of us.

Are we as concerned about our neighbors' needs as our own? This is what we must strive towards.

As long as humanity continues on this path, we will continue to say, "What happened?" Until our neighbors needs become as important as our own, this is our world. This is the time for all of us to truly look at our world and see our part in it. If each of us is willing to look at his or her self and answer the tough questions, perhaps in the near future, we will again ask, "What happened?" and it will be an entirely different picture.