While this philosophical discussion is taking place, let us review for a moment where the world stands. We are at war, and we have lost the war in which we are engaged. We are occupying somebody else's territory, although we have not been invited to be there, and we are afraid to say that the weapons they are using are weapons that we have provided for them. We have decided that one of the world's great religions is responsible for the terrible shape the world is in. We have decided that it is not our fault. Isn't this kind of circular?

We are going on now because we must. We don't know where we are going. We don't know what we are doing. We do not know to whom we are doing it. We are doing it-in spades-to ourselves as well as to those who have hitched their wagons to our star believing that we knew the way and that we would lead them to an epiphany without their putting in the work that one must accomplish before he or she is allowed to enter into paradise. We've never acknowledged this as a people, though we have always spouted this as our aim, our goal and our dedication.

Death & dying
War
Social conditions & trends
Selfishness