Excess

I’ve been away from this blog for a while now, been pretty busy.  Today I was thinking about something and the only way I could think to express it was here.  I was in the gym and began thinking about a story I read, not sure when I read it but the basis was about members of the military going to extreme measures to ensure they pass their height and weight exams.  Doing things like liposuction, bulimia, anorexia, mostly complaining how unfair it was that the military expected them to be in shape and healthy.  This argument holds about as much weight with me as someone protesting a failing drug test, you were well aware of the rules when you joined.  Slightly off course, back on track, let’s talk about excess.  The idea of having to go to extremes seems ludicrous to me, why not just exercise and watch what you eat?  Why not be responsible enough to say enough at the table?  I looked at a picture of members of the military during WWII and thought about what size they were, true we have gotten slightly larger as a populace but the two or three inches in height doesn’t warrant the fifty or so pounds we have gained.  Those people in that picture were smaller because they didn’t try for anything more than they needed in life.  They didn’t have big expensive houses or luxury cars.  Wellfare was something unthinkable, something you were ashamed of.  Those people didn’t want anything they couldn’t earn, they also didn’t want to give away the things they had worked so hard for.  They had small houses that fit their families and had enough room to have guests over, they had family and friends help to build the house so they could keep the mortgage small and pay it off quickly.  They saved their money and paid cash for cars, the attitude of that entire generation was to earn everything, owe no one, take only what you needed, and help those around you hoping they would do the same for you.  That was the way my grandparents were raised, it wasn’t a southern thing or a northern thing, it was the way Americans thought and felt.  Excess actually embarrassed most people, whatever was left each month after bills and expenses wasn’t spent on things, it was put away for the future, retirement, charity, emergencies, etc.  I wonder how exactly we went from being so strong and independent to depending on everyone for everything.  I know it ultimately stems from not appreciating what we have and always wanting more, what would happen if people actually started wanting less.  It’s amazing, when you want less then you need less, if you need less and therefore have less then the government has less control over you.  It’s simple really, the less you have, the more free you become.  You don’t owe banks or governments or people, you can retire earlier and happier, and you live healthier lives.  Everything boils down to not wanting anything more than you need.