A Timeless Lesson!

Well, I think you all know by now just about every time I fly I have a story to tell. I can't help it, I'm a student of people, and bless their hearts they are pretty darn funny at times. This observation isn't as funny as it is telling, so without further delay, away we go.

My flight to Orlando, (the happiest place on earth), was full. One hundred and eighty smiling faces, all looking forward to an on time departure and a uneventful flight. Absolutely no one was disappointed, we got off from the gate early and arrived fifteen minuets ahead of schedule, it was what I noticed between take off and touchdown that today's blog is about.

I think time in the air is pretty telling when it comes to how we occupy ourselves when bored. From my seat I could see about twelve individuals, about eight percent of the people on the plane. While I split my time reading between two books, (one pertaining to finance and economics and one from the history file), and people watching, here's what I saw. The girl to my right had out two magazines. One was about and inch and a half thick, chock full of nothing but advertisements about fashion, make-up, fragrances, and accessories. There didn't seem to be the first bit of reading in their, nothing but pictures. I couldn't help but hope she didn't pay money for it, and marvel at what the advertisement revenue must be at that company. The next young lady was busy watching a DVD from her personal player, and then there was a retired gentleman devouring a very large novel. Two more passengers were bopping to their IPODS, while two more enjoyed a nap. Another pair were playing video games, one young lady was studying a college textbook, and the final duo just stared out the window for the two hour flight, fidgeting in their seats. It was quite a cross section of America and a testament to how we use our idle time. Of the twelve two were utilizing their down time to improve their lives.

I was reminded of the rise and fall of the Roman Empire. The Roman Empire had a great technology for conquering and taxing people, so they were able to build a vast and powerful empire. They also had a huge bureaucracy , and Rome became a great city of people who expected to be entertained and fed. Basically a welfare state, that relied upon the government for everything. The government, while trying to do the right thing for their citizens created more problems, than they solved. With that level of expectation, Rome became a litigious state. There were more lawsuits per capita than even in America today. With all of this overhead, taxes were passed on to the working of the empire (stop me if this starts to sound familiar), soon the workers began to migrate to other lands to avoid the tyranny of taxation, to feed and care for the ever growing idle. The problem got worse not better for Rome. The workers were leaving and the idle and their level of expectations on the government grew. To deflect the seriousness of the problem the Roman authority entertained the people in the Colosseum, a distraction designed to deflect the gravity of their woes. Is this why they say; " Nero fiddled as Rome burned?"

So are we a nation distracted by entertainment as our bureaucracy grows out of control? Have we grown to a nation who expects our government to solve our problems? Or are we a nation that utilizes our idle time to improve ourselves and solve our own problems? The parallel is frightfully similar. There will be time to fiddle, but first we solve.

Carpe Diem, seize the day! If we become a nation of self sufficient citizens, who utilize their time to get themselves right first, we will grow stronger and more independent. Not the interdependent, needy, litigious, nanny state our government is offering us. The latter option's end result is written in history. Do we learn from other's mistakes, or follow in their foot steps?

God Bless
Capt. Bill