Philosophical Lunatic

In 2019, a man threw a boy of 5 over the fourth floor railing of the Mall of America. It's a miracle the boy survived and is making a solid recovery. Despite the outcome, the act itself was nothing short of horrific. Imagine watching your child fall 40 feet to a hard floor. Imagine being the child, and the fear you must have felt before impact.

There were so many ways this could have been prevented. The person who committed this crime did not suddenly wake up and decide to do it. It was a process that developed over months. He was observed, in the mall, becoming progressively more violent and acting out. However, he was not helped - he was punished and scolded. Then he was ignored. Yes, the fault is still on him - we are all responsible for our own actions. However, if there is further blame, it is not on the mall. I blame our criminal system, our education system, and how we respond to people who are struggling. This man was in pain and everyone was ignoring him. So, he did something drastic and unforgiveable. Now we see him. Now we hear him. Now it is too late.

I am not asking you to sympathize with the attacker. After what he did, he's lucky he didn't get the death penalty. Instead, I'm asking you to see how the system is flawed. That child and his family did not have to go through the pain and suffering they went through. This could have been prevented. Future cases can be prevented. We just have to be willing to make drastic changes.

It is so easy to just accept things as they are. "What can I do about it?" Or, even worse, "Things aren't great, but it's not hurting anyone. Just leave it alone. Keep your head down and go watch some TV."

It's tempting, but I'll give this a try anyway. I can imagine a future that makes sense and encourages happiness for everyone. It's worth fighting for.

For example, why do we still have people involuntarily living on the streets? The problem isn't complicated. It's just expensive and we're not willing to spend the money to fix it. Every human should have a place to live. Homeless shelters are not good enough. I'm thinking of a private living space where belongings are secure and the person can work on getting their life back together. Need food? Clothes? Running water? Access to a computer? Done! These are essential for getting a job so you can support yourself again. Why isn't this the standard? I would gladly have my taxes support these programs!

Education, 3 flaws:

1. Too Much -
More than 80% of what is taught after 5th grade is useless to most people. That isn't to say Grades 1-5 are perfect. The show, "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?" could not have existed if they were. The entire general education syllabus needs to be completely reworked.

2. Too Little -
Information that would benefit a higher percentage of the population is often kept out of school. A few examples of subjects that are largely ignored but would be more relevant include laws, taxes, rights, first aid, practical nutrition, healthy cooking, emotional management, finances and credit, how to raise a child, acceptance of differences, equality, respect of individuals, and consent.

3. No Incentive -
The role of the teacher is one of the most important in society. So, why are they paid so little? It's a wonder we have as many good teachers as we do. We could have so many more if we paid them the amount they were worth.

The two areas in most need of improvement.

1. Education.
2. Crime.

Are big changes possible? Are they necessary? Let's talk about it.

Goals:
1. Identify the changes needed.
2. Gather like minded individuals. 100 million should be enough.
3. Become President and make the world a better place.