In the event you may be unfamiliar with the term “Que Será, Será,” it is the title of a rather innocuous song sung by Doris Day in a 1956 Alfred Hitchcock movie. The movie is The Man Who Knew Too Much. In the lyrics, she proceeds through life asking infantile questions about the future to her mother and then her sweetheart, and for some reason, she always got the same answer. Then later, when her own child asks similar questions, she proceeds to give him the very same answers as if she never had an original thought in her life. For some unexplained reason, in my mind that song seems to have a logical tie-in to many of the issues in the world we are content to live with.
Stick with me here as this might just get interesting. Consider the following:
We have now experienced almost two solid years of political campaigning, with more promises than any person can remember, much less comprehend. Congress has a nine percent overall approval rating, and yet 95 percent of them will be re-elected. Does that seem backward to anybody else?
The economy continues to struggle through its down cycle, which for some unknown reason, always seems to happen at election time. Is that just coincidence?
With everyone arguing about whether global warming is or is not a true phenomenon, I'm at the point that I don't know whether to take the blame or take credit for it.
All we hear about is carbon footprints, carbon credits and potential CO2 issues with our atmosphere. Interestingly, if you compare the makeup of the earth's atmosphere to a football field, 78 yards would be oxygen, 21 yards nitrogen, and CO2 would be the thickness of a playing card. Hmmm?
What ever happened to the notion of taking responsibility for one's own actions and teaching children the same thing at home and at school? Interesting concept. If that came back in vogue, I wonder what effect it would have on our judicial system.
Then, as if we didn't have enough going on, there's the ongoing debate on our nation's dependence on oil. These thoughts come to mind:
- To drill or not to drill. Why is that the question?
- Nuclear power could solve the problem, but why don't we want it to?
- Harness the wind. But alas, not in my back yard!
- I suspect airlines installing pay toilets to offset fuel prices has been debated more times than we all want to think about.
- An energy bill is not far off in Congress that will raise the cost of energy across the board. If that's the case, then what's wrong with no energy bill?
Are we doing enough to make a difference in these issues or just content to let the “talking heads” do all the talking? After all, it is our country, our politicians, our problems. I'm as guilty as anyone of not being passionate enough on any one issue to get out there and make a stink and at least have people think I'm a kook. Maybe it's about time we all stop thinking “Que Será, Será,” whatever will be, will be…and do something about it!
Don Frendberg, Executive vice president / COO