It has been an enduring tradition for many individuals to make, “New Year Resolutions,” in which they “resolve” to alter a perceived undesirable trait or behavior or to accomplish a positive goal., Such resolve is predictably related to personal behaviors, viz., fitness, travel, reading more books, dieting, regular exercise, spending more time with children and family or drinking or smoking less,
For those who perennially undertake (and usually, fail at) such mundane and personally vaunted goals, we would emphatically suggest the responsible enhancement of the nature of one’s resolve to attain the level of communally, as opposed to personally impactful matters. Eating fewer chocolates, for example, may be a personally imperative goal, however, aspirations such for World peace and brotherhood, enduring principles of good citizenship, the health of our democratic polity, and the peaceful and just resolution of disputes, domestic and international, are matters, less reductively selfish and more appropriately circumspect.
The thoughtful, mainstream American citizen, has, indeed, much impetus for intrinsically more impactful grounds of apprehension than his possible overindulgence in chocolates, overeating, and lack of recommended exercise, to wit, the endurance of his Democratic Republic, the World recognized avatar of liberty and freedom of expression. The exemplary Nation is subject to an empirical threat from an unprecedented, democratically elected, but declared (and empirically proven) autocrat, cheered on by a frighteningly assertive and substantial populist cult. Considering the Founders’ radical experiment in democratic government, which succeeded in existence for almost two centuries, empirically demonstrating progress toward universal equality at mortal risk, what can possibly be the depth of persona of any citizen whose cogent aspiration is to play better golf, spend less on liquor, or increase his physical exercise.
To the conceivable extent that the thematic practice of making traditional New Year Resolutions has any useful significance, it has the pragmatic potential to anecdotally reflect the level of temporally existing depth and degree of mature perception of the individual maker.
In this context, we would suggest, as more humanistically and morally relevant, the following subjects for temporally relevant, upscale resolutions for consideration:
(1) The eternal maintenance of hope and confidence in the endurance of the principles of democratic, representative government, by and for all the people, regardless of temporal roadblocks.
(2) An eternal respect and feeling of universal brotherhood among fellow Man, regardless of color, sexual characteristics, ethnic association, or economic situation.
(3) A universal effort at Man’s’ attainment of understanding and acquisition of secular wisdom, universal justice, world peace, ultimate improvement in human health and longevity, scientific advancement, universal literacy, and the refining impetus for learning and the fine arts.
-p.
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