AMERICAN STORY FROM THE LEFT COAST

Listen hard enough and the sound of progress is the American story. But coming from the wrong mouth to the wrong ears, the story gets twisted a different direction.

Is progress defined as making new discoveries to help more people live better lives? I’m going with that until you, dear reader, come up with something better.

I like progress, you like progress, who doesn’t like progress?

For fitness guy, progress means keeping up with the program, adding to the program, or changing the program. So what’s the program? Eat right, exercise, and get enough sleep. That’s the big three baseline.

Skip any of the three and progress grinds to a halt. No personal records, no gains, and no mirror flexing for the fans.

The American story in fitness is basic: Bigger. Stronger. Faster. Sounds vaguely Olympian, which is a high bar to clear.

Business people see progress as keeping their doors open, lines clear, and happy customers. They work with logistics, supply chains, and delivery. If that means off-shoring production for cheap labor, so be it. That is the modern code of conduct.

Though not for all.

Not every tycoon feels the need to pile up money by following the rules of exploitation. What, there are rules? And they are different than sharing the good fortune?

There might be a difference between hoarders and the super-rich, but not so much to notice. Both have an escalating need for one thing: More, more, more. Give me more, then a little more, and I’ll wait for the right time for lots more.

Hoarders are universal, not just an American story. But since it is America, hoarders have more choices. Instead of hoarding sticks and stones, we ‘collect things.’ Then call the mess created a ‘collection.’

If you’ve ever been in a house or apartment with narrow trails from one room to another between stacks and piles, you know the shocking truth: These people need their stuff as bad as anyone needs anything.

One thing missing in their growing collections is personal hygiene material. No one hoards toothpaste and deodorant? That would be a welcome trend.

The American Story Of Two Men Out West

If you’ve read about Western Expansion in America, then you’ve heard the pioneer joke: The Oregon Trail was well marked for those who knew how to read; those who couldn’t read went to California or Washington.

Have you ever wondered what possessed farmers to sell their land, strap grannie to a wagon, and walk from Missouri to Oregon? And why they enacted racial exclusion laws once they settled here?

Yeah, me too.

Two guys, Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates, garner a lot of attention out here because they land at #1 and #2 on the list of richest Americans. Theirs is a story that continues to make progress.

The criticism they draw comes from the notion that people as rich as they are should do more for others. Is this right?

Do I expect one of those two in Portland to question the presence of unmarked federal troops in unmarked soccer mom vans? Not when we’ve got Mayor Ted Wheeler showing up for his fair share of abuse.

What they could do, and what everyone on the list of billionaires could do, is take a humble look at the environment around them and make moves to improve the situation. If bad guys can buy congressmen and women through campaign contributions to add to their wealth potential, why not good guys?

At the end of the day, we’re not judged by money in the bank. That should be apparent by now, especially here in Portland. Paul Allen was a rich guy who owned stuff, including the Portland Trail Blazers.

When he got deathly ill, he did what we all do when we’re deathly ill. He died, which seems unlikely for rich guys. However, money will never buy a reprieve from deathly illness.

Why not leave a lasting legacy. Like what, you ask? My personal favorite is right here.

The normal American story is about progress. Let’s make some together.