Interesting Thoughts from Ike

I just happened upon this comment from the same guy who gave us the term, in a warning, "military-industrial complex".
His warning was sound.

In the same speech he went on to offer another warning (below in italics). It is eery, considering how absolutely accurate it was. Who would have guessed what foresight Eisenhower possessed? It is not often discussed. I don't say "never discussed" because I don't know that. I never hear this part discussed:

The prospect of domination of the nation's scholars by Federal employment, project allocations, and the power of money is ever present – and is gravely to be regarded.
Yet, in holding scientific research and discovery in respect, as we should, we must also be alert to the equal and opposite danger that public policy could itself become the captive of a scientific-technological elite.

That's what I've been talking about, from time to time. Maybe I am stuck in 1960. Or maybe I just paid attention.

Aside from that, I have finally figured out what I want in the short term. It is the most difficult thing for me to define what I want in my life, other than adoring friends and else. I have three or four practical goals. Short term, of course, to match my attention span and because long term is impossible for me to consider.

So, that is a good thing. Much of it involves the sort of thing many people would not think is any more than normal day to day life. I am not many people. What is easy for me may not be easy to most, and what is easy to them is way hard for me. That is the way it is.

The important thing is to accomplish something. A big victory to me may mean nothing outside of my own mind. That is enough.

It will enable me to be a better friend, and a little bit happier. The rest of the stuff will just be cool.