Hello, it's me, Ernest Mann, and today I want to share some thoughts about a tradition that's deeply ingrained in American culture - the Fourth of July. Now, I'm not what you'd call patriotic, but I'm not anti-American either. What I am, however, is anti-ritual.

I've seen over 50 cycles of this holiday in my lifetime. As a kid, it was all about the fireworks, the excitement, the thrill. But as I grew older, I began to question the meaning behind this celebration. I realized that bombs and fireworks are only cool depending on your point of view. If you're the one doing the bombing, it's exciting. But if you're on the receiving end, it's a nightmare.

This realization made me think about the rituals we follow. We celebrate our independence from Britain, but it's been almost 250 years since then. The ritual has lost its meaning, its relevance. It's become a spectacle, a caricature of itself. We need to get rid of these ritualistic practices.

I've been around for over five decades, and I've seen the same old tired ritual play out year after year. It's time we question the harmfulness of these rituals. Why do some rituals prevail while others die out? It's because these rituals fall under certain economic and social rules. They're profitable to keep going.

But just like Hollywood has destroyed its dignity by squeezing every last bit of substance out of its blockbusters, so too have we destroyed the meaning of our rituals. We've become so mindless in our participation that we can't even see the contradiction in our actions.

We're too afraid to freely exchange ideas or criticize our government, yet we engage in this ritual of celebrating our freedom and liberty. It's a contradiction that we need to address.

So, as we approach the Fourth of July, I urge you to give some thought to the rituals you follow. Are they meaningful, or are they just empty slogans? Remember, there are no bad words, just bad actions.

That's all for now. This is Ernest Mann, reminding you to question everything and live authentically. Until next time.

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