The scenario leading to the Dust Bowl begins before World War I. In 1804 Lewis and Clark began exploring the Great Plains. Initially it was a dangerous stop between somewhere better. After the Civil War, in 1865, an interest in the region took hold of the American Public. Eventually Settlers were able to colonize the land to cultivate farms and ranches.
South Western cattle became popular. In 1871, the government moved buffalo so cattle could graze. Open wilderness was on sale. Land Developers bought acres of land for dollars and sold it at much higher prices. With a need for cheap labor and suckers the Great Plains were promoted as the best place on earth, almost a carnival. Immigrants, from around the world joined Native Americans and Original Settlers in the Great Plains. A photograph of "the last buffalo in North Dakota" was taken in 1907.
Buffalo were seen as wild intruders by Settlers. Though most people found exterminating buffalo crude the government did no inhibit hunting. Decades later Ecologists found buffalo naturally tend to the land, superior animal with the ability to thrive in the Great Plains. Buffalo only graze while cattle chew at the roots. Buffalo disperse soil while cattle stomp soil to dust.
Later the government needed food supplies to support foreign allies in World War I. Beginning in 1914 the United States grew food for virtually the whole world. Opportunities disappeared after the war ended. Settlers continued to plant crops though demand decreased. Working harder, for nothing, people in the Great Plains felt the Great Depression first and then lost their land to clouds of dust. The Great Pains almost became a desert forever.
Wanting something now is dangerous. Factors around the Dust Bowl hinge on wanting everything now. Ranchers wanted to sell cattle so they killed off the buffalo. Settlers wanted cash for crops so they cleared away trees. They wanted the carnival faster. After resources were exhausted the land was barren. They had nothing, except, a growing threat to existence.
We all share this tendency. Struggling to question natural urges to get what we want, listening to advice is unwelcome. During this time everyone in the United States gave home remedies with opium to children. Without knowing about opium, they knew it made babies sleep.
We see results and continue doing something because it works. An axiom states, "Do whatever works." There will be many stages in a person's life wherein they did not know better. Acknowledge mistakes to produce better plans.
It is known, "What does not kill us makes us stronger." What if it kills us? Experience makes us stronger after learning valuable insights. It bothers me how many people want everything now and never admit to mistakes. Perhaps they remain forever young, never having to address realities of life even as potential escape routes close.
Pride has destructive consequences. There is a chance only one section of the plan was erroneous. Repeating the same, nonfunctional plan is a sign of insanity. It is okay to consider all information and experiment with a process to identify flaws as long as a person recognizes there is a flaw.
Sometimes I feel the same pressure, catching myself thinking a severely obese person should lose weight by any means. After the weight is gone it will be easier to implement treatment and exercise. In real life I never implement this plan. Additional weight is resistance to work against. Additional weight makes bodies stronger. There is as much exhaustion without risk of malnourishment causing future health problems. The plan is to become healthy not continually overcome another life threatening disease.
Everyone makes mistakes. Maturity occurs when mistakes are found. I notice people with the strongest speaking voice are extroverts. They want everyone to be like them. They claim everyone would get along by doing everything like they do. Occasionally a book or other publication states opposing information. It appears defensive. They must defend their life and lives of other people with a similar personality and learning advantages.
Noticing everyone interact, it appears reactionary. I suppose it is a means to an end. Everyone reacts and defends themselves. Eventually everyone has a defense to go on living and contributing to society; ergo, everyone has everything. Barriers make it difficult to communicate between cultures. Though producing necessities within one group someone is unhappy. All their peers are happily doing what they want while one has to speak for the group or perform manual labor.
Toward the end of the Dust Bowl immigrants, a large percent from Nordic Countries, were accused of ultimate destruction. Many thought their action caused the Great Depression. Easily brought to a burdensome life of work without reward, they were given flyers to escape the Dust Bowl in California. They were promised work and made into cheap labor. Treated poorly Californians treated them like pariahs.
Most pictures in "Years of Dust" are of the struggling German Migrants. A sense of empathy is followed by a sense of defensiveness. Looking similar to me, I feel a strong desire to clarify my family were Northern Settlers. A quarter is English, here before the 1800's and moved the Northern States with the Mormons. Part of my family migrated from Denmark. They migrated to Northern States. My family from the Pyrenees moved here because they are specialist in ranching in mountainous terrains. They only lived in the Rocky Mountains and got stuck here by the Great Depression. There are many thoughts to think in association to the Dust Bowl, yet find myself wanting to make sure everyone knows I am not an "Okie." There it is.
Getting what you want is motivation though rarely the best solution. We get what we need and it would be nice if we all knew better. Frequently, we do not, even when the course of action is offering a second chance. Perhaps it will be years before realizing complacence about other people's decisions is caustic.
Quirky Books
Years of Dust by Albert Marrin
