Numbers

One of the most profound thing about numbers is how absolute they are. That is, they are absolute in their relationship to one another. "Two plus two is always four" is kind of a standard thing people say when they want to make a reference to the fact that certain truths are absolute.

I believe that by meditating on certain numbers we can better understand the world we live in. With our minds we can pierce through the chaos and confusion of a world where words often fail to have absolute meaning, and reach for a world of fact and reason. It is here that we will find liberty.

So what numbers am I meditating on?

• 730 billion - that's 730,000,000,000 - the number of dollars the federal government will spend on Social Security in 2011
• 491 billion - that's 491,000,000,000 - the number of dollars they will spend on Medicare
• 297 billion - that's 297,000,000,000 - the number of dollars they will spend on Medicaid
• 549 billion - that's 549,000,000,000 - the number of dollars they will spend on the Department of Defense
• 719 billion - that's 719,000,000,000 - the number of dollars they will spend on national security, including defense plus other agencies
• 3.834 trillion - that's 3,834,000,000,000 - the number of dollars they will spend total
• 1.267 trillion - that's 1,267,000,000,000 - the number of dollars they will spend over-budget, that is, the deficit they expect to accrue for the year 2011.
• 15.299 trillion - that's 15,299,000,000,000 - the expected GDP of the United States in the year 2011
• 10.498 trillion - that's 10,498,000,000,000 - the anticipated public debt owed by the United States in the year 2011.

Contemplate these numbers with me. What might they say about the world we live in?