I've spent the better part of my adult life as a would-be philosopher. Anytime I have heard some new information, I've tried to examine it from every perspective so I could to determine if it was the truth or a lie, good news or bad (because if it's good for me, but bad for lots of other people that I care about, then is it really good news?). I would see if it was good for men and women, old and young, my race and other races, my income level and other income levels, my geographic location, etc. As you can tell from reading this, I've never made any snap decisions or offered a quick opinion on anything I've just learned. Analyzing a problem is always a good thing, but over analyzing really gets to be a drag. Besides, when you can see everybody else's side, do you even have a side anymore?(oops, too philosophical, forgive me, it's my first day)
I am going to take people at face value from now on. The only news I'm going to get worked up over are the things that directly affect myself and my family, or problems that I can actually do something about other than just complaining that they exist. I can't worry if Iran is building a nuclear bomb or not. I can't worry if genocide is taking place in some far away land. I can't even worry about what goes on in New York or California(never been to either place and I doubt I ever will). I got a college reading list and am now going to read all of the great fiction that I didn't then, or did but was too immature to fully understand. It's a voluntary, non-invasive, partial lobotomy. I could explain more about why I am doing this, but that would defeat the purpose of not over thinking the issue(this is not satire, my brain is just tired of being banged against the proverbial brick wall). Thanks.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
It's the End of the World as We Know It...
I am so tired of hearing about the good old days. It has become a rallying cry for extremists of every race, nationality, and political persuasion. Believe me, the good old days never really existed at all, and yet they existed for every one of us(no, I have not been drinking). We hear a lot about returning to a simpler time, a time when things moved slower and people got along with each other. But ever since man could pick up a stick, there have been wars, theft and conflicts of every sort. Every generation thinks it is witnessing the end of the world as they know it, and they're right.
If you think the 1940's were a golden era, then I invite you to remember the tarnish of nazism(I refuse to capitalize nazism as my spellcheck instructed me to do), concentration camps, WWII, and, here at home, violent racism and abuse against women and children that was not only tolerated, it wasn't even illegal.
The 50's were just as bad, with the Korean war, Chinese expansion, communist aggression, and in our own back yard, McCarthyism and continued harsh oppression of minorities and women.
In the 60's, civil rights improved for some, but Vietnam, rampant drug use(mild by our terms), casual sex, and anti-war protests seemed to signal a collapse of the peaceful society that our grandparents had known.
The 1970's saw the oil crisis and Mideast turmoil that gave birth to the modern terrorist movement as we know it.
And now for our time(my friends and 40-something-year-old compatriots). The 80's, by far my favorite decade in American history. I was 12 in 1980. I went to middle school, high school, graduated, and began my adult life in this era(accompanied by some of the best music music ever made, I might add). But the cold war, fear of nuclear annihilation, gang violence, and aids all scared me to death. I had more than my fair share of nightmares where the last thing I remember seeing before I woke up with a start was a brilliant flash and a mushroom cloud.
Americans have never known a time that wasn't full of great upheaval and constant worry. The good old days don't belong to a particular era or decade. They belong to all of us. We call them our childhood. When the world was only as big as your neighborhood, and punishment was handed out by someone who loved you. Of course we all want to go back to this, but it's gone for good. The saddest thing to me is that one day my own children will have to live in the grown-up world as it's always been; full of work, worry, loss, and uncertainty, just like every one else who's come before them.
If you think the 1940's were a golden era, then I invite you to remember the tarnish of nazism(I refuse to capitalize nazism as my spellcheck instructed me to do), concentration camps, WWII, and, here at home, violent racism and abuse against women and children that was not only tolerated, it wasn't even illegal.
The 50's were just as bad, with the Korean war, Chinese expansion, communist aggression, and in our own back yard, McCarthyism and continued harsh oppression of minorities and women.
In the 60's, civil rights improved for some, but Vietnam, rampant drug use(mild by our terms), casual sex, and anti-war protests seemed to signal a collapse of the peaceful society that our grandparents had known.
The 1970's saw the oil crisis and Mideast turmoil that gave birth to the modern terrorist movement as we know it.
And now for our time(my friends and 40-something-year-old compatriots). The 80's, by far my favorite decade in American history. I was 12 in 1980. I went to middle school, high school, graduated, and began my adult life in this era(accompanied by some of the best music music ever made, I might add). But the cold war, fear of nuclear annihilation, gang violence, and aids all scared me to death. I had more than my fair share of nightmares where the last thing I remember seeing before I woke up with a start was a brilliant flash and a mushroom cloud.
Americans have never known a time that wasn't full of great upheaval and constant worry. The good old days don't belong to a particular era or decade. They belong to all of us. We call them our childhood. When the world was only as big as your neighborhood, and punishment was handed out by someone who loved you. Of course we all want to go back to this, but it's gone for good. The saddest thing to me is that one day my own children will have to live in the grown-up world as it's always been; full of work, worry, loss, and uncertainty, just like every one else who's come before them.
Monday, August 16, 2010
The Myth of World Peace...
The Oxford American Dictionary defines peace as a slice, as of bread or pie(oops, sorry, that's piece). But defining peace is certainly the first step in fulfilling the wishes of beauty pageant contestants everywhere. Is peace just the absence of war, or is it everybody getting along and accepting each other? Sadly, my dictionary doesn't mention getting along with each other until way down the list. The first three definitions are freedoms from something bad; war, civil disorder, and anxiety. The next is a treaty for ending war. It isn't until the fifth meaning that we find some real meaning. A state of harmony between people(mmm, that sounds good). In today's world, I'm not sure you can find that even in a single-family household.
World peace is kind of like the weather, everybody wants it, but nobody does anything about it. More precisely, everyone thinks someone else should sacrifice for their happiness, but they shouldn't have to give up anything for anybody. My dictionary defines that as selfishness, and my Thesaurus says that's the opposite of benevolence and generosity(I wish my reference books would shut up for a minute, so I can think). Parents still go without for their children, but even that percentage is not nearly as high as it used to be(or not nearly as high as we imagine it used to be).
We can never have true world peace, not because old prejudices run so deep, but because no one is willing to be the first one to give them up. In this day and age, it is a sign of weakness to reconsider long held beliefs and open your mind to new ideas, even ones that might actually serve you better(after all, in order to write this, I had to give up my intense hatred of writing). Selfishness and Hate love only one another. So, I am hoping for the next best thing. A day when we can just stop the wars, death, disease, and general suffering that comes from absolutely despising all things different from what you believe. Hmm, on the other hand, what's in it for me?
World peace is kind of like the weather, everybody wants it, but nobody does anything about it. More precisely, everyone thinks someone else should sacrifice for their happiness, but they shouldn't have to give up anything for anybody. My dictionary defines that as selfishness, and my Thesaurus says that's the opposite of benevolence and generosity(I wish my reference books would shut up for a minute, so I can think). Parents still go without for their children, but even that percentage is not nearly as high as it used to be(or not nearly as high as we imagine it used to be).
We can never have true world peace, not because old prejudices run so deep, but because no one is willing to be the first one to give them up. In this day and age, it is a sign of weakness to reconsider long held beliefs and open your mind to new ideas, even ones that might actually serve you better(after all, in order to write this, I had to give up my intense hatred of writing). Selfishness and Hate love only one another. So, I am hoping for the next best thing. A day when we can just stop the wars, death, disease, and general suffering that comes from absolutely despising all things different from what you believe. Hmm, on the other hand, what's in it for me?
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
First Time's a Charm, So Please Be Gentle...
Wow, we really hate each other don't we?! I know there are a lot of people out there who would disagree with that statement, but those people obviously don't watch the news. Look at all of the reasons we have to despise each other. All of these instances play out in news stories I have read in the paper or seen on TV in the last couple of weeks.
1. Race-I hate you because you're black, I hate you because you're white!
2. Religion-I hate you because you're a Muslim, I hate you because you're Christian!
3. Culture-I hate you because you don't embrace the old ways, I hate you because you are against change!
4. Political Ideology- I hate you because you're a democrat, I hate you because you're a republican!
5. Geography-I hate arrogant northerners, I hate ignorant Southerners!
6. Education-I hate you because you think you're smarter than me, I hate you because you're uneducated!
7. Economic Status-I hate the rich because they're greedy, I hate the poor because they drain our resources!
8. Age-I hate old people because they think they know everything, I hate young people who know nothing! 9. Gender-I hate women for being weak, I hate men for being forceful and overbearing!
My god, I can't write any more examples. It really is enough to drive a sane man crazy(oops, there's another one!) The talking heads on news shows like to say this resurgence of hatred is brought on by the Internet era. They say all ideas can now be aired to anyone who wants to see them, therefore more people are taking sides and calling for the containment or destruction of the other(the other being anyone who doesn't agree with you totally). The funny thing is that a person can change a lot of the things on the list if they wish. Let's take a look.
1. Race-Until further notice, I'm afraid this one is a keeper.
2. Religion-People convert from one religion to another everyday. I was born a Baptist and converted to Catholicism. Am I a different person? No, but my wife's family certainly likes me better!
3. Culture-This one only exists in people's minds anyway. It consists of the music, art, literature, and customs or one's civilization. Since new music, art, literature, and customs appear everyday, Culture is a fluid concept usually experienced by what decade you grew up in(Go Eighties!).
4. Political Ideology-A lot of people only belong to the two major ones because they know a third-party candidate will only siphon votes away from one of the two, even if that third-party candidate speaks exactly to what the particular voter believes.
5. Geography-The easiest one to change. Who doesn't know someone who's moved to a different region of the country.
6. Education-Also easy to change, but more time consuming to go up(going back to school for your degree), than it is going down(stroke or brain injury).
7. Economic Status-Again, much easier to go down, than up. But there are still people striking it rich, even in this topsy-turvy environment.
8. Age-This one changes no matter what the late night infomercials try to tell you. The person who figures out how to make us age backwards will be rich beyond Bill Gates' imagination!
9. Gender-I'd guess this would be the hardest to change, and the most painful and misunderstood. However, people do change this one all of the time(I did cringe when I was writing the word painful).
So, in my opinion, if we can just figure out how to solve the racial divide, then we can end hatred as we know it. Now wouldn't that be cool...
1. Race-I hate you because you're black, I hate you because you're white!
2. Religion-I hate you because you're a Muslim, I hate you because you're Christian!
3. Culture-I hate you because you don't embrace the old ways, I hate you because you are against change!
4. Political Ideology- I hate you because you're a democrat, I hate you because you're a republican!
5. Geography-I hate arrogant northerners, I hate ignorant Southerners!
6. Education-I hate you because you think you're smarter than me, I hate you because you're uneducated!
7. Economic Status-I hate the rich because they're greedy, I hate the poor because they drain our resources!
8. Age-I hate old people because they think they know everything, I hate young people who know nothing! 9. Gender-I hate women for being weak, I hate men for being forceful and overbearing!
My god, I can't write any more examples. It really is enough to drive a sane man crazy(oops, there's another one!) The talking heads on news shows like to say this resurgence of hatred is brought on by the Internet era. They say all ideas can now be aired to anyone who wants to see them, therefore more people are taking sides and calling for the containment or destruction of the other(the other being anyone who doesn't agree with you totally). The funny thing is that a person can change a lot of the things on the list if they wish. Let's take a look.
1. Race-Until further notice, I'm afraid this one is a keeper.
2. Religion-People convert from one religion to another everyday. I was born a Baptist and converted to Catholicism. Am I a different person? No, but my wife's family certainly likes me better!
3. Culture-This one only exists in people's minds anyway. It consists of the music, art, literature, and customs or one's civilization. Since new music, art, literature, and customs appear everyday, Culture is a fluid concept usually experienced by what decade you grew up in(Go Eighties!).
4. Political Ideology-A lot of people only belong to the two major ones because they know a third-party candidate will only siphon votes away from one of the two, even if that third-party candidate speaks exactly to what the particular voter believes.
5. Geography-The easiest one to change. Who doesn't know someone who's moved to a different region of the country.
6. Education-Also easy to change, but more time consuming to go up(going back to school for your degree), than it is going down(stroke or brain injury).
7. Economic Status-Again, much easier to go down, than up. But there are still people striking it rich, even in this topsy-turvy environment.
8. Age-This one changes no matter what the late night infomercials try to tell you. The person who figures out how to make us age backwards will be rich beyond Bill Gates' imagination!
9. Gender-I'd guess this would be the hardest to change, and the most painful and misunderstood. However, people do change this one all of the time(I did cringe when I was writing the word painful).
So, in my opinion, if we can just figure out how to solve the racial divide, then we can end hatred as we know it. Now wouldn't that be cool...
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