Ok. So. Another random factoid about my life. My mom could easily be considered a senior citizen. She is at most restaurants.
She once got called my grandmother at Ocean City. I found this extremely amusing. She didn't.
Anyway. She was looking out the window of our house, at a large group of kids walking by. She shook her head and I asked her why.
To paraphrase, she was disgused at the fact that they were dressed sloppily, rude, inconsiderate, and any other manner of negative adjectives.
Now, I've had the unfortunate experience of having had to walk by these kids. All those adjectives in the line above? Completely true. When a 10 year old can cuss better than a high-school senior, you know something's wrong.
My point is, my mom is really starting to remind me of the 'unsociable old person' that tends to turn into a hermit in the movies.
I'm not all that sure of what my reaction should be. I love my mom, but......
Another reason for this post? I see the world's future crashing down around me. The world is screwed if the future is left to them. No such thing as common decency anymore.
Is this one of those times where if you don't laugh, you cry?
Lord help us all.
Song of the moment:
Dust in the Wind by Kansas
I close my eyes, only for a moment, and the moment's gone
All my dreams, pass before my eyes, a curiosity
Dust in the wind, all they are is dust in the wind
Same old song, just a drop of water in an endless sea
All we do, crumbles to the ground, though we refuse to see
Dust in the wind,
All we are is dust in the wind
Don't hang on,
Nothing lasts forever but the earth and sky
It slips away, all your money won't another minute buy
Dust in the wind,
All we are is dust in the wind
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Saturday, March 27, 2010
What Makes the World Go 'Round?
I said in my first post that I'd be following "The Teenage Philosopher" and adding my thoughts here, since the comment box is small and I'd probably overload it. And most people don't read comments. Anyway.
First thing is that I disagree with: Greed is not the only thing separating mankind from Utopia. Admittedly, it's a big thing. A lot of things in history can be attributed to greed in one form or another. Mind, another word for greed here should be power. Man has always wanted to place himself above his fellow man, going all the way back to the story of Cain and Abel.
Cain: Why does God like your stuff?
Abel: I have no idea.
Cain: I hate you! *Abel is now dead*
(Yes, I know, overly-simplified, but you get the point.)
If one has power, greed is taken care of via the recieving of power. And greed can get you power, but only if you go about it the right way.
Back to my point, greed's not the only thing seperating us from Utopia. Fear, I believe, also keeps us from Utopia. Look at it. How many wars have started, how many people have been killed, just because neither group understands the other? What we do not understand, we fear, what we fear, we destroy.
Of course, this can turn into supremacy, for example whites being better than everything else, which leads into power/greed. But fear is also there.
Greed IS a huge leading factor, but don't discount fear.
Ideas of a free barter system.
It has worked in the past. Medieval villages, so far removed from the cities and their liege lords, pretty much only farmed so that they could pay taxes and feed themselves. However, now and then there would be a time where the peasant farmer would need something they couldn't grow, ex. something a smith could make. Now, smithing is hard work, and they can't afford to farm and smith at the same time. Also, their trade is in demand. The farmer would take some food to the smith, ask for a service, and hand the smith some food. The smith would then give them what they need. Free barter. Need for need, everyone's happy.
Now, as I look at it, a free barter system only works when someone needs something. Place a unneeded service in the equation, like a painter, and everything goes out of whack. The painter would almost never be needed, because his service is a luxury. Therefore, when he is needed, he's gonna charge a LOT of food for his service because the painter wants to survive till his next paycheck of food.
Free barter can't work in this day and age simply because people want too many unneeded services. Do you really NEED that iPod you listen to everyday?
Ah! There's that word again. Want=greed=power.
One must realize that people revolve around needs and wants, and that today's world is one of more wants than needs.
The general point at the end was to keep greed/power at bay long enough to keep it from destroying everything in its path.
That's hard to do. Very hard. It's almost hardwired into the human psyche.
Every system of government except for anarchy(which is pure chaos and is only a set-up for monarchy) has had a specific set up. You've got your elite few, your in the middle masses, and those at the very bottom of the totem pole. It's always been this way. It even happens with animals! Look at animals that live in groups. You've got your alpha male and female, the main group, and then you've got your outcasts who the rest of the clan tolerates. Top, middle, bottom. It's in human nature to claw for the top.
Where was I going with this?
Oh, yeah, this point. Someone is going to want to be better than everyone else. And there's want again.
Now that I think about it, anarchy might work as a system of government if there was some sort of impartial, immediate way to enforce the law. Government exists to enforce laws and to keep its people safe. Now, I'm thinking impartial, souless computer here, so this one needs more thought. I do NOT need to go Star Trek here.
Last thoughts for today? Look at history. If it's happened, it'll happen again. Trust me. Humanity just loves repeating itself. Makes me fear a bit for the United States. Look at the parallels between Ancient Rome and the United States. When you see them, you will get very, very creeped out.
Teenage Philosopher, thanks for making my brain work today.
Song for today:
We Are by Ana Johnsson
See the devil on the doorstep now (my oh my)
Telling everybody oh just how to live their lives
Sliding down the information highway
Buying in just like a bunch of fools
Time is ticking and we can't go back (my oh my)
What about the world today
What about the place that we call home
We’ve never been so many
And we've never been so alone
[Chorus]
You keep watching from your picket fence
You keep talking but it makes no sense
You say we're not responsible
But we are, we are
You wash your hands and come out clean
Fail to recognise the enemies within
You say we're not responsible
But we are, we are, we are, we are
One step forward making two steps back (my oh my)
Riding piggy on the bad boys back for life
Lining up for the grand illusion
No answers for no questions asked
Lining up for the execution
Without knowing why
[Chorus]
You keep watching from your picket fence
You keep talking but it makes no sense
You say we're not responsible
But we are, we are
You wash your hands and come out clean
Fail to recognise the enemies within
You say we're not responsible
But we are, we are, we are, we are
It’s all about power then
Take control
Breaking the rule
Breaking the soul
They suck us dry till there’s nothing left
My oh my, my oh my
What about the world today
What about the place that we call home
We' ve never been so many
And we've never been so alone....
So alone
[Chorus]
You keep watching from your picket fence
You keep talking but it makes no sense
You say we're not responsible
But we are, we are
You wash your hands and come out clean
Fail to recognise the enemies within
You say we're not responsible
But we are, we are, we are, we are
It’s all about power then (we are)
Take control (we are)
Breaking the rule (we are, we are)
Breaking the soul (we are)
They suck us dry till there’s nothing left (we are, we are)
My oh my, my oh my
We are
We are (its all )
We are
We are, we are (take control)
We are
We are
It’s all about power
Then take control
First thing is that I disagree with: Greed is not the only thing separating mankind from Utopia. Admittedly, it's a big thing. A lot of things in history can be attributed to greed in one form or another. Mind, another word for greed here should be power. Man has always wanted to place himself above his fellow man, going all the way back to the story of Cain and Abel.
Cain: Why does God like your stuff?
Abel: I have no idea.
Cain: I hate you! *Abel is now dead*
(Yes, I know, overly-simplified, but you get the point.)
If one has power, greed is taken care of via the recieving of power. And greed can get you power, but only if you go about it the right way.
Back to my point, greed's not the only thing seperating us from Utopia. Fear, I believe, also keeps us from Utopia. Look at it. How many wars have started, how many people have been killed, just because neither group understands the other? What we do not understand, we fear, what we fear, we destroy.
Of course, this can turn into supremacy, for example whites being better than everything else, which leads into power/greed. But fear is also there.
Greed IS a huge leading factor, but don't discount fear.
Ideas of a free barter system.
It has worked in the past. Medieval villages, so far removed from the cities and their liege lords, pretty much only farmed so that they could pay taxes and feed themselves. However, now and then there would be a time where the peasant farmer would need something they couldn't grow, ex. something a smith could make. Now, smithing is hard work, and they can't afford to farm and smith at the same time. Also, their trade is in demand. The farmer would take some food to the smith, ask for a service, and hand the smith some food. The smith would then give them what they need. Free barter. Need for need, everyone's happy.
Now, as I look at it, a free barter system only works when someone needs something. Place a unneeded service in the equation, like a painter, and everything goes out of whack. The painter would almost never be needed, because his service is a luxury. Therefore, when he is needed, he's gonna charge a LOT of food for his service because the painter wants to survive till his next paycheck of food.
Free barter can't work in this day and age simply because people want too many unneeded services. Do you really NEED that iPod you listen to everyday?
Ah! There's that word again. Want=greed=power.
One must realize that people revolve around needs and wants, and that today's world is one of more wants than needs.
The general point at the end was to keep greed/power at bay long enough to keep it from destroying everything in its path.
That's hard to do. Very hard. It's almost hardwired into the human psyche.
Every system of government except for anarchy(which is pure chaos and is only a set-up for monarchy) has had a specific set up. You've got your elite few, your in the middle masses, and those at the very bottom of the totem pole. It's always been this way. It even happens with animals! Look at animals that live in groups. You've got your alpha male and female, the main group, and then you've got your outcasts who the rest of the clan tolerates. Top, middle, bottom. It's in human nature to claw for the top.
Where was I going with this?
Oh, yeah, this point. Someone is going to want to be better than everyone else. And there's want again.
Now that I think about it, anarchy might work as a system of government if there was some sort of impartial, immediate way to enforce the law. Government exists to enforce laws and to keep its people safe. Now, I'm thinking impartial, souless computer here, so this one needs more thought. I do NOT need to go Star Trek here.
Last thoughts for today? Look at history. If it's happened, it'll happen again. Trust me. Humanity just loves repeating itself. Makes me fear a bit for the United States. Look at the parallels between Ancient Rome and the United States. When you see them, you will get very, very creeped out.
Teenage Philosopher, thanks for making my brain work today.
Song for today:
We Are by Ana Johnsson
See the devil on the doorstep now (my oh my)
Telling everybody oh just how to live their lives
Sliding down the information highway
Buying in just like a bunch of fools
Time is ticking and we can't go back (my oh my)
What about the world today
What about the place that we call home
We’ve never been so many
And we've never been so alone
[Chorus]
You keep watching from your picket fence
You keep talking but it makes no sense
You say we're not responsible
But we are, we are
You wash your hands and come out clean
Fail to recognise the enemies within
You say we're not responsible
But we are, we are, we are, we are
One step forward making two steps back (my oh my)
Riding piggy on the bad boys back for life
Lining up for the grand illusion
No answers for no questions asked
Lining up for the execution
Without knowing why
[Chorus]
You keep watching from your picket fence
You keep talking but it makes no sense
You say we're not responsible
But we are, we are
You wash your hands and come out clean
Fail to recognise the enemies within
You say we're not responsible
But we are, we are, we are, we are
It’s all about power then
Take control
Breaking the rule
Breaking the soul
They suck us dry till there’s nothing left
My oh my, my oh my
What about the world today
What about the place that we call home
We' ve never been so many
And we've never been so alone....
So alone
[Chorus]
You keep watching from your picket fence
You keep talking but it makes no sense
You say we're not responsible
But we are, we are
You wash your hands and come out clean
Fail to recognise the enemies within
You say we're not responsible
But we are, we are, we are, we are
It’s all about power then (we are)
Take control (we are)
Breaking the rule (we are, we are)
Breaking the soul (we are)
They suck us dry till there’s nothing left (we are, we are)
My oh my, my oh my
We are
We are (its all )
We are
We are, we are (take control)
We are
We are
It’s all about power
Then take control
Friday, March 26, 2010
Friday Night Lights
So. It's Friday. Specifically Friday night. School's out for the week, it's now Spring Break, and there's no real stressing assignments/issues/events to worry about at the moment.
Shouldn't I be out on the town, enjoying myself with my friends, trolling the malls, or in some way getting out of the house and having a good time?
Oh, nooooooooooo...........
Instead, I'm sitting at home waiting for the time to pass for no specific reason, and trolling fanfiction.net for hopefully something good to read. That even means flicking through my long favorites list for a story that maybe I haven't read four times.
Hmph.
Maybe I'll work on that drawing piece for the Anti-Cliche and Mary-Sue Elimination Society. Yes, I had to put that in. It's a big part of my life, now. I've met so many people through that. Fanfiction is probably a better place to meet people then going outside and hitting a bar. And it's almost guaranteed to have someone with likes and hobbies like yours.
It would be very, very cool if it was possible to set up a ACMSES meeting. Like a huge party of some sort. It'd be hard, though, because we span countries, and not just states. A lot of us live in the US, and then there's a good bunch in England. And just think how expensive that would be. Lodging, food, transportation. I'm wincing already at the numbers my brain is pulling up. If one of us won the jackpot lottery we might be able to do it, but only then.
*shakes head* Pipe dream, but a nice one nonetheless.
Maybe we couldn't do a huge, everyone-in-one-spot meeting, but what about a regional one?
We'd have to split up the US into three or four regions, because, frankly? The US is huge. You can fit two or three Englands in it and have room for a bit more. A east coast, central, and west coast meetings. Not sure about across the pond. And I think there's a couple people in other places/countries. Hmmm.....This is much more doable, but still expensive. *is pensive*
And the concentrated insanity....governments all over the world would be watching us to make sure we didn't do/start anything nasty. *cackles evilly* Be worth it just for that.
Lord, the fanfiction we could write.
Hail, hail! Cower before us! The ACMSES is meeting and we are a force to be reckoned with!
Mmmmm.....boosted my mood just by thinking this up. *smiles* I love you guys, ACMSES.
Well, I'm off to go do some drawing. Seems my visual muse is awake and raring!
Current song playing:
Careless Whisper, by Seether.
I feel so unsure
As I take your hand and lead you to the dance floor
As the music dies, something in your eyes
Calls to mind a silver screen and all those sad goodbyes.
I'm never gonna dance again
Cause guilty feet have got no rhythm.
Though it's easy to pretend,
I know you're not a fool.
I should have known better than to cheat a friend
And waste the chance that I'd been given.
So I'm never gonna dance again,
The way I danced with you.
Time can never mend
The careless whispers of a good friend.
To the heart and mind
Ignorance is kind
And there's no comfort in the truth
Pain is all you'll find.
I'm never gonna dance again
Cause guilty feet have got no rhythm
Though it's easy to pretend
I know you're not a fool
I should have known better than to cheat a friend
And waste the chance that I'd been given
So I'm never gonna dance again
The way I danced with you
Tonight the music seems so loud
I wish that we could lose the crowd
Maybe it's better this way
We'd hurt each other with the things we want to say
We could have been so good together
We could have lived this dance forever
But now who's gonna dance with me?
Please stay!
I'm never gonna dance again
Cause guilty feet have got no rhythm
Though it's easy to pretend
I know you're not a fool
I should have known better than to cheat a friend
And waste the chance that I'd been given
So I'm never gonna dance again
The way I danced with you!
Shouldn't I be out on the town, enjoying myself with my friends, trolling the malls, or in some way getting out of the house and having a good time?
Oh, nooooooooooo...........
Instead, I'm sitting at home waiting for the time to pass for no specific reason, and trolling fanfiction.net for hopefully something good to read. That even means flicking through my long favorites list for a story that maybe I haven't read four times.
Hmph.
Maybe I'll work on that drawing piece for the Anti-Cliche and Mary-Sue Elimination Society. Yes, I had to put that in. It's a big part of my life, now. I've met so many people through that. Fanfiction is probably a better place to meet people then going outside and hitting a bar. And it's almost guaranteed to have someone with likes and hobbies like yours.
It would be very, very cool if it was possible to set up a ACMSES meeting. Like a huge party of some sort. It'd be hard, though, because we span countries, and not just states. A lot of us live in the US, and then there's a good bunch in England. And just think how expensive that would be. Lodging, food, transportation. I'm wincing already at the numbers my brain is pulling up. If one of us won the jackpot lottery we might be able to do it, but only then.
*shakes head* Pipe dream, but a nice one nonetheless.
Maybe we couldn't do a huge, everyone-in-one-spot meeting, but what about a regional one?
We'd have to split up the US into three or four regions, because, frankly? The US is huge. You can fit two or three Englands in it and have room for a bit more. A east coast, central, and west coast meetings. Not sure about across the pond. And I think there's a couple people in other places/countries. Hmmm.....This is much more doable, but still expensive. *is pensive*
And the concentrated insanity....governments all over the world would be watching us to make sure we didn't do/start anything nasty. *cackles evilly* Be worth it just for that.
Lord, the fanfiction we could write.
Hail, hail! Cower before us! The ACMSES is meeting and we are a force to be reckoned with!
Mmmmm.....boosted my mood just by thinking this up. *smiles* I love you guys, ACMSES.
Well, I'm off to go do some drawing. Seems my visual muse is awake and raring!
Current song playing:
Careless Whisper, by Seether.
I feel so unsure
As I take your hand and lead you to the dance floor
As the music dies, something in your eyes
Calls to mind a silver screen and all those sad goodbyes.
I'm never gonna dance again
Cause guilty feet have got no rhythm.
Though it's easy to pretend,
I know you're not a fool.
I should have known better than to cheat a friend
And waste the chance that I'd been given.
So I'm never gonna dance again,
The way I danced with you.
Time can never mend
The careless whispers of a good friend.
To the heart and mind
Ignorance is kind
And there's no comfort in the truth
Pain is all you'll find.
I'm never gonna dance again
Cause guilty feet have got no rhythm
Though it's easy to pretend
I know you're not a fool
I should have known better than to cheat a friend
And waste the chance that I'd been given
So I'm never gonna dance again
The way I danced with you
Tonight the music seems so loud
I wish that we could lose the crowd
Maybe it's better this way
We'd hurt each other with the things we want to say
We could have been so good together
We could have lived this dance forever
But now who's gonna dance with me?
Please stay!
I'm never gonna dance again
Cause guilty feet have got no rhythm
Though it's easy to pretend
I know you're not a fool
I should have known better than to cheat a friend
And waste the chance that I'd been given
So I'm never gonna dance again
The way I danced with you!
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Hum. This is new.
I don't usually keep up with these, so expect rare postings if you follow me.
"The Teenage Philosopher" got me here. I decided to join up. As to his penname, he'll be talking about philosophy. I will have my own comments to this, and will most likely put them here if not in his comments section, with my own add-ons.
I've just gotten into Joseph Campbell's work via a book giveaway at my college, and the book I'm reading is "The Power of Myth." Some of it is waaaaaaaaay above me, and a lot of it requires outside reading of some other books and a detailed reading of the Bible without the religious connotations. It irks me beyond words the way some believe that what the Bible says is right, and the only way to go, without EVER looking at another POV. That kind of ignorance should be a crime. Go learn about other people! I am learning myself, and it's a big eyeopener. And there are a lot of things in there that are over my head and will take a second and third reading with a dictionary beside me.
It's giving me a new idea about how I should look at things. I consider myself a Christian, and live my life that way. But, reading The Power of Myth" and with my own knowledge of history, really makes me question some of the tradition and procedure.
How about something more down to Earth, if just as difficult to puzzle out?
Social life. Uhg. Really, uhg. I'm 18, and therefore I come with all the social difficulties of that age. To make it worse, I am awkward when it comes to guys. I have a very hard time flirting. Which is very unfair, because my two closest friends are very good at flirting. I'm am learning, but it's a slow process. Oh, for the style and customs of the 19th century, where it was called courting, and this 'dating' thing never came into the equation. *hmph*
The situation, detailed.
As I said, I'm awkward when flirting. So, guy comes into life. I think guy is cute. Other friend comes into picture and promptly nabs said guy right out from under my nose. Now, I let her have him. I shrug it off. Fast-forward a few months. Other friend, let's call her R, has had a couple of difficulties and now is no longer with cute guy #1. Enter cute guy #2. I think he's cute, and so does R, apparently. Well, so does J (who is girl number three for you readers), but she's already taken and therefore is off the playing board at the moment.
R and J both know that I thought cute guy #2 was cute, and I wanted to at least flirt/attempt to get CG#2/grab his attention. Oh, noooooo, R has to immediately grab CG#2 out from under my nose again. And it hurts. A lot. Doesn't help that R has a lot of boy/self-esteem problems and therefore flings herself at any guy that comes along. Really, R, use a little common sense!
So, I'm hurting massively, and extremely jealous. But, I am a close friend of R. I've known her since elementary school. When you're a friend with someone this long, you become extremely loyal to this person. I'd defend her from anything, really.
So, I'm having a hard time deciding to confront her with this information, and how. Because I know it would hurt her. I don't want to do that. Well, part of me does. Jealousy and hurt make you want to lash out at others. J knows what I'm going through but that isn't much comfort.
I'm thinking I may talk it over with her eventually. But I have to get her alone, first. Whooooooo boy, that will be a job and a half.
"The Teenage Philosopher" got me here. I decided to join up. As to his penname, he'll be talking about philosophy. I will have my own comments to this, and will most likely put them here if not in his comments section, with my own add-ons.
I've just gotten into Joseph Campbell's work via a book giveaway at my college, and the book I'm reading is "The Power of Myth." Some of it is waaaaaaaaay above me, and a lot of it requires outside reading of some other books and a detailed reading of the Bible without the religious connotations. It irks me beyond words the way some believe that what the Bible says is right, and the only way to go, without EVER looking at another POV. That kind of ignorance should be a crime. Go learn about other people! I am learning myself, and it's a big eyeopener. And there are a lot of things in there that are over my head and will take a second and third reading with a dictionary beside me.
It's giving me a new idea about how I should look at things. I consider myself a Christian, and live my life that way. But, reading The Power of Myth" and with my own knowledge of history, really makes me question some of the tradition and procedure.
How about something more down to Earth, if just as difficult to puzzle out?
Social life. Uhg. Really, uhg. I'm 18, and therefore I come with all the social difficulties of that age. To make it worse, I am awkward when it comes to guys. I have a very hard time flirting. Which is very unfair, because my two closest friends are very good at flirting. I'm am learning, but it's a slow process. Oh, for the style and customs of the 19th century, where it was called courting, and this 'dating' thing never came into the equation. *hmph*
The situation, detailed.
As I said, I'm awkward when flirting. So, guy comes into life. I think guy is cute. Other friend comes into picture and promptly nabs said guy right out from under my nose. Now, I let her have him. I shrug it off. Fast-forward a few months. Other friend, let's call her R, has had a couple of difficulties and now is no longer with cute guy #1. Enter cute guy #2. I think he's cute, and so does R, apparently. Well, so does J (who is girl number three for you readers), but she's already taken and therefore is off the playing board at the moment.
R and J both know that I thought cute guy #2 was cute, and I wanted to at least flirt/attempt to get CG#2/grab his attention. Oh, noooooo, R has to immediately grab CG#2 out from under my nose again. And it hurts. A lot. Doesn't help that R has a lot of boy/self-esteem problems and therefore flings herself at any guy that comes along. Really, R, use a little common sense!
So, I'm hurting massively, and extremely jealous. But, I am a close friend of R. I've known her since elementary school. When you're a friend with someone this long, you become extremely loyal to this person. I'd defend her from anything, really.
So, I'm having a hard time deciding to confront her with this information, and how. Because I know it would hurt her. I don't want to do that. Well, part of me does. Jealousy and hurt make you want to lash out at others. J knows what I'm going through but that isn't much comfort.
I'm thinking I may talk it over with her eventually. But I have to get her alone, first. Whooooooo boy, that will be a job and a half.
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