Saturday, May 24, 2008
Vacations
When you go on a vacation, what is it that makes it so relaxing? Is is the freedom from responsibilities, the lack of stressors (hypothetically) or is there something more? Sitting in a hotel room, using the one day free access Internet connection from the hotel, I am inclined to believe the latter. There is something relaxing that comes from the atmosphere of a different place. Even if it somewhere you have been before and/or know really well, the lack of mundane familiarity is refreshing. There is a magical element that comes from knowing you are leaving behind everything. Although you know that you must return and re-shoulder all of your daily burdens, you stop caring. Therein lies the freedom.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Looking Back
Hmmm...I have been noticing just how many of my blogs seem to be random philosophical thoughts. Why? I don't have a solid answer, but I know myself well enough to have a hunch. I started this blog as a way to, "throw up" as it were, all the rambling ideas and thoughts that I have. It seems that the issues that matter are usually pretty volatile in subject matter. I am not so opinionated that I cannot have a discussion with another person and be subjective enough to consider their arguments, but sometimes it is nice to just be able to say what you are thinking, regardless of who, if anyone, reads what you post.
When it comes to blogging, I have never been a huge fan of the super opinionated ideas that seem to spew themselves across the Internet. There is absolutely no way to even begin to check for accuracy or legitimacy, but anything that is put on the web seems to fall unnaturally in to the "fact" category. I don't pretend that anything I might have to say is unbiased; it is simply my opinions and observation. But, I am not so mentally incapacitated as to thing of posting ridiculous information and masquerading it as truth. I don't want to post journal entries of my boring life here either; no one has business reading them.
When it comes to blogging, I have never been a huge fan of the super opinionated ideas that seem to spew themselves across the Internet. There is absolutely no way to even begin to check for accuracy or legitimacy, but anything that is put on the web seems to fall unnaturally in to the "fact" category. I don't pretend that anything I might have to say is unbiased; it is simply my opinions and observation. But, I am not so mentally incapacitated as to thing of posting ridiculous information and masquerading it as truth. I don't want to post journal entries of my boring life here either; no one has business reading them.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Words of Wisdom: Makes You Think
This is excerpt of an email forward I got, maybe, 6 years ago that really stuck with me. I never found out the original author, or in what context it was first produced, so I have no way to site the source. All I know is that it rings all too true in the society that is currently bustling around outside my window.
"The paradox of our rime in history is that we have taller buildings, but shorter tempers, wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences and less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge but less judgement, more experts, yet more problems, More medicine, but less wellness. We dink too much, smoke too much, spend to recklessly, laugh to little, drive to fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom. We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love to seldom, and hate too often. We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life, but not life to years. We've been all the way to the Moon and back, but we have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space, but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.
We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hole more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less. These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses and broken homes.
These are the days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything frorm cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom."
I think that someone mentioned that this speec came from a preacher. If it is, he (or she) is a wise person with a much wider view of life than most people. I salute the original author and add my approval and thoughts to this message. When the world around you moves so fast, that it all becomes a blur, it mught be time to sit out, and wait for everyone elxe to catch their breath too. It almost seems as if the world is hurring up to destroy itself in a blaze of spotlights and shopping sprees, politics and dissapointments. Who knows, maybe someday, history will look back on our generation and say "They were not all bad." Maybe.
"The paradox of our rime in history is that we have taller buildings, but shorter tempers, wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences and less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge but less judgement, more experts, yet more problems, More medicine, but less wellness. We dink too much, smoke too much, spend to recklessly, laugh to little, drive to fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom. We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love to seldom, and hate too often. We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life, but not life to years. We've been all the way to the Moon and back, but we have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space, but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.
We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hole more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less. These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses and broken homes.
These are the days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything frorm cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom."
I think that someone mentioned that this speec came from a preacher. If it is, he (or she) is a wise person with a much wider view of life than most people. I salute the original author and add my approval and thoughts to this message. When the world around you moves so fast, that it all becomes a blur, it mught be time to sit out, and wait for everyone elxe to catch their breath too. It almost seems as if the world is hurring up to destroy itself in a blaze of spotlights and shopping sprees, politics and dissapointments. Who knows, maybe someday, history will look back on our generation and say "They were not all bad." Maybe.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Moderation
Over the course of human history, the ideas and morals that govern society have changed. The which was once condemnable by death has become common and acceptable in practice, while that which was once accepted as reasonable and true has been cast off as old fashioned and narrow minded. One of the greatest noticeable changes is the lack of moderation. Extemisms of complete lack of something or radical beliefs have grown into powerful niches throughout civilization. These opposing philosophies seem to have enveloped the mind and heart of society, and have fundamentally changed the way people interact with each other.
The specific examples I want to point out are the religious zealots vs the atheistic apathetic group. In the world of Islam there is absolutely no separation of religion from anything else. It dominates in politics, culture, society, and home life; it leaves no room for personal interpretation or individual liberty. Don't get me wrong, incorporating religion into your life is not a bad thing, but the extreme radicalism exterminates all else. On the other side of the coin, is the complete lack of religion, in personal life, or in the world period. For example, in the Netherlands, religion is not a force that is part of the average life. A person is born, lives, and dies with only minimal contact with religious interface. The lack of religion is nearly as damaging as too much. Although this is only one, remote example, I think it serves as model for all else. I think it might be time to look around and ask the question: "When is it enough?" Once you can answer that question, the world might turn and follow.
The specific examples I want to point out are the religious zealots vs the atheistic apathetic group. In the world of Islam there is absolutely no separation of religion from anything else. It dominates in politics, culture, society, and home life; it leaves no room for personal interpretation or individual liberty. Don't get me wrong, incorporating religion into your life is not a bad thing, but the extreme radicalism exterminates all else. On the other side of the coin, is the complete lack of religion, in personal life, or in the world period. For example, in the Netherlands, religion is not a force that is part of the average life. A person is born, lives, and dies with only minimal contact with religious interface. The lack of religion is nearly as damaging as too much. Although this is only one, remote example, I think it serves as model for all else. I think it might be time to look around and ask the question: "When is it enough?" Once you can answer that question, the world might turn and follow.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Hello, and Welcome
This is my first time dabbling in to the world of blogging, so I have alot to say, but I have no idea where to start. Let me first begin with an explanation of the blog name. This is not a blog about a cutter or suicide risk, or even a pessimist. I simply hold the belief that inside each person is a good and an evil force. What makes them good or bad is the decision to loet one side or the other rule. You can only understand what you arer if you dare to take a look inside yourself; and I mean really look. There are no sigh posts that say "This Way Lie Monsters" down the paths of good intentions. What you are is determined by what rules you.
I have no specific topic for my blogging, so things may come frequently or not, and follow no thread at all. I welcome any and all comments, (the good, bad and mean) so don't hesitate to say what you feel.
I have no specific topic for my blogging, so things may come frequently or not, and follow no thread at all. I welcome any and all comments, (the good, bad and mean) so don't hesitate to say what you feel.
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