Creativity vs. Stress

Oh creativity, where have you gone? 

Oh creativity, it's been way too long 

Stress tried to kill you, and brought you down for awhile

But youre surging back up, and youre coming in style 

Now you're equipped with the tools that you need

To fight back against stress that is caused by greed

Please fight him off for good, his presence kills joy

It feeds on the mind; it's game is a ploy 

Oh creativity, please fight til the end

Oh creativity, don't ever give in 

You've shown you have fight, now shine your light bright 

And get rid of the darkness stress causes at night 

Oh creativity, you have the power 

To bring happiness in every hour 

Oh creativity, you're stronger than stress 

Show him you're in control and accept nothing less 

Alone

With friends, but alone

With family, but alone 

Through day and night alone

Through fire and ice alone

For even when I glow

And the light begins to show 

I feel alone alone alone

When I've no place to go 

And no place to call home

I feel alone alone alone 

I alone understand 

I alone can withstand 

I alone will find my way

I alone will paint the grey

Ill fix myself 

Alone 

Ill walk through dark 

Alone

Ill find myself 

Alone 

Ill change this world 

Alone

Smaller and Less Important Things

Death surrounds us and suffering neighbors us

But we have smaller and less important things to worry about

Young children are sold into sexual slavery

But we have smaller and less important things to worry about

Car crashes, massacres, poverty, starvation

Debt beyond our power and a divided nation

But we have smaller and less important things to worry about

Racism, hatred, and ignorance towards difference

Will anything ever change? Or will it all just stay the same?

Cause we have smaller and less important things to worry about

And they consume are thought train

My issues with public schooling

All they want is to control you. Go to school at this time every day, all year, except these months. Say the pledge, than go study these same seven subjects for the next ten years. They say they are preparing us for the real world, but everything they teach has no application. The years are filled with subtle pro United States viewpoints that will create a nice army of patriots when we graduate. If we don't go, our parents can face criminal charges and jail time. But don't worry, they'll send the big yellow bus to come get us every morning, and take us home in the afternoon.

Don't you see they want us all to all look the same? To all think the same? "We don't need no thought control" - Pink Floyd says in their song "Another Brick in the Wall", and they are quite right. We certainly don't need to be told what to think. But much of what comes out of government led education is opinionated and biased. In school the kids pledge their allegiance to the country EVERY SINGLE DAY. Do kids even know what it really means to pledge allegiance to something? Of course they don't! But hell no one is even curious as to why we need to pledge allegiance every day to our country, why kids need to do that.

They want us to get through school and then go to the university, then work forty hours a week til we're dead. Whats the best way to get everyone to do that? Send them to school all day everyday as a kid. Tell them college is the only way, and school needs to be a priority. It's all about control.

I have other problems with school besides government control however. School creates an atmosphere of competition. Kids are graded on everything they do, and told they have to make good grades to essentially ever succeed in life. Is that really appropriate for the children of our country? Do we want the kids who can't handle school at the same pace as others to feel like failures? Do we want the smart kids to feel superior to everyone else? These are the kinds of feelings the current schooling system encourages.

My biggest issue with public schooling lies in the core curriculum. Many students can't get it, won't get it, and won't even ever need it. Many people go on to live lives where calculus and chemistry are never needed! Actually I would argue most people go on to live those lives. So why do they need to be judged on how they preform in those classes? However my main problem with the curriculum is there is nothing involving humanity. We don't learn anything about how to treat other people, or how to deal with our emotions. It might be expected for us to learn that at home, but many children never get that from their parents. If we as humans knew how to interact with each other better the world would be a better place.

One day I hope to start my own private school system. One that would teach about human interaction and emotion management. Until then I can only spread ideas, and hope they catch like a wildfire.

Euthanasia

            Britannica defines euthanasia as the “practice of painlessly putting to death persons suffering from painful and incurable disease or incapacitating physical disorder or allowing them to die by withholding treatment or withdrawing artificial life-support measures” (Encyclopedia Britannica). Some describe it as “mercy killing”. Euthanasia is illegal in most of the world, and in forty-seven out of fifty U.S. states. Why is it illegal? One may say that every person has their own right to die, especially when their life has been overcome by pain. Perhaps this is true, but is it immoral to give doctors power over life and death? It is wrong to ask a person who was trained to save lives to end one, and horrible to give sick people the power to end their own lives. For these reasons euthanasia should remain illegal and become illegal where it is lawful.

            Proponents of legalizing euthanasia argue that certain terminally ill people who do not have a chance of recovery have a right to “die with dignity” (DREDF). They forget to realize many other factors play into the decision to end one’s life. Financial pressures and depression will cloud the minds of those faced with the choice of assisted suicide. Occasionally, people who are told they have months to live make a full recovery. Some of these people live for at least a few more years and are even happy for parts of that time. What if those people ended their chance for a future by deciding to be euthanized?  In a perfect world those who truly were terminally ill would be able to make a decision based only on their sickness and the amount of pain they are in. However our world is far from perfect.

If euthanasia was legalized, it would become unclear when it is acceptable to use it. Keeping it as a last resort for people with no hope sounds like a good idea, but it would lead to euthanasia becoming more acceptable for people who have other options. When in a period of pain and suffering, a person may say or want irrational things. If not in their right mind, one may lose the will to live. Even in situations where hope of survival and recovery is not lost, some people would ask for euthanasia. Maybe when first legalized, they would be declined their request. Eventually though someone who had other options would be given the go ahead. One doctor would make a mistake based off his sympathy. This would give other people a case to point to and use as an argument for their own euthanasia requests. Ending one’s life should not be seen as a solution. If euthanasia were legalized, that’s exactly what it would become for some sick people.

            Another major issue with euthanasia legality is giving one man the power over life and death. There are many dilemmas we face when deciding who should administer the dose of death. One is giving men power they might abuse. Jack Kevorkian was a proponent of assisted suicide who took many people’s lives. He claimed to be doing it to help them; however it was more to gain publicity for the issue of Euthanasia. A New York Times article on Jack reads “When the Detroit Free Press investigated his ‘practice’ in 1997, it found that 60 percent of those he assisted weren’t actually terminally ill” ( Douthat).  Human corruption is too widespread to legalize this kind of death (Bio.com).

Giving men this type of power creates another issue. Whoever ends up taking the life will have to deal with the guilt. They will have to deal with the family members who perhaps did not want their mother, father or sibling to end their own life. This person may even face legal problems and lawsuits, especially if they make a mistake. Now we must ask, should it be the doctor? The doctor has spent all of his or her life learning and perfecting the art of preventing sickness and saving lives. It is immoral to even consider asking doctors to have to take a person’s life. A person could specialize in the field of euthanasia, although I do not imagine many people aspire to become executioners. Then there is the mess of dealing with the mixed emotions that may or may not afflict the person who administers the dose. What if after a few years, or maybe over a lifetime, the person’s philosophies change? They may no longer agree with taking lives, and become unable to live with themselves because of what they have done. This kind of guilt can become overwhelming, and no one should have to deal with it.

            The doctors who put people to death will not be the only people facing guilt issues. If euthanasia were a legal option, many terminally ill patients would feel guilty not choosing death. They may feel as if they are a burden to their family, or maybe they do not want to leave behind huge medical bills. This is no choice sick people need to be making. No human should be made to feel guilty for wanting to live. Other people may feel forced by their own healthcare plans. In Oregon (where assisted suicide has been legalized), some patient’s healthcare plans cover euthanasia, but do not cover their own treatment plans! This ridiculous obscenity can easily push people towards euthanasia so as not to leave their family with tremendous debt. Healthcare plans in Oregon are inadvertently pushing patients toward assisted suicide, and this would also happen if euthanasia became legal elsewhere. If a terminally ill and depressed person decides to be put to death instead of becoming a “burden” to their families, their choice should not be considered voluntary.  That person would have been forced into deciding to lose their own life by financial and personal relationship issues. (DREDF)

            Ultimately, the many moral issues with euthanasia are clearly good reason to keep it illegal. Too much guilt and depression would come from taking the power of life and death into our own hands. Death for the terminally ill would become a gateway to death for any who choose. The power of life and death should not be given to doctors. Euthanasia should remain illegal indefinitely.

           

           

Works Cited

1.      The Legal Aspects of Medical Euthanasia David W. Meyers Bioscience Vol. 23, No. 8, The Dilemmas of Euthanasia (Aug., 1973), pp. 467-470  Published by: University of California Press on behalf of the American Institute of Biological Sciences Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1296606

2.      "Key Objections to the Legalization of Assisted Suicide." DREDF.org. DREDF. Web. <http://www.dredf.org/assisted_suicide/Key-Objections-to-the-Legalization-of-Assisted-Suicide.pdf>.

3.      Hillyard, Daniel, and John Dombrink. Dying Right: The Death with Dignity Movement. New York: Routledge, 2001. Print.

4.      Zanskas, Steve, and Wendy Coduti. "Eugenics, Euthanasia, And Physician Assisted Suicide: An Overview For Rehabilitation Professionals." Journal Of Rehabilitation 72.1 (2006): 27-34. Consumer Health Complete - EBSCOhost. Web. 11 Sept. 2012

5.      Cassel, Christine K. "Physician-Assisted Suicide: Are We Asking The Right Question?." Second Opinion 18.2 (1992): 95. MasterFILE Premier. Web. 11 Sept. 2012.

6.      Douthat, Ross. "Dr. Kevorkian's Victims." Editorial. The New York Times. The New York Times, 06 June 2011. Web. 13 Sept. 2012. <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/06/opinion/06douthat.html?_r=0>.

7.      "Euthansia: The Wider Social Context." British Journal Of Nursing 6.17 (1997): 1015. Publisher Provided Full Text Searching File. Web. 10 Sept. 2012.

8.      "Jack Kevorkian Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television. Web. 18 Sept. 2012. <http://www.biography.com/people/jack-kevorkian-9364141?page=5>.

9.      "Euthanasia (law)." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica. Web. 10 Sept. 2012. <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/196711/euthanasia>.

On Having Bipolar

Some days I fucking hate everything. The world is a cold hard placed, designed to make me miserable. There is no purpose. There is no reason. Everything just is. Nothing we accomplish matters, nothing we do will go with us to the grave. All I want is for that day to come, the day I die, because then and only then will I be at peace. No more bullshit. No more misery.

Some days I fucking love everything. The world is a bright and beautiful place, and my purpose is clear. I will be a writer and I will succeed. I will change the bad parts of this world, or at least live to see them change. Everything I do betters me as a person and will help me in future incarnations. Dying is so far in the future its not even something I think about. I enjoy seeing my friends and living life to the fullest. Nature, car rides, loud metal, cigarettes, drugs, hell everything is fun.

There is no in between. I'm miserable or filled with ecstasy. I want to die or I want to live it up. I'm manic or I'm depressed.

Writer's Block

I'm currently suffering from sever writer's block. But I'm going to type whatever comes to mind. So here it goes. I just paused for ten seconds. I apologize. I am trying to type as fast as possible whatever comes to my mind. It's not working as I planned.

Writers block. As a writer, I experience this quite often. But why does it occur? I have so many things I want to talk about, and often I can generate pages about these topics quickly. But every once and awhile this thing called writer's block pops up.

When I am dealing with writer's block, I find I have to get myself past a certain point, and then I will be good. I have to force out a tiny bit, and then it will start to flow naturally again. Its the forcing out material that is the hard part (obviously).

But hey, I've had a good day so far, and maybe sometime soon I'll get my writer's juices flowing.

Wealth Distribution in America

This is sad. We need to change this.

One Day Remains Lyrics

This song perfectly describes my life. Love every second of it. One Day Remains - Alter Bridge

"As your will is bent and broken
and every vision has been cast into the wind
as your courage crashes down before your eyes
don't lay down and die

'Cause I see in you
More than you'll ever know
And I ask you, "Why
You question the strength inside?"
And you need to know
How it feels to be alive

When every wound has been re-opened
And in this world of give and take, you must have faith
And the distance to your dreams stretch beyond reach
Don't lay down and die
No

Cause I see in you
More than you'll ever know
And I ask you, "Would
You question the strength inside?"
And you need to know
How it feels to be alive...

How it feels
How it feels to be alive...
How it feels
How it feels to be alive...
How it feels
How it feels to be alive...

Cause I see in you
More than you'll ever know
And I ask you, "Would
You question the strength inside?"
And you need to know
How it feels to be alive...
How it feels to be alive..."

Death Penalty Awareness

Did you know that in the year 2013, the United States is still putting prisoners to death? You probably did. But do you realize the gravity of the statement "putting prisoners to death." The government literally has the power to end someone's life. It is almost an eye for an eye mentality. You kill someone you are put to death. However doesn't committing the same crime the prisoner is convicted of seem a bit off to you? How does it make sense for us to punish someone for the crime they committed by making them the victim of said crime? It seems a bit barbaric and outdated. It is something an enlightened society would frown upon.

However we do not live in a fully enlightened society. Not yet. Many people do not see the inhumanity in putting prisoners to death, and only think about the logistics or the money. But don't you see its sick and twisted? We should not decide who lives and dies. Who do we nominate to push the button, to be responsible? Why would we force anyone to have to do that? Why do we want to watch others die for their crimes? Prison for life is punishment enough. And if you wanted to talk about money, it is also cheaper than death row. However I believe the dark and twisted side of capital punishment is enough reason to abolish it completely.

 The United States is one of very few developed countries that hasn't done away with the death penalty. The minority of countries that still have the death penalty include Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Cuba, China, Pakistan, and Vietnam. Why are we so far behind on the important subject of humanity? Why have our morals slipped so much? I challenge you to reconsider your stance on the death penalty, and think about if you could press the button. Lets become a better society, and do away with this sick punishment.

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0777460.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Use_of_capital_punishment_by_country

The American Illusion

The land of the free and the home of the brave. America the beautiful, the one and only. A country founded on liberty, whose pledge promises justice for all. The citizens of America have gained intelligence and enlightenment over the years. African Americans were enslaved, and treated as property. After being freed they suffered another hundred years of legal oppression. They were placed in lesser schools, denied the right to vote, denied access to many public establishments, and forced to live in different areas than whites. Even today, almost fifty years after the civil rights movement, African Americans still face many problems due to racism.

However we are obviously more intelligent about civil rights today than we were in the past. We have gotten smarter, and more compassionate. But we still have a ways to go. Homosexuals still face discrimination, and are not allowed to get married legally in many states. Much of our culture still harbors negative feelings towards the LGBT community. These people are the same as anyone else, and should be treated the same. 

In addition to the LGBT community facing discrimination, African Americans still face much racism from our own government. They are arrested and incarcerated at disproportionate rates, especially considering their crime rates. More than 60% of those in prison and jail in the United States are ethnic minorities. 1 in 10 black males in their 30's are in prison or jail at any given moment. 66% of those arrested for drug charges are those of color, despite statistics showing drug use is not that much higher among minorities. Some of these people are charged with felonies just for drug use, and are unable to vote after because of it. Felony disenfranchisement leaves 1 in 13 blacks unable to vote. The sentencing project said this of the effects of this discrimination: "Our bursting-at-the-seams “prison-industrial complex” is the product of laws enacted since the early 1980's. Many of these laws were aimed at stopping the flow of illegal drugs through our communities, but a number of them were designed to cut down on recidivism and keep repeat offenders off the streets.They were sold as a way to push skyrocketing crime rates down. Now, about 30 years after the first of these laws was passed, we know that they have failed to do that. What they have done instead is sever family ties among our most vulnerable citizens and disproportionately harm black communities that need men in them as role models for young boys."

The probation system is another huge flaw of the criminal justice system. When looking at it objectively, it almost seems designed to bring people back into jail. Drug tests are set up at random for people who already had drug problems (remember they are facing drug charges). These people often never received any treatment. Failing a drug test can send you directly to jail. Other offenses that are considered "probation violations" are another arrest, a ticket of any kind, missing or being late to a probation appointment, and violating any other terms specific to one's probation. All of this adds up to many people sitting in jail for silly reasons. Besides being morally wrong, it also has negative effects on taxpayers. The probation system is racist considering the race of most of those caught up in it, as it was designed to keep people in jail.  

Imagine growing up with your father in and out of jail for non violent charges such as marijuana possession? Your parents were always poor because they were paying some court fee or another, and your dad couldn't find a steady job due to his felony charge. This is the cruel reality that many american families face today. Shed some light on these issues, spread the word, bring change about. 

Money

Stress.
Stress rules his every second
Thoughts racing.
Mind retracing.
Every single bill he spent.
Each time his wallet left his pocket.
Deep breath.
Calm.
Check bank account again.
Anxiety creeps in.
The number you hope for isn't there.
Panic creeps over you.
You know that the rents due.
And you have many more things to pay for.
This silly green paper
Rules over our existence
Is this really freedom?

Open your eyes

"Will they open their eyes, and realize we're one?" - Alter Bridge

We are all one and the same

We are all to fucking blame

We don't realize what we've done

We don't know we've become

Intolerance is a disease 

And it's stuck to us like fleas

Our fear of difference is a sign of our ignorance

And we're all too fucking blind so we fall in line 

We work until we're dead
We believe what we're fed
Ignorance creates prejudice
Indifferent to violence
We are all to fucking blame
We are all one and the same

My advice for today

Source www.treehugger.com

Memory Vs. Reality

September 11, 2001

Although I was seven at the time of the nine-eleven terrorist attacks on our country, I vividly remember following it avidly the day it happened and the few weeks after. I was pulled out of school that day and taken to my mom’s friend’s house, and I spent the day watching the news broadcast that brought the terrible news. I can’t remember an exact time that I first heard about this awful tragedy, but I believe it was around 10:30 am. I recall sitting on the couch at this stranger’s (to me she was) house. One mental picture replays in my mind whenever I think about this sad moment in our history. I can envision the plane crashing into the twin towers. The news station played that footage over and over again; so many times that this image now represents nine-eleven in my mind. Because I was so young, the facts of the situation are unclear to me. From what I remember, one plane crashed into the twin towers in New York City, and another crashed into a field near Washington D.C. I know over five hundred were killed but I do not recall an exact number or if it was over a thousand. One memory sticks out more than the most; the scariest part of the nine-eleven tragedy for me was living next to an airport and listening to the planes pass over my head every night for the next few months.

After researching the nine-eleven terrorist attacks, I found all the facts about what happened on that sad Tuesday in September. What actually transpired is even worse than what I remember. Two planes crashed into the World Trade Center; one into each tower. Those crashes killed hundreds instantly and trapped many more in the buildings as they slowly collapsed. In the twin towers crashes alone, 2,823 people were killed, including the passengers on the planes (http://911research.wtc7.net/cache/sept11/victims/state_basicfacts.htm) . Of those killed, 343 were New York City firefighters, and twenty-three were police officers. Two more planes were hijacked that day. One was crashed into the Pentagon. The other was crashed into a field near Pennsylvania (http://www.history.com/topics/9-11-attacks). In these two crashes, including deaths at the Pentagon, 233 more people died. Over 3000 people died that day, and victims were from more than 90 countries (http://911research.wtc7.net/cache/sept11/victims/state_basicfacts.htm). On the day of the attacks, not much was known, and much of the nation was in panic. One article from the day of the attacks lists the missing planes and the buildings that were targeted, but the writer has no information on which plane is which (http://archives.cnn.com/2001/US/09/11/worldtrade.crash/story.html). Panic reigned and the nation sat glued to their televisions in horror. Many Americans suffered depression, and were fearful for our country for a long time. USA today did a poll one year after the attack and found that 60% of Americans believed that another similar attack would occur in the near future (http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/sept11/2002-09-10-for-the-record_x.htm). Over time, our country began to heal and the fear loosened its grip on us. In May of 2011, the mastermind behind the attacks, Osama Bin Laden, was killed by American military and C.I.A. operatives (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/02/world/asia/osama-bin-laden-is-killed.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0). Hopefully this provided the closure America needed and we can face the future. But we will never forget the tragic events of nine-eleven.

My memory of the events was definitely off. I knew that the twin towers were targeted, but I had completely forgotten about the Pentagon. I also didn’t realize four planes were crashed that day, and I did not know how many people were killed. The reason behind this is mostly due to my age. I was seven at the time, and I may have known the facts then, but I slowly forgot them over time. Looking back, it is crazy to me that I did not realize just how many people were killed. Nine-eleven was even more tragic than I remember, and my memory of it was already one filled with despair. Even though I did not know all the facts, I feel as if I remember the most important things. What I recall now and what I will keep with me for the rest of my life is the fear that gripped me and that took hold of the nation. I remember being scared of our country going to war and I was scared for my own safety. This is what has stayed with me through the years, and it is imperative to recollect these feelings so that I can fully enjoy the wonderful sense of security I feel today. Every time I think of nine-eleven, I picture the image of the plane crashing into the World Trade Center. This image evokes a terror in me I cannot and will never forget.

Works Cited

"9/11 Attacks." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 28 Nov. 2012. <http://www.history.com/topics/9-11-attacks>.

"Sept. 11: For the Record." USATODAY.com - Sept. 11: For the Record. N.p., 11 Sept. 2002. Web. 28 Nov. 2012. <http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/sept11/2002-09-10-for-the-record_x.htm>.

"September 11, 2001: Basic Facts." September 11: Basic Facts. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2012. <http://911research.wtc7.net/cache/sept11/victims/state_basicfacts.htm>.

"Terror Attacks Hit U.S." CNN.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Nov. 2012. <http://archives.cnn.com/2001/US/09/11/worldtrade.crash/story.html>.

York., Peter Baker, "Bin Laden Is Dead, Obama Says." The New York Times. The New York Times, 02 May 2011. Web. 27 Nov. 2012.  

See Things As They Are

We all have felt awkward. Uncomfortable. Shy. At some point in our lives, we have all been there. Some of us have more problems with feelings of social discomfort than others. For many, it controls their interactions and even their feelings when they are in a social setting.

How can we stop the negative thoughts? "Do they like me? Why am I being so weird today? They probably think I'm really quiet..." For some these thoughts will eat away at the fun of a social experience. I used to be that person. My perception of how others would think of me was so negative I became paralyzed in social situations. I spent a good portion of my childhood stuck in this trend. In all honesty, it was misery. I perceived that I had fewer friends than everyone else, and was a loner. I could not tell you if that was true or not, however I believed it and that's what matters. Perception is reality. How did I ever break the cycle?

I became more self aware. In my experience, meditation can help you become aware of racing thoughts that may be untrue. I slowly became aware that many of those around me struggled with the same kinds of thoughts, and that most of us want to make new friends. All of a sudden, as that belief took control of my life, I had more friends than I'd ever had. What happened? Did I make more friends and gain confidence from that? Or did I gain new confidence and make more friends with that?

Interestingly enough I would say the realization that others wanted to be friends with me gave me a completely different personality. This personality was confident in social situations, and that is what brought about even more, better quality friends. Beliefs bring about reality. Our minds are more powerful than we think. Work on changing your thoughts first and results will come, in this area and every area of your life.

Quantum Physics

If you don't know anything about Quantum Physics, today is the day to check it out. That shit is crazy. Did you know your thoughts create your reality?  Read these if you're interested.

http://www.higgo.com/quantum/laymans.htm

http://whyquantumphysicists.com/?p=786

http://preposterousuniverse.com/eternitytohere/quantum/

Russel Brand's Brilliant Article

http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2013/10/russell-brand-on-revolution

Russel Brand is now one of my favorite celebrities. In this piece, he promotes a nonviolent and loving revolution of government and thought. Best article I've read in a long time, everyone check it out!

Links of the Week

Just some links to articles I found interesting throughout the week.

Killer Robots With Automatic Rifles Could Be on the Battlefield in 5 Years

What Chase And Other Banks Won't Tell You About Selling Your Data

CIA and the President: The Warm Embrace of Mutual Incrimination

Obamacare Penalties: 3 Things to Know Before 2014

30 dead in Syria checkpoint bombing

Uruguay Will Sell Legal Marijuana For $1 Per Gram, Official Says

The TSA is now searching your personal records before you get to the airport

The Feds flipped Silk Road's most notorious heroin dealer

Bribed with cash, prostitutes: Navy officers arrested in massive contractor fraud scheme

D.C. police officer assaults store employee

Women Forced to Strip at Police Station While Being Filmed -- Officials Say Filming Is "Common Industry Standard"

The US government's secrecy problem just got worse

Why I Will Never, Ever, Go Back to the United States

Study: Religious People More Likely to Lie for Financial Gain

More than 1,000 Meet in Denver to Develop Drug War Exit Strategy As Poll Finds 58% of Americans Want Pot Legalized

High times as majority in U.S. now want pot legalized

The militarization of U.S. police forces

Perception is Reality

Have you ever wondered why life seems to get more and more complicated? Why when you have a million things to worry about, something else pops up? Maybe one week you're faced with a full work load, and your child gets the flu. The week before you had to deal with your mother's open heart surgery, and it feels like life won't let you breathe. As you drive your child to the doctor, your check engine light comes on. On the way home, your poor child vomits all over the back seat, and when you get home you discover the dog got out of its gate. You get your child set up comfortably on the couch, and go outside to look for the dog. After fifteen minutes you give up, and figure it will come back eventually. But to your dismay, you're locked out of the house. Your child's fallen asleep on the couch, and doesn't answer your frantic knocks. Could this day get any worse?

Of course it could. And you know that. But haven't we all had days such as these? Sometimes quite often. When you stop to think about it, nothing truly terrible happened. Your child will get better, your spouse will come home and open the door, and the dog always returns within a few days. The check engine light can be diagnosed and fixed, the seats of your car can be cleaned. But sometimes life's little problems really get to you, and can stress you out much more than is needed.

But why do these little problems get to us so much? How come losing your keys in the morning can cause you to swear and feel extreme frustration that doesn't really fit the situation?

There's two answers to this question that I'm going to focus on, explaining each separately in the chapters to come. However both answers revolve around one concept: Perception.

Perception is reality. When you view everything that happens to you as bad, and every minor annoyance as frustrating, life can be extraordinarily difficult. Every day these little things pile on, and occasionally major problems pop up as well. Sometimes it feels like you aren't meant to relax, or even enjoy your life. Learning to manage your mind and view everything that happens properly will help you make major steps towards becoming a happier person.

Side by side kitties

Say To Me

Say to me what you will

I know you've had your fill

I told you everything

Except what you mean to me

You don't know what its cost

You don't know what I've lost

I'll have to try so hard

To help you see past my scars

Thoughts From a Caged Soul

In a land of Broken things,
rooted people and forgotten dreams,
A man was born who had it all,
except his heart, his mind, his soul,
A narrow love was all he knew,
so selfish, so shallow, so black and blue,
Harshly forced to grow up fast,
his heart could not forget his past,
The darkness of the nighttime sky,
brought out the emptiness inside,
Bitterly alone, with a suppressive home,
pain and hate is all he's known,
With dreams of escape, enemy of the state,
he patiently waited for a shiny clean slate,
Eighteen years pass, he's made it at last,
he's found a chance to be rid of his past,
He gives up the knife, but soon comes new strife,
he's made a mistake that will fuck up his life,
He comes to realize it's the government's lies, 
that cost him what he'd always prized
His freedom is gone, he's back at his "home",
without the strength to carry on, 
No will to fight, no guiding light, 
he begins to see that we've lost our rights
They teach us we're free, but oh please can't you see, 
they want us to think that we're privileged,  
The land of the free, and the home of the brave, 
but the citizen's minds are imprisoned     

  

French Toast

Life is French toast at 1 in the morning at IHOP 

World Series

I think I'm going to watch the world series tonight. I haven't cared about baseball in forever, but I think I'll enjoy watching it and not caring so much about the outcome. Why am I even sharing about this? Idk. Maybe you guys wanted updates on my life or something. Or maybe you guys don't exist. Who am I to say which is true?
But seriously why am I typing about this? I think it gives me something to do. Something to accomplish. I wanted to write a blog post. Maybe I should talk about what's going on in my super exciting life. *Note: As I was typing this, my add kicked in and I forgot about this post for quite awhile. In that time, the game started and I turned it on. My first thought was "What the hell am I doing watching baseball?" I will probably turn it off soon.*

The Negative Effects Of A Narrow Mind

Constricted thinking will be the downfall of society. The tendency of those with a strict belief system or moral code to look down on or be afraid of those without one creates social discomfort that no one enjoys. An agnostic person does not want to be told he/she is going to hell for disbelief. A Christian certainly will not take it well when an Atheist mocks their faith. A recreational marijuana user will unavoidably clash with proponents of the gateway drug theory, just as people who hate the smell of cigarettes will find it hard to get along with smokers.

Our inability to get along with each other is mortifying. Our intolerance for difference is depressing. Our ignorance and prejudice are preposterous.  

We are all the same. We are one. We must work together to move forward.

Bipolar Bear

When winter comes he sleeps it through

For dark & cold disrupt his mood

The sun comes out; it's spring at last

Joy comes and helps erase dark past

Bipolar Bear, Bipolar Bear

Where is your peace of mind?

Bye Polar Bear, Bye Polar Bear

I leave in search of mine

Love and Hate

Darkness and despair

Polluting the air

Destroying the clean air around us

Hatred and Violence

Poisoning the sense

Of every fucking person besides us

We stand all alone

Our minds on a throne

With peace, love, and joy inside us

We spread our ideas

Though most others flee us

We are those who are trying to save you

Heavy Rain

Down by, the river, I hear nature call

The mountains, and valleys, yes ill see it all

Ill travel, the deserts, and visit the sea

To brazil, and china, and grand Italy

Over, the hilltops, ill find my own way, 

Cause I don't, belong here, yeah I'm just a stray

No one, can claim me, and often I cry

For those who, don't see clear, and live life so blind 

But I will help them all

Through rise and through fall

For I can feel their pain

It comes as heavy rain

Random Thoughts

Random Thoughts

Whats the fucking meaning behind anything? Do we have a soul? Are we all moving towards enlightenment? Do we have multiple lives? Will we one day live in a world without suffering?

That's what I'd absolutely love to believe.

It's what I do believe most days, and its how I choose to live my life.

But some days it doesn't work. Some days the emptiness takes over. Some days life feels meaningless, kindness is hard, clearing your mind seems impossible.

Why is the world so cruel that people need to believe in something? How come everything is a fucking competition? EVERYTHING. Only the best workers get hired, the smartest people with the best work ethic get through college. The best athletes make it, the best singers and musicians, the best writers, everything is about being the best.

Those without skills or motivation are doomed to a life of minimum wage misery. Even those who “succeed” often find themselves depressed. The world is controlled by money. Those with money have power. And they fucking use it. Oppression is everywhere.

Those who need help often don't find it. Americans live lives of luxury while those of third world countries starve to death. Children, starve to death. And here we are in our nice houses, too busy with out work and selfish aspirations to do a single fucking thing about it.

I want to change it. But finding the means to do it is so fucking hard. What does it take to change the world? Money. What corrupts a good person? Money, and the pursuit of it. I don't want to pursue money, because I don't think I need it to be happy. But in order to be happy, what I do need is to help people. And to help people and be free from working, I need money. What a motherfucking paradox.

So what can I do? I'd like to change the world through writing first, and then maybe use any money I make to help even more. But first I have to write something worth being published. And this right here, isn't fucking it. I have a novel outlined, but the words won't come. Not right now. Hopefully someday, someday soon.

No one's going to read this, at least not now. But I needed an outlet. So this is my outlet. For now.

Thoreau’s Ideas on Government

“I heartily accept the motto, “That government is best which governs least” (Thoreau, n.d.). The opening line from Henry David Thoreau’s Civil Disobedience is bold. Throughout the essay Thoreau attacks many aspects of our government. Originally published in 1949, his work focused on different issues than we face today as a country. However, his brilliant ideas about small government still hold true.

            Henry David Thoreau obviously lived in a different era of U.S. government. When he published his essay, the key issues he focused on were slavery and the war in Mexico (Article Myriad, n. d.).  He was adamantly against the war and did not support slavery. However his paper does not focus on why slavery was wrong. Instead he calls out to the American people to help change the country (The Transcendentalists, n. d.). He states that having the opinion that slavery is wrong is not enough. Thoreau calls for the U.S. citizens to stop supporting their government through taxes, even at the risk of incarceration. In his essay, he describes his own arrest for refusing to pay a poll tax. However he only spent one night imprisoned before “someone interfered” and paid his tax for him. He asserts that “Under a government which imprisons any unjustly, the true place for a just man is also a prison.” (Thoreau, n.d.).   Personally I would rather put up with the unjust laws than be imprisoned, and I think most people feel the same. Thoreau’s concept of refusing to support the state is an interesting one, but I do not think enough people would follow through with it for it to be successful. Even though his essay focused on the present day issues of 1849, it still has significant relevance in today’s United States.

            Small government is a concept that has been around a long time. When the U.S. constitution was written, the federal government had much less power than it does today. Since 1776, our government has slowly gained more power and put more restrictions on our freedom. Thoreau recognized this threat early on (Bookstove, n. d.). His quote on government is spot on about our nation’s issues today. In my opinion, most of the problems our country face today were created by our large government mentality.  One issue our country faces that his quote relates to is the drug war.  Our country has unjust drug laws which imprison people who need to be in treatment centers. Legalizing certain drugs would not only stimulate our poor economy with taxes, but we would save billions by not imprisoning people for minor drug charges. These people should not have their freedoms stripped anyways; it is unjust and in my opinion should not be tolerated. Another way large government is hurting our country is through spending massive amounts on hundreds of useless government agencies. Thoreau’s concept of less government could help our country in so many ways.

            Before going into politics, one should be required to study Civil Disobedience. Our government today is made up of career politicians, which is something our forefathers warned of, and Thoreau mentions this in his essay (Study Guides & Essay Editing, n. d.). If politicians are paid large amounts of money to represent their people, is it not possible that at least some of them are more interested in the money than in the issues? Our country is in massive debt, and we attempt to eliminate this with more spending. We will never be able to overcome our issues with the ridiculous amount of government we have. Thoreau was right in 1849, and he remains right today. If our government reduced taxes, removed regulations, dramatically reduced spending and government programs, and did away with unjust laws, the private sector and economy would greatly improve. The solution to our problems is no secret. It is simply a forgotten truth. Civil Disobedience is a brilliant work, and will always remain relevant to any government the world will ever see.

 

            When Thoreau originally wrote his essay, he was focused on things that are not significant to our world. However his small government quote and many ideas found throughout the essay will always be important. Thoreau was almost like a foreshadowing of the Libertarian party, an idealist before the movement even began. Hopefully his small government ideas eventually catch on, and our country becomes a better, freer place.

References

"Analysis and Summary of  Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau." Article Myriad. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2012. <http://www.articlemyriad.com/analysis-summary-civil-disobedience/>.

"Analysis of Civil Disobedience; By Henry David Thoreau." Bookstove RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2012. <http://bookstove.com/non-fiction/analysis-of-civil-disobedience-by-henry-david-thoreau/>.

"Civil Disobedience Summary." Study Guides & Essay Editing. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2012. <http://www.gradesaver.com/civil-disobedience/study-guide/short-summary/>.

Thoreau, Henry D. "Thoreau's Civil Disobedience - with Annotated Text." Thoreau's Civil Disobedience. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2012. <http://thoreau.eserver.org/civil.html>

"The Transcendentalists." The Transcendentalists. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2012. <http://www.transcendentalists.com/>.

A Change In Perspective

Our world is filled with suffering. Children who have yet to experience the wonders of life die before they ever get a chance. Billions of people live below the poverty line and struggle just to put food on the table. Many people look outside the world to explain the hardships of everyday life. They find comfort in believing that there is some force at work, such as a God or many gods. In the article “There Is No God,” author Penn Jillette challenges the structure of all religions throughout the world. He uses logos effectively to provide structure for his argument. However his article is offensive and counterproductive for the goal he is trying to reach. 

Jillette’s writing has good intentions. In the fourth paragraph of the article, he explains how his belief that there is no higher power is freeing. He explains the joy he finds in everyday life, and creates the false impression that his enjoyment of the simple things comes from his disbelief. He claims that the ending of religious arguments would lead to a world of progress. On this point Jillette is right. 

The problem with his precarious vision lies in the process of ending religious arguments. It is true that if no one believed in God or followed a religion, the disagreement would end. However this will never happen, and it is not right to tell others how they should believe. Ending religion is not a reasonable goal. The solution to the petty religious mind wars that hold society back is a completely different way of thinking.

Instead of everyone being taught there is no god, people should be taught certain values. If the citizens of this world were to learn acceptance, not only would religious struggle end but a new era free of hate would begin to emerge. The problem is not with religion itself, but with the blind hate of others’ beliefs. The “I’m right, you’re wrong” approach to religious debate is downright silly, and the disregard of other’s opinions so common in this world is absolutely wrong. If believers were to understand and accept non believers and followers of other religions, there would be no more fights to hold us back from progress. 

Christians are taught to spread the "good news". Many of them impose their beliefs and values on others and cause the religious debates. Many Muslims are taught non believers are evil, and some are taught to kill. Many Atheists (such as Jillete) claim religion is a disease and it must end. It is not one group or religion that is causing our struggles, but it is society as a whole. 

So many people are absolutely convinced they are right about their beliefs. If their beliefs tell them that they must not tolerate certain activities or certain groups of people, they do it. They refuse to associate with believers of other religions, and this has always and will always hold our society back. In order to move forward smoothly, people have to learn acceptance.

If individually we can learn to tolerate other beliefs, society as a whole will grow. Our ignorance of others cultures and religions needs to change. Many individuals fear difference and ideas that they don’t understand. But just because someone believes and acts differently than you does not make them a bad person. People crave the comfort of friends who believe similarly to them and fail to expand their view of the world. How can we expect to move forward if so many different groups within our society disrespect, hate, and fear each other? 

How can we go about this change? It has become ridiculously commonplace to fear difference, and a change in society’s perception will be difficult to accomplish. When the United States government and media promotes fear of Islam, the road to change looks bleak. A tired cliche rings true in this situation. In order for change to occur, society must realize its dire need for change. Unwilling and indifferent hearts will never realize they have a problem. Many people are way to stuck in their hate to ever find a new perspective. Thankfully, the future of our world is not in the hands of the old and stubborn. 

Jillette’s suggestion of no one believing in God is impractical, and immoral. It should never be acceptable to force non belief. However the children of this country could be taught religious tolerance at a young age. Instead of electives many high schoolers aren’t interested in anyway, maybe a class on religious and cultural tolerance could be offered instead. If schools make time to teach subjects that many students never use again throughout their life, why not teach something everyone can use daily for the rest of their life? 

Teaching religious tolerance in school is a simple idea that would be complicated to see happen. Without the realization of the need for change, people will not accept the change. In order to gain momentum for this idea, the idea needs to be explained and spread. Books, articles, songs and support from people in power could help the cause. It’s a fairly extreme idea and could take a long time to gain support. However the benefits our world would see from this acceptance are well worth the wait No one enjoys to be ridiculed for their beliefs. Many original settlers of the colonies left their countries to escape religious persecution. The United States supports freedom of religion. Technically people of this nation can believe what they want and not face persecution from the government. This is no longer the problem our society faces. We persecute each other. Jillette’s idea of one belief is flawed and could never take hold. If society is to progress smoothly and suffering in our world to end, people must learn to accept each other. Our ignorance and intolerance of difference is holding us back and causing pain to many. We must accept others’ beliefs, accept their lifestyles, and respect them as human beings. The world could become a safer better place.

Jillette, Penn. "There Is No God." NPR. NPR, n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2013