1. Nickelback
2. American Idol
3. Nationalism
4. The Cult of Personality
5. Imperialism
6. Richard Nixon
7. MMORPGs
8. Panda bears
9. Sex and violence
10. Movies made by Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Round 2
It's extremely likely that I've touched on this subject a million and one times, but I feel it must be reiterated, because my position on the matter has changed oh-so-slightly, I've learned a few things or whatever, but the underlying principle remains the same: the concept of an omniscient and all-powerful being is a big whopping pile of bullshit, and it doesn't take George Carlin's standup routine or the ridiculous stupidity of my English class to show me that. But I suppose this entry isn't so much about religion as it is on my thought processes and the beliefs I subscribe to.
Let's get the festering bile out of the way first. Religion and the concept of a God is useful in a few instances, but the severity of these instances are what have turned religious belief into such a lumbering behemoth. When things go wrong in life, people turn to God for comfort; just knowing there's a higher power there to support you gets you through the day, maybe assuages the depression of the tragedy or whatever event. Religion is useful, maybe even critical for some people, to help them get past whatever roadblock has been thrown their way. Even when their life isn't difficult, people often use God as inspiration and support, to stay happy. I have no problem with that, it's their belief and it works wonders for them. But it must be said that these people are living in a bubble, which isn't bad, per se. The illusion is nice for a while, but the happenings of the world will make you question your beliefs. If God is so kind, why does he let the genocide in Darfur happen? Why does he let soldiers get killed in the Middle East? It is my belief that these questions, these observations are what cause the erosion of religious belief, no matter its usefulness or inspiration.
If you had to attach a label to me, I think I would be called an atheist. But the problem with labels is that they entail certain things; if I'm an atheist, I must be stalwartly against religion. As the above paragraph proved, I'm open to the concept of religion as a means of comfort and support, not as a way to explain life's mysteries and trends. But my main belief system is such a hodgepodge of bullshit and schools of thought, it's hard to pin it to anything. I believe nothing happens to you after death - Albert Camus' existentialism. I believe life is what you make of it - Ayn Rand's Objectivism. I believe life is random, cruel, and absurd - Nietzsche's nihilism. I believe that the universe is governed by a higher power - the laws of physics and biology. I believe environmentalists are self-righteous, self-serving, arrogant douchebags - contrary to liberal thought. I believe that the government should exhibit stringent oversight on big businesses - contrary to conservative thought. We attach all-encompassing labels to certain beliefs, but those beliefs are generally assumed to carry a package deal or something: human thought is so gray that it's impossible to pin it down to any one thing. Nobody is a complete liberal or conservative, atheist or devout. We don't operate like that. We take bits and pieces of what we think represent our interests the most and smash them together into a mosaic of randomness.
This is a pretty rambly entry with no clear topic or anything. Somehow, it's all relevant and fits together, I'm just not sure how that is. I guess I'll end this with a clip from an extremely wise man who is unfortunately no longer with us. Watch it, you will not regret it.
PS. If you were an invisible man, you would also be blind, so that would suck pretty hard. If you ever went on a date, your date would be talking about movies and vacation spots with a pile of what looks to be vomit.
Let's get the festering bile out of the way first. Religion and the concept of a God is useful in a few instances, but the severity of these instances are what have turned religious belief into such a lumbering behemoth. When things go wrong in life, people turn to God for comfort; just knowing there's a higher power there to support you gets you through the day, maybe assuages the depression of the tragedy or whatever event. Religion is useful, maybe even critical for some people, to help them get past whatever roadblock has been thrown their way. Even when their life isn't difficult, people often use God as inspiration and support, to stay happy. I have no problem with that, it's their belief and it works wonders for them. But it must be said that these people are living in a bubble, which isn't bad, per se. The illusion is nice for a while, but the happenings of the world will make you question your beliefs. If God is so kind, why does he let the genocide in Darfur happen? Why does he let soldiers get killed in the Middle East? It is my belief that these questions, these observations are what cause the erosion of religious belief, no matter its usefulness or inspiration.
If you had to attach a label to me, I think I would be called an atheist. But the problem with labels is that they entail certain things; if I'm an atheist, I must be stalwartly against religion. As the above paragraph proved, I'm open to the concept of religion as a means of comfort and support, not as a way to explain life's mysteries and trends. But my main belief system is such a hodgepodge of bullshit and schools of thought, it's hard to pin it to anything. I believe nothing happens to you after death - Albert Camus' existentialism. I believe life is what you make of it - Ayn Rand's Objectivism. I believe life is random, cruel, and absurd - Nietzsche's nihilism. I believe that the universe is governed by a higher power - the laws of physics and biology. I believe environmentalists are self-righteous, self-serving, arrogant douchebags - contrary to liberal thought. I believe that the government should exhibit stringent oversight on big businesses - contrary to conservative thought. We attach all-encompassing labels to certain beliefs, but those beliefs are generally assumed to carry a package deal or something: human thought is so gray that it's impossible to pin it down to any one thing. Nobody is a complete liberal or conservative, atheist or devout. We don't operate like that. We take bits and pieces of what we think represent our interests the most and smash them together into a mosaic of randomness.
This is a pretty rambly entry with no clear topic or anything. Somehow, it's all relevant and fits together, I'm just not sure how that is. I guess I'll end this with a clip from an extremely wise man who is unfortunately no longer with us. Watch it, you will not regret it.
PS. If you were an invisible man, you would also be blind, so that would suck pretty hard. If you ever went on a date, your date would be talking about movies and vacation spots with a pile of what looks to be vomit.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Exalted return, redux.
Jesus Christ, it's been a long time since I've updated this motherfucker, and the last entry was a rant on the state of Israeli affairs, hardly an exciting bit of prose, or whatever. Having a nice long break really sets you up to be bored out of your damn mind, unwilling to read any books, play any video games, watch any movies, or listen to any stand-up or music. It's weird how ennui affects us; we'll bitch about being bored, but there's a multitude of activities you could be engaging in that would take it away instantly. Maybe I'm just exceptionally lazy.
Ranting about personal issues are what blogs (what a weird name for an online journal, by the way. This was kind of brought to light when I watched Yahtzee's review of 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand, wherein in described the word as "...something that sounds like it lives on a riverbed that communicates throught farts." I LOL'd) are usually about, so I think I'll take the opportunity to discuss the future, a subject that I've beaten like several dead hippopotamuses. But several things have shaken up the status quo, like an asteroid colliding with earth, only much more small-scale.
In about six months, probably less, time, I'll be off to college, to a bastion of higher learning, partying, and sunshine, onwards to a journey that I know nothing about, like going on a diamond-hunting expedition into a war-torn African nation and acting surprised when you get crucified by the local warlord. That's what I automatically liken the experience to, but it's clearly not as black and white as it seems. It's not a simple black or white, a a shitty, vomit-your-balls in disgust romp through dorms where the alcohol flows like the Hudson or a personal development wherein angels shower you with happiness and knowledge and you're extremely content. No. I can't speak from personal experience, but all of life is pretty gray, a concept that's served me pretty well so this is probably no exception. I expect it to be fun - learning specific parts of literature and writing, along with historical periods will be great. Sprinkle in a bit of film into the mix, and we've got ourselves a recipe for a good education. And isn't that what school is about?
The education side of college is just one head of the hydra, however. What about friends? Everlasting connections? So while I'm certain that I will receive the greatest quality schooling possible, what worries me is my social attitude and socialization skills. At the moment, I have a small group of friends, the coolest motherfuckers ever, most of whom I've known for a very long time - we go way back. See, they're used to me and my eccentricities, my attitudes, and my ticks. If they don't find it amusing, at least they tolerate it enough that I don't feel like I have to change myself too much. But I will be wiping the slate clean entirely, thrown like chum into a shark tank populated by malnourished blue sharks. So what if I'm incapable of making new friends down there? Am I just going to follow Karan all damn day? That's one of my primary concerns - I'm not a great socializer and never will be, and so maybe that particularly damning inability will cause a miserable time at Santa Barbara. I may be exaggerating and using the Slippery Slope fallacy a little bit, but it is a realistic problem. I am instantly reminded of RYLA, how kids become such fast friends when forced into close proximity. I suppose that's definitely possible if I'll be living in a dorm, but that thought continues to ominously linger in the back of my head.
That segues nicely into my next utterly depressing topic. How will I deal with leaving the people I know here behind? My parents have been pretty hysterical at the prospect of me just going on a weekend camping trip with friends, but the idea of moving down to Santa Barbara for months at a time has kicked their craze into permanent overdrive. Constantly I hear "You must call me every day, tell me about absolutely everything." It's not been a week since my acceptance, and already I'm being bombarded with decisions regarding housing and financial aid. I appreciate the concern, but it's getting a tad irritating. It'll be easy to deal with, because they're parents and will always be around, but the hard part is coping with the lack of friends, as I mentioned. The few friends I have mean quite a lot, especially that tall white dude I know, that short white girl I know, and some other colored people who know who they are. Confidants, gone. I mean, it's inevitable, but actually staring at it in the face, as it's coming towards me like a freight train driven by Yosemite Sam really shakes things into perspective. I'll learn to deal with it, but that doesn't mean I won't be miserable. And I can't even think of a metaphor to describe that.
Which brings me to another point (man, I am just killing it with the transitions and segues tonight), am I going to change? Will the big scary college absorb me and remold me into whatever shape it deems? Will I sacrifice the years of knowledge that reading and writing and watching have afforded me to become some sort of chugging, smoking, fucking douchebag? I certainly hope not, but let's be real. Something as earth-shattering as lifting up all your roots and planting them in another field will result in changes on a micro, maybe a macro level. But one of my unbending principles is to simply be who I am, not succumb to the more idiotic norms of college life, like staying out till 5 in the morning piss-faced. Maybe being smart makes you miserable. I don't know what to fucking think, to be honest.
I don't think I want to bum whoever's reading this out too much, not that I think that anyone's going to fucking read it, so I will end with some happy thoughts. I believe those people who claim "they can't wait for college" are being disingenuous. Nobody's life is so shitty that they want to move to the North Pole. In the buildup before you leave to an institution of higher learning, make the most of your time. Like inmates on Death Row - they exercise, educate, meditate, to yank some meaning and fun out of their last months of life, something I fully intend to do. Go on camping trips and other such adventures, smoke a little, read some books, watch some TV and movies. No point in whining about how everything's going to change when I could be utilizing that time effectively.
That is, if you people want to, of course. ;)
PS. Apparently in Santa Barbara, during the Halloween festivities, they send fucking mounties into the campus to beat the shit out of drunkards. That's just badass.
Ranting about personal issues are what blogs (what a weird name for an online journal, by the way. This was kind of brought to light when I watched Yahtzee's review of 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand, wherein in described the word as "...something that sounds like it lives on a riverbed that communicates throught farts." I LOL'd) are usually about, so I think I'll take the opportunity to discuss the future, a subject that I've beaten like several dead hippopotamuses. But several things have shaken up the status quo, like an asteroid colliding with earth, only much more small-scale.
In about six months, probably less, time, I'll be off to college, to a bastion of higher learning, partying, and sunshine, onwards to a journey that I know nothing about, like going on a diamond-hunting expedition into a war-torn African nation and acting surprised when you get crucified by the local warlord. That's what I automatically liken the experience to, but it's clearly not as black and white as it seems. It's not a simple black or white, a a shitty, vomit-your-balls in disgust romp through dorms where the alcohol flows like the Hudson or a personal development wherein angels shower you with happiness and knowledge and you're extremely content. No. I can't speak from personal experience, but all of life is pretty gray, a concept that's served me pretty well so this is probably no exception. I expect it to be fun - learning specific parts of literature and writing, along with historical periods will be great. Sprinkle in a bit of film into the mix, and we've got ourselves a recipe for a good education. And isn't that what school is about?
The education side of college is just one head of the hydra, however. What about friends? Everlasting connections? So while I'm certain that I will receive the greatest quality schooling possible, what worries me is my social attitude and socialization skills. At the moment, I have a small group of friends, the coolest motherfuckers ever, most of whom I've known for a very long time - we go way back. See, they're used to me and my eccentricities, my attitudes, and my ticks. If they don't find it amusing, at least they tolerate it enough that I don't feel like I have to change myself too much. But I will be wiping the slate clean entirely, thrown like chum into a shark tank populated by malnourished blue sharks. So what if I'm incapable of making new friends down there? Am I just going to follow Karan all damn day? That's one of my primary concerns - I'm not a great socializer and never will be, and so maybe that particularly damning inability will cause a miserable time at Santa Barbara. I may be exaggerating and using the Slippery Slope fallacy a little bit, but it is a realistic problem. I am instantly reminded of RYLA, how kids become such fast friends when forced into close proximity. I suppose that's definitely possible if I'll be living in a dorm, but that thought continues to ominously linger in the back of my head.
That segues nicely into my next utterly depressing topic. How will I deal with leaving the people I know here behind? My parents have been pretty hysterical at the prospect of me just going on a weekend camping trip with friends, but the idea of moving down to Santa Barbara for months at a time has kicked their craze into permanent overdrive. Constantly I hear "You must call me every day, tell me about absolutely everything." It's not been a week since my acceptance, and already I'm being bombarded with decisions regarding housing and financial aid. I appreciate the concern, but it's getting a tad irritating. It'll be easy to deal with, because they're parents and will always be around, but the hard part is coping with the lack of friends, as I mentioned. The few friends I have mean quite a lot, especially that tall white dude I know, that short white girl I know, and some other colored people who know who they are. Confidants, gone. I mean, it's inevitable, but actually staring at it in the face, as it's coming towards me like a freight train driven by Yosemite Sam really shakes things into perspective. I'll learn to deal with it, but that doesn't mean I won't be miserable. And I can't even think of a metaphor to describe that.
Which brings me to another point (man, I am just killing it with the transitions and segues tonight), am I going to change? Will the big scary college absorb me and remold me into whatever shape it deems? Will I sacrifice the years of knowledge that reading and writing and watching have afforded me to become some sort of chugging, smoking, fucking douchebag? I certainly hope not, but let's be real. Something as earth-shattering as lifting up all your roots and planting them in another field will result in changes on a micro, maybe a macro level. But one of my unbending principles is to simply be who I am, not succumb to the more idiotic norms of college life, like staying out till 5 in the morning piss-faced. Maybe being smart makes you miserable. I don't know what to fucking think, to be honest.
I don't think I want to bum whoever's reading this out too much, not that I think that anyone's going to fucking read it, so I will end with some happy thoughts. I believe those people who claim "they can't wait for college" are being disingenuous. Nobody's life is so shitty that they want to move to the North Pole. In the buildup before you leave to an institution of higher learning, make the most of your time. Like inmates on Death Row - they exercise, educate, meditate, to yank some meaning and fun out of their last months of life, something I fully intend to do. Go on camping trips and other such adventures, smoke a little, read some books, watch some TV and movies. No point in whining about how everything's going to change when I could be utilizing that time effectively.
That is, if you people want to, of course. ;)
PS. Apparently in Santa Barbara, during the Halloween festivities, they send fucking mounties into the campus to beat the shit out of drunkards. That's just badass.
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