Remember when I wrote that post writing about how everyone hates on Provo and then quoted the Atmosphere song? I take it back. Right now I feel like giving a hearty double barreled birdies to Provo and everything in it.
Rationally I can think of a hundred reasons to not feel this way and how it could be better if I just did X and Y blah blah suck it but right now I'm sick of being so logically responsible.
I'm just gonna be pissed.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Interesting Article
No, Facebook Does Not Make You Narcissistic
I think this is very interesting, and while not directly related to my last post, I think it's somewhat relevant. Mostly because it points out that Facebook is not causing or creating new (undesirable) human behavior, it is just a tool allowing humans to behave (the same) in new ways. Basically, it is just a tool allowing humans to bring focus to an aspect of normal human behavior that hasn't had as much focus as before. At least, that's what I feel. Also, I like the point he makes about the fact that the criteria to define narcissism is probably differing between those citing the data.
Basically, I just hate when something new comes along and everyone suddenly jumps on a point-out-negative-things-about-this-new-thing bandwagon. Because usually what they are pointing out are faults in human behavior that existed before said new thing appeared. I also hate shows like Dateline. Even when they make a point that I somewhat agree with, I always disagree with the way they've made it because it's overly simplified and presented on a very shallow level, which can create strong emotion in (non critically thinking) viewers without giving them a sound understanding of the problem. And zeal without knowledge is always a bad combination.
I think this is very interesting, and while not directly related to my last post, I think it's somewhat relevant. Mostly because it points out that Facebook is not causing or creating new (undesirable) human behavior, it is just a tool allowing humans to behave (the same) in new ways. Basically, it is just a tool allowing humans to bring focus to an aspect of normal human behavior that hasn't had as much focus as before. At least, that's what I feel. Also, I like the point he makes about the fact that the criteria to define narcissism is probably differing between those citing the data.
Basically, I just hate when something new comes along and everyone suddenly jumps on a point-out-negative-things-about-this-new-thing bandwagon. Because usually what they are pointing out are faults in human behavior that existed before said new thing appeared. I also hate shows like Dateline. Even when they make a point that I somewhat agree with, I always disagree with the way they've made it because it's overly simplified and presented on a very shallow level, which can create strong emotion in (non critically thinking) viewers without giving them a sound understanding of the problem. And zeal without knowledge is always a bad combination.
Secret (Crotch) Crusher (Double Meanings! Get it?!)
Sometimes I'd like to imagine that someone who has never met me, or maybe, someone who is acquainted with someone I know but who I've never actually met reads the stuff I write and has a secret crush on me.
I feel like our society is in an interesting position right now because I think that things like Facebook and Blogs have become part of our culture, yet we keep saying words like Facebook stalk and Blog stalk. Personally, if someone I doesn't know likes to check out my Facebook or Blog, I am flattered and don't consider it stalking. Yet we all keep acting like we have to be ashamed of it. Maybe if you started sending me pictures of a high heel stomping on a testicle (based on a true story that happened to me) with menacing subject lines, then yes, I would say you have gone too far and are now in the area of "stalking." Or if you started relentlessly messaging me without me ever responding, then that would be "stalking." Obviously those are extreme behaviors, and obviously, extreme behaviors are undesirable in any circumstance and aren't the product of Facebook or Blogs, they are the product of crazy people who'd be crazy with or without modern technology. So let's stop comparing ourselves to them for a behavior that I'm pretty sure is normal. I don't feel that perusing the Facebook/Blog of someone I don't actually know/know well is "stalking" because that's just what we do these days. And if I really felt you were invading my privacy by doing so I would put a password on my Blog or put some serious privacy restrictions on my Facebook, or not post pictures on Facebook, or just write in a private journal, etc.
Anyways, secret cyber crusher-on-me, if you exist or will exist sometime in the future, I give you full permission to read my blog as much as you want.
I feel like our society is in an interesting position right now because I think that things like Facebook and Blogs have become part of our culture, yet we keep saying words like Facebook stalk and Blog stalk. Personally, if someone I doesn't know likes to check out my Facebook or Blog, I am flattered and don't consider it stalking. Yet we all keep acting like we have to be ashamed of it. Maybe if you started sending me pictures of a high heel stomping on a testicle (based on a true story that happened to me) with menacing subject lines, then yes, I would say you have gone too far and are now in the area of "stalking." Or if you started relentlessly messaging me without me ever responding, then that would be "stalking." Obviously those are extreme behaviors, and obviously, extreme behaviors are undesirable in any circumstance and aren't the product of Facebook or Blogs, they are the product of crazy people who'd be crazy with or without modern technology. So let's stop comparing ourselves to them for a behavior that I'm pretty sure is normal. I don't feel that perusing the Facebook/Blog of someone I don't actually know/know well is "stalking" because that's just what we do these days. And if I really felt you were invading my privacy by doing so I would put a password on my Blog or put some serious privacy restrictions on my Facebook, or not post pictures on Facebook, or just write in a private journal, etc.
Anyways, secret cyber crusher-on-me, if you exist or will exist sometime in the future, I give you full permission to read my blog as much as you want.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Reading List
Books I want to read and/or finish:
- On The Road - Jack Kerouac
- The Autobiography of Malcolm X
- Breakfast of Champions - Kurt Vonnegut
- The Art of Loving - Erich Fromm
Monday, September 27, 2010
Dear Dallin
I just wrote an e-mail to myself. I pretended like it was a weekly e-mail home like a missionary letter and I wrote about my observations about that week, what I felt, what I wanted and at one point I gave myself chills because what I said was so cool. I feel so good right now. That was the best idea I've ever had.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Dear Soc 112 Class
I've been regretting that I didn't raise my hand and tell this to your face so now I guess the best I can do is a somewhat passive-aggressive blog post that none of you will (most likely) never ever read; however, I still feel like putting it out there anyways.
The fact that you could honestly think that you "worked harder" and thus deserved to get into BYU where you could study and thus have more opportunities to make more money is completely absurd to me. First of all, what actually are you referring to as "working hard?" I heard you mention extra-curricular activities and once again, how is it that you can think that by joining extracurricular activities you were "working harder"? I know several kids who worked part time after school who don't have the opportunities that you have and I think it's complete bullshit that you think that by joining choir you were "working harder" than the kid who went home and worked on the farm, or the kid who worked construction, or even the kid working at the convenient store after school instead of choir/football/whatever it was that you did that was such "hard work". First of all, philosophically I think it's going to be very hard to define what exactly "work" is and how you can define when someone is working "hard" and that you are "working harder" than they are. Do you have some sort of hard work-o-meter that at the end of the day you hold up to yourself and tells you, "today you did 65.84 hard-work-a-units" and then you check your neighbors and see they only did 33.5? And second of all, even if you did have such a contraption and there were some way to objectively measure "hard work" I could hardly convince myself that you were exerting more "hard work" than everyone else. I'm sure you worked harder than some, but I doubt you worked as much as you are telling yourself you did.
Here's the thing, it's not that I'm mad at you for having the opportunities that you have, any more than I can be mad at myself, it just bothers me that you are telling yourself that you somehow earned it. I'm mad at you for thinking that you actually deserve them more than someone else. You don't. I think it's screwed up that there are people who have had to work a lot harder to gain advantages that I have; however, I don't expect anyone to just give up the opportunities that they have. I'm just asking you let go of your false sense of superiority and entitlement, pull your head out of your ass and try to have a little more sympathy and understanding for those who aren't privileged. Because you aren't better than them, no matter how many [fill in your own favorite adjective] extracurricular activities you did in high school.
The fact that you could honestly think that you "worked harder" and thus deserved to get into BYU where you could study and thus have more opportunities to make more money is completely absurd to me. First of all, what actually are you referring to as "working hard?" I heard you mention extra-curricular activities and once again, how is it that you can think that by joining extracurricular activities you were "working harder"? I know several kids who worked part time after school who don't have the opportunities that you have and I think it's complete bullshit that you think that by joining choir you were "working harder" than the kid who went home and worked on the farm, or the kid who worked construction, or even the kid working at the convenient store after school instead of choir/football/whatever it was that you did that was such "hard work". First of all, philosophically I think it's going to be very hard to define what exactly "work" is and how you can define when someone is working "hard" and that you are "working harder" than they are. Do you have some sort of hard work-o-meter that at the end of the day you hold up to yourself and tells you, "today you did 65.84 hard-work-a-units" and then you check your neighbors and see they only did 33.5? And second of all, even if you did have such a contraption and there were some way to objectively measure "hard work" I could hardly convince myself that you were exerting more "hard work" than everyone else. I'm sure you worked harder than some, but I doubt you worked as much as you are telling yourself you did.
Here's the thing, it's not that I'm mad at you for having the opportunities that you have, any more than I can be mad at myself, it just bothers me that you are telling yourself that you somehow earned it. I'm mad at you for thinking that you actually deserve them more than someone else. You don't. I think it's screwed up that there are people who have had to work a lot harder to gain advantages that I have; however, I don't expect anyone to just give up the opportunities that they have. I'm just asking you let go of your false sense of superiority and entitlement, pull your head out of your ass and try to have a little more sympathy and understanding for those who aren't privileged. Because you aren't better than them, no matter how many [fill in your own favorite adjective] extracurricular activities you did in high school.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger
If I could somehow permanently put my brain into the state that it gets in at a good dance party all of my problems would be solved for the rest of my life.
Which basically means, if I could just somehow break out of all my inhibitions permanently I'd be set and all my wildest dreams would come true. But I feel like every time I go to sleep and wake up they all come back.
I often feel like most people would really love me if I could be my uninhibited normal self, but I feel like that is hidden under layers of other stuff, basically insecurity, which I don't want to admit, but I'm doing it anyway. But I feel like that part doesn't ever fully come out that often but is most within reach right after a dance party.
Which basically means, if I could just somehow break out of all my inhibitions permanently I'd be set and all my wildest dreams would come true. But I feel like every time I go to sleep and wake up they all come back.
I often feel like most people would really love me if I could be my uninhibited normal self, but I feel like that is hidden under layers of other stuff, basically insecurity, which I don't want to admit, but I'm doing it anyway. But I feel like that part doesn't ever fully come out that often but is most within reach right after a dance party.
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