Tag: media

Alien

Are we speaking the same language? Are we even from the same planet? Those are at times the questions we ask ourselves when we encounter people who we thought had an understanding of common sense. Ultimately we have to make a choice of whether we are going to be delusional and endure the frustration of constant miscommunication or move on.

In the world of science and technology there is always a reference point. A reference point allows you to measure distance, the level of completion of a chemical reaction and everything else you wish to quantify. Widely used references, I would call them standards. Standard is a bad word these days, similar to discipline, respect, responsibility. These words evoke feelings of embarrassment, insecurity, inadequacy and even patriarchy. Ultimately we set standards for ourselves in modern time as the old standards typically seem oppressive. This is unfortunate as they probably just need dusting off and remixing rather than a total dumping.

Parents, friends and social groups in general who truly want the best for you will encourage you to uphold and accept a standard from you romantic interest. People who do not care for you, wish you ill, or use you as gossip and entertainment will allow you to disrespect and destroy yourself.

Standards may be dictated by religion, geographic origin, and media/television/internet. Of course television and other media’s main goal is to get you to buy something. Putting you through multiple failed relationships gets you to spend more(We’ll explore that lengthy topic another time). Pop culture exhibited on television and subcultures that may not be so visible, put pressure on those living according to conventional/traditional standards. Pop culture causes FOMO(fear of missing out) but rarely shows the long term damage of unsustainable behaviors.

I somewhat strayed off topic, but I said all of that to indicate that some of us are living according to different standards. So different that it may seem we are speaking a different language. Having a guide may seem controlling but at times it is for your own protection. One can get so caught up in an alien way of things to the point they are lost. No longer what or who they thought they were.

Exploring other cultures is something you do on vacations or when reading a book or watching a film. It is not something you want to do with a life partner unless the tenets of that culture are in alignment with yours. It is not about xenophobia but about having a comfortable life where everyone understands what is expected of each other.

Photo Credit: https://flic.kr/p/77wKN

Under the Influencers

I have not been writing much. Writing outside of academia is a thing based upon inspiration. I now understand why my uncle has been writing a book for 30 years and no one has yet read it. Couple that with the corona virus and the election and the protests, the mind gets a little jostled. I’ve been trying to write this singular post for four days. Now I think I know what the universe is trying to tell me.

I don’t belive in interpreting dreams but I believe they are our subconscious working like a program in the background of our computer. When we stop actively using the computer the resources get freed up and that background program can get more done.

So the other day I had a dream that I was working back at a retail position I had during college, but I was attending Harvard instead of my actual college in the dream. When I went to use the restroom at Harvard in the dream it was filthy and disgusting. I was shocked to see such a prestigious institution with such a unkempt facility.

In my life there are times when I have downplayed myself, and engaged in behaviors that were unbecoming of the person who I have the potential to become. Most times I did this to gain social approval or acceptance from friends and, acquaintances and even strangers. I definitely was taught better and was aware that there was a better way but at the time I was laser focused on the goal of acceptance.

Social media, movies, television, music, news, podcasts, vlogs, blogs, churches, educators, cults, friends, family etc. All these people have a goal or agenda. We have to choose wisely who we listen to and associate with. As we will overtly or subconsciously will modify our behavior to  gain their acceptance. These modifications in some instances may delay or utterly destroy us. So we owe it to ourselves to live up to the standard that will make us realize the dream of who we are destined to be.

Cut out the negativity, cut out the destruction, cut out the addiction, cut out the laziness. Cut out the people associated with indiscipline, ignorance and stagnation.

 

Featured image by: Jeff Kubina https://www.flickr.com/photos/kubina/152730867

Mess media

I have been taking a break from conventional social media. Specifically youtube and instagram. My instagram is about 80% people who I actually know, 5% strangers and 15% news media. On youtube I follow people who relay the news usually in a comical way and a few related to my field of work. I rarely use facebook as that is mostly comprised of crazy family members who I know too much about to be able to appreciate their online persona.

Overall social media is a bunch of people shouting at the same time and this creates a lot of noise in my head. I used to believe it made me more connected to happenings in the world and my social circle but I now appreciate the benefit of being in my own crazy thoughts. Music and television are another source of noise I am trying to reduce.

I used to believe that reading the newspapers was something that educated and thinking people do but the newspapers have become as trashy as the tabloids at the checkout counter. They are filled with opinions, biased viewpoints and many articles are sponsored by special interest groups or corporations. Its understandable. In a world filled with different forms of media and constant demands on your attention, companies have to compete aggressively to earn that attention. Unfortunately it has become a race to the bottom. Sex, violence, fear mongering, hyperbole, no stone is unturned to achieve shock value. Our level of tolerance just increases until it takes greater shock to get our attention.

Eventually this pushes us so far from where we sustainably and holistically should be and the people in our social circle may think we are mentally limited if we do not know the latest manufactured outrage story. Which is replaced by another outrage story every second.

I understand the butterfly effect and sincerely believe that we are all connected in some way. We all share this existence and have and effect on it, but I don’t need to know if a tree fell in the forest. I know that trees fall in the forest, but I don’t need a breaking news update every minute about it.

We are in the information age but the flood of information is useless for the most part. It is mostly click bait that adds nothing to our lives.

Additionally there is the gossip and reality tv spectrum of media. Where we see a push of negative images of women as catty, confrontational, antagonistic, cantankerous, hypocritical, consumerist and fickle.

Im not slut shaming when I say that we are marketed a paradoxical way of life where prominent celebrities gain their notoriety via selling their sexuality and less so their intellectual and artistic talents. The following are notable people associated with the sex industry at varied levels: Kim Kardashian, Paris Hilton, Pamela Anderson, Cardi B, Nene Leaks, Charlie Sheen, Howard Stern, Hanna Montana, Madonna etc. Some things we don’t need to know. The promote us to have dirty minds – as if we needed any help. What people do in private, or are interested in we do not need to know as long as it isn’t harmful or criminal. I mention this because its just more clickbait noise that is marketed to us.

Now that we have been bombarded by useless information, our minds become cluttered. Having a complete unadulterated thought now takes conscious effort. It may take meditation or isolation or fasting just to get back to who you truly are.  So in conclusion it can be good to cut the cord from the 200 channels of cable, 10 social media platforms, 25 podcasts, 200 facebook friends, 100 instagram friends, 30 youtube channels, 150 phone contacts, 1000 unread emails, and dedicate your focus on yourself.

Bad company

We are social beings right? Even before Myspace-if you are too young to know what Myspace is ask your parents.

The creatures we call animals, operate according to their own social order likewise. Unfortunately we designed cellphones to fit opposable thumbs so the animals are not yet able to sign up for Instagram. Ultimately socializing is as old as life on the planet and we mostly choose to get together with like-minded individuals. These can be human or otherwise-a lot of people have proven that your dog might be a better friend that a large segment of the human population.

Choosing to only make acquaintance with like minded people makes you feel great. You agree, you relate and probably have a heap of fun together. Though fun, this association can be destructive, especially if you are already destructive. Also, if your acquaintance is not necessarily like-minded but practices enabling your destructive habits. Figuratively it is like a friend that sees you are on fire and throws gasoline on you.

They may have an interest or dependency on the fact that you are screwed up, or they may be oblivious, or maybe they are not your friend at all but you think that they are.

The human need to be in a group is beneficial in may ways. We can develop things, share information, heal, entertain, defend, teach, the list continues. So it’s important not only to keep the council of people that only say yes but we also need the council of people that tell us NO! I touched upon this in a prior posting but it is a thought that needs to be repeated.

Instagram and Facebook have option where you can continue to be a friend to someone but mute their postings. I have done this with people who constantly post disrespectful, tasteless, raunchy, detracting, violent and just dumb content. If they mix it(crap) up with mostly something edifying, uplifting, encouraging, entrepreneurial, enlightening then I don’t mind.

Stay away from destructive persons and those that enable destruction. They may be in misery and want you to join them. They may enjoy gossip so thoroughly that they would revel in you having drama or it would make them feel better about themselves to see you brought low. Analyze whether they have verifiable experience or knowledge of what they are encouraging you to do.

Friends, family, television, movies, social media, billboards, music, artists, horoscopes, palm-readers, fortune tellers, celebrities, government all want something from us. They all do things to get us to behave a certain way, give our time, give our money, give our lives, give our souls to their specific relative agenda. Therefore we have to be careful and reject the poison and take the medicine.