Archive | September, 2013

So Racism Finally Made It Here

26 Sep

I am what is there are eggs.

Okay, so Upworthy, a news site that recently got my attention after their excellent report on the horrors of the sex trafficking world and the beauty of recovery from it, just lost quite a few points with its followers on Facebook. Why? Here’s why.

At first, the reaction to these might very well be, “Oh, there is racial corruption going on here. We’ve got to stop it!” But, thanks to the quick thinkers of the internet, one of the first responses to this was, “For this information to be relevant, we would need to know the numerical weight of the same groups (women vs. men and people of colour vs. whites), e.g. 30% of Comedy writers are women but only 5% of award winners in that category are women.”

Needless to say, Necip Camcigil, who wrote the comment, wasn’t the only person who felt this way. It’s pretty clear that Upworthy should’ve been more careful about theses statistics. I personally feel that, even if Upworthy just so happens to be correct, the way to deal with racism is the way Morgan Freeman said we should. It’s the way that’s the least painful, in my opinion.

What do you think? Do you agree with what Upworthy  has to say, or on you on the side of its critics? Leave a comment below and let me know!

 

~D.

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Four More Years

23 Sep

This is matter. This is art.

Where we start is where we end,

And at the end, we start again.

We do this because it is fun

To make a game and have it won.

And see, that’s what all this stuff is:

The cat, the dog, the wife, the kids,

The house, the car, the book you wrote,

The pictures, the meals, that winter coat

You wore to your son’s baseball game

So you could watch his rise to fame.

You did it for your daughter, too

When, live onstage, she played the blues.

All these things, the art, the music,

They’re there for us to simply use it

And succeed at this game we made,

The one which forever we’ve played

Because of how much fun it’s been,

And also ’cause—hell—we love to win!

It’s how we roll. You know it’s true.

It’s how we live, me and you

And us all under the same roof,

Bound by ties that need no proof

Of existence. We know they’re there.

They’re why we love and why we care

About each other so much, so purely.

You understand why I’m saying this, surely?

Well, if you don’t, I’ll let you know

Why I’ve been speaking to you so

Oddly, in a fashion I don’t normally pick:

It’s my Fourth Anniversary! Come on, you pricks!

How could you forget the twenty-third,

In which I penned the very first words

That started our little game

Within the Great Game? What a shame

You should forget this day, the start

Of me talking to you through art,

And us building this powerful bond,

The kind that lasts forever strong.

But I know that you didn’t forget,

You only needed me to let

You know it’s okay to celebrate

This (obvious rhyme) momentous date

When you and I first became friends.

It’ll start here, end here, and start again,

Just as it’s always been with us.

We’ll make more games and build more trust,

And every year I’ll write a poem,

Which you’ll read on your screen at home.

And maybe you’ll write back to me,

And tell me how good it feels to be

Alive and powerful, all of those things

That this Great Game we’ve made eternally brings.

All right, I guess that’s where this story ends,

And, where it stops, another begins.

I’ve had fun, really, living these last four years with you.

Here’s to next quartet, goo goo g’joob.

 

~D.

 

P.S. – To trace the origin of the image at the top, this is the place to look. Good luck.

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Is It Me, or We?

22 Sep

Cycles, they are.

In the Roarin’ 1920s, it was all about looking good now, feeling going now, and being unique, standing out. It was all about individualism. It was all about desires. These viewpoints were remnants of an old era, one that lasted forty years called the “Me Cycle.” It ended in 1923, and a new age began, an age which would one day be referred to as the “We Cycle.” The We Cycle wasn’t about the individual, it was about the group. The needs of the many outweighed the needs of the few, and responsibility was valued above desire.

The above mentioned were not the first Cycles. They have been going on a long time, and still exist today. How do I know this? A wise mentor of mine made me aware of it, and now I want you to be aware, too.

The Cycles alternate in the same way a pendulum swings: it starts at a central point, swings up one way until it hits zenith, swings back to central point, and then up to zenith again, back and forth, on and on. Both Cycles have their pros and cons, and neither is good or bad, only different. They represent the way we think and what appeals to us, in general. Now, that’s not to say we don’t all have our own personal tastes and desires and wants and needs and fears and all that jazz, but, for the most part, the consensus is there, and I don’t see it going away any time soon.

A good place to go if you want to learn more about the Pendulum Cycles is here. Check the site’s “Blog” section to keep up-to-date with current events and their relation with the We Cycle we are currently living in. Note that there are entries listing major differences between the We and Me Cycles, which you should read.

Well, that’s everything. I hope the knowledge I’ve just imparted to you leads to great rewards.

 

~D.

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And We Keep Going

15 Sep

Yeah, it's back.

Okay, so I just felt like updating you on everything that’s going on. Things have been moving in the right direction for me. I can imagine it’s been the same for you. If not, cheer up. It’ll be okay. Yeah, yeah, “It’s just getting worse and worse. I can’t take it anymore. To hell with the mortgage.” I know, I get it, trust me. But if you keep thinking about the Prequel Trilogy, the Originals are going to pass you by (to those who didn’t understand that, here you go).

Anyhow, this is pretty cool, or something. No, but really, I’m psyched for what’s coming. Working with Pendulum in Action is a blast and an honor, and I’m looking forward to continuing this relationship. Also, Michael Drew and Roy H. Williams are geniuses. They offer profound and practical social and cultural insight, which you should all take advantage of.

Last but not least, I’ve updated the Here Lies KNOWLEDGE page. You should take a look at it. I know you’ve read it already a million times, but just do it again, because you can.

A’ight, that’s everything. I’ve got a train to catch. Be seeing you.

 

~D.

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Type It

11 Sep

Us.

I googled “twin towers” a few seconds ago. I was looking in the “Images” section. I expected smoke, fire, evil, all those things to come up first. I was surprised to find that all the starting pictures were of the Twin Towers prior to that day that changed our way of life forever. Here, look at this one. Isn’t it something? Look at how big they are compared to all the other buildings? They have this eternal look about them, this indestructible quality. I’m well aware that they no longer stand, but right there they just seem unbreakable.

I scrolled down. Immediately the scenery I expected came up: the smoke, the fire, the evil, the planes. Funny, there’s so much controversy over how it happened. Does it matter? I mean, of course it “matters,” but does it matter, really? No, no, no. How it happened, or even that it happened isn’t what really matters. It’s what we did about it that deserves remembrance, and, at the very least, praise. We buckled down, we didn’t give in, we remained united, we helped each other, saved each other even. We won. That was the real victory, and that’s the victory that should’ve been observed to begin with.

Yes, it’s true, justice should be exacted when crimes are committed, but it’s gone on so long that people are starting to forget the victory and think only of the crashes, the explosions, the screaming, the terror, and the need to completely eradicate “those people.” I’m not saying punishment wasn’t in order. I’m not saying it still isn’t. But the focus on it is far too great. What warrants our attention is what we gained, not what we lost. It’s unity, ya hear? That’s what matters.

I googled “unity” a few seconds ago. I was looking in the “Images” section. I expected love, people holding hands, peace signs, all those things to come up first. They did.

Type it.

~D.

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Amicus

1 Sep

I'll be there for yooooooouuuu.

So, it’s once again time for our usual talks. What would you like to discuss? No, no, I don’t want to talk about that. I already have something prepared for Memorial Day. Wait, you said Labor Day? Oh, well I don’t really know much about Labor Day. I only recall it having something to do with unions, pleasing them or something. Funny how we do that, try to please people, keep ’em docile, under our control. Eh, you know you do it, even to your “friends.” That’s how you can tell who your real friends are. You don’t try to please your real friends. You help your real friends, sure, but not to please them. You do that because it pleases you. That’s when you know you have a real friend.

I don’t want to talk about Obama. No, stop, I don’t want to. So what if I’m half-black, do I have to have a view on him? What if I think he’s just another guy, just another average American leader. What if I think he’s a good president, or even a great one, or terrible one, or the worst one we’ve ever had, or the best one we’ve ever had? Who cares? It doesn’t change anything, knowing what someone thinks of something. Well, I shouldn’t say that. You’d probably stop reading me if you knew what I thought of our politicians. Or, maybe you’d read me more often.

Heh, “read me,” that’s a way of putting it. That’s what’s going on here, isn’t it? You’re reading me, and when you comment, I’m reading you, and when have our little back-and-forth bits we are reading each other. We have a symbiotic relationship. You benefit me, I benefit you, but we don’t do it to please each other. We do it because it pleases us. We do it because we’re friends.

Ah, but you require me to be completely open with you to be your friend, is that it? Well, I don’t want talk about Obama, but I’ll say this: I met with a congressman once, and he told me a lot of things about what goes on up in Washington. It isn’t the prettiest sight, but there are glimmers of light to be found. I believe him, even if you don’t. I’m not here to agree with you, I’m here to be your friend. That’s the truth.

Okay, we’ve had our fun. Back to work for both of us. Oh, you want to keep talking? Tough. I know what’s good for you, and so do you.

Back to work.

 

~D.

 

P.S. – You seriously haven’t figure out what amicus means be now? Come on.

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