Thank you, Mr. Uncle D'Bunk, for challenging me to think about my words. I have taken your junkscience reference into consideration. It's true that I do not have all the facts. I'll admit that openly. I did not intend for my blog to become a place to present research papers. I rant on occasion. However you may have spurred me on to be more knowledgable, specific, and objective in any future posts that even mention conservatives. I seem to get the most passionate responses whenever I voice my opinions about the right. I know that the left is just as bad in most respects- I'm by no means a democrat.
My unsupported rant was at least based on the knowledge gathered in a year-long course in environmental science. I don't know how to argue with a person that won't even acknowledge something as serious as the thinning of the ozone over Antarctica. This is a very resilient planet, I agree. But even if it doesn't fall apart like all of those liberal environmentalist say it will, please at least agree that we are treating the planet like shit. We, the supposed stewards of God's creation. So even if you believe the earth can take all of our crap, is that really a reason to keep our abuse of it up? Wouldn't it be great to see biodiversity increase instead of decrease? For us to still have the few remaining old-growth forests to walk through? To have enough food and water for every person in the world? (On that last point, we probably do (even as overpopulated as we are); it's just our old friend capitalism that kind of keeps the concentration of food rather uneven).
I find it disturbing that you think a liberal would automatically become conservative upon being mugged. Would that be because of conservatives' love of the death penalty? Or their crackdown on all criminals with a defunct jail system? Or just the general distain they hold for anyone different from themselves- people who maybe have had to deal with more in their lives than you or me. I guess maybe you were refering to the idealism of some liberals (and myself) being shattered by the reality of a dog-eat-dog world. I supposed I would have two options from which to choose if I were mugged. I could become conservative, harden myself to the rest of the world, and only care about number one. Or I could become even more motivated to make some positive impact on a society that produces such criminals. Actually, since I'm the kind of person that, when given lemons, makes vanilla icing (excuse the inside joke), I'd probably be thankful to the mugger for presenting me with the opportunity to start living more simply. Personal property means way more to me right now than I wish it did. Laboring 8 hours a day to make $50 will do that to you. And I've only worked 14 days. I have a strange admiration for my coworkers. I don't know how they can do what they do, knowing that it is what they'll be doing for the indefinite future. Some of them do have hopes of starting their own businesses. But for some, the object seems to be to just survive and escape. I guess they can survive because they don't give themselves the chance to think about what it all means. Instead they think about the next time they can get drunk or high. Or when they can go really fast in their car or boat next. And maybe that's why they smoke. Maybe they rejoice in the knowledge that they are shortening their lifespans. All I can really say is that they have had to deal with a whole lot more in their lives than I have, and if someone who had grown up worse than they had would mug me, I'd hope that I could be understanding, forgive the person, and maybe try to give the person more than they were demanding.
I have a question. Who made you my Sensei? Are you basing your superiority of opinion/knowledge on your seniority in years, uncle? I appreciate that you care enough about me and my words to challenge them, but please don't jump to any conclusions about a teacher/student relationship. Maybe I am proving you're "favorite quote of conservatives" to be true. I am young and idealistic. Many of my opinions are left of center (some have no place on the spectrum/want to abolish the spectrum). And yeah, I strive to have a heart. There is a lot I have to experience. I look forward to it. I think I'm on a path with which I will experience a lot. Hopefully I'll become wiser. I certainly am wiser than I was four years ago. I personally hope that with wisdom, an argument such as this becomes unnecessary, that I can simply live to love, and that I offend neither conservatives nor liberals (or more likely, that I insult both equally). I don't really care what the politicians or the scientists are saying. Not after a point. Civilization is not healthy for anyone involved, especially the earth. And no, I'm not going to provide any proof for you. At least not today. Just think about the earth that is underneath the street outside your house. Its potential for life. And what it is doing instead. That's enough to go meditate on for a while, don't you think, Sensei?
Thursday, June 23
Friday, June 10
Growing up
I've been realizing recently how much I am affected by my environment. It has shaped my personality, my conscience, and on a more short term basis, my mood. I was thinking about this because of my coworkers, actually. They all smoke. All of them. Every break. I obviously have no appreciation for the art of slowly killing yourself, but I've still grown more understanding of smokers. It is probably what they all grew up with. Parents, like it or not, have a big part in forming who you are. If they did something throughout your entire childhood, you are probably more likely to do it as well. You still have a choice, of course. And I would love to see them all stop smoking. But I can't blame them too much.
I'm just very thankful for my parents. Okay, well first off, they don't smoke. But they just love me so much. There's a reason why I'm so well adjusted (mostly. some might protest): I grew up knowing that I am loved. I've also realized that they are the original source, or foundation, for my liberal political views. I've obviously grown to become post-liberal, but it was my parents that pushed me in the right direction. I remember being conservative before I even knew what the word meant. I think kids probably usually are. It probably seems safer. Nothing ever changes. Unfortunately, half the population never grows out of it. But I remember wanting Bush Sr. to have a second term. Just because he was already president (I was 5). I remember asking my parents who won the Vietnam war. They told me that no one won, (I asked if they tied. I was probably about 11), that there are no winners in war. I've grown up thinking that everyone did community service. Everyone I knew did. At the beginning, my parents even only let me watch channel 9 (pbs). And now I could only wish that that was the only channel out there. They raised me in the Catholic church and in a community in which I found some of my best friends.
I am blessed that I was raised by these people (along with everyone else in my family and community). Thank you, mom and dad.
I feel so grown up. I've got a full time job. I have graduated from high school. I've voted twice (with unhappy results). I'm even "in a relationship" with a woman. (with happy results) I need to do some serious playing, or I'm going to grow old, as well as up. Don't want that to happen.
That's another thing I've been thinking about. Growing old sucks. All the aches and pains and general falling apart. Right now I can go to bed at midnight, wake up at 7:30, rush to work, do backbreaking labor all day, go out and have fun with friends in the evening, and do this over and over again. I need to do my best to age gracefully. Take care of my body. I think I will be able to appreciate the changing seasons to come in my life. It will be a chance to look at the world from a different perspective. Hopefully, I'll be wiser. And not too bitter. But I will enjoy my youth while it is here. This is not the height of my life (that doesn't even come in this life), it's only the beginning.
I'm just very thankful for my parents. Okay, well first off, they don't smoke. But they just love me so much. There's a reason why I'm so well adjusted (mostly. some might protest): I grew up knowing that I am loved. I've also realized that they are the original source, or foundation, for my liberal political views. I've obviously grown to become post-liberal, but it was my parents that pushed me in the right direction. I remember being conservative before I even knew what the word meant. I think kids probably usually are. It probably seems safer. Nothing ever changes. Unfortunately, half the population never grows out of it. But I remember wanting Bush Sr. to have a second term. Just because he was already president (I was 5). I remember asking my parents who won the Vietnam war. They told me that no one won, (I asked if they tied. I was probably about 11), that there are no winners in war. I've grown up thinking that everyone did community service. Everyone I knew did. At the beginning, my parents even only let me watch channel 9 (pbs). And now I could only wish that that was the only channel out there. They raised me in the Catholic church and in a community in which I found some of my best friends.
I am blessed that I was raised by these people (along with everyone else in my family and community). Thank you, mom and dad.
I feel so grown up. I've got a full time job. I have graduated from high school. I've voted twice (with unhappy results). I'm even "in a relationship" with a woman. (with happy results) I need to do some serious playing, or I'm going to grow old, as well as up. Don't want that to happen.
That's another thing I've been thinking about. Growing old sucks. All the aches and pains and general falling apart. Right now I can go to bed at midnight, wake up at 7:30, rush to work, do backbreaking labor all day, go out and have fun with friends in the evening, and do this over and over again. I need to do my best to age gracefully. Take care of my body. I think I will be able to appreciate the changing seasons to come in my life. It will be a chance to look at the world from a different perspective. Hopefully, I'll be wiser. And not too bitter. But I will enjoy my youth while it is here. This is not the height of my life (that doesn't even come in this life), it's only the beginning.
Monday, June 6
Saturday, June 4
Loving and serving all three
It is a sad day in the Campbell household.
My family turned on the air conditioning today. I'm so cold. It is 84 degrees outside, and I am freezing. I'm only wearing a pair of shorts currently, so I should be quite comfortable, if the windows were open and the ceiling fan was on. But the windows are closed, alas. And the fan is off. I am living in a refrigerator.
Do you have any idea how many strip mines are being created (completely and totally raping the earth) to extract enough coal to make enough electricity for the four of us to be living in a refrigerator? I don't know that much about Puron, but any chemical coolant will probably have some damaging effect. Our poor atmosphere is currently undergoing an accelerating bout of destruction by CFCs. Because of busted up air conditioners from the last half century. The euphemistically named Freon wasn't good anymore because the public had been educated about it. So they named a different chemical Puron. Free and pure. Right. You may have solved one specific part of the problem but by no means have we taken on the whole spectrum of ways that we are shooting ourselves in the foot. What do we need for survival? Air, food, water, and shelter. We are using these vital resources at an exponentially unsustainable rate. Sure, we don't see it. We live in America. The home of the brave "tamers" of the wild and the land of the free-for-all.
As a blue collar worker, I have just plugged myself into the system that builds and maintains the infrastructures that support our capitalist nation and world. Capitalism is the benefiting financially from the shortchanging of someone somewhere else who you probably can't see. The one biggest thing shortchanged (because it has absolutely no voice of its own to speak out for itself) is the earth. It can't go on strike for unbearable working conditions. Eventually, it will just drop dead. And the systems and infrastructures I have now taken a part in prolonging will be null. We will be dead.
Shit.
I'm being dramatic, but it is that serious. Wake up and smell the carnage. Our lives need to change. Drastically. Would you rather have a car or clean air to breathe? Highways, streets, garages, and parking lots (with which to use those cars)- or real food to eat? Electronics, plastics, and anything made with manufactured chemicals- or water to drink? A pay check- or your lives?
That's a lot to sacrifice, either way you look at it. In the end, I'll take the air, food, and water, thanks. Please join me. And live.
Someone told me at my graduation party that if I plan on getting married, raising a family, I'll need to have a job by which I make money. And for a while, I agreed with him (this job is really brainwashing me). How could money ever be considered the prerequisite for the building of a family? Of course, practically, money is very important in considering the health of families in our society. But that is such a sad state of affairs. Somehow, some way, love needs to become the only factor in the planning of one's family. Of my family.
So much is so wrong in our society. We are so selfish. So self-centered. We are isolated and we isolate other people. We create our own sad world to live in alone and we are angry because of it. I feel like crying. We (Sara and I) saw the movie Crash last night. It depicts the very real and very sad state of humanity hating itself for the fact that not everyone is the same. Skin color isn't even the main cause- that's just used as the overshadowing stereotype. It's the cultural differences that develop within the separated melanin groups that cause so much friction. Or rather, it is the intolerance of such differences.
I am intolerant of intolerance. That is why I can relate better to some atheists than some religious rights. At least the atheist isn't a hypocrit. I may not know how he ticks, how he can survive without hope, but he acts on what he "believes." Fundamentalist christians love God. That is very good and I respect them for that. I do. But the "love" that they have for their neighbor, the love that is supposed to spring from their ardent love of God, consists in trying to purge those neighbors of all differences and fit them nicely into their church. People are different. Love them. Not in spite of differences. Not because of their differences. Just love them. Love is our only hope- for humanity, for the earth, for us.
So start living a life of love. We've all heard this before. God loves you unconditionally. If you are Christian, then you also believe that God became one of us and died to show us, teach us, release that unconditional love on us. Well, we're certainly doing a heck of a job of imitating that example. What would Jesus do? I'll tell you what he would do. He would live in a community of love, with a few shared possessions, travelling around to love as many people as possible. And not any people- the people with the greatest degree of difference from himself. He would not only tolerate them, he would embrace them, share his life with them, love them. He would NOT have a job. He would NOT need such distractions as toys, entertainment, or coffee to have a good time. He would only need the presence of another human to rejoice in to have a good time. He would have a complete faith in God, that he mustn't worry about such things as food or clothes. He would have faith in humans, that there is good in everyone, that anyone he meets would have it within them to share in the love he already has for them. He would not fret about the past or the future. He would live with you in the moment, fully enjoying the life God gave him. I want to imitate that man.
How am I doing that in this moment? Frankly, I'm not. I'm working all day to make money, and "learning valuable skills," to go towards my college education. At some point, you have to say that you've learned enough to go out into the "real world" and start living. Considering the whole world, I am already immensly more educated than the majority. And that's not cocky; it's just the truth. But that doesn't mean I can grow fields upon fields of food for a village to eat. Not yet. I have studied books and ideas. I'm going on to a very expensive education of more books and ideas. I can't spend my life in books and ideas. I need to experience the world, not analyze it. I have never really had to deal with racial issues. I've basically migrated towards people that are very similar to me (some of them are very different from each other, but they are similar to different parts of me) and loved them. And I do love them. But what about everyone else? For two hours out of 168 hours in one week, I reach out in some small way to people that are pretty different from me. That is not a very high percentage (just over 1%).
Aunt Annie, I will take your advice. I have an opportunity to reach out in some small way to people that are very different from me 8 hours out of every day, and I will take advantage of that opportunity.
And I will continue to grow in love with the people I am already close to. Because that's just too much fun. That's the kind of thing that makes life unbelievably, incredibly good. It's the kind of thing that can inspire me to love people that aren't so similar. And I thank you for that.
Somehow, I was able to capture the purpose of my life in that little blurb on the upper right of this blog. I appreciate the simplicity: Love God, love the earth, love humans. That's it.
Amen.
My family turned on the air conditioning today. I'm so cold. It is 84 degrees outside, and I am freezing. I'm only wearing a pair of shorts currently, so I should be quite comfortable, if the windows were open and the ceiling fan was on. But the windows are closed, alas. And the fan is off. I am living in a refrigerator.
Do you have any idea how many strip mines are being created (completely and totally raping the earth) to extract enough coal to make enough electricity for the four of us to be living in a refrigerator? I don't know that much about Puron, but any chemical coolant will probably have some damaging effect. Our poor atmosphere is currently undergoing an accelerating bout of destruction by CFCs. Because of busted up air conditioners from the last half century. The euphemistically named Freon wasn't good anymore because the public had been educated about it. So they named a different chemical Puron. Free and pure. Right. You may have solved one specific part of the problem but by no means have we taken on the whole spectrum of ways that we are shooting ourselves in the foot. What do we need for survival? Air, food, water, and shelter. We are using these vital resources at an exponentially unsustainable rate. Sure, we don't see it. We live in America. The home of the brave "tamers" of the wild and the land of the free-for-all.
As a blue collar worker, I have just plugged myself into the system that builds and maintains the infrastructures that support our capitalist nation and world. Capitalism is the benefiting financially from the shortchanging of someone somewhere else who you probably can't see. The one biggest thing shortchanged (because it has absolutely no voice of its own to speak out for itself) is the earth. It can't go on strike for unbearable working conditions. Eventually, it will just drop dead. And the systems and infrastructures I have now taken a part in prolonging will be null. We will be dead.
Shit.
I'm being dramatic, but it is that serious. Wake up and smell the carnage. Our lives need to change. Drastically. Would you rather have a car or clean air to breathe? Highways, streets, garages, and parking lots (with which to use those cars)- or real food to eat? Electronics, plastics, and anything made with manufactured chemicals- or water to drink? A pay check- or your lives?
That's a lot to sacrifice, either way you look at it. In the end, I'll take the air, food, and water, thanks. Please join me. And live.
Someone told me at my graduation party that if I plan on getting married, raising a family, I'll need to have a job by which I make money. And for a while, I agreed with him (this job is really brainwashing me). How could money ever be considered the prerequisite for the building of a family? Of course, practically, money is very important in considering the health of families in our society. But that is such a sad state of affairs. Somehow, some way, love needs to become the only factor in the planning of one's family. Of my family.
So much is so wrong in our society. We are so selfish. So self-centered. We are isolated and we isolate other people. We create our own sad world to live in alone and we are angry because of it. I feel like crying. We (Sara and I) saw the movie Crash last night. It depicts the very real and very sad state of humanity hating itself for the fact that not everyone is the same. Skin color isn't even the main cause- that's just used as the overshadowing stereotype. It's the cultural differences that develop within the separated melanin groups that cause so much friction. Or rather, it is the intolerance of such differences.
I am intolerant of intolerance. That is why I can relate better to some atheists than some religious rights. At least the atheist isn't a hypocrit. I may not know how he ticks, how he can survive without hope, but he acts on what he "believes." Fundamentalist christians love God. That is very good and I respect them for that. I do. But the "love" that they have for their neighbor, the love that is supposed to spring from their ardent love of God, consists in trying to purge those neighbors of all differences and fit them nicely into their church. People are different. Love them. Not in spite of differences. Not because of their differences. Just love them. Love is our only hope- for humanity, for the earth, for us.
So start living a life of love. We've all heard this before. God loves you unconditionally. If you are Christian, then you also believe that God became one of us and died to show us, teach us, release that unconditional love on us. Well, we're certainly doing a heck of a job of imitating that example. What would Jesus do? I'll tell you what he would do. He would live in a community of love, with a few shared possessions, travelling around to love as many people as possible. And not any people- the people with the greatest degree of difference from himself. He would not only tolerate them, he would embrace them, share his life with them, love them. He would NOT have a job. He would NOT need such distractions as toys, entertainment, or coffee to have a good time. He would only need the presence of another human to rejoice in to have a good time. He would have a complete faith in God, that he mustn't worry about such things as food or clothes. He would have faith in humans, that there is good in everyone, that anyone he meets would have it within them to share in the love he already has for them. He would not fret about the past or the future. He would live with you in the moment, fully enjoying the life God gave him. I want to imitate that man.
How am I doing that in this moment? Frankly, I'm not. I'm working all day to make money, and "learning valuable skills," to go towards my college education. At some point, you have to say that you've learned enough to go out into the "real world" and start living. Considering the whole world, I am already immensly more educated than the majority. And that's not cocky; it's just the truth. But that doesn't mean I can grow fields upon fields of food for a village to eat. Not yet. I have studied books and ideas. I'm going on to a very expensive education of more books and ideas. I can't spend my life in books and ideas. I need to experience the world, not analyze it. I have never really had to deal with racial issues. I've basically migrated towards people that are very similar to me (some of them are very different from each other, but they are similar to different parts of me) and loved them. And I do love them. But what about everyone else? For two hours out of 168 hours in one week, I reach out in some small way to people that are pretty different from me. That is not a very high percentage (just over 1%).
Aunt Annie, I will take your advice. I have an opportunity to reach out in some small way to people that are very different from me 8 hours out of every day, and I will take advantage of that opportunity.
And I will continue to grow in love with the people I am already close to. Because that's just too much fun. That's the kind of thing that makes life unbelievably, incredibly good. It's the kind of thing that can inspire me to love people that aren't so similar. And I thank you for that.
Somehow, I was able to capture the purpose of my life in that little blurb on the upper right of this blog. I appreciate the simplicity: Love God, love the earth, love humans. That's it.
Amen.
Wednesday, June 1
Life really is unbelievably, incredibly good.
Work has been better. The two days that I worked this week (monday off, and thursday and friday orienting myself for college), I was at the same house, but with only 3 other people. And they are less abrasive people (there is a cuss word only every 30 words, or so). So it's been mostly quiet and good. Today, I met Bill for the first time. He had taken a leave of absense to care for his very sick wife, but he had to come back to work because they were starving. It is quite a dire situation. I feel like giving him my pitiful paycheck. He is a very nice guy. And he hit the nail on the head, talking about the absent co-workers: they only care about themselves. Well, he also called them retarded half a dozen times. But he is really nice, and I have hope of liking some of my co-workers. Not all of them are racist, sexist, macho, dope heads.
I am learning valuable skills. Like hanging drywall. And taping, and sanding, and retaping, and resanding. My whole day today was sanding walls and ceilings. I don't know about my arms, but my back is definitly bulking up some already. I need to go shopping for fattening food.
And my evenings have been absolutely glorious. Filled with friends and laughter and closeness. We went to the Shakespeare festival tonight to see the Tempest. I plan to go multiple times with different people. Free things are wonderful. Coffee at Mokabe's is also wonderful, if not free.
I love you. Goodnight.
Work has been better. The two days that I worked this week (monday off, and thursday and friday orienting myself for college), I was at the same house, but with only 3 other people. And they are less abrasive people (there is a cuss word only every 30 words, or so). So it's been mostly quiet and good. Today, I met Bill for the first time. He had taken a leave of absense to care for his very sick wife, but he had to come back to work because they were starving. It is quite a dire situation. I feel like giving him my pitiful paycheck. He is a very nice guy. And he hit the nail on the head, talking about the absent co-workers: they only care about themselves. Well, he also called them retarded half a dozen times. But he is really nice, and I have hope of liking some of my co-workers. Not all of them are racist, sexist, macho, dope heads.
I am learning valuable skills. Like hanging drywall. And taping, and sanding, and retaping, and resanding. My whole day today was sanding walls and ceilings. I don't know about my arms, but my back is definitly bulking up some already. I need to go shopping for fattening food.
And my evenings have been absolutely glorious. Filled with friends and laughter and closeness. We went to the Shakespeare festival tonight to see the Tempest. I plan to go multiple times with different people. Free things are wonderful. Coffee at Mokabe's is also wonderful, if not free.
I love you. Goodnight.
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