Sorry the posts have been pretty light. Been rather busy. I have been saving these two images I've stumbled upon from the internet. Tell me what you think of them. Do you agree/disagree? How do they make you feel?
I think that both are saying the same thing: someone else is to blame for our problems. I think we have forgotten what it means to take responsibility for our actions. Oh sure, if it works out the way we want it to we will say, "Hey, look what I did!" but if it doesn't we just push it off on someone else. I don't think I need to give an example, just watch the news.
The second one really got me, and I'm not talking about the politics of it. Look at the first few words, "I want you to give me" that is the attitude of our consumer driven culture: we want everything handed to us in pretty plastic wrapping so that we don't have to try too hard. Because life shouldn't be hard or unfair and we are all entitled to peace.
I agree with Outliers. They seems to be saying the same thing. Also yes we should take responsibility for our actions and words. Not just with the good things we do also with the bad. I believe that if you don't take responsibility for your actions one day it going to come back and bite you in the ass. Like they say Karma a B***H. The second one in kind of in your face. I believe we could be entitled to a country that does try to be peaceful and try to work their differences with other countries out before going and invading other countries and going to war. Who does war benefit in the long run? No one really. You end up with other lost lives and economy. PS: One more thing to Anonymous and all the other spammers on Sergey's blogs, If you don't have anything to say about the topic of the blog don't post!
I'm torn. I'm very much a hippie, but my little brother is fighting in Afghanistan as I write this. We're complete opposites. I find it very difficult to admit that I fully agree with it. Don't get me wrong- I agree 100%, but by admitting that aloud, I feel like I'm letting my brother down in some way. He believes that he is doing the right thing for this country, and my loving him forces me to shut up, put aside my views and just support him. It's a very sensitive issue to me.
However, I do wish more people would see it that way instead of just believing that we always have to fight. It's almost as if we are injecting hate into our children's DNA before they are even born.
It's a very sick, sad and messed up world that we're living in, my friend. And although it's going to Hell in a handbasket, we must do our best in trying to positively change it.
The first photo makes me upset..cause that is exactly how our government is set up. The higher up you are, the more protected you are. They say they are over there fighting to keep us safe, well not really, when we are the ones going over there and fighting and dying. Society is right behind the front lines. The President is the last person to be affected by the war..This is what I think that photo is portraying.
The 2nd photo I have to agree with what Outliers Inc. said. On another thought, I had nothing against going to war after 9/11 I'd say the majority of the people were for it, not against it. (However I don't think we thought about the outcome of this war in the long run). The war in Iraq however was not necessary. I don't understand why America has to go and try and solve other country's problems..then we become part of the problem and our country suffers along with it.
What kind of future are we giving our children? The war on terror is going to continue for years, because it is so corrupted and widespread, it will never be finished. That is the future we are giving them..our little boys and girls will grow up to be soldiers and not peacemakers.
That 2nd to last sentence was sarcasm. I don't see peace as an entitlement. Peace is elusive and therefore it is hard work. That was my point, that drawing personified the entitlement mentality that we have come to accept at the norm. Life is hard and unfair. That is reality. We aren't entitled to an easy and peaceful life. We are, however, entitled to do something about it.
I, too, think they are saying the same thing. That second image is the one I couldn't help looking at and really thinking. Personally, I believe that we could live in a country that handled things a little more peacefully. It seems that instead of trying to work out any conflicts or problems, what we have done is jumped right into fighting a war. What does war do, exactly? Does it really help anyone or anything in the long run? It tears families apart, ends innocent lives...it's just too much, in my opinion. I have good friends who are over there fighting right now and post pictures of themselves holding huge guns and standing beside huge tanks. They think it's making a point and saying something, but I don't like it at all. Exactly how much have we improved since this "War on Terror" began, exactly? The economy is still horrible, and has gotten worse over that time, we've had so many fallen heroes, and of course, a lot of other things have happened that I won't get off on here because I'd end up writing a book.
Interesting comments everyone. I noticed that the images did not enlarge when clicked on, so I fixed that.
We don't want to take responsibility for actions and we don't want to take responsibility for someone else's actions as well. When one side side says they are not to blame and another side says, yes you are, we start to concentrate more on the accusations instead of going, ok there is a problem...how do we fix this?
Humans are an interesting species. Is this trait then hardwired into our personalities? I will, admit, that I have plenty of times concentrated on the blame game then taking a step back and tried to realize what the bigger picture was. Of course, after the emotions are settled could I think more clearer and understand why I was in the wrong.
But thats the thing. No one wakes up in the morning thinking, I want to be proved wrong today. Especially when it comes to what we believe in. If you believe in something so strong and it proves to be incorrect, a part of you has to die.
On a smaller scale, I experience this when I have people show me photos of what they believe is paranormal and I find a rational explanation for it, I see the hurt in their eyes, and tone of their voice.
Now when it comes to peace....how ironic is the statement: "We have to fight for peace." My view on the world....the universe....is very much that there needs to be a duality for there to be a balance...for there to be some sort of existence.
Well folks, I need to get back to work. Talk to you all later...feel free to run with the discussion.
The 1st picture brings up the most emotion in me. The truth about our current state of affairs is so disgusting to digest. At this point in my life I'm constantly asking myself, "What can I do today to be part of the solution and not the PROBLEM?".
For me, this typically means I avoid doing what the majority is doing. But, I agree with you Serg, duality needs to exist for us to be able to find balance. Perhaps 2012 will truly be the time when we really kick it into gear & see the positive changes occurring. In my own personal world, the changes have already begun. :)
Since the dawn of man, man has been fighting wars. We fight for our own survival, for our families and communities. War isn't always the intent of "doing evil", it is the fight for survival and protection.
There is always going to be someone that disagrees with you. There is always going to be some dictator that loves his power. Whether in the White House or in Iraq. Though they may show it in different ways...
We are all given a choice to how we want to live our lives. What do you choose? Peace or war? Be thankful we don't have a dictator who decides that for us. The men and woman fighting overseas have made that choice themselves. My bro in law made that choice. He believes he is fighting for a greater cause for this country and yet we are still waiting to see what it is..but I'm not over there, I don't see with my own eyes what it is like.. So who am I to judge the situation? That's kinda how I feel sometimes..
It is sad it has gotten to the point where it is, but I try to be optimistic and hope that in the end, "all things work out for those who do good". Hopefully our future is in better hands this time..
Its an emotional topic. So many people talk like there is a clear answer. Peace=good. War=bad. Period. Off the bat, that's correct. But I think Serg got it right with "duality." I won't soap box. We keep saying "use words, not guns." yeah, because all those words are working out so much better? My brother is in Iraq. He's missing his little girl grow up. And all I can do is show her pictura and try to teach her our f'ed up, confusing "Be patriotic and serve, but be a pacifist" American mentality. Stop putting so much emphasis on the guns and the talking. Where's the listening?
Wow. Sad but true - goes to show how insanely egotistical we as Americans are. We want, we get. If we don't get, we act like little kids about it - except I think the kids aren't quite as ridiculous about it. Life is random and people really should learn to roll with it rather than stand by and complain. Ah, the phrase, "Life is random...so am I" and "I do not suffer from insanity, I enjoy every second of it" or maybe "Life's a bitch, but that doesn't mean you have to mimic it" all come to mind. (That last one is actually one of my phrases I made up for a rainy day)
But seriously, I know peace sounds like a wonderful ideal and can...sorta co-exist, but think about this:
If all the world was peaceful, what would it be like? I mean, no argueing, no wars, no day-to-day problems, no politics to groan about, no police because we wouldn't need them, always having exactly what you need or want...
B.O.R.I.N.G. But that's my opinion. Time to go find that rock to hide under agin until people stop chucking tomatoes at me.
I agree with Willow, Life is random and people need to roll with it. Life is also not given. So much is taken for granted too. Why does it take a trauma in someone's life for them to stop and say hey it isn't worth being upset or worrying about.
Do you really think that we are not entitled to peace? I think it's just the opposite. In order to obtain peace it's a lot of hard work but most importantly we must realize that peace is something that comes from within and it's something that can be taught, just as violence and the tactics of war are. However, in defense of violence I think that we are instinctually hotheaded and cruel beings. In the same way that we are innately anxious creatures since at the beginning of evolution we were not at the top of the food chain. Do you notice how you physically react to anxiety? You breath from the top of your diaphragm taking quick and shallow breaths. You'll notice that if you recognize this universal symptom and correct it your anxious feeling nearly fixes itself. Eventually, when you become skilled at this you will be able to begin associating the things that trigger anxiety with things that put you at ease. Your brain is firing thousands of signals from neuron to neuron every second. When your brain senses something that makes your nervous it sends the message that lets the entirety of your organism know. We have millions of connections triggering these reactions but fortunately, it only takes a few thousand new connections in order to rewire your entire brain. If we applied this to the things that make us angry and feel threatened we could essentially create a reality of peace within ourselves. I'm so tired of politics but I value and understand it's importance in my own life and the lives of the people I love. I feel like it's one argument after another and I try to avoid them as often as my hardheadedness will allow. I truly believe that the government deserves a chance to help & protect us. Whatever is going on right now isn't working, we need change, we deserve it and I think that we have the right people in control to initiate a new direction. I highly recommend the book "Buddha's Brain: The practical neuroscience of happiness, love, & wisdom" by Rick Hanson with Richard Mendius. It's a really moving book. It changed my life. As for listening, I think I miss a lot of the important things because I'm a very loud individual. However, I try as hard as I can to be observational. I find that I learn the most about people & things when I'm not saying anything.
I've applied that breathing technique to my own life & can verify that it does work!! But, I still need to get my brain's neurons set up to make it automatic. Haha! I'm definitely going to check that book out. I'd love to read it, so thanks for mentioning it.
Maybe we should walk a mile in a soldier boots..or at lease read some of their blogs.. Just type in soldier blogs and read and see what and how they feel about the fighting and the reason they're laying down their life.
Hmm... interesting that no one brought up our leaders' questionable justification for the war. Did you bring this up to get me started on conspiracy theories, Serg?
I don't know where the truth lies, but I do believe that we, as the public, have not been given the entire (if any at all) truth of the circumstances of 9/11.
I didn't realize that Jesse Ventura had written a book about conspiracy theories until a coworker told me. I loved his show on TruTV, but now, of course... I want to read his book. Add that to the list of things I need to make time to do!
It is odd to me to see someone ask if we were to turn a blind eye to the genocide in Iraq. It brings up two questions:
1- Is the U.S. supposed to take on the role of "world police" and enter every situation where genocide is happening. We'd be really busy. 2- Why is genocide in Iraq so much worthier of our attention than genocide elsewhere? I am a bit cynical about the situation, but I gotta say, I think its because there is oil in Iraq.
BTW, the mentality fueling the idea that we are to be the World Police and protectors of all that is good (and potentially beneficial to us) is one that has earned the U.S. the animosity of a large percentage of the world. Trust me, I love the altruism, and in all honesty I spent months wondering why the h*##l we weren't regulating in Darfur. However, the U.N. is in place to handle this. Are they effective? Highly debatable? But it is not the role of one country to impose order on the world.
I could go on and one, but unfortunately, I would result in sounding rather Spartan, which is pretty far from my actual belief system...
22 comments:
I think that both are saying the same thing: someone else is to blame for our problems. I think we have forgotten what it means to take responsibility for our actions. Oh sure, if it works out the way we want it to we will say, "Hey, look what I did!" but if it doesn't we just push it off on someone else. I don't think I need to give an example, just watch the news.
The second one really got me, and I'm not talking about the politics of it. Look at the first few words, "I want you to give me" that is the attitude of our consumer driven culture: we want everything handed to us in pretty plastic wrapping so that we don't have to try too hard. Because life shouldn't be hard or unfair and we are all entitled to peace.
Ok..getting off my soap box now...
I agree with Outliers. They seems to be saying the same thing. Also yes we should take responsibility for our actions and words. Not just with the good things we do also with the bad. I believe that if you don't take responsibility for your actions one day it going to come back and bite you in the ass. Like they say Karma a B***H.
The second one in kind of in your face. I believe we could be entitled to a country that does try to be peaceful and try to work their differences with other countries out before going and invading other countries and going to war. Who does war benefit in the long run? No one really. You end up with other lost lives and economy.
PS:
One more thing to Anonymous and all the other spammers on Sergey's blogs, If you don't have anything to say about the topic of the blog don't post!
Shell
Wow. The second one hit me hard.
I'm torn. I'm very much a hippie, but my little brother is fighting in Afghanistan as I write this. We're complete opposites. I find it very difficult to admit that I fully agree with it. Don't get me wrong- I agree 100%, but by admitting that aloud, I feel like I'm letting my brother down in some way. He believes that he is doing the right thing for this country, and my loving him forces me to shut up, put aside my views and just support him. It's a very sensitive issue to me.
However, I do wish more people would see it that way instead of just believing that we always have to fight. It's almost as if we are injecting hate into our children's DNA before they are even born.
It's a very sick, sad and messed up world that we're living in, my friend. And although it's going to Hell in a handbasket, we must do our best in trying to positively change it.
Be Sweet, Serg.
-Morgaine
The first photo makes me upset..cause that is exactly how our government is set up. The higher up you are, the more protected you are. They say they are over there fighting to keep us safe, well not really, when we are the ones going over there and fighting and dying. Society is right behind the front lines. The President is the last person to be affected by the war..This is what I think that photo is portraying.
The 2nd photo I have to agree with what Outliers Inc. said. On another thought, I had nothing against going to war after 9/11 I'd say the majority of the people were for it, not against it. (However I don't think we thought about the outcome of this war in the long run).
The war in Iraq however was not necessary. I don't understand why America has to go and try and solve other country's problems..then we become part of the problem and our country suffers along with it.
What kind of future are we giving our children? The war on terror is going to continue for years, because it is so corrupted and widespread, it will never be finished. That is the future we are giving them..our little boys and girls will grow up to be soldiers and not peacemakers.
That 2nd to last sentence was sarcasm. I don't see peace as an entitlement. Peace is elusive and therefore it is hard work. That was my point, that drawing personified the entitlement mentality that we have come to accept at the norm. Life is hard and unfair. That is reality. We aren't entitled to an easy and peaceful life. We are, however, entitled to do something about it.
I, too, think they are saying the same thing. That second image is the one I couldn't help looking at and really thinking. Personally, I believe that we could live in a country that handled things a little more peacefully. It seems that instead of trying to work out any conflicts or problems, what we have done is jumped right into fighting a war. What does war do, exactly? Does it really help anyone or anything in the long run? It tears families apart, ends innocent lives...it's just too much, in my opinion. I have good friends who are over there fighting right now and post pictures of themselves holding huge guns and standing beside huge tanks. They think it's making a point and saying something, but I don't like it at all. Exactly how much have we improved since this "War on Terror" began, exactly? The economy is still horrible, and has gotten worse over that time, we've had so many fallen heroes, and of course, a lot of other things have happened that I won't get off on here because I'd end up writing a book.
I shall end this here, though. :)
Have a great rest of the week, Serg.
Afternoon all,
Interesting comments everyone. I noticed that the images did not enlarge when clicked on, so I fixed that.
We don't want to take responsibility for actions and we don't want to take responsibility for someone else's actions as well. When one side side says they are not to blame and another side says, yes you are, we start to concentrate more on the accusations instead of going, ok there is a problem...how do we fix this?
Humans are an interesting species. Is this trait then hardwired into our personalities? I will, admit, that I have plenty of times concentrated on the blame game then taking a step back and tried to realize what the bigger picture was. Of course, after the emotions are settled could I think more clearer and understand why I was in the wrong.
But thats the thing. No one wakes up in the morning thinking, I want to be proved wrong today. Especially when it comes to what we believe in. If you believe in something so strong and it proves to be incorrect, a part of you has to die.
On a smaller scale, I experience this when I have people show me photos of what they believe is paranormal and I find a rational explanation for it, I see the hurt in their eyes, and tone of their voice.
Now when it comes to peace....how ironic is the statement: "We have to fight for peace." My view on the world....the universe....is very much that there needs to be a duality for there to be a balance...for there to be some sort of existence.
Well folks, I need to get back to work. Talk to you all later...feel free to run with the discussion.
The 1st picture brings up the most emotion in me. The truth about our current state of affairs is so disgusting to digest. At this point in my life I'm constantly asking myself, "What can I do today to be part of the solution and not the PROBLEM?".
For me, this typically means I avoid doing what the majority is doing. But, I agree with you Serg, duality needs to exist for us to be able to find balance. Perhaps 2012 will truly be the time when we really kick it into gear & see the positive changes occurring. In my own personal world, the changes have already begun. :)
Since the dawn of man, man has been fighting wars. We fight for our own survival, for our families and communities. War isn't always the intent of "doing evil", it is the fight for survival and protection.
There is always going to be someone that disagrees with you. There is always going to be some dictator that loves his power. Whether in the White House or in Iraq. Though they may show it in different ways...
We are all given a choice to how we want to live our lives. What do you choose? Peace or war? Be thankful we don't have a dictator who decides that for us. The men and woman fighting overseas have made that choice themselves.
My bro in law made that choice. He believes he is fighting for a greater cause for this country and yet we are still waiting to see what it is..but I'm not over there, I don't see with my own eyes what it is like..
So who am I to judge the situation?
That's kinda how I feel sometimes..
It is sad it has gotten to the point where it is, but I try to be optimistic and hope that in the end, "all things work out for those who do good". Hopefully our future is in better hands this time..
Its an emotional topic. So many people talk like there is a clear answer. Peace=good. War=bad. Period. Off the bat, that's correct. But I think Serg got it right with "duality." I won't soap box. We keep saying "use words, not guns." yeah, because all those words are working out so much better? My brother is in Iraq. He's missing his little girl grow up. And all I can do is show her pictura and try to teach her our f'ed up, confusing "Be patriotic and serve, but be a pacifist" American mentality. Stop putting so much emphasis on the guns and the talking. Where's the listening?
I wonder how many people here truly listen. I know i sometimes catch myself having a difficult time listening.
Serg
Wow. Sad but true - goes to show how insanely egotistical we as Americans are. We want, we get. If we don't get, we act like little kids about it - except I think the kids aren't quite as ridiculous about it. Life is random and people really should learn to roll with it rather than stand by and complain. Ah, the phrase, "Life is random...so am I" and "I do not suffer from insanity, I enjoy every second of it" or maybe "Life's a bitch, but that doesn't mean you have to mimic it" all come to mind. (That last one is actually one of my phrases I made up for a rainy day)
But seriously, I know peace sounds like a wonderful ideal and can...sorta co-exist, but think about this:
If all the world was peaceful, what would it be like? I mean, no argueing, no wars, no day-to-day problems, no politics to groan about, no police because we wouldn't need them, always having exactly what you need or want...
B.O.R.I.N.G.
But that's my opinion. Time to go find that rock to hide under agin until people stop chucking tomatoes at me.
I agree with Willow, Life is random and people need to roll with it. Life is also not given. So much is taken for granted too. Why does it take a trauma in someone's life for them to stop and say hey it isn't worth being upset or worrying about.
Do you really think that we are not entitled to peace? I think it's just the opposite. In order to obtain peace it's a lot of hard work but most importantly we must realize that peace is something that comes from within and it's something that can be taught, just as violence and the tactics of war are. However, in defense of violence I think that we are instinctually hotheaded and cruel beings. In the same way that we are innately anxious creatures since at the beginning of evolution we were not at the top of the food chain. Do you notice how you physically react to anxiety? You breath from the top of your diaphragm taking quick and shallow breaths. You'll notice that if you recognize this universal symptom and correct it your anxious feeling nearly fixes itself.
Eventually, when you become skilled at this you will be able to begin associating the things that trigger anxiety with things that put you at ease. Your brain is firing thousands of signals from neuron to neuron every second. When your brain senses something that makes your nervous it sends the message that lets the entirety of your organism know. We have millions of connections triggering these reactions but fortunately, it only takes a few thousand new connections in order to rewire your entire brain.
If we applied this to the things that make us angry and feel threatened we could essentially create a reality of peace within ourselves.
I'm so tired of politics but I value and understand it's importance in my own life and the lives of the people I love. I feel like it's one argument after another and I try to avoid them as often as my hardheadedness will allow. I truly believe that the government deserves a chance to help & protect us. Whatever is going on right now isn't working, we need change, we deserve it and I think that we have the right people in control to initiate a new direction.
I highly recommend the book "Buddha's Brain: The practical neuroscience of happiness, love, & wisdom" by Rick Hanson with Richard Mendius. It's a really moving book. It changed my life.
As for listening, I think I miss a lot of the important things because I'm a very loud individual. However, I try as hard as I can to be observational. I find that I learn the most about people & things when I'm not saying anything.
ncchapman~
I've applied that breathing technique to my own life & can verify that it does work!! But, I still need to get my brain's neurons set up to make it automatic. Haha! I'm definitely going to check that book out. I'd love to read it, so thanks for mentioning it.
Were we to turn a blind eye to the genocide that was going on in iraq?
Maybe we should walk a mile in a soldier boots..or at lease read some of their blogs..
Just type in soldier blogs and read and see what and how they feel about the fighting and the reason they're laying down their life.
Hmm... interesting that no one brought up our leaders' questionable justification for the war. Did you bring this up to get me started on conspiracy theories, Serg?
I don't know where the truth lies, but I do believe that we, as the public, have not been given the entire (if any at all) truth of the circumstances of 9/11.
WhatReallyHappened
InfoWars
Jesse Ventura - Conspiracy Theories
I didn't realize that Jesse Ventura had written a book about conspiracy theories until a coworker told me. I loved his show on TruTV, but now, of course... I want to read his book. Add that to the list of things I need to make time to do!
Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.
H*A*P*P*Y
B*I*R*T*H*D*A*Y
Keep fighting with the bears it keep you young*
It is odd to me to see someone ask if we were to turn a blind eye to the genocide in Iraq. It brings up two questions:
1- Is the U.S. supposed to take on the role of "world police" and enter every situation where genocide is happening. We'd be really busy.
2- Why is genocide in Iraq so much worthier of our attention than genocide elsewhere? I am a bit cynical about the situation, but I gotta say, I think its because there is oil in Iraq.
BTW, the mentality fueling the idea that we are to be the World Police and protectors of all that is good (and potentially beneficial to us) is one that has earned the U.S. the animosity of a large percentage of the world. Trust me, I love the altruism, and in all honesty I spent months wondering why the h*##l we weren't regulating in Darfur. However, the U.N. is in place to handle this. Are they effective? Highly debatable? But it is not the role of one country to impose order on the world.
I could go on and one, but unfortunately, I would result in sounding rather Spartan, which is pretty far from my actual belief system...
got to say that last p"iwant you " poster makes feel like flipping of the goverment more.
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