XXVII

Quiet Desperation

"Boys, you must strive to find your own voice. Because the longer you wait to begin, the less likely you are to find it at all. Thoreau said, 'Most men lead lives of quiet desperation.' Don't be resigned to that. Break out!"

- John Keating in The Dead Poets Society

 

To succeed in life, we do not have to gain infinite wealth, happiness, or fame. Many become trapped in their quiet desperation. However, others can overcome the boundaries, utilizing such pain to produce extraordinary greatness. Living a life without fame, wealth, or happiness, Vincent Van Gogh suffered from depression, and he received no appreciation for his art. In his miserable life, he sold only one painting. Yet, he still amounted to exceeding greatness. Perhaps the monotony of our everyday lives has a greater impact than we shall ever experience. Maybe, like Van Gogh, we will never see the influence our lives had on those around us. If we succeed to utilize our quiet desperation, we, too, might amount to something great.   

XXVI

Off-Limits

Somehow, in America, we have deemed talk of religion and philosophy off-limits. Arrogant assholes parade around with their political views and freely shove them down everyone else's throat. However, in the aspect of morality and philosophy, our well is dry. It has become a grave misconception that debating beliefs is identical to intolerance. Why can we not debate and openly question? Sadly, as a nation, we have been stricken of the ability to openly discuss and question. Instead, we look down upon those whose beliefs differ from ours. Many people get defensive when their beliefs are questioned. Perhaps, it is because they have no true reason for believing what they do. Slowly over time, America has changed from the land of freedom to the home of arrogance and disapproval. 

Maybe so many tragedies happen on American soil, like school shootings and marathon bombings, because people feel like violence is the only way for them to be heard. When America wants something accomplished, we look to our military to make it happen. Our military is killing in Afghanistan right now, yet it becomes a greater tragedy when it occurs on our soil. Perhaps, Americans are drunk on the arrogance the government pours out. They are blinded to the reality that America, too, has its flaws. Realistically, greater tragedy occurs everyday in countries all over the world, yet America doesn't care. We only seem to care when tragedy strikes us. And this self-righteousness has been implanted in every American. Maybe our own ignorance and misconstrued view of reality are becoming our demise--politically, intellectually, economically, philosophically, and morally.  

XXV

Record Store Day 2013

Support and preservation. National Record Store Day has developed to rally music lovers together in support of their local record stores and to aid in the preservation of the vinyl pressing industry.

 

So, I urge you to go out tomorrow and buy records. Soak in the experience of searching through crates of records for your favorite album. Experiencing the romance a vinyl record has to offer.

XXIV

Listening

With the internet readily available at our fingertips, the juggernaut of social media has successfully stripped the ability to listen from modern day society. Suddenly, every post and status update becomes a voice for the individual. Humanity now feels the need to inform others when they're bored or what they're eating, like someone actually cares. Drowning in narcissism, people use social media as a one-sided conversation, constantly writing and informing about themselves--how they feel and what they are doing. Constantly rambling about their own doings, they forget how to listen to others and exchange ideas. Instead, they would rather converse about trivial matters, as long as it remains self-focused. However, focusing on yourself accomplishes nothing major. To grow intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually, ideas must be exchanged and challenged. After all, an Instagrammed picture of a Starbucks coffee cup never impacted a life.   

XXIII

Religion

"Humankind cannot bear very much reality."
- T. S. Eliot

Perhaps all religion exists as a means for humanity to cope with the depravity of the surrounding world. Seeking comfort or answers, people become drawn to religion. Others, however, whose eyes are open to the depravity rampant throughout various congregations, readily dismiss religion to avoid the reality of prevalent hypocrisy and judgment. Maybe we spend all our lives looking for anything to restore our innocence of mind, for we cannot bear the reality of the world around us.   

XXII

Shall We Give Up Or Fight? Cont.

Since my last entry, someone has brought to my attention that, perhaps, surrendering is the way by which we do win. Maybe fighting never accomplished any good in the first place. All it created was frustration and exhaustion. Maybe realizing we truly cannot change anything causes the greatest good. Perhaps, real peace is found by learning to accept the world, and the people living within it. In some cases, giving up is exactly what needs to occur.  We must learn to accept the reality surrounding us and let go of what we will never have the power to change. If we are going to put forth the effort to fight, shouldn't we make sure our efforts are not done in vain?



XXI

Shall We Give Up Or Fight?

Frustrated with society, we all seek change. However, is change even plausible or are we, and our ideas, just subject the inevitable? Though we know change is unlikely, we fight for our beliefs anyways. Eventually, a day will come when the odds are stacked highly against you. The outcome looks bleak, for you know the battle is over. You cannot win. But do we continue fighting anyways? Is it better to save your strength by not fighting for a lost cause or is it better to die knowing you put up the best fight you can? I, myself, am quite unsure.

 

"We have two options, medically and emotionally: give up, or fight like hell"
- Lance Armstrong  

XX

A Mere Conceptual Idea

Perhaps happiness is nothing greater than a mere conceptual idea. As humans, it simply exists within our nature to never fully be content, and if we do achieve true contentment, it remains in a fleeting moment. Maybe, all feeling is contained within the spectrum of suffering, for happiness could be defined as simply a lesser degree of suffering than the amount usually thrust upon us. If the amount of happiness we experience is still considered suffering, striving to attain happiness is a void goal. In the end, we all remain suffering, broken people, whether we consider ourselves to be happy or not.

XIX

Expectations

Throughout our lives, mounds of expectations are heaved upon our fragile shoulders. Others hold us to standards, both plausible and inconceivable. However, the standards we need most strictly adhere to are those we place upon ourselves, for we know both our skills and our dreams. As individuals, we must rid ourselves of the hindrances of expectations others place upon us. Why should we allow the thoughts and expectations of others plague our lives? 

XVIII

Inevitable

We spend our lives learning how to not die. But does dying early make a life less valuable? Is a shorter life just a lesser life, inferior to the lives that last longer? In the end, it does not matter much what our life is worth, for eventually we all die and join the vast oblivion. Most live their lives attempting to impact the world, but eventually a day will come when even Shakespeare, Cleopatra, and Da Vinci will have their names mentioned a final time--because death is inevitable.

 

"I mean, they say that you die twice. One time when you stop breathing and a second time, a bit later on, when somebody says your name for the last time."

-Banksy

 

XVII

If Politics Changed Anything, Then It'd Be Called The Blues.

.Modern music consists of the same basic framework. Typically, songs are composed of verses, choruses, and a bridge, usually set within a time frame of around three to five minutes. Because of the influence of blues structures on music, all modern songs become based within these same perimeters.

However, not just the technicality of the music, but also the sound originates from the influential blues musicians. From the blues formed jazz music, which later transformed into rock and roll. The grittiness of rock evolved into rap music--the new voice of the people.

Since the introduction of the blues song structure a century ago, every chart-topper contains at least a minute blues element.

In conclusion, the blues can rightfully be christened as the most influential genre of music. If only Son House, Charley Patton, and Robert Johnson could see the tremendous impact they continue to have on the titanic music industry. . .