New Planet

Exciting, huh?

Being ko0l.

At what point do you switch from being radical, or individual, or different to becoming a just a bit of a twat? After a recent post about “hurting people’s feelings” by not being PC enough, it got me thinking that actually, there’s being outspoken, and there’s just being a dick. It’s the sensationalists. The people who shout and say fuck and cause offence, more for the sake of it, because they can, rather than actually having any sort of a valid point to put across. And yeh, the wonder that is a blog basically enabled that. Some previously unknown little whiner, now has the liberty to express their views publicly. No one is forced to read these blogs, but it seems that if they say fuck enough, these random nobodies are able to achieve some sort of cult following.

I won’t bother explaining the irony of this post.

Interesting thoughts

Al and I were chatting last night about something fairly innocuous, but it got me to thinking. We started by talking about me accidentally “putting my foot in it” with one of the bar staff, making some fairly flippant but humourously intended comment, but of course events had occurred in her life recently that I had no idea about, and what I said was not quite so humourous. But then the mind wanders. You see news reports and stories and so on, reporting bizarre statistics that 18 people every year die of, I don’t know, “spoon-related” injuries. Or being hit by a golf ball. Or any other mysterious and uncommon way of dying. The point being, that you could quite happily be in the canteen/kitchen at work, as someone’s making a cuppa, you make a flippant comment about “hey hey hey, watch out with that spoon” chortle chortle, yet you have no idea that the person stood behind you was the wife of the man who was one of the 18 to die of spoon-related injuries. You see to the common person, that is, anyone who has not been affected by such circumstances, the perspective is not there. There is no frame of reference. It is nothing more than a story. But to each of the 18 people who suffered at the strong end of the spoon, it’s still death. They’re dead. Gone. And to the families of the 18 people, who have to bear the consequences of knowing their loved one died in such crap circumstances, to them it’s not just a story, it’s not a funny statistic - it’s real life. It’s death. It’s pain and heartache and sadness for God knows how long.

The point is - you never know who has been affected by any of the gagillion nasty things that happen in the world today. Take for example, this chick. I took offence at her post, because I actually have been to Tanzania. And yeh, shit happens, but then shit happens everywhere. Christ, she wants to talk about child-skinning in a 3rd world country, what about all the atrocities that happen in his country? But the irony and the point of this post, is that the other stories, she or anyone else rants about, with which I have no emotional attachment, cause me little or no harm. Sure, I can disagree with them. But I won’t really be affected by them.

You never know who or what may or may not be affected by something or anything. Seems pretty obvious to me, but I believe that’s why it’s often prudent to consider things carefully before saying them. But that’s often critical to the wishywashy society we live. Everyone is alwasy striving to be so bloody PC that they daren’t say anything for fear of offending. Can’t do this, can’t do that. Which is a load of bollocks really. I say shit, if people disagree with me then fine. Least I’ve said something.

How to be happy

Something that’s been bugging me recently. I think a lot of people commonly cover up or ignore parts of their life that they’re not happy with. I think people actively lie to themselves about things. I think people often know one thing, but do another.

I saw a program on television recently about some explorer bloke who managed to get initiated into a remote forest tribe in the West-African country of Gabon. It involved taking some weirdass mind altering drug (read: tree roots) over a few days which made him violently ill and have some horrific hallucinations. He said a consequence of this experience was that he was made to actively confront parts of his life that he’d locked away in the deepest recesses of his mind. By bringing things to a head like this, he was able to realise what he’d done earlier in life. And he concluded he was a better person because he could finally put it behind him.

I think people do this sort of thing all the time. They lie to themselves. They’re unfaithful to themselves. They refuse to accept or admit something about themselves.

My biggest “personality pet peeve” is simple: people who are fake. I think I’m a pretty good judge of character, and I can see through people very easily. As far as possible, I try to keep my judgements of people limited. For example, I won’t judge people on the job they do. Or where they come from or where they live. I don’t care if you’re the Prince of Wales, or the bloke who empties my bins (excuse the stereotype), if you’re a good person, then I don’t have a problem with you. Defining a ‘good person’ is of course a tricky concept, and subjectivity begins to creep in. A good person to me, might be a total chopper to you. And vice versa.

The point being is I will judge you as being a chopper if I can see through you. If you’re trying to be someone you’re not, I’ll probably see it. I might not say anything about it, but I’ll probably see it. People are who they are. People can be who they want to be. But people aren’t who they want to be. And there’s the distinction. If you’re not who you want to be and equally you are who you don’t want to be, then it’s up to you to become the person you ought to be. Don’t pretend to be someone else and don’t ignore what you don’t want to be.

Make the difference. Stop lying to yourself. BE who you want to be.

Easy.

The Main Event: Science vs. Religion

It’s a well lamented question. Often asked, never really answered. Can science honestly live side by side with religion (and to a certain extent, philosophy)? Maybe we’ll find out. Often the most explainable, or inexplicable scientific facts (or lack thereof) are nonsensed by bible bashers saying “Yes, but who was in control of that happening?”. Simply put, they can dismiss solid scientific fact by saying that it was all part of God’s plan.

I’m no atheist, but then again I’m not a devout Christian. I believe in what I understand. I can’t believe that a couple of hundred years of research into Darwin and his theory of Natural Selection is all complete nonsense, yet certain people “with faith” believe that evolution should not be taught as the only way. Instead, they insist that “Intelligent Design” (i.e. God created it) should be included. That might sound like a contradiction on my part. My explanation is simply that: I’m open minded enough to see that there are lots of different possible explanations for a single phenomenon. That’s fine. So evolution, or weird alien gip forcing things to mutate. But religion in a biology class has to be a no-no.

And there we have it. Scientists can dismiss certain theories of the basis of what they can prove. People with religion can dismiss all other theories on the basis of they have faith in a higher power. There’s no middle ground.

I don’t think there’s a simple resolution.

Drugs are bad, mmmkay.

Hmmm.

I have a few friends who basically drink alcohol every weekend. I don’t record their habits or anything like that, but from what I can gather from conversation, they also watch a lot of television. These people are very nice and I like hanging around them, but they are not creative or productive people. They are not restless. They are not bored. They use the easy fix, and it is preventing them from doing what I do.

I left this comment:

I’m not sure I agree. I see your point, and it’s perfectly valid, I just don’t agree. For three reasons.

1) First off, and I point you to this discussion for reference: http://www.sitepoint.com/forums/showthread.php?t=204450, and saying that boredom/zapping/drugs kills creativity. I have no doubt that it’s often easier to switch on the telly and crack open a beer rather than getting on with that project you’ve been meaning to do for ages. But what about the people (in that discussion for starters) who swear blind that they’ve come up with their best work when they’ve been out of their tree? We’ve all seen the films where people get smacked up, see the pretty colours and dancing pigs, and all of a sudden they get some inspiration, it all makes sense.

2) Television and beer are only for bored people/you should specifically plan to watch something

I don’t watch a lot of television, I simply don’t have time. But when I do, it’s not always because there’s something I have to see. Sure, a few programs catch my eye which I will watch. But the rest is generally a load of guff. No, I watch TV because I want to be able to “switch off” as it were. Sit down, unwind. Relax. Take my mind off the day I’ve just had. I’ve either had a busy, brain-hurting day at work which I don’t need to think about anymore, or I’ve got in from working in the club and I need something to take my mind off work before bed. In either situation, I need something mind-numbing and easygoing that actually isn’t going to get my creative juices flowing.

3) All TV is uninspiring crap.

For the most-part it is. But how do you know unless you watch it? As a “creative” person, you must be open-minded enough to receive inspiration from any source. Not just walking down the road. Or getting off the bus. The TV, in a similar vain to the Internet, is an excellent source of information on subjects you’re not instinctively interested in. Switching on the TV and finding a program about sperm whales or the mating habits of small African tribespeople, might make you sit up and think “huh”. Might help you see things from a different viewpoint. People who schedule their viewing - “I must watch Eastenders!” - are the boring people, in my book.

Just my 2p.

I drink a lot (every day). I watch some television. I’m productive. There were too many contradictions in the blogpost itself (or with other posts in the same blog) to make any sort of real statement about it, but it seems to me, that those who make excuses about what other people do, who are more concerned with measuring themselves against other people, are the ones who are not fulfilling their potential.

Obviously, the definition of success in this context is critical. I’m certainly not your average, suit-wearing, short back and sides, teetotalling church-goer who is efficient and productive, and says my prayers before bedtime. Heck, I have a skinhead, three piercings, a large tattoo and a motorbike. I also hold down three jobs, have a busy and rewarding social/sporting life and I’m just finishing of my PhD. Do I earn 6 figures or have my name appearing in Time every week? Hell no. Am I successful? I think so. Am I happy? Yes.

I’d prefer to measure my success on the basis of am I a good person. Do I lead a purposeful life, where I can sit in the pub, with my mates, safe in the knowledge that my achievements, whatever they are, are sufficient that me and my mates are having a good time with each other? Sober or otherwise.

Last day of the year.

Sounds quite dramatic, doesn’t it? Last day. The LAST day. LAST EVER. NO MORE. Gone. Finished. Kaputski.

Until next year that is. Well, tomorrow, in fact. Should we feel particularly sentimental, dispondent, reminscent about the last day of the year?

Perhaps. On the one hand it’s a chance to look back over the year and reflect. Consider our achievements and missed opportunities. I hope there is little regret. It’s a chance to look to the future, and put things in perspective. A chance to make any changes, so this time next year, the outlook is inline with what you want it to be.

On the other hand, bollocks. It’s totally insignificant. Tomorrow is another day, another chance to make dreams happen. Another chance to live your life the way you want to. Same shit, different year.