Evolving Paper

Life does not have to be meaningless. At least, almost anyone will tell you this. So what in fact makes it meaningless or possibly meaningful?

First I’ll give a brief overview of a certain outlook to this question that is tumbling around in my head at this particular moment. In the reality that I live in, so far as I understand it, there really are no definite truths – only perceptions, and every perception that a person may have is formed by previous experiences and knowledge, their personality etc. I believe that bias exists everywhere. When considering such questions – like what defines meaning in a life – I believe that we must take this understanding with us.

People tend to follow the crowd so to speak, and consequently millions of Americans are able to say that they share a common understanding of what makes up a meaningful life. Additionally, in a society such as ours where media has been contributing to the average American’s life for as long as it has and as much as it has, the messages it gives are generally accepted as truth. In modern day American society there are countless examples of media inspired morality and media driven messages about how one should aspire to be in order to fulfill their desire to live correctly or meaningfully. Public figures such as movie and rock stars, on screen people that others are taught to admire, often live (or at least provide the image of) “meaningful” lives possibly filled with money-based wealth. In other words people are told what they should like then shown what it is supposedly like to have it. The many millions desire to be like the very few and because of this, a person might spend their whole lives trying to attain bits and pieces of that way of life they have been made to understand as meaningful.

Evidence of people falling to influence such as this is seen all over the place. As a matter of fact almost all that we believe to be important is a result of things we have been told. Given, in most minds this can’t be completely bad because it is hard to imagine development without outside influence. However, it seems that some people strive to follow relatively linear paths to specific ways of life imposed on them to be the most meaningful thing they can aim for (even if that isn’t how they would describe it). These goals often affiliated with similarity to the lives of their “American idols”.

Folk Culture Holiday Analysis: Thoughts on the New Years event. (Incomplete)

I would like to discuss what is possibly one of the more universal holidays among people that live in the United States: new years eve and morning. Of course, this event has becomes a treat for the media, as it is now widely publicized i.e. things like
the dropping of the ball at midnight on the 31st in Times Square, New York City. The most popular part of this holiday that I see in folk culture is the creating of goals for ones self in the New Year called “New Years resolutions”. (“New Year” is automatically capitalized in word, I found that mildly interesting) Portrayed in popular culture, but probably most prominent in folk, New Years resolutions are to inspire change for the better in the way a person lives their lives. In other words a New Years resolution supposedly exists so that a person can try to make their lives more meaningful through one means or another.

When looking at only this aspect of the holiday, it seems that it has a lot of potential to be meaningful. Goal setting and attempts to improve ones self, however that may be seems like a great thing. And part of the reason it isn’t easy to undercut the good aspects of this holiday is because personal goals aren’t clearly tainted with bullshit.

Another mainstream aspect of this holiday, very prominently among youth today, is the consumption of alcohol on New Years Eve. It seems to in many cases once again, 'simply what you do' on New Years Eve. One must drink alcohol at a social gathering. In my experience, it’s widely considered strange if you’re alone and/or not having a good time with alcohol on New Years Eve. Similarly to Saint Patrick’s Day, alcohol, to many has become the primary focus of this holiday. The more f*cked up you get, the better your stories and the better one could say their New Years was. I am only speaking from the way I see it in my own subculture, but this way of thought seems to be in the media here and there.

I theorize that people’s view of New Years was once more focused around the social aspect of being with the people you like and love at the beginning of a New Year until alcohol quickly became a more prominent factor. In my opinion, coming to terms with your own value of friends and family is a meaningful idea that is connected to this holiday.

More on the way. Please consider.

Winter Break: Thought and response.

Each year millions of Americans alike wait anxiously in anticipation during the few preceding months before the holiday season. Two different holidays descending from two different religions / cultures are the major events of this “joyous” time - Christmas and Chanukah. However Christmas is without a doubt the star of these occasions in American popular culture. The flashy holiday inspires billions of dollars to be spent by organizations and consumers alike. The most important aspects of Christmas as portrayed to us by corporate culture involve buying things to help celebrate and to give loved ones presents in order to show them you care. Organizations have seized the opportunity to make lots of money through the traditions of this holiday and have taken those traditions into their own hands by inspiring lots of purchasing during that time through advertising and other means. These messages, as so often happens with corporate influence, have bled into the messages of American folk culture. Celebrating Christmas in the way that we do, and buying gifts for each other have become simply what one does during this time. Children are born into families with parents that cherish their Christmases as a family by providing them with a corporate version of the holiday, just as they often were themselves. Or else, the media and messages floating around child and parent alike have told them how to be. People go as far as to buy expensive extravagant decorations, usually lights and things covered in the holiday’s themed colors. Santa Claus and the mystical story of how his elves create the toys that he delivers to children have been a huge corporate contribution to early childhood fascination with Christmas.

The message being given my corporate, popular culture about Christmas is one that is instilled in people early. So many children these days are brought up in a world where having things and obtaining distracting objects presented as useful are the ways that they can achieve the greatest happiness.

An example of the extent to which many American children value getting things on Christmas can be seen in this video:



Now, we may look at this and think it is hilarious or terrifying or both, some of us may even like hang that little boy off the edge of something high above the ground, but these kids were possibly hopped up on sugar, or just extremely vocal – however their reaction resembles that of the popular view on Christmas that is waffle ironed into children’s minds. I myself was raised with great excitement towards the gifts I would receive on Christmas. I couldn’t wait for that one morning where I would wake up to presents underneath a tree each year. The whole event was great fun – it was intoxicating. Even today I enjoy receiving gifts. To an extent it seems fine to me. It is when people lose sight of other, possibly important things to the overwhelming love for consumption that I believe meaning is diminished. The holiday season in great proportion has become an excuse to make money for those few people up top and this is the major reason that meaninglessness arrives in the typical consumer’s life.

The only reason I can say things in the way that I do, such as the last sentence of the previous paragraph is because of my own biased opinion. (Disclaimer)

Inaugeration Day Assignment

I’d like to speak briefly on Obama’s oath into presidency. It attracted great attention for a lot of focus on what appeared to be one notable mistake – the trip up during his oath giving. Expectedly, right wing politicians jumped on Obama’s tail given this opportunity. On Wednesday, the following day after the inauguration, Obama was made to say the oath once more, without falter. It was claimed that he was not technically president because the oath was not been said correctly. Personally I don’t see great importance in something like this, as it was clearly (as far as I see) a slight mistake. He began a line early. Also, I believe that it was not entirely his fault. Chief Justice Roberts seemed to pause improperly during the first line. So despite the mistake, the oath was as sincere as an American president can achieve. Those who made the complaint were trying to expose flaws the new president, even if they were insignificant. I also noticed that Obama jokingly paused incorrectly during the second line of the oath, probably to attempt to redeem himself after having screwed up previously. I think this was a lighthearted attempt to do just that, although, probably not a good idea. It might, as it may have, given the same people incentive to then say that Obama does not take his presidency seriously. He is certainly charismatic though.

The disproportionate attention that this attracted expresses the stubbornness of politicians who are strong to one way of thinking or another.

As a side note, one of the most interesting things that crossed my mind during the festivities of the inauguration, was the point of view of a very old French philosopher and civil rights spokesperson - who is known by the paper name of Voltaire.

"Mankind will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest." -Voltaire.

I won't dwell on this, but it completely undercuts the importance of a presidency, its hype, and all that is televised about it. Having the mind that I do, I don't believe that there is a clear correct way to view this statement. It depends on perspective. Reasons can be given that Voltaire is speaking truth as well as just the opposite.

(I realize this response lacks reactions to points made during his actual speech. Possibly more to come..)