One of the most significant yet understated results of Occupy is the generation of young people, especially those in colleges and universities, who refuse to accept things as they are and who understand that it's better to value humanity over profit and greed. They believe that the world is not going to change on its own and that they must take matters into their own hands. This is a generation of creative, energetic, young people who are dreaming big about how to build a more positive future for the human race, and who are beginning to feel empowered.
Even elite schools such as Harvard and Princeton, schools which have educated many of the current industry and political leaders of our corrupt society, and whose student bodies by and large come from privileged backgrounds, are seeing this trend.
10 or 20 years from now many of these young people with high ideals and hopes toward a better future for humanity will be in positions of leadership.
All of you naysayers can deny this all you want. Its happening, whether you like it or not, and its gaining momentum by the day. Once people are enlightened, there is nothing that can stop them.
Friday, December 9, 2011
Friday, November 18, 2011
Occupy Needs No Endgame
Occupy needs no endgame. The establishment wants it to have one so that they might know how to end it. Occupy not having an endgame is frustrating to them. It is a movement of ideas and people power, and that is difficult to understand. Even the media can't really explain it. Someday Occupy will end. We will never know when it does. The people will be empowered and humanity will gradually return to it's natural state. These things will come to pass because we want them. We want to behave amongst ourselves and work together and get along. We won't feel this change. The name "Occupy" will stop being used, and "occupy" will go back to being just another verb.
The next step is to empower the poor. The non-poor needed to know that they must stop blaming the poor for being poor. Occupy has done that. Next it needs to help the poor find things and learn ways that will help them get out of poverty. This will change the world.
The next step is to empower the poor. The non-poor needed to know that they must stop blaming the poor for being poor. Occupy has done that. Next it needs to help the poor find things and learn ways that will help them get out of poverty. This will change the world.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Today's Random Sticky Note
This is something that I started on Facebook that's become a fan favorite. It's gonna pop up here every now and then when I have nothing better to post. Think of it as a curious little snapshot from my day job.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Glenn Beck Sucks
Glenn Beck recently suggested that god caused the earthquake in Japan as some form of punishment for some wrongdoing. It concerns me that anyone would have the gall to point fingers at a nation of people and say they deserved some kind of natural disaster. It concerns me even more that someone who wears the title of journalist actually believes in this kind of black magic and feels qualified to speak on behalf of a deity. If there was a god, would Glenn Beck have some kind of direct line to him where he could reasonably comment on who was being judged and whether or not any wrath was appropriate punishment for transgressions?
And Glenn, if there was a god, why did he make you a douchebag?
And Glenn, if there was a god, why did he make you a douchebag?
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Friday, February 4, 2011
The Answer, Finally
For several years now I've considered myself an atheist. It's the logical end result of my journey through knowledge and research that has led me to a conclusion that should have been obvious to me a long time ago and should be obvious to anyone who gives it enough thought.
The main reason, I think, that I held on for so long, and that every other adult living in modern society still holds on to their belief is fear. Mainly fear of death, but also fear of ostracism, fear of family, fear of the unknown, or fear of many other things both rational and irrational.
For me, after I had accumulated enough knowledge about life, the universe and existence, it no longer seemed necessary or possible to continue to hold onto the concept of an all-powerful being who watches, judges, controls or gets involved in the affairs of humans. I could no longer deny this reality and no longer had the fears and guilt that kept me in The Fold. But I kept searching.
Searching for what?
I couldn't put my finger on it entirely, but I was fascinated by and deeply interested in the evolution/creation debate, morality debates, lectures on science, and many other topics relating to religion, science, history and morality. One might think I would lose interest in the research and discussion once I had reached my conclusion and discharged my beliefs, but I didn't. It became a hobby of mine (and I still enjoy it). But I still felt like there was something missing.
Sometimes I would try and memorize scientific principles or historical facts in the event of a debate with a believer on evolution or some other topic. I'm not a good debater, so I felt like arming myself with talking points was what I needed. But that still didn't come close to scratching the itch.
Soon I realized what I was looking for. It was an answer to a question. I knew that sooner or later I would be confronted on the subject of religion and belief by family members. It's a big fat elephant in the room every time I'm with them. My wife and children and I are a secular family, and I was raised catholic. Someone is going to eventually corner me and ask me point blank if I believe in god. There's many different ways to answer that question, and I needed to find something that stated my position clearly, honestly and was not insulting.
After much thought, I've finally put the answer together. The question can be asked in two ways. Here goes...
Q1: Why don't you believe in god?
Q2: Why are you an atheist?
Ans (for both): There are better explanations for the origins of existence that are more plausible and more beautiful and awe-inspiring than anything that has ever been given by religion or belief in a deity or a supreme being. The concepts of the soul, eternal life, salvation and condemnation are derived from wish-thinking, and are used to comfort people from their fear of death and provide false promises of divine justice for good and evil deeds.
Unfortunately there's no honest answer that can be given that won't make the questioner feel a little stupid or inferior if they are a believer in god. That's a consequence of telling the truth. Sometimes it hurts, but I can't misrepresent myself. In my own defense I left a little wiggle room meant to imply that I believe the questioner to be fully capable of arriving at these conclusions on their own. I guess you can say I have faith in them.
I won't stop educating myself since as I stated earlier, I enjoy it. It's become a passion for me. My quest for knowledge is insatiable even in my 40's, but now I can do it for the sheer pleasure of learning, and not feel like I have a big problem to solve.
The main reason, I think, that I held on for so long, and that every other adult living in modern society still holds on to their belief is fear. Mainly fear of death, but also fear of ostracism, fear of family, fear of the unknown, or fear of many other things both rational and irrational.
For me, after I had accumulated enough knowledge about life, the universe and existence, it no longer seemed necessary or possible to continue to hold onto the concept of an all-powerful being who watches, judges, controls or gets involved in the affairs of humans. I could no longer deny this reality and no longer had the fears and guilt that kept me in The Fold. But I kept searching.
Searching for what?
I couldn't put my finger on it entirely, but I was fascinated by and deeply interested in the evolution/creation debate, morality debates, lectures on science, and many other topics relating to religion, science, history and morality. One might think I would lose interest in the research and discussion once I had reached my conclusion and discharged my beliefs, but I didn't. It became a hobby of mine (and I still enjoy it). But I still felt like there was something missing.
Sometimes I would try and memorize scientific principles or historical facts in the event of a debate with a believer on evolution or some other topic. I'm not a good debater, so I felt like arming myself with talking points was what I needed. But that still didn't come close to scratching the itch.
Soon I realized what I was looking for. It was an answer to a question. I knew that sooner or later I would be confronted on the subject of religion and belief by family members. It's a big fat elephant in the room every time I'm with them. My wife and children and I are a secular family, and I was raised catholic. Someone is going to eventually corner me and ask me point blank if I believe in god. There's many different ways to answer that question, and I needed to find something that stated my position clearly, honestly and was not insulting.
After much thought, I've finally put the answer together. The question can be asked in two ways. Here goes...
Q1: Why don't you believe in god?
Q2: Why are you an atheist?
Ans (for both): There are better explanations for the origins of existence that are more plausible and more beautiful and awe-inspiring than anything that has ever been given by religion or belief in a deity or a supreme being. The concepts of the soul, eternal life, salvation and condemnation are derived from wish-thinking, and are used to comfort people from their fear of death and provide false promises of divine justice for good and evil deeds.
Unfortunately there's no honest answer that can be given that won't make the questioner feel a little stupid or inferior if they are a believer in god. That's a consequence of telling the truth. Sometimes it hurts, but I can't misrepresent myself. In my own defense I left a little wiggle room meant to imply that I believe the questioner to be fully capable of arriving at these conclusions on their own. I guess you can say I have faith in them.
I won't stop educating myself since as I stated earlier, I enjoy it. It's become a passion for me. My quest for knowledge is insatiable even in my 40's, but now I can do it for the sheer pleasure of learning, and not feel like I have a big problem to solve.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Friday, January 21, 2011
Al Franken Was Right
Rush Limbaugh IS a Big Fat Idiot!!!
Unfortunately, 15+ million people disagree. Woe is us.
Unfortunately, 15+ million people disagree. Woe is us.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Here Comes Sarah Right Down Sarah Palin Lane
Who is really singing in the video? Sometimes I feel that a politician's constituency is more worrisome then the politician. Not true in this case. All of you poor saps who think that the Tea Party is coming to save the day are getting hosed.
Friday, January 14, 2011
1000 Pairs of Eyeballs and Rolling
In celebration of my video for Matthew Green finally topping 1000 views I'm gonna get myself nice and buzzed tonight on some very hoppy and locally crafted Oat Soda (it's Friday, after all).
I know what you're thinking: you get loaded every Friday night, and besides, 1000 views isn't really anything worth celebrating, since Justin Bieber Lights A Fart, The Pissing Cat and Old Guy Crashing His Bike and Smashing His Balls each got like 20,000,000 views. But I'm happy for Matt and proud of my work with him.
Besides, art videos are not exactly hot movers on YouTube, and his painting and accompanying video series is light-years beyond the run-of-the-mill, Bob Ross style farmscape paintings that you generally see there.
Judge for yourselves, if you are in fact who you say you are...
I know what you're thinking: you get loaded every Friday night, and besides, 1000 views isn't really anything worth celebrating, since Justin Bieber Lights A Fart, The Pissing Cat and Old Guy Crashing His Bike and Smashing His Balls each got like 20,000,000 views. But I'm happy for Matt and proud of my work with him.
Besides, art videos are not exactly hot movers on YouTube, and his painting and accompanying video series is light-years beyond the run-of-the-mill, Bob Ross style farmscape paintings that you generally see there.
Judge for yourselves, if you are in fact who you say you are...
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Muddy Little Secrets #2
Matthew Green recently finished the second painting in his Muddy Little Secrets series for his project, Five Miles From Times Square. Someone's going to have to teach him how to properly photograph his work.
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