Senseless Musings

I read fantasy and Sci-Fi books. I have for a long time, started with The Chronicles of Narnia and Lord of the Rings and has gone on from there. I often wonder why I find these paticular genres so engrossing. I mean, I've read fiction, non-fiction, historical fiction, philosophy, histories, technical manuals, and theology but as a genre, I keep find myself drawn to Sci-Fi and fantasy.

I can justify some of it. Sci-Fi ends up being some of the most interesting in social commentary, as it can create a future or distant world in which one thing or another has happened or some system is in place, and make a point about it, good or bad. The same with fantasy. But that's not really why I read it.

I think it's the escape from reality. I'm a cynical realist by nature. I find humanity to be depraved, I think that the best system is the system that minimizes overall corruption as it's impossible to completely eliminate. My overall idea of the world is none to pretty. Now, I don't hold such cynicism to the individual to the degree I hold it to the general population. I tend to give individuals the benefit of the doubt. But failures don't surprise me, in fact I tend to expect them, as I do it all the time and I'm no better nor worse than the average person. And if that's true, then the world is a pretty dark place.

So maybe Sci-Fi and fantasy is a way to escape this reality for a moment, to see good versus evil. To see triumph. Maybe it's also the sense of adventure that's more believable because it takes place on another world. Modern fiction I ahve a hard time accepting as most of them mean that our police/governments are so grossly incompetent at handling ordinary situations that we are in danger of serious harm at anytime. I can suspend disbelief much easier if the nature of the universe demands such. Maybe at heart I'm more a dreamer than I let most people know. I do often wonder what I might have done had I been able to share my creativity.

Or maybe I just find them entertaining. That's probably the most important thing.

Responsibility

This article almost makes me want to laugh. Okay, yes, junk food bad...but why in the world is it the companies fault? Where did personal responsibilty, or more so in this case, PARENT responsibilty go? After all, it's not like 8 year olds are self-sufficient, so either Mom and Dad are providing for them, or letting them mooch of their friends. Disclaimer, yes, I know I'm not a parent and know I'm not aware of all the trials, but isn't this a bit elementary? When did raising children become the responsibility of the Kellog Corporation and Viacom? It reminds me of those commercial I saw couple years back about 'the truth' and how our problems with smoking are the tobacco company's fault. Well, not to be cruel, but I would think that'd be the responsibilty of the person who smoked. It's not like it wasn't known those were dangerous. I'm not advocating smoking, I hate it, and wish it was banned. But suing the company for killing your husband is stupid, you should be suing your husband for ingesting poison. Why can't people just accept the fact that life is their own responsibilty, and deal with it? Maybe it's because we can't accept the fact that we're nearly hopeless outside of God. I mean, I know I fail, somehow, daily, but it's hard to admit that, especially if you want me to go into specifics. We are so low, and we don't want to admit it's our own fault.

Edit: Found this which illustrates my point wonderfully, thank you Scott Kurtz

It's Alive!

For a an unbelievably funny experience click here . It's absolutely hilarious. I've only heard the first two, as I don't have sound at the computer Lab, but Scott Kurtz of PvP and Kristaufer Straub of Star Slip Crisis, another very funny comic I recently started reading, have created an animated, of sorts, PvP. Basically it's the two of them screwing around, and it's hilarious.

What's even funnier was reading the message board over at PvP after the first one was posted. It was hilarious as people got all irritated over quality, commenting on the poor voicing, animation, blah blah blah. All it was meant to be was a moment of goofing around, and people were treating it like it was an audition for the emmies. I don't know WHERE these people come from, or how they can be so clueless, but it does help reinforce my opinion that people are basically stupid and/or mean. Oh sure, some can be nice, but in general, those outside the grace of God and his boundless love tend to be rather self serving and ignorant. Even those of us in his grace have a horrible time of backsliding. And then there's the whole issue of satan encouraging us the wrong directions...sigh. Sorry, I'm not quite that pessimistic, just tired and that makes me a little more cynical than usual.

The Way We Are

Insights into human desires I've gained:

I want a government with the latest army, the best infrastructure, and most supportive social systems.
I also want very low taxes.

I want to reduce military spending, as it encourages war.
I also want all our troops out fitted in the latest body armor to protect them.

I want the newest, most cutting edge drugs brought about by drug-company researchers.
I also want those same companies to be mandated for lower prices.

I want freedom for the world.
I also want my country to mind its own business.

I want every one to have freedom.
I also want everyone to be equal.

I want free education.
I also want the highest standards and top notch quality teachers.

I want to be able to do all my shopping in one place.
I also want us to stick up for the little guy.

I want a booming economy.
I also want big business to be weakened, because those guys are doing nothing but exploiting us.

I want freedom from others religious views being preached in the classroom.
I also want my views to be represented in our schools.

I want to have freedom to choose.
I also want to be free of any responsibility.

This is not (entirely) a political tirade on my part, I'm as guilty of most some of these as the next. I just find our behavior ironic. Take schools: philosophy is religion and vice versa, but both sides want their 'philosophy' taught (ID or evolution), but want the other's 'religion' out. It's just sad to me. Mutual exclusion doesn't seem to occur to us when laying our dogmatic beliefs out (and I am intentionally using the first person plural).

Again no point, except people are horrid. Thankfully God loves us anyway and is trying to redeem us.

Nice one, Zing!*

You know, every group has it's icons. More so, every group has their idiots. Pat Robertson may be both, I'm not sure. Pat has done a lot of good, I'll admit. His charity organization is probably one of the most efficient in the world. Yet he seems to have the worst case of "foot in mouth" disease I've heard. Whether you agree with some of his stuff, you do NOT go on national television and suggest the things he's been saying. It makes him sound hearless and cruel. And what's worse, is it drags the rest of us into it. How many non-christian, centrist to left do you think the Christian conservative movement alienated by having a person who a majority do not agree with make us look hateful and cruel? Again, I'm not saying Pat is necessarily a bad guy, I just think he's done the Christian right a lot of damage recently.

Okay, let's switch groups, consider Mrs. Kerry during the last election (yes, I forgot her first name). In one interview she managed to earn herself a gag from stupid statements. Coming from some sort of fairy world, she managed to incense stay-at-home mothers, insult Laura Bush (while mixing up her facts), and basically alienate a whole group of voters. May the thought that this person would have the gag removed post-election have pushed centrists to Bush?

My point is there may be people with very good and honorable intentions who, frankly, are horrid when it comes to opening their mouth in national forums. These are places where the slightest misspeak is exaggerated and grossly misconstrued to mean things even greater than normal considerations. Now take someone who makes statements that are already pushing it in a normal, benefit-of-the-doubt conversations, and you've got the recipe for a PR nightmare. And the opposite side is just waiting to sink their teeth into it.

My point? I don't know, do I have to have one? I guess my point is that if you want to be in a public forum, think about what you say, because you will have to eat your words.

*Title inspired by Max Powers, character of PvP (see side bar)

Great News!

Not much of a post, just jubilating that I'm engaged! Woohoo!