Honestly, it's a question that I haven't had time to think about before, and as my 18th birthday is this Wednesday.. I find that a bit troubling. I've always been too busy, I've always tried to keep myself entertained, I never really worried about it too much. Yet it's the most important question one can ask and absolutely essential for the sake of our society. For the first time in years, I didn't have to do a damn thing this weekend. I didn't have to work, I didn't have any appointments, I didn't really have to do anything around the house. I spent a lot of time just thinking.
As of now, here's how I see our society: I see us engaged in never ending conflicts between a people I'll never meet and I'll never know, yet they've been branded my mortal enemy by a group of elite in DC and in media outlets across this nation. I see a society infinitely more concerned about what Hollywood's wearing and eating than what a child living in their city isn't eating and isn't wearing. I see a public schooling system full of the most ignorant students alive who would rather smoke at the bus stop across the street than access a free education. I see a society so apathetic, that we'll complain like hell about anything and everything, but we'll never do a damn thing about it. I see a species so locked onto a goal of 'advancement' that we miss out on what's important in life. We need huge trucks and SUVs so that we can haul the dirt bikes and boats and food and alcohol and clothes and computers and televisions back to our house to keep us entertained rather than enlightened; spending quality time with the family isn't spending quality time with the family anymore.. it's spending quality time with the TV, as a family. I see a group of people too concerned about blaming either the democrats or republicans for the high gas prices, the war in Iraq or the national debt to realize the real problem is that our of government is flawed and corrupted beyond repair. And finally, I see myself smack dab in the middle of all of this bullshit.
Is this really life? Is this really how we're supposed to spend the seconds we have as conscious beings; engrossed in careers, materialism, celebrity, lust, apathy and ignorance? I'm sure many of you will point out the inherent hypocrisy in my post as I would fit quite well in some of the descriptions that I listed above, but honestly, where the hell are we going?
As of now, here's how I see our society: I see us engaged in never ending conflicts between a people I'll never meet and I'll never know, yet they've been branded my mortal enemy by a group of elite in DC and in media outlets across this nation. I see a society infinitely more concerned about what Hollywood's wearing and eating than what a child living in their city isn't eating and isn't wearing. I see a public schooling system full of the most ignorant students alive who would rather smoke at the bus stop across the street than access a free education. I see a society so apathetic, that we'll complain like hell about anything and everything, but we'll never do a damn thing about it. I see a species so locked onto a goal of 'advancement' that we miss out on what's important in life. We need huge trucks and SUVs so that we can haul the dirt bikes and boats and food and alcohol and clothes and computers and televisions back to our house to keep us entertained rather than enlightened; spending quality time with the family isn't spending quality time with the family anymore.. it's spending quality time with the TV, as a family. I see a group of people too concerned about blaming either the democrats or republicans for the high gas prices, the war in Iraq or the national debt to realize the real problem is that our of government is flawed and corrupted beyond repair. And finally, I see myself smack dab in the middle of all of this bullshit.
Is this really life? Is this really how we're supposed to spend the seconds we have as conscious beings; engrossed in careers, materialism, celebrity, lust, apathy and ignorance? I'm sure many of you will point out the inherent hypocrisy in my post as I would fit quite well in some of the descriptions that I listed above, but honestly, where the hell are we going?
