A Little More Conversation, Please

Neo-Nazis and racism freak me out a bit. Mob mentality downright scares me even more. Seems like it can turn rational/well-meaning individuals into rabid idiots. After watching the recent footage of Charlotteville, it worries me that things can even get to that point.

I've been seeing more and more social media posts recently where people proclaim, "If you support x, I don't want to talk to you!", "Anyone that doesn't agree with y is too stupid to be reasoned with!", "If you voted for z, remove yourself from my friends list!"

And I get the energy and frustration behind those things. We live in... passionate times, it seems. But is the best way to deal with adversity by blocking it out? A yelling match doesn't solve anything. Think about it; you don't change minds by insulting someone for their view or intelligence. That just makes them dig their heels in and close up to any rational argument or empathy.

Why can't we just, I dunno... Talk to each other a bit? Maybe say, "I want x, you want y, they want z, so let's try this 'democracy' thing out, go with what's in the best interest for the majority, and still treat the minority with a bit of decency?"

Perhaps that's a bit naive.

I lean left, and the majority of those in my social circle do as well (people who went to art school are progressive? Shocking.). But for as adamant as they/we are about not wanting to build a certain wall on their country's border, they don't worry too much about building walls within their borders. Walls that separate themselves from their fellow countrymen.

All I'm saying is that shouting or shutting down the opposition might not be the best way to accomplish things. We should treat our opponents with the same compassion and understanding that we'd like them to offer us.

Again, that's probably naive. But it's gotta be better than what we have goin' on right now.
-Cril

Living is hard

Gotta do good at your job. Stay close with family. Make time for friends. Cherish your parents? Don't forget to call home regularly.

Gotta save for retirement, and invest, and make some cash on the side. Gotta find some other little gigs to stay busy and get even more of that extra cash. It's the only way to stay on top of things.

Need to learn. Learn to be good at a hobby, or learn some skills that'll be actually helpful. Don't forget to practice those crappy skills you have right now. I'm looking at you, musical instruments.

Need to be a loving and better partner to that certain someone. Gotta plan their birthdays, and figure out good gifts so that they feel appreciated. Need to eat better, or at least just eat less. Physical activity? Physical activity.

Gotta take care of what you got. Do that oil change, mop the floors, tighten the screws on that handle, keep the car washed. Fix that dumb fender. And then what... Keep the car or sell the car? Neither seem particularly appealing.

And how about those special life experiences? Take the road trip, book the vacation, see that concert. Don't forget to take some pictures along the way, lest these things blow away like that stack of papers you forgot on the roof of the car.

Keep your mind sharp, somehow. Some days it feels like I'm leaving more and more on top of the car.

What am I doing? How do I get ahead? Do I even have to get ahead? How do you define a 'full life', and what happens if you don't have one?

I'm at a family reunion right now. There are people from all across the spectrum, at different points in their lives. It's kind of overwhelming to see just how much there is to do, and how much of it I'm not on top of.

I saw a blog post from a guy that I knew in school; he's been working on his photography. He's been studying how to light objects and aiming to shoot every day. It's good to see him actively learning and pushing himself ahead.

And what am I doing? Not enough. Never enough.
-Cril