Questions Concerning Humanity and Utility

Humans are an interesting lot. It seems at once like yesterday and like forever ago that I wrote my blog entry, “Humans Are Actually Terrifying.” It seemed a popular enough piece at the time, but I think it’s good to spark some dialogue about the human condition and our habits as we live our lives.

            A classmate of mine asked, regarding architecture, “At what point does development become meaningless?” This made me think of some other things I have thought about, other questions I have asked: At what point do we realize that not every single human needs to ‘make a living’ in order to be valued and loved? What is the true purpose of cancer and why are we so intent on and obsessed with curing it in all its forms? What further studies can we do that might tell us the reason cancers appear? Isn’t cancer simply the evolutionary process taking place? Why do we grieve those who die? Is death not merely a part of life that we should all accept? Should we not honor the dead for who they were in life, rather than bemoaning the fact that they no longer breathe our same air?

            We should celebrate the lives of those who have passed. Take, for example, the late, great, Alan Rickman. Or, perhaps, the wonderful Carrie Fisher. Yes, it is sad that they are gone because they were wonderful to see on screen. Has it crossed no one’s mind, though, that perhaps it was their time to go? It may seem premature to us, as we expected Carrie Fisher to finish the Star Wars movies and Alan Rickman to tell his great-grandchildren about Harry Potter, but since when has the world cared about what humans think should happen? Life happens on its own terms and we simply need to grab on, hold on tight, and figure it out as we plunge forward with the persistent march of time. I was particularly devastated with the passing of Robin Williams. He was like the cool uncle I knew and loved but had never actually met. I felt an intimate connection with him that I would like to mention before anyone tries to tell me I simply don’t understand because I was never a true fan. It felt as though a family member and a true friend had passed when Robin Williams took his own life and I cannot fathom why he did it. All I know is that he was found to have hung himself on the day I gave birth to my daughter. Coincidence? I don’t believe in coincidences. For a while, I mourned Robin Williams, but I realize now that the best thing for me to do is to continue his legacy by ensuring that my wonderful daughter knows all of his movies, so that she can see what a wonderful soul we had with us for some time. I want her to know Robin Williams as I knew him, to feel him as intimately as I felt him, even and especially when he discussed mental illness. Robin Williams can help teach my child compassion and wherewithal, even if there is no longer a chance of my meeting him in person. I hope we can all think of our favorite late celebrities in this way.

            What is cancer, really? I always imagine one of two things. The first is to imagine feeling lumps multiplying within my body at an exponential rate, so that each time I poke a particular part of my body, it feels like more and more little balls are forming within. The other is to imagine what cells look like as they multiply… and multiply, continuously. Why do cells become cancerous? What purpose could cancer serve that humans are blind to due to our “divine spiritual and intellectual development”? People like to share things on social media that condemn cancer for the suffering it induces in those who become sick with it. People like to do things like participate in Relay for Life and purchase items from the Susan G. Komen Foundation for Breast Cancer Awareness (a scam if I’ve ever seen one). “Cancer is horrible!” “Fuck cancer!” “Rest in Peace Grandpa, Grandma, Auntie Susie, and Uncle John, all cancer victims…” I do not seek to belittle the emotional implications behind the suffering endured by cancer patients. I do, however, seek to belittle the way in which we approach the topic. Why do we think it is so vital to save every single life that comes into this world? Why are we the only species on the planet that coddles the weak and unfit? Is it so that we can flash our Good Guy Badges in one another’s faces and claim we’re such excellent citizens because we have compassion? What is true compassion? At what point does compassion turn from strength to weakness?

            I believe death is a part of life. I believe that we need to accept the inevitability of bodily death and focus less on what happens afterwards and more on what happens beforehand. The religious are, in many cases, entirely too focused on what seems to be the end of the journey that is life. I believe wholeheartedly in living in the moment as much as possible. Of course, it is important to plan for the future. After all, we do have an average life span depending on demographic and geography, so that virtually every person on this planet could plan as if to live up to that point. In this way, people could be prepared for the future even if they weren’t to reach as far into it as they’ve planned. We also need to learn from the history we are taught and presented, as well as do our own historical research in order to develop well-rounded ideas of what has happened over time and what mistakes were made, so that we do not continue to repeat that which has been detrimental to our livelihoods. It has been said that the smart man learns from his mistakes while the wise man learns from the mistakes of others. I believe this is true and I strive to learn from the mistakes of others so that I can push forward and hopefully contribute to human evolution in a positive manner. This leads me to a connecting point…

            In coddling the weak and unfit and by supporting those who would otherwise die in nature’s survival of the fittest, do we waste resources on those who do not contribute to our futures? In what way are the severely handicapped useful to our lives aside from teaching us a level of compassion that is virtually useless? At what point will our habit of coddling the weak come back to bite us in the ass due to overextension of resources? We are already an overpopulated species on this planet and we continue to fuck up the environment by transporting wildlife from place to place, disturbing local ecosystems and forcing species after species into extinction not only from the transport of species to new lands but also from such abhorrent activities as shark finning and bottom trawling our oceans. We worry about sustainability but who will we be sustaining for? At what point will we need to prioritize human lives based on people’s merit? At what point do we stop demonizing eugenics due to the Holocaust of World War II and instead look at it as a viable possibility for improving the human race and reducing our impact on the planet?

            I encourage feedback to every blog entry, but this particular entry is one on which I very much wish to see dialogue sparked. I would especially like to see what some thoughts are as far as the question regarding architectural development, as that is the question posed that sparked this entry and all the questions I’ve presented herein.

Critical Thinking and Research

The problem with some people is that they buy into televised news networks’ rhetoric.

            In the process of doing my own research and working to independently come to my own conclusions about such issues as NAFTA, Hillary Clinton’s candidacy for President, and Bill Clinton’s crimes as President, I have been called lazy, dumb as a rock, and a fuckhead. These from people who support Bernie Sanders and whose goal should be to educate those around them, not cut them down for their ignorance.

            I thought Bernie supporters were basically cut from the same thread: independent thinkers, considerate of others, and willing to correct others when they’re wrong without throwing shade at them.

            I was wrong.

            As it turns out with everything in life, Bernie supporters are made up of a multitude of personality types, including the assholes who “don’t have time to teach” those who don’t know better. Somehow, Bernie has managed to touch the hearts of these rock-hard people who think they’re better than everyone else and that they have all the “right” answers. This speaks volumes for the Independent Senator from Vermont.

            I’ve learned a great deal over the past few weeks. A lot of what I’ve learned has to do with my college classes, most recently Critical Thinking in Everyday Life and previously Elements of Health and Wellness. These are two of the most important classes I could have taken with the University of Phoenix, as I have learned what I must do to continue my path of healing and I am currently learning how to challenge my thinking and the thinking of those around me to encourage the betterment of persons, including myself.

            In addition to my class work, I’ve learned that the North American Free Trade Agreement, cosigned by Hillary Clinton, has resulted in greatly increased trade deficit with Mexico and Canada. It has also contributed to the movement of thousands of American jobs to Mexico, where labor can be purchased cheaper than in America, and imports from Canada and Mexico have greatly increased while exports have decreased, despite promises of the opposite from NAFTA supporters at the time of signing. (Source: https://www.citizen.org/documents/NAFTA-at-20.pdf)

            In addition to my NAFTA research, I’ve learned that Hillary Clinton has literally flip-flopped on live television regarding nearly every major issue we face today, including gay marriage and her stance as a moderate. When I presented the video to prove it to my grandma, she countered with, “They use sound bites to make their point and don’t show the whole story.” If that’s the case, I’d like to know what the whole story truly is, because the video pretty clearly shows Clinton lying through her teeth about changing her stance on issues such as gay marriage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dY77j6uBHI.

            In addition to my Hillary research, I learned that Bill Clinton was, in fact, impeached in 1998 following a lawsuit against him by Paula Jones and the court case involving Monica Lewinsky. I learned that the word “impeached” does not, in fact, mean “removed from office,” but refers instead to the legal proceedings that played out in 1998 and led to Clinton’s acquittal of his charges, despite his perjury. My grandma likes to tout that Bill “was bringing down the national debt,” but if that’s the only good thing he did while he was in office (it’s not; the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell act was actually a good thing at the time), I wouldn’t say he’s a great example and it certainly doesn’t guarantee that his wife would continue the good work. (Source: http://www.eagleton.rutgers.edu/research/americanhistory/ap_clintonimpeach.php)

            Research is only the first step to independent thinking. Research without question only leads to information acquisition, not the objective weighing of said information to reach an informed, credible conclusion.

            I’m sorely disappointed in the quality of people involved with Bernie Sanders’ Dank Meme Stash on Facebook. They’ve proven to be rude—just as, if not ruder than Hillary supporters. All I want is to see the information for myself; one man argued that “the wheel doesn’t need to be reinvented,” but I’m not trying to reinvent the wheel. I’m the newly-awakened kid who has never seen a wheel before and wants proof that it’s round because if I don’t see it with my own eyes, it could really be square for all I know.

            I’m done taking information at face value.