Monday, August 29, 2011

The Beloit Mindset List

Beloit College makes an annual list that takes into account all of the events surrounding incoming college freshmen births. The conductors are virtually oblivious to the current goings on and new interests in our lives today (which would be helpful because they are very central in shaping our decisions).

Take a look for yourself.


If you are my age, you may either agree with the two gentlemen, or be offended as I am for the sheer number of assumptions made regarding my generation. Then again, nearly anything said about my generation, I may very well take offense no matter how accurate or jarringly true. Many times I arrogantly fight the truth so as to avoid embarrassment and unscrupulousness at all costs.

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

The State of Books and Faces

Facebook for me has perhaps the most uncanny draw for me to return over nearly any other website. Begrudgingly, I came back to the social media site after a long hiatus during the Lenten season to, yet again, share my opinions and goings-on of my life via comments, photos, "likes", and most of all, status updates. There may be nothing else on all of the internet more self-indulgent or inviting of such behavior as those darn statuses.

The love-hate relationship between statuses and me begins whenever I see a "friend" of mine receiving "likes" or comments in which the jealousy flame is lit. Then I will perform a miserably sub-par attempt at garnering virtual popularity, and as if the beginning of this sentence wasn't obvious enough to indicate my fate, I fail every time. I think this stems from (1.) my reputation as someone relatively few people truly know, or (2.) most likely me trying too hard to be funny, charismatic, or poignant in my own way. No matter what though, my statuses fall flat. No one comments on them, or likes them. No one even gives a pity like for my broken ego all thanks to this service.

And at the same time, I question why it is that I care so deeply about what people think of me, or even what it is that forces me to interpret their actions, or lack thereof in a disparaging light. I think it's because I treat it like it's a game. And it's certainly one I cannot possibly succeed at.

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Twittery Behavior

The internet and all of its interworkings, as cliché as that is to say, promotes shorter and shorter attention spans than ever before. Deceivingly, it seems for better that the internet encourages a thirst for knowledge, but for many, such information is often quickly forgotten minutes after research. This is due to the seeming infallible accessibility and reliability users take for granted whenever surfing the internet.

Users exemplify their "thirst" in their keeping of constant tabs on the every whereabouts and actions of their friends via Facebook, their favorite celebrities via Twitter, and news via Yahoo, AOL, NewYorkTimes, CNN, or any given trustworthy online publication.

Along with promoting a thirst for knowledge, the internet unfortunately also promotes the disposability of knowledge, and thus, the compelling, riveting life stories published in novels. An entire sector of the internet's users' brains is shut off due to disuse. True intelligence, rather than dexterity is becoming less common, nigh less fashionable. It is becoming mockable to explain oneself or his or her actions with any degree of wit. I believe this reality is intertwined with society's long-standing obsession with all forms of hedonism or pleasure, and thus, satisfaction with the state of things constantly being "good enough" over intently pursuing the betterment of circumstances. Look at the economy. Many liken it to a "pit", or a "ditch". Both connote an inescapable state; a desperation. When in actuality, a little optimism, hope, and effort go a long way, and can render such "pits" or "ditches" a thing of the past.

Apologies for the abstractness and perhaps overwroughtness of my writing, I concede them.

Thursday, August 4, 2011

A Raving Good Time!

After much deliberation, my long-anticipated high school graduation party has been completed. Today, (or, well yesterday at this point) marks the date I had planned for the party a week and half in advance. And it happened to fall on a Wednesday, as opposed to a Friday or Saturday for the simple fact that I wake up early on Saturdays for work, so Fridays are out of the question, and all the rooms for every Saturday in seemingly all of summer is booked. After checking to see the availability of the rooms week by week via text messages to my parents during the slog of work proved fruitless for weekend dates, I decided it to be advantageous for a weekday party.

So it was settled. The DJ was prepared for that Wednesday, as was I. Immediately after discovering the confirmed date, I did my damnedest to get the word out through Facebook, which proved somewhat troublesome with people's snide comments on the event wall and unreliable promises whether they would come or not. Also, with the party placed inconveniently when people have work the next day, are tired from their day of work, or are out of town due to summer break, I lost a number of potential party guests.

With that in mind, time passed, and anticipation grew, as did the Facebook wall comments and the number of guests claiming they'd go. Drug and alcohol-related jokes were thrown around on the wall carelessly, as if their parents or future employers had no idea what "a" Facebook is. There were questions asking if ecstasy would be served, if people should bring their syringes, etc. The joking got old, and my event description got serious to the point where I gave ample warning to the consumption or bringing of alcohol into the party, and cited that if such instances should occur, my family's business would get sued in the midst of the already grim financial situation we find ourselves.

To be continued...