Monday, September 22, 2008
owed to joy
This is the land of debt, where the deficit of one's worth creates the sum of existence. The failure of capital to finance realistic self esteem leads to a flow of red ink washing any person caught in its wake to the gutter. For this then, praise sought and found by a lack of assets, compounds daily without interest in the principles of values. Give thanks for the shortfalls; in the long run, this gross is the only product equaling ecstasy.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
lgbt community
At best, we are more than the bearers of a common burden; we are united by wisdom and love born from a suffering of self.
The recognition that gender roles can not encompass the totality of our lives, and the fact that these tools of social structure have been used to try and chisel away those portions of personality deemed unsuitable to the community, have left us scarred but cognizant of the confines that limit the less aware.
The task before us lies in accepting the totality of ourselves and others, while teaching the balance of liberty and responsibility; we seek not to destroy those who would harm us, but to obliterate the ignorance that fuels their hatred.
This is not just a question of sex or gender; of intimacy, ecstasy, or indifference; of solidarity or isolation; it is a exploration of the equilibrium between society and self, and we have been made stewards of the standard most feared.
What unites us is not the pain, but its transcendence through wisdom; not common enemies but uncommon courage; not being despised but loving despite it. For many, the unwanted onus of self actualization in the glare of public eye would not be our first choice, but it is a responsibility we can be proud to bear.
We are the cast out stones that seek to build bridges with those who would discard us; and in doing so create foundation for a society built on strength rather than weakness. What binds us, in the end, are our virtues; not an adversary's vices.
If we can recognize and accept our variations as the individual decoration of the shared neighbor of values, we can live and work together in a community of inclusion and acceptance; thus inspiring others to leave the slums of unenlightened intolerance.
The recognition that gender roles can not encompass the totality of our lives, and the fact that these tools of social structure have been used to try and chisel away those portions of personality deemed unsuitable to the community, have left us scarred but cognizant of the confines that limit the less aware.
The task before us lies in accepting the totality of ourselves and others, while teaching the balance of liberty and responsibility; we seek not to destroy those who would harm us, but to obliterate the ignorance that fuels their hatred.
This is not just a question of sex or gender; of intimacy, ecstasy, or indifference; of solidarity or isolation; it is a exploration of the equilibrium between society and self, and we have been made stewards of the standard most feared.
What unites us is not the pain, but its transcendence through wisdom; not common enemies but uncommon courage; not being despised but loving despite it. For many, the unwanted onus of self actualization in the glare of public eye would not be our first choice, but it is a responsibility we can be proud to bear.
We are the cast out stones that seek to build bridges with those who would discard us; and in doing so create foundation for a society built on strength rather than weakness. What binds us, in the end, are our virtues; not an adversary's vices.
If we can recognize and accept our variations as the individual decoration of the shared neighbor of values, we can live and work together in a community of inclusion and acceptance; thus inspiring others to leave the slums of unenlightened intolerance.
Monday, August 18, 2008
sucker into saint
http://www.newsweek.com/id/151158
--------------------------------------------
"People can't stand the idea of being a fool; it's cognitively intolerable. So they mentally "reframe" the situation to make their behavior not only acceptable but superior: They moralize their spinelessness, transforming it into altruism, community spirit—saintliness. They become "holier than thou."
--------------------------------------------
For many, the specter of bigotry terrifies; the thought of appearing an ignorant, hate-filled fool propels them towards whatever cognitive contortions will sanctify their base impulses. Rather than take responsibility for the price of such prejudice, it feels much more pleasant to blame the objects of their intolerance; shifting the shame of hatred to those that are despised.
This is especially true for those that abhor gender variant people; whether by religious cant, or social convention, distorted rationalizations provide a convenient cover for loathsome behavior. Assaulting people in nonconforming attire becomes "upholding traditional social norms"; exploiting gay compatriots morphs into "exercising the will of God"- vices in any other context are transmuted into virtue simply by using fallacies bolstered by fear and dogma.
Cherished habits are not purified by time alone; it is a willful pride that prevents a reexamination of values in the light of affirming acceptance. The ability to change, especially when it comes from the recognition of ignorance; is not weakness, but a courageous strength much under appreciated in the realm of rigid mindsets. Loving one's self allows the extension of charity towards all, even those most feared. The importance of building realistic self esteem, and sharing this gift with others creates a society where hatred need not be hallowed, and allows each individual the opportunity to contribute their gifts for the greater good. Admitting to wrongs, and changing them is the path to righteousness.
--------------------------------------------
"People can't stand the idea of being a fool; it's cognitively intolerable. So they mentally "reframe" the situation to make their behavior not only acceptable but superior: They moralize their spinelessness, transforming it into altruism, community spirit—saintliness. They become "holier than thou."
--------------------------------------------
For many, the specter of bigotry terrifies; the thought of appearing an ignorant, hate-filled fool propels them towards whatever cognitive contortions will sanctify their base impulses. Rather than take responsibility for the price of such prejudice, it feels much more pleasant to blame the objects of their intolerance; shifting the shame of hatred to those that are despised.
This is especially true for those that abhor gender variant people; whether by religious cant, or social convention, distorted rationalizations provide a convenient cover for loathsome behavior. Assaulting people in nonconforming attire becomes "upholding traditional social norms"; exploiting gay compatriots morphs into "exercising the will of God"- vices in any other context are transmuted into virtue simply by using fallacies bolstered by fear and dogma.
Cherished habits are not purified by time alone; it is a willful pride that prevents a reexamination of values in the light of affirming acceptance. The ability to change, especially when it comes from the recognition of ignorance; is not weakness, but a courageous strength much under appreciated in the realm of rigid mindsets. Loving one's self allows the extension of charity towards all, even those most feared. The importance of building realistic self esteem, and sharing this gift with others creates a society where hatred need not be hallowed, and allows each individual the opportunity to contribute their gifts for the greater good. Admitting to wrongs, and changing them is the path to righteousness.
Between a king and jack
Gangsters and world leaders
Require the same protection from attack
From this distance it's hard to tell the difference
Between a king and jack
Between a poet and hack
-----------------------------------
All those besotted by power become indistinguishable, their forms are dimmed by the warp by which they are adorned. Legality becomes inconsequential, the morality abandoned far overshadows any vestiges of humanity bestowed by conventionality; distending the figures into caricatures of humans.
The pretense that assumes societal sanction prevents depravity provides a twisted amusement, but no real comfort for anyone possessing even the rudimentary powers of discernment. Adoration surpasses any judgment concerning virtue; notoriety becomes justification for existence, and allows depravity its own special acceptance.
The artists of the airwaves need only create a following to insure their passage to salvation; hacking to heaven denotes the norm of abnormality. The success of excess canonizes carnality; the paragons of anything but virtue are enshrined by rapt attention and indiscriminate adoration. What man has deified, let no one debase.
Require the same protection from attack
From this distance it's hard to tell the difference
Between a king and jack
Between a poet and hack
-----------------------------------
All those besotted by power become indistinguishable, their forms are dimmed by the warp by which they are adorned. Legality becomes inconsequential, the morality abandoned far overshadows any vestiges of humanity bestowed by conventionality; distending the figures into caricatures of humans.
The pretense that assumes societal sanction prevents depravity provides a twisted amusement, but no real comfort for anyone possessing even the rudimentary powers of discernment. Adoration surpasses any judgment concerning virtue; notoriety becomes justification for existence, and allows depravity its own special acceptance.
The artists of the airwaves need only create a following to insure their passage to salvation; hacking to heaven denotes the norm of abnormality. The success of excess canonizes carnality; the paragons of anything but virtue are enshrined by rapt attention and indiscriminate adoration. What man has deified, let no one debase.
poisonous light pours from the picture palace
While the poisonous light pours from the picture palace
And it flickers on, tries so hard to be scandalous
-E. Costello
--------------------------------
The unfortunate aspect that bedevils most modern media circles around the lack of shock and shame; the jaded skin of the public has become a nearly impenetrable armor that affords all to be viewed without any discernible impact. Any transitory emotions evoked by displays of horror, gore or vile cruelty dissipate like sweat, evaporating into the ether; leaving the observer a fraction cooler and a portion slightly less fragrant but otherwise untouched.
Feigned indignation has superseded actual outrage in common expression, and with it, has further corrupted the integrity of feeling that prompts interpersonal connections; empathy seems unobtainable when one is separated from their own emotions. The search for sensation becomes ever more desperate and elusive; from vicarious killing to indiscriminate intercourse, bemused indifference overwhelms even the extremes of behavior, and leaves the pursuer increasingly empty in the quest for fulfillment.
The graven self images created for consumers by the magic of the marketplace fit ill, and invoke illness; the offered objects of desire has little relevance for the targeted humanoids, and sicken those that don such shabby costumes. Like tainted cloth spreading disease into those cloaked in such unsuitable attire, the media-draped roles are incompatible with mental health; no matter how accessorized, these polluted vestments usher in an infection of self negation.
The pandering of palatable poisons has become pandemic, and this affliction can not be cured by the nostrums of contemporary culture; they are the toxins responsible for such ailments. The truth lies within the realization that the pursuit of power has caused corruption, and all the flickering pictures can't hide that fact; no matter how scandalous or from what palace the pour.
And it flickers on, tries so hard to be scandalous
-E. Costello
--------------------------------
The unfortunate aspect that bedevils most modern media circles around the lack of shock and shame; the jaded skin of the public has become a nearly impenetrable armor that affords all to be viewed without any discernible impact. Any transitory emotions evoked by displays of horror, gore or vile cruelty dissipate like sweat, evaporating into the ether; leaving the observer a fraction cooler and a portion slightly less fragrant but otherwise untouched.
Feigned indignation has superseded actual outrage in common expression, and with it, has further corrupted the integrity of feeling that prompts interpersonal connections; empathy seems unobtainable when one is separated from their own emotions. The search for sensation becomes ever more desperate and elusive; from vicarious killing to indiscriminate intercourse, bemused indifference overwhelms even the extremes of behavior, and leaves the pursuer increasingly empty in the quest for fulfillment.
The graven self images created for consumers by the magic of the marketplace fit ill, and invoke illness; the offered objects of desire has little relevance for the targeted humanoids, and sicken those that don such shabby costumes. Like tainted cloth spreading disease into those cloaked in such unsuitable attire, the media-draped roles are incompatible with mental health; no matter how accessorized, these polluted vestments usher in an infection of self negation.
The pandering of palatable poisons has become pandemic, and this affliction can not be cured by the nostrums of contemporary culture; they are the toxins responsible for such ailments. The truth lies within the realization that the pursuit of power has caused corruption, and all the flickering pictures can't hide that fact; no matter how scandalous or from what palace the pour.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Sophistication
With all his heart he wants to come close to some other human, touch someone with his hands, be touched by the hand of another. If he prefers that the other be a woman, that is because he believes that a woman will be gentle, that she will understand. He wants, most of all, understanding.
--Sherwood Anderson "Sophistication"
There is perhaps no communal experience that is more isolating than death. In its contemplation, with all the unknowable aspects to awe and frighten; there arises a need, primal in nature, to mitigate the horror by sharing the burden with another. Such sharing may take many forms, with many people, but love remains the most intimate, and meaningful manifestation.
Love forms from the trust built around exposed vulnerabilities; an appreciation of the complex and imperfect gestalt of personality as an artwork; not less desirable for its deficiencies, but all the more uniquely beautiful. To share our own weaknesses with someone who will both acknowledge and accept these shortcomings with candor and grace creates a relationship that can fashion a more complete person; one able to bear the responsibilities of conscience and charity required to fashion healthy society.
This bonding underlies the principle of betrothal; the foundation of human civilization. Such participation between individuals towards a common goals of unification, where a mutual goal outweighs private needs, must start on a personal level to afford everyone the necessary strength required for self sacrifice. Robbing individuals of this essence threatens the stability of the entire social structure, for depleted elements render the edifice unstable.
Thus, when society denies its people the right to bond with those who they love, it engages in self destruction. Each being needs the liberty to develop themselves and find others who will accept and cherish them. Government that defrauds it citizens of this process, whatever the motivation, degrades those it must seek to serve, and threatens its own integrity.
As the world becomes more interdependent, the price of ignorance and prejudice towards our neighbors rises. The antidote for the venom of fear that flows through the veins of an uncertain society is not a cowardly hatred, but the courage to learn and understand the differences in our compatriots. Accepting the humanity in others not only decreases the trepidation inherent in personal interaction, it also allows one to forgive the personal failings basic to all. Reaching out to touch another betrays not a weakness, but a strength too long underutilized. It is a sophistication to which everyone must aspire.
--Sherwood Anderson "Sophistication"
There is perhaps no communal experience that is more isolating than death. In its contemplation, with all the unknowable aspects to awe and frighten; there arises a need, primal in nature, to mitigate the horror by sharing the burden with another. Such sharing may take many forms, with many people, but love remains the most intimate, and meaningful manifestation.
Love forms from the trust built around exposed vulnerabilities; an appreciation of the complex and imperfect gestalt of personality as an artwork; not less desirable for its deficiencies, but all the more uniquely beautiful. To share our own weaknesses with someone who will both acknowledge and accept these shortcomings with candor and grace creates a relationship that can fashion a more complete person; one able to bear the responsibilities of conscience and charity required to fashion healthy society.
This bonding underlies the principle of betrothal; the foundation of human civilization. Such participation between individuals towards a common goals of unification, where a mutual goal outweighs private needs, must start on a personal level to afford everyone the necessary strength required for self sacrifice. Robbing individuals of this essence threatens the stability of the entire social structure, for depleted elements render the edifice unstable.
Thus, when society denies its people the right to bond with those who they love, it engages in self destruction. Each being needs the liberty to develop themselves and find others who will accept and cherish them. Government that defrauds it citizens of this process, whatever the motivation, degrades those it must seek to serve, and threatens its own integrity.
As the world becomes more interdependent, the price of ignorance and prejudice towards our neighbors rises. The antidote for the venom of fear that flows through the veins of an uncertain society is not a cowardly hatred, but the courage to learn and understand the differences in our compatriots. Accepting the humanity in others not only decreases the trepidation inherent in personal interaction, it also allows one to forgive the personal failings basic to all. Reaching out to touch another betrays not a weakness, but a strength too long underutilized. It is a sophistication to which everyone must aspire.
Slobber is fit badge for his breast
The abundant blasphemy which bubbles over the lips of many reactionary religious fanatics is a corsage most culled by the August Assembly; this self-donned adornment of subtle and gross depravity masquerading as embellishment remains an achievement of the first order.
Corrupting sanctimonious bigots has never been overly difficult; indeed, their ignorance and moral cowardice provide a fertile ground in which to plant the seeds of hatred and contempt. Cultivating such germs into the full flower of divine usurpation, however, takes careful tending; requiring the careful application of copious amounts of both flattery and condemnation to raise narcissistic self-aggrandizing to its full ripeness.
Only when the unctuous have deluded themselves into believing that their personal prejudice is synonymous with heavenly abhorrence will this sacrilegious bloom be pinned to the breast, and watered with the bile of disdain. By rejecting charity for the hubristic pleasures of proscription, the quest for righteousness becomes perversion; displayed by the drool encrusted blossom riding over the heart.
Thus, by careful pandering to intolerance and selfishness, a creature may be created; one who will not only vilify others for his own satisfaction, but will do so under the guise of aiding his fallen brethren. Such appropriation of celestial power without corresponding responsibility, concern and love corrupts delightfully; rendering the wielder incapable of helping others or himself. Should self doubt rear its head at the desecration that abounds, he need merely glance at his slaver-caked chest for affirmation that all is well. After all, this badge of courage is well fitted to such a noble breast.
Dr. Mordacious "Deceit as a tool of statecraft"
Corrupting sanctimonious bigots has never been overly difficult; indeed, their ignorance and moral cowardice provide a fertile ground in which to plant the seeds of hatred and contempt. Cultivating such germs into the full flower of divine usurpation, however, takes careful tending; requiring the careful application of copious amounts of both flattery and condemnation to raise narcissistic self-aggrandizing to its full ripeness.
Only when the unctuous have deluded themselves into believing that their personal prejudice is synonymous with heavenly abhorrence will this sacrilegious bloom be pinned to the breast, and watered with the bile of disdain. By rejecting charity for the hubristic pleasures of proscription, the quest for righteousness becomes perversion; displayed by the drool encrusted blossom riding over the heart.
Thus, by careful pandering to intolerance and selfishness, a creature may be created; one who will not only vilify others for his own satisfaction, but will do so under the guise of aiding his fallen brethren. Such appropriation of celestial power without corresponding responsibility, concern and love corrupts delightfully; rendering the wielder incapable of helping others or himself. Should self doubt rear its head at the desecration that abounds, he need merely glance at his slaver-caked chest for affirmation that all is well. After all, this badge of courage is well fitted to such a noble breast.
Dr. Mordacious "Deceit as a tool of statecraft"
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
