Tagged as: Christianity, Life, Political, Rant, Relationships
Jan
13
People will get proud over anything. Even those that have nothing to be proud of will somehow find themselves becoming proud of something. It’s rather amazing really. When you stop to think about it, none of us really has anything to be proud of.
There are a wide variety of things that pride is claimed. I think that the most ridiculous ones are those things over which we have no control. Here are some of my favorites:
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Nationalism/Patriotism/Geographic devotion
This is rampant around the world and throughout all of time. However, it’s rather silly to be proud of where you come from simply because that’s where you came from, don’t you think? Sure it’s a great way to connect to people when you first meet them, but how much do you really have to be proud of if you grew up somewhere? Usually it’s not too much.
I think that perhaps the only thing that I could understand about this is if one had to grow up in a difficult environment. It shapes a person to be able to grow up in that type of surrounding. But for all of those people who are proud of where they grew up, what country they were born in, what their heritage is, and so on, you better rethink it. Because you had no hand in that.
And to think that people get into wars over this issue all of the time is mind boggling. You mean to tell me that you hate that guy because of where he was born? But he had no control over that, he didn’t choose to be born there!
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Height
Have you met people who were proud of their height? I think that might be one of the most ridiculous things ever because you absolutely have no control over your height. You can lose or gain weight, have plastic surgery to fix your looks, and any number of things to modify your physical appearance.
But what can you do about your height? Diddly squat, I do believe. Unless you have that limb lengthening surgery. Anyways, once again you have no control over how tall you are/will be. You can hope for good genes, but it’s much more impressive to just be able to deal with those that you’ve been given. And better yet, it’s impressive to be able to overlook (no pun intended) it in others.
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Discovering Music Artists/Clothing Brands
I mean really? You’re going to be proud of the fact that you found out about a band before anyone else did? You had no hand in their success. You’re not playing bass or pounding those drums for them. All you did was take a little listen.
Okay sure, it’s very nice that you spend the time and try out different artists than the popular fare served up to the masses. Maybe you even spent a little bit of money to try them out. But when the band becomes popular, if you find yourself bringing up the fact that you listened to them for years, I’ll have you know that I think that you’re a lame-o.
Same thing goes for clothing brands (and probably a slew of other things). You’re not making the clothes, you’re just buying a sweater. $20 bucks. You daredevil you.
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Age
Whether you’re young or old, what can you really say about your age? It won’t change a lick no matter what you do. You can lie about it, you can deceive others by changing your appearance, but this is an absolute in this world that you have no control over.
I think it’s so interesting when people see their age as something to be proud of. In the past I’ve seen it because people think that they’re immediately wiser for the simple fact that they’ve lived more days. I grant them that it’s generally true that wisdom comes with age. But isn’t that usually more like decades of experience?
Growing up in school, I was meeting people with years or less worth more days who thought that they were somehow wiser than I. I thought (and still do) think that is just ludicrous. It’s like they can’t find anything to be proud of so they just grasp for something that nobody can change. How about instead of doing that we go out and actually gain some of that useful wisdom by getting a life, huh?
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Salvation
Well I’m a Christian. Maybe you knew that, maybe you didn’t. Now you do. Anyways, I’ve got a bone to pick with those people that speak of their salvation with an air of superiority, as if they did anything at all except believe. This might stir up the pot a little bit, but there isn’t much that separates you from that unsaved guy next to you. I boast in Jesus Christ, too, but He did the work, not I. I just said, “Yes, I’ll believe.”
Tagged as: Life, Political, Profound, Rant
May
25
Whenever somebody gets a summons for jury duty, they are very likely going to cry out in disappointment as soon as they see it. Why? Well it is inconvenient and a burden on us to do something that we don’t really like to do. Pretty much the main reason that we do it is so that we don’t get something like a fine or a contempt of court notice.
In any case, yesterday I served my jury duty. This is not the first time that I have had it, and I am pretty sure that it won’t be the last time. But I think that this time made me think more deeply about this thing that we call our civic duty.
For those that don’t know (and I’m not exactly sure how you wouldn’t know), jury duty in America is when you are given a summons to appear at a courthouse at a specified time and asked to possibly serve as a juror in a trial. So basically you go to a room and wait for them to call you. As it is right now, for many counties you will be excused from your duty after 1 day of waiting or sitting on a single jury.
See the thing is that there are lots (actually a majority) of people that have a strong distaste for jury duty. I must admit that I don’t care for it all too much either. It takes you away from things that you’d rather be doing, and it is possibly inconvenient when it comes to compensation and traveling. But if you think about it, we are all being short-sighted and foolish.
The reason that jury duty is not as bad as it seems is that it ensures us a very important right that we have by living in America. It ensures us a trial by our peers if we are ever in such a situation as would deserve a trial. And that is a great thing. I, for one, am very opposed to the idea of getting judged by a bunch of lawyer-like nit-picking professional jurors. Instead I could be judged by people who, although not exactly like me, seem like they would represent a slice of society that would in some way give me a fair and objective judgment. It is a very important part of the foundation of being the United States of America! People (very many people in fact) have died for the cause of letting us have the rights that we have. And yet we, in our selfish self-centered ways, cannot find it within ourselves to give up a day (or possibly a couple of weeks) to uphold this. Amazing, isn’t it?
I guess when you put it that way, the whole idea of serving jury duty doesn’t seem so horrible after all. Of course, I also didn’t actually get called to a jury or else I might be singing a different tune. Ah well maybe life’s more profound observations come from the sidelines. Nevertheless, think about jury duty (as well as all of the other things that happen in your life), and the ramifications that it has for your world before you immediately complain about them. So the more logical, reasonable, and sane part of me says that maybe jury duty isn’t so bad after all. But that might just last for the next 12 months until my emotional side once again takes control when I see that notice in the mail.
Tagged as: Amazing, Amusing, Entertainment, Humor, Life, Outrageous, Political, Read-It, The-News
May
04
Sometimes Chinese people do good things. Sometimes Chinese people do bad things. And sometimes Chinese people sure do some stupid things.
Get this: Chinese people copied Disneyland. As in, they made a Disneyland park. Are you kidding me?!
I read an Engadget article about the fake Disneyland that got me to searching for more information. Amusingly, they have characters that closely mimic the Disney ones as well as rides that indicate how much of a fake it is. Their slogan (according to this other article) is that “Disneyland is too far.” Wow, that is unbelievable. I think that actually the most amusing thing about Beijing’s Shijingshan Amusement Park is that its website is http://www.bs-amusement-park.com. Haha you read that right, it’s the BS amusement park.
Although pretty humorous, this actually touches on a more serious issue (which was touched on at Even Worse Than At First Glance). And that issue is copyright infringement (or in this case complete disregard for copyrights whatsoever).
links:
The Standard (Chinese business newspaper) article - Touches the most on the significant copyright issues
Engadget article - Amusing pictures
Roller Coaster Database - Park information, list of rides, etc
Actual Disneyland-clone website - I don’t know Chinese (the language), but if you do then the story might get even more amusing for you
Tagged as: Amusing, Life, Political
Apr
18
Because of computers, life has changed over the years. They hold the promise of many things. Quicker processing, automated functions, extensive memory are just a few of the available positives of them. While they have changed and are continuing to change, people do not change quite as much. Sure we change because now we know how to find things online whilst 20 years ago the common person did not. However, the very essence of people will not change. Take today for example. Read the rest of this entry »
Tagged as: Political, Rant, The-News
Mar
09
After reading a Los Angeles Times article similar in content to this article, I knew that I just had to make some comments about it. In this politically correct country where everyone has their say and is entitled to their rights, there are many people who think that it’s all very outlandish and ridiculous. And not in the funny or amusing way. I am one of those people.
Read the rest of this entry »