And the plot sickens...

Well, everyone else is talking about it, so I may as well throw in my two cents...

Has everyone lost their damn mind?

Protests, terrorism, race wars...as a self-proclaimed "history buff", I find myself delirious with déjà vu. These battles have already been fought and paid for. I'm perplexed as to how and why they are rearing their ugly heads once again in a different place and time. Are we doomed to keep repeating our own history? Has our progress been nothing but a seductive illusion?

Everyone seems to feel the need to draw hard lines. Us vs. Them. You vs. Me.

So divisive our society has become - and to what end? None of these lines drawn in the sand have made anything better, only worse. Focusing on our differences while deliberately ignoring our commonalities is fueling a fire that will most assuredly burn our nation to the ground.

I have always thought that the difference of opinion is what creates the petri dish of progress; where ingenuity is born. However, recent events have spurred a dynamic that can only be described as pure lunacy. The stability of our nation (due to its size and status) is reliant on our ability to embrace our differences and stay the course. "United we stand, divided we fall".

People need to open their eyes, shut their mouths, and check their egos at the door. There is no winning a battle of witlessness. These cataclysmic clashes occurring on our main stage are only highlighting our weaknesses. People think they are fighting the good fight to be heard, however, they are only drawing attention to the gaping wounds in our society that will only grow septic with time. It's time to dress our wounds and move forward - enough with the petty jabs for the sheer sake of "principle".

This has got to be the most misguided generation to ever take the reins of this country. Albeit it's my generation, but it's one that I never truly felt a part of. I have an old soul that forever feels out of place. I appreciate simpler times and simpler things. I can't connect with a generation that is constantly glued to their phones as their main means of "connection" to other human beings. Their passive-aggressive nature and inability to withstand even the mildest of confrontation or criticism is nauseating to me. Why is everyone so easily offended? Have we lost our ability to simply shrug off the haters and keep walking? Why must every sour experience turn into a public stand-off?

The insurgence of social media is undoubtedly the main catalyst for this change. It creates a forum where everything is news and everyone has carte blanche to give their opinion. As of February of this year, Facebook reported having over 1.86 billion active users - that's an insane number of opinionated individuals (most of which have hair-trigger tempers), all instantly connected by a click of a button. What a powder keg.

This would be a terribly long post if I were to dive into each issue currently overwhelming the headlines, so I think it best to table that temptation for another day. In short, I just wish people would just snap out of it. Stop making assumptions, unfair generalizations, and drawing baseless conclusions. Entertaining this kind of madness is like a rocking chair - it gives you something to do, but it gets you nowhere.

K.

Check your individuality at the door.

I'm a nerd. I'm a jock. I'm a stoner.

I'm a Republican. I'm a Democrat. I'm a Libertarian.

I'm an Atheist. I'm a Christian. I'm a Buddhist.

I'm gay. I'm straight. I'm polyamorous cisgender pansexual.

Labels, labels, labels. For as long as I can remember, there have always been labels lurking about and limiting self-expression. Labels may assist with the sense of community which creates a home of acceptance, but I also find them to be equally problematic. It seems to me that once you have placed a label on yourself, you are then held to the defining standards of said label. If your a straight, Republican, Christian, jock - then your identity has already been painted onto the canvas before you can even make one brushstroke. Your identity has been abbreviated into bite-size portions that people can digest more easily. People think they have the answer before even hearing the question.

We are individuals. Do we have commonalities? Of course. But like our fingerprints, we are undeniably unique. I find this to be the most intriguing fact about the human race - so much beautiful diversity.

Can't people just be who they are without limitations and boundaries? Like what they like, love who they love, and believe in what they believe in, without the typecasting?

Change is inevitable - evolution and adaptability is key to survival. How can a society evolve and adapt to their changing environment if it is insistent on keeping itself contained in conveniently labeled boxes? How does anyone ever really get to know someone?

Challenge: Try to get to know people on a real level - no assumptions, no labels. 

K.

Times they are a-changin'...

I stumbled back upon this blog that had drifted into oblivion over 4 years ago and I realized as I "thumbed through the pages" how much I missed it. I think it's time to start writing again.

A lot has changed over the past 4 years. I often find myself looking back from my current circumstances and find it perplexing how I got here. Ever been driving your car and suddenly you have arrived at your destination without any recollection of your journey? Same feeling - eerie and unsettling.

I don't like my current circumstances and I feel as though I have limited means of changing them...at least for now. To be honest, I'm at a loss as to where to start - a classic chicken/egg conundrum. New job? New housing? What if you need a new job in order to afford new housing? All of these questions further complicated by having a 3-year old to consider and provide for. I want a better life for us both, but the current outlook looks bleak at best. I just keep telling myself that the only constant in life is change, so if I give it some time, I will soon face a new reality. It's an unwritten rule of the universe.

I have resolved to set my focus on my attitude. I have been miserable for longer than I care to admit and despite my best efforts (and fake smiles), it has shown through. My world has caught on and my bluff has been called. It's time to face the music. Once the light has revealed a problem, there's no sense in trying to re-cloak it in darkness - you can't un-ring a bell. That being said, I'm doing what I can to find my smile again.

I sincerely think writing will help. I've always found solace in the written word and it has always been the best form of communication for me. I can choose each word with precise purpose to ensure that my thoughts and feelings are communicated clearly. It's therapeutic and soul-soothing.

And just like that, a blog is re-born.

Stay tuned...

K.