Tag Archives: power

Society is a Mess

I have had this jumbling around in my mind for a while now, the horrid mess that society here in the U.S. has become.  It is as if some people have lost compassion, morals, and are on an ego trip.

One area in which I think the media services the perpetrator rather than the victims is mass shootings.    A “nobody” who wants recognition for whatever reason loads themselves up with firepower and ammunition, then goes into some location where they are likely to find a large portion of unarmed victims and opens fire.   The victims have had their lives changed forever, if they are still alive.

part-of-culturesA prime target has become schools, where firearms are not allowed.   By an act of violence upon the innocent the “nobody” — a coward in my eyes because of the venue and victim type he/she chooses — has now become a celebrity.  Thanks to mass media the shooter’s photo is displayed on TV and in newspapers across the country repeatedly, video clips of the shooting and aftermath are played again and again.  Whether captured or killed, the shooter’s name will go down in history of having done something that made them headline news…a celebrity of sorts, even if for the negative they created.

It makes me wonder, would people be so inclined to perform such heinous acts of violence  if the perpetrator was only mentioned once, or their photograph shown for a very short, limited period of time and only in passing?  What if the person who committed the act was “brushed under the rug” so to speak and the news only focused on the victims from the beginning?  Would this decrease the desire to do something considered breaking news, something that the media follows for days or weeks?  It is certainly something to consider.

Another thing that bothers me is the influx of adults who are being found to have sexually abused large amounts of minors or adults in vulnerable positions.  Larry Nassar and Bill Cosby are two recent examples.  While Bill Cosby was already a household name for positive reasons and his name now tainted, Larry Nassar was not widely known until the large sex abuse scandal became national news.  Once again the news media turned a pedophile into a glorified celebrity.   There aren’t many people who hear the name “Nassar” and don’t know who is being referred to.  I have mixed feelings about this.the-great-hope-of-society-is-in-individual-character-quote-1

I think there is a fine line between “the right to know” for both the benefit of news and our own personal protection and the ego trip these people get in obtaining celebrity status, even if in a negative manner.  People such as the mass shooter or sexual abuser, in my opinion, are lacking in self-esteem and/or are so self-absorbed and egotistical that they are unwilling or unable to put the feelings of others before their own personal desires.  This leads them to harm or abuse those around them and in doing so they gain a feeling of power and control.   It would be interesting to see if horrors such as these would be reduced if there were no recognition for such dastardly deeds.  We will probably never know the answer.

Leave a comment

Filed under assumptions, communication, decisions, events, habit, impressions, Life Changing, Life is a Melting Pot, mind, reality, school

When the Lights Go Out

Internet went downA week or so ago I was finally home for a Saturday, the first one in weeks, with a long to-do list.  At 10:30 am there was a glitch — we lost our power.  Washer and Dryer both stopped mid-cycle.  Dishwasher stopped mid- cycle.  I’m not used to this.  In the eleven years we have been in this house we have only lost power 3-4 times – why now?

It was rainy and gloomy outside, which means even with the blinds open it is dark.  I managed to get the small load of clothes out of the dryer and hung them to dry.  Then I stood in the house looking around.  What could I do that would allow me to be productive with only the light from the windows?

The CD’s on our shelves had all been taken down and needed to be reorganized, and there was a window nearby.  Not a very exciting project, but at least it was something.  Rather blah sorting music CD’s when you can’t even pop one in the player to listen to.  At least it was something to do.

Life without power is challenging.  Walk into the bathroom close the door and realize as you flip the switch that there is no light.  You are standing in a pitch black room because it has no window.  Exit the room and go look for a flashlight to use.  As you are looking for the flashlight you walk into a room and instinct comes into play…you hit the light switch out of habit, and again nothing happens.  Then you feel like an idiot….why would you be looking for a flashlight if the lights worked?

The coffee maker went off with the power, so now you want to warm up a cup of coffee, but the microwave won’t run.  The internet also went down with the electricity, so you try to surf using your phone, but due to lack of power the cell lines are tied up and nothing is loading.   Figure out lunch with items that do not require cooking.

It was around 4:30 that our electricity came back on.  Lights flashed on, lights that had been on when the power went down sprang to life.  However the internet was still out.  We have a package plan, internet, phone and TV, so nothing worked.  Predicted connection:  11:30 pm.   You feel like you’ve been stripped of contact with the world!  Now what will I do.  I have lights, but no TV, phone or internet.

Losing power, even for a short time, is a wake-up call to how dependent we are on technology.  Our ancestors lived without all these modern conveniences and did quite well without them.  Yet loose the for a portion of the day now and you find yourself lost, unable to function, because everything relies on electricity and/or internet connections.

Try going for a few hours without any lights, electricity, internet, TV or telephone.  Get back to the basics of life.  It will give you an appreciation for all you have, and for how your ancestors lived very happy, content lives without all our technology.

Leave a comment

Filed under Coping, Life is a Melting Pot