There has been a marked decline in the quality of language in both written and spoken form. I saw it begin even before the advent of the Internet but it has truly accelerated since then.
This has always puzzled me. Everyone in this country, no matter where you go to school, is taught the proper way to speak and write, yet many people abandon the rules or never adopt them in the first place. Although it doesn’t have the same life threatening effects as other bad habits, I think the source of the problem is the same; peer pressure. That excuse flies when you are a teenager, but when you enter the adult world it falls flat.
The questions I want to ask the practitioners of this bad habit are also the same; why? Why would you want to compromise yourself in this fashion? Is it so important to you to fit in that you will dampen the perception other people have of you to gain acceptance? Do you realize that those outside of your immediate circle of friends see you as less intelligent and trustworthy when you do not speak properly? Do you realize that the language of business in America is English and that your ability to express yourself in the language of business will have a major impact on your standard of living?
The decline in the proper use of language is symptomatic of the decline in the quality of life in this country. If people do not demand proper expression of themselves, do you really think they are going to demand the best of themselves in other areas? They are compromising for the sake of expediency. Once they give in to the peer pressure, complacency sets in and the bad habit becomes ingrained.
If you try to point out the improper use of language to those practitioners, the responses usually range from mild resentment to arrogant self righteousness. The obvious implication is, how dare you point out my inadequacy? What they are really saying is, I have the right to my own stupidity and no one is going to make me change, no matter how much damage I do to myself or my country.
I have a suggestion. Change your bad habit and practice proper expression and see the difference in the reaction you get from people. If anyone tries to ridicule you for this change, then be aware that they are not your friend and they are only trying to hold you prisoner in the same pit of ignorance where they reside.
A revolution begins in the mind of one person. Remember that the widespread use of improper language is a form of noise pollution. Remove this pollution from the air and you improve the quality of life for all. It doesn’t cost you a dime and the return on your investment may be infinite.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Love
You see and hear it all the time. Women say that men are afraid of commitment, afraid of love itself. You can’t blame either sex for feeling the way they do. Men often make a big show of portraying themselves as super stud playboys and women who have been hurt make a big show of playing the victim.
As a man, I have taken that popular men’s side often in my life. Then my life changed. I met the woman who seemed to make the world stand still the first time I kissed her. She showed me her vulnerability and her soul and she accepted me when I showed her mine.
Still I didn’t learn. Even while knowing that I had found the woman I had been searching for, I still sought outer confirmation of my attraction from the opposite sex. I let my immaturity and insecurity overcome my reason.
It took a personal crisis in our relationship for me to realize how foolish this is. When I settled on the notion of being happy within a committed relationship and reconciling my happiness within myself through only her, a wonderful thing happened. I realized that instead of wearing the proverbial “ball and chain” that I had actually been set free. Once I was able to dispense with the thought of whether I was still attractive to the opposite sex, my mind was freed from a tremendous amount of clutter. My thoughts were clearer, more focused and more goal directed.
I suspect that anyone who is committed to personal growth will come to the same conclusion. To feel secure in a loving committed relationship frees anyone, man or woman, to reach their full potential and make a contribution to the betterment of the world. In this way, a couple’s love is a shining beacon of goodness spreading positive energy throughout the world and serving as an example for others to follow. It’s pretty clear we need more of that these days.
As a man, I have taken that popular men’s side often in my life. Then my life changed. I met the woman who seemed to make the world stand still the first time I kissed her. She showed me her vulnerability and her soul and she accepted me when I showed her mine.
Still I didn’t learn. Even while knowing that I had found the woman I had been searching for, I still sought outer confirmation of my attraction from the opposite sex. I let my immaturity and insecurity overcome my reason.
It took a personal crisis in our relationship for me to realize how foolish this is. When I settled on the notion of being happy within a committed relationship and reconciling my happiness within myself through only her, a wonderful thing happened. I realized that instead of wearing the proverbial “ball and chain” that I had actually been set free. Once I was able to dispense with the thought of whether I was still attractive to the opposite sex, my mind was freed from a tremendous amount of clutter. My thoughts were clearer, more focused and more goal directed.
I suspect that anyone who is committed to personal growth will come to the same conclusion. To feel secure in a loving committed relationship frees anyone, man or woman, to reach their full potential and make a contribution to the betterment of the world. In this way, a couple’s love is a shining beacon of goodness spreading positive energy throughout the world and serving as an example for others to follow. It’s pretty clear we need more of that these days.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Anti-Intellectualism
How often have you asked yourself what the meaning of your life is? If you have asked yourself, what answer did you come up with?
My own answer is this: The purpose of my life is now twofold. First, I want to make the love of my life as happy as possible. Second, I want to accumulate as much knowledge as possible and pass it on to the generations that follow.
Look around you. How many people do you know who actually espouse that second purpose? If your answer to that question is a lot of people, or everyone you know, then you are either highly unusual or simply lying to yourself.
I say that because it should be readily apparent to any intelligent reader that we live in a highly anti-intellectual society. Americans consistently shun the acquisition of new knowledge, and if you point this out to anyone, then you are labeled either arrogant or
un-American. Americans prefer complacency to inquiry. This is probably the second most significant problem confronting American society today, following the basic lack of compassion that I pointed out in a previous entry.
Religious insulation is a major contributor to this problem. Ask yourself another question, what is religious fundamentalism except for the triumph of anti-intellectualism? The existence of those who subscribe to the theory of creationism should provide enough proof to make that question rhetorical.
Now think for a moment of what American life would be like if every citizen made it a point to gain as much knowledge as possible. Present this challenge to the average American and the most common objection will be, I don’t have the time. I’m sorry, but that excuse just doesn’t fly anymore. This is the 21st century. The world’s knowledge is at your fingertips. People spend a lot of time online, and many people complain about Blackberry addiction. If people re-allocated even 10% of the time they spend on their Facebook or Twitter page to the acquisition of new knowledge, there would be an explosion of new, much needed, intelligent discussion in this country.
I see examples all the time in the media of people who have been “economically displaced.” They have been left behind by the economy because of their lack of knowledge. They are hanging on to a bygone version of the American dream like buggy whip manufacturers.
That is mass insanity. The grip of complacency is a huge contributor to the economic decline of this country and needs to be broken yesterday. In addition, if you are going to fool yourself and believe that anti-intellectualism hasn’t also contributed to the rising moral relativity in this country then you are welcome to your illusion, but you are part of the problem and not the solution, and you bear the responsibility for that mistaken belief.
My own answer is this: The purpose of my life is now twofold. First, I want to make the love of my life as happy as possible. Second, I want to accumulate as much knowledge as possible and pass it on to the generations that follow.
Look around you. How many people do you know who actually espouse that second purpose? If your answer to that question is a lot of people, or everyone you know, then you are either highly unusual or simply lying to yourself.
I say that because it should be readily apparent to any intelligent reader that we live in a highly anti-intellectual society. Americans consistently shun the acquisition of new knowledge, and if you point this out to anyone, then you are labeled either arrogant or
un-American. Americans prefer complacency to inquiry. This is probably the second most significant problem confronting American society today, following the basic lack of compassion that I pointed out in a previous entry.
Religious insulation is a major contributor to this problem. Ask yourself another question, what is religious fundamentalism except for the triumph of anti-intellectualism? The existence of those who subscribe to the theory of creationism should provide enough proof to make that question rhetorical.
Now think for a moment of what American life would be like if every citizen made it a point to gain as much knowledge as possible. Present this challenge to the average American and the most common objection will be, I don’t have the time. I’m sorry, but that excuse just doesn’t fly anymore. This is the 21st century. The world’s knowledge is at your fingertips. People spend a lot of time online, and many people complain about Blackberry addiction. If people re-allocated even 10% of the time they spend on their Facebook or Twitter page to the acquisition of new knowledge, there would be an explosion of new, much needed, intelligent discussion in this country.
I see examples all the time in the media of people who have been “economically displaced.” They have been left behind by the economy because of their lack of knowledge. They are hanging on to a bygone version of the American dream like buggy whip manufacturers.
That is mass insanity. The grip of complacency is a huge contributor to the economic decline of this country and needs to be broken yesterday. In addition, if you are going to fool yourself and believe that anti-intellectualism hasn’t also contributed to the rising moral relativity in this country then you are welcome to your illusion, but you are part of the problem and not the solution, and you bear the responsibility for that mistaken belief.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Mass Insanity- Religion
Do you believe in God? Do you pray to God? Do you believe that God is watching over you?
Whether you answered yes or no to these questions, you are still affected by religion every day. As the song “Freewill” from Rush says, “If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice.”
I can easily understand someone being frightened of aligning themselves with any particular religion. A large percentage of the world’s problems are the result of needless divisiveness caused by religion. If you want to read an excellent analysis of just how deeply the world has been affected by religion, try Sam Harris’ book, The End of Faith. It truly opened my eyes when I read it, about five years ago.
I am currently a member of the Catholic Church, and I also choose to sing in the choir, which has at most seven members and some Sundays features just two or three singers and an organist. But I certainly do not agree with some of the Church’s viewpoints and I think there handling of the abuse crisis which has plagued the Church for more than a decade now is shameful and hypocritical. In my opinion it is well past the time to dismantle the old boy and all boy network and choose a female Pope. No woman would ever countenance what has been allowed to happen inside the churches of the world.
I continue to attend Roman Catholic Church because the solemn, communal feeling I get at Mass always makes me feel better and being in the choir further enhances that feeling. My relationship with God is personal, so no one has the right to tell me how to worship, just as I have no right to tell anyone else how to do so.
But the central question that everyone dances around is, why? Why does all of this interfaith hatred and resentment have to exist? Examine it in a vacuum for a second.
For any religion to have any measure of validity it has to preach acceptance and tolerance of all people, whether they are religious or atheist. While many religions preach this in theory, in practice this is far from what we have. Far too many of the world’s prejudices are drawn along religious lines and far too many people die as a result.
One of the more stunning and hideous examples happened just the other day, when two young people were stoned to death by the Taliban because they tried to elope. That isn’t religion, that isn’t culture, that is barbarism, pure and simple, and anyone who practices it cannot say they represent any sort of religious principle at all. That type of behavior is driven by hatred and mass insanity and its presence is a blight upon the entire world, for which we are all responsible.
That does not mean we should carry guilt in our consciousness because of the acts of madmen. What is does require is self vigilance. If we are not examples of tolerance and acceptance in our daily lives, then we feed the fires of hatred that allow heinous acts like stoning to happen. All each person can do is be the best person that they can, and that requires the aforementioned vigilance on a daily basis. If enough people embrace daily growth and become beacons of tolerance and acceptance, then the effects of hatred would be greatly reduced and the world would be a far more nurturing place.
Whether you answered yes or no to these questions, you are still affected by religion every day. As the song “Freewill” from Rush says, “If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice.”
I can easily understand someone being frightened of aligning themselves with any particular religion. A large percentage of the world’s problems are the result of needless divisiveness caused by religion. If you want to read an excellent analysis of just how deeply the world has been affected by religion, try Sam Harris’ book, The End of Faith. It truly opened my eyes when I read it, about five years ago.
I am currently a member of the Catholic Church, and I also choose to sing in the choir, which has at most seven members and some Sundays features just two or three singers and an organist. But I certainly do not agree with some of the Church’s viewpoints and I think there handling of the abuse crisis which has plagued the Church for more than a decade now is shameful and hypocritical. In my opinion it is well past the time to dismantle the old boy and all boy network and choose a female Pope. No woman would ever countenance what has been allowed to happen inside the churches of the world.
I continue to attend Roman Catholic Church because the solemn, communal feeling I get at Mass always makes me feel better and being in the choir further enhances that feeling. My relationship with God is personal, so no one has the right to tell me how to worship, just as I have no right to tell anyone else how to do so.
But the central question that everyone dances around is, why? Why does all of this interfaith hatred and resentment have to exist? Examine it in a vacuum for a second.
For any religion to have any measure of validity it has to preach acceptance and tolerance of all people, whether they are religious or atheist. While many religions preach this in theory, in practice this is far from what we have. Far too many of the world’s prejudices are drawn along religious lines and far too many people die as a result.
One of the more stunning and hideous examples happened just the other day, when two young people were stoned to death by the Taliban because they tried to elope. That isn’t religion, that isn’t culture, that is barbarism, pure and simple, and anyone who practices it cannot say they represent any sort of religious principle at all. That type of behavior is driven by hatred and mass insanity and its presence is a blight upon the entire world, for which we are all responsible.
That does not mean we should carry guilt in our consciousness because of the acts of madmen. What is does require is self vigilance. If we are not examples of tolerance and acceptance in our daily lives, then we feed the fires of hatred that allow heinous acts like stoning to happen. All each person can do is be the best person that they can, and that requires the aforementioned vigilance on a daily basis. If enough people embrace daily growth and become beacons of tolerance and acceptance, then the effects of hatred would be greatly reduced and the world would be a far more nurturing place.
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