Technologically Declined

I apologize for the length of this one, there was just so much to say.
Ding! “You’ve got mail.” Facebook Alert from…. People just cannot get enough of this lovely thing called technology. I mean, who wouldn’t want a 32 gigabyte MP3 player or a phone that does absolutely everything from opening car doors to checking if the lights in your home are turned off? But, what about the good old days, when family game night wasn’t on the Wii, and hamsters weren’t fuzzy little electronic toys with wheels? I know that this world can’t just give up all of the technology, for a single person’s opinion. Technology is not always a bad thing, either. While it may advance our willingness to stay on a screen for half the day, it also increases our chances of finding a cure for cancer, finding a way to increase the longevity of our planet, and bringing about better global communication.
First off, I would like to question the indulgent craze there is on Facebook. Must everything have a page on there? If you want to find something nowadays, you don’t necessarily have to “Google” it, you can just “Facebook” it. It seems to almost be a competition as well to have the MOST friends possible. Are they really friends? I know people that add people just for the sake of it. I am no better; I get on Facebook, my e-mail, and the internet more than I should, but it’s just insane the amount of time so many of us are on the computer every day.
To make my opinion clear, I would like to say that while I do not think we could ever go without technological advances, we could use a few less than the ones we make. There shouldn’t be a need for 500 different smart phones, when one could fit the bill. I do not have much knowledge in marketing, but I do know that competition is fierce. But, wouldn’t it be so much greater if companies banded together and split the money evenly with all their profit shares? But that would not work. How would those companies ever be honest and just in that? Maybe I know nothing, being a teenager whose brain has rotted out from staring at a screen for too long, but I just think that this competition of sorts is outrageous. No one knows what may come later on in our time on earth, but we should be living for all people, not all computers, all televisions, not all telephones!
My next opinion is on those darn things called “e-Books.” I do not understand the appeal to those. In my opinion, a good old hardback suffices for the few that still wish to read. I like the new technology of putting a textbook online, however. It makes it so much easier for those that have computers to get on, and access the text no matter where they are, without lugging a giant textbook everywhere they go. While it is very much a good idea, however, it is also a tricky one, seeing as not all families in the schools have an accessible computer. The library is wonderful, but then some children have no transportation, and therefore have no motivation to really try to accomplish their homework.
One last thing that I really wish could be different. Too often do I see misspelled words and grammatical errors in professional signs and articles. Just the other day, I saw a sign for “Middle Eastren” food! Now I am wondering if that is a delicacy somewhere in the Middle East. So many books have horrible grammar as well, and sometimes, the mistakes do not degrade the reading experience, but others create a horrible irk in the mind of the reader at not being able to completely decipher just what the author was trying to convey. As for me, I am all about learning more and more about this marvelous language we call English, and other languages as well.
In closing, I would just like to state that while my opinions are not the most accurate, they are an opinion nonetheless. Technology is not necessarily a bad thing; it is merely overruling the people of this planet.

What is your Quest?

Ever seen Monty Python and the Holy Grail? It's a classic comedy spoof about Sir Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. During one part of the movie, they come to a bridge, and the only way to pass is to answer three questions: "What is your favorite name," "What is your quest," and the last question varies. The comedic aspect of this is that if they answer wrong, they get thrown up into oblivion (and apparently die). Imagine yourself being up there, just before that bridge, answering questions to cross. If it was a simple answer of just what your "quest" is, then wouldn't it be simple to answer and cross that bridge? But it doesn't seem to work like that. Sometimes, our "quests" are only one of many; we would have to ask the bridge "keeper" which quest he was seeking, and then, if he didn't know, he himself would be thrown from the bridge. Sometimes, we may know our quest (or think we do), and then have it change a while later, only to look back and realize that what we wanted then isn't what we want any longer. So what exactly is a quest? That is quite the excellent question, as it can be many things. In the religious aspect, a quest is the fulfillment of our faith, the duty that we were given on earth until we reach our paradise, heaven, or whatever we may believe in. Those who have no religion or don't really care one way or the other may have a quest to build something great, go somewhere beautiful, or marry the love of their lives and settle down in a family. So, my question of the week is, what is your quest?
P.S. If you hear the sound of two coconuts clicking together, you may just see Sir Arthur on his noble steed momentarily. ;)

ConfeDENSEiality

As confusing as the above title may be, confedentiality seems to be skewed by the twenty-first century's newer views. There isn't an exact definition, and nowadays, confidence seems to be when a girl isn't afraid to show a ton of skin and the ability to cake on makeup with no regard for her true beauty. SoI'm wondering, what is true beauty? What does confidence mean? I've heard from many a wise person that those girls that show a lot more skin are in fact less confident, and feel that if they can show more, they'll feel better about themselves, similar to the bully principal of the bully having troubles of their own and deciding to take that out on others because they're less confident of themselves. To even the playing field and not just rat on girls, guys do similar things to "impress" girls, and feel better about their lack of personality: big guns, tight six-pack abs, and smooth skin. While that sometimes might be attractive, it doesn't exactly exude confidence. So what does that mean for a society that's constantly altering itself to meet others' needs? There are definite components that we all can change and make better, but it doesn't come easy. If we allow the DENSE part of our society shine, then we will never find the much more logical, experienced side that knows what true value and moral is. That may be the main point of this piece:that moral has been skewed, and is harder to define. But then again, complexity may just help us to find new morals we might never have thought of. But, in my opinion, true beauty in a woman or a man is when they don't have to show off everything they have, and when they shine from the inside out, not the outside in.

Weather Or Not

The hot summer sun and occasional humid day seem like a wonderful deviation from that which we have been having: cold, rainy, overcast, and miserable for May. I'm a person who usually takes most weather in stride, so long as it isn't to the extreme. But many people do not see things this way. If the weather isn't to their liking, they complain to the skies, as if speaking up will somehow change that particular day's weather. The weather does not listen to us very often, not even weathermen or women, who seem to know what the weather will be, and then it decides to rebel and go another direction; sometimes for the best, but sometimes for the worst. Apparently, at my sister's "Continuation," or graduation from 8th grade, her principal said something quite insightful,(which is unfortunately rare for him). I'm not sure of the exact quote (as I was not present), but he said something to the effect of, "You can't change the weather, you can only change your attitude." Doesn't that change your perspective on things? I think it means that no matter what circumstances we are facing, and no matter how many "rainy days" we have to endure, we should always try to find the good in them, and look at them positively. Besides, sometimes dancing in the rain or making snow angels in the snow is much more fun than moping inside wishing it were warmer. So come on, let's get out there and have a little fun, even if the weather forecast doesn't call for sun!