Words from the Interior

Misunderstood Ignorance

Any good speech tends to begin with a definition of its topic. Ignorance is defined as, “state of being uninformed.” There is a lot of rage in the world about the hatred for ignorance. I ask though, whose fault is it really? You can’t blame someone for being ignorant. This is similar to hating a child for not understanding physics. So, why the hate for ignorance? Well, many humans have an egoist approach to their mentality. Simply put, they think they are better than others. Because of this, they take stock in the idea that anyone that doesn’t understand the same clump of information, they must be ignorant and thus, less of a person. When you devalue someone else it allows for strong feelings towards that person without any remorse. This is how wars are done without complete dysfunction from soldiers. When soldier A views soldier B as their enemy, they can kill them because they have determined their cause more valuable.

What does that have to with ignorance? If something bothers someone for long enough, they feelings grow more intense. Let’s say there are a group of people who tend to be void of a certain piece of information. The more you interact with that phenomenon, the more it bothers you. Depending on your level of tolerance, that feeling can turn to hate.

To summarize, humans separate themselves from those void of a piece of information, thus devaluing that person, which allows for the growth of hate.

Again, I ask, whose fault is it that they are ignorant? You can’t blame someone for not knowing something. If anything, it is the owner of the information’s fault for not sharing. As I’ve said millions of times, education is the strongest link towards evolution. So, instead of screaming ignorance, try a civilized lesson first.

Continuing on the path, I think it is actually a subverted hatred for those that choose ignorance, which is a paradox. If knowledge is known, but not chosen, what is that? Ignorance is the wrong term. An even more overused term, “stupid” supplements this gap. Stupid is defined as, “a lack of intelligence.” However, is that their fault? You can’t help what you don’t know. If you are going to be mad about it, be mad at yourself for not correcting the problem.

What I’m eluding too is that I’m tired of seeing people complain about “stupid” people. It isn’t their fault they fail to see reason. Not to mention, most people that claim that “everyone else is stupid but me” are far from geniuses themselves. Again, stop being mad at the person, be mad at the action and find a way to fix it rather than complain.

Adios 2012

Here we are at the end of 2012. As I see others post various accomplishments or events that transpired, I wonder what the significance of celebrating a new year really is. I suppose, like anything, we have to compartmentalize our memories in order to make certain events easier to remember. It would be difficult to recall events if we didn’t time stamp them. There is no romance in that though, there is nothing special about that, so why do we hold such emphasis on various milestones? I think it’s a means of change. We can tell ourselves, this year will be different. It’s a way of saying, “that year was bullshit, but I can look forward and say this will be better.” I suppose that is where New Year’s resolutions come from. It’s a fresh start. We all need fresh starts. 2012 has been a rough year for a lot of people. Deaths have been plentiful, the world crumbles – so it seems – but life perseveres. No matter what happens, life continues.

It is in this optimism that I find solace. We can push through our pain and suffering by acknowledging that our past is our past and our future is unknown. We can make the best of the road ahead because we’ve lived through the time behind. So, from this, I say, Happy New Year.

So, how’s the weather?

When most people think of Hamburg, they probably think of Germany. Normally, this would be true for me as well, so imagine my confusion when I see an exit sign for Hamburg, Iowa. Out of pure curiosity, I pull off the highway and enter the town populated by 1200 people. At first glance, it seems like everything that encompasses “small town America.” I see a bar named, “The Blue Moon Bar and Grill.” My love for that particular brand requires me to stop in.

Opening the door causes a grimace from the two patrons sitting at the bar. It was either from the introduction of sunlight to their irises or from my presence as a stranger. Either way, they stare at me for a few moments – I wade in the uncomfortable waves.

I don’t allow their stares to waver my goal, so I step up to the bar and quickly snatch up the menu to avoid eye contact. The 40-something waitress asks if I want something to drink, I respond, “Water, please.” I quickly glance over the one page menu and order a patty melt.

At this point, the men return to, what I assume is, their previous conversation. The first topic they banter about is the weather. This 10 minute conversation got me thinking about the importance of the weather in daily conversation.

For 27 years, I was under the impression that inquiring about the weather was a way of filling a lull in conversations. However, as of recent, I have noticed that this particular topic is more prolific than I realized. It comes up in almost every conversation, whether with close friends or distant acquaintances. I have theorized a few reasons for this.

First, I think the topic comes up so often because it affects every part of our lives. What to wear, how to drive, mood, travel decisions depends on whether it’s sunny, rainy or otherwise. It really is, the only thing to talk about. When the sky is overcast, we poor humans are limited to that daily dosage of the Vitamin D that our mood centers so severely need. It is by this learned knowledge that we can infer a lot of things just by asking, “So, how’s the weather.”

While, I will say that it does usually come up in the lull of daily dialogue, it is often the precursor to further discussion. I don’t view it on the same level as the, “How are you?” question. Human beings ask this, but are rarely concerned with the answer. It is a courtesy, however by asking about the environment, we can assume a lot about the answer. Additionally, it’s such a simply question that requires very little effort of the questioner, where-as all the effort relies on the questionee.

So, next time someone asks you how the weather is, think about what they are really asking, and be happy they care.

Driving on Three Wheels: A True Story

I first heard the noise when I went to the wrong Kansas City. I was driving south through America towards Texas. I made an attempt to stop in the major cities for a few reasons, the biggest being the larger per diem rates than staying in a nowhere town like Hamburg (Iowa not Germany). The route my GPS takes me is right by Kansas City, so I put Kansas City into the search window on said GPS. It says, “did you mean Kansas City, KS or Kansas City, MO?” My thought process was, well, the bigger one should be in the state it’s named after right? So, I click that and off I go. Throw on some tunes and I roll.

A few hours later, I’m approaching what I think is the bigger Kansas City. I turn down the music so I can concentrate. I hear a strange noise and comment, there is a helicopter somewhere. I ignore it and keep driving. As the GPS navigation comes to an end and the only thing around is a farmhouse and a baseball field, I start to reevaluate my decision. I bust out the phone and start searching for hotels. The first Best Western that pops up says it’s in Kansas City, Missouri. I slap my head, turn the music back up, throw the car in first and drive the 10 miles in the “right” direction.

Fast Forward 20 minutes, I see the KC skyline approaching. I stop to take a picture of it. Getting back in the car, I start to hear the thumping sound again. It only happens whenever I release the throttle. It strikes me as odd, but doesn’t seem to be affecting anything. At this point, it is a real low thump. I drive around for a bit, ignoring the noise. I find my hotel, park the car and don’t think about it until after I’ve eaten. For the record, Negra Modello with Lime is brilliant.

Sitting in my hotel room, I find my way to the Subaru forums and search around for “clunking noise when I take foot off gas.” Oddly enough, there are several forums with that exact title. Most of them say it’s a normal Subaru noise; something to do with inertia and bad flywheel technology. I sigh and decide I’ll take it to a dealer when I get to Texas.

Next day, I drive to Junction City, meet with some friends, have a grand time eating at Pizza Hut Buffet, talking about old times and new news. After the visit, I jump in the car and head towards Oklahoma City, my next stop. I hear the noise, but it hasn’t changed, so I ignore it.

2 hours later, I’m approaching Wichita and the noise starts to get worse. It isn’t just happening when I decelerate, it is clunking consistently. Now, I’m worried. I pull off and into a Best Western Parking Lot. I sit in my car, waiting to figure out what to do. I Google Subaru dealerships and call the one in Wichita. The service center closed at 6; it was now 6:15. I curse and grab a room. I’m pissed, but at this point, only because I don’t know what’s wrong and I didn’t make it to OKC. The car sits in the parking lot, completely aware of what’s wrong with it, while I sit clueless, watching The Empire Strikes Back, in the hotel room. I call my step-dad and says that it might be the rear differential. The internet agrees with him.

The next day, I wake up at 6:00, ready to get this fiasco over with. I jump on the freeway; my destination is 12 miles away. I never drive above 40 mph. The clunking continues, but I’m hoping it can make it the whole way. I see the exit, “North Rock Road” and turn on my blinker. Shortly after, I feel a crack, a smash and I’m suddenly leaning to the left. I look to my left and see my rear tire trying to beat me in a drag race. It zips past my car and slams into the median. It gets about 7 feet of air and falls dead in the grass beside me. I manage to pull the car off the road and onto the shoulder. That was all automatic.

I laugh to myself; I definitely over-thought the whole thing.

The moral of this story: Don’t get your tires serviced at Sears.

Innate Morality

Is “good” a learned attribute of humanity, or are we born with it? Is it true that infants are innocent, or are they sin incarnate? Is baptism necessary, in order to cleanse an unclean body to ensure placement in heaven?

This questions bare many theological ties, however, they are questions that have been asked for as long as humanity has uttered the ultimate existence question, “Why?”

First, we must decide what is truly “good.” As a 21^st Century resident, my perception is that morality is mainly based around religion and its various incarnations of the Ten Commandments. All versions of western religion have these basic tenants for good will. Outside of the bible, morality has been discussed. Plato described the Cardinal Virtues in his dialogue with Socrates. They are as follows:

• Prudence - able to judge between actions with regard to appropriate actions at a given time
• Justice - proper moderation between self-interest and the rights and needs of others
• Temperance or Restraint - practicing self-control, abstention, and moderation
• Fortitude or Courage - forbearance, endurance, and ability to confront fear and uncertainty, or intimidation

These of course, are all western ideologies. For an eastern look, I want to examine Hindu, mainly because it encompasses the largest percentage of eastern followers. The entire basis for Hindu ethics relies in Dharma and Karma. Dharma is discussed so vastly, it’s almost impossible to make a simple list; dissimilar to the western equivalent.

Karma is understood in Hinduism as a universal law of cause and effect. Positive actions produce positive effects; negative actions produce negative effects. To act dharmically is to act in a karmically positive manner. When one acts dharmically, one necessarily produces positive karma. This karma is cumulative: one accrues karma, positive and negative, not only throughout the course of one’s life, but throughout the course of one’s multiple rebirths. It is karma that determines one’s rebirths.

So, now that we’ve broken it down a bit, let’s look at the various motivations for being good.

Western Theology is largely based upon the “do good or go to hell” approach. If you want to get into heaven, be a good person.

Eastern Theology focuses upon the reincarnation aspect. If you are a good person in life, you will be rewarded in your next life.

Both of these approaches are very similar and are quite self-serving. If you hold belief in an after-life, there is motivation to be a “good” person. But, what if you don’t believe in an afterlife? How can an individual who thinks “dead is dead” be motivated?

There are several ethical theories that address the issue of morality outside of religion. The first is very similar to reincarnation, but the locus of fear is different. Basically, consequences of one’s conduct are the ultimate basis for any judgment about the rightness of that conduct. Thus, from a consequentialist standpoint, a morally right act (or omission) is one that will produce a good outcome, or consequence. If an action yields a positive outcome, it is moral.

Returning to Socrates for the second, he argued that “if the gods approve of some actions it must be because those actions are good, in which case it cannot be the gods’ approval that makes them good.”

Evolutionary theory also posits a morality stance. Within the confines of the evolution argument, it is argued that an organism will take all measures for survival. This means that, ultimately, an organism will act in the best interest of the group, in order to save itself. Most of this theory is discussed in the book The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins, and others.

Returning to the original question, are we innately moral? I argue that it is a yes, we are born with the genetic makeup to be good moral people; however this is not always true. If that were the case, there would be no need for the Justice System. Mutations exist within the human genome. The X-Men are real – they are psychopaths. Mutations within their DNA and chemical imbalances cause the “selfish gene” to act against its survival programming.

Being “good” or “moral” is a selfish act. It is necessary for the survival of the species. It comes in all forms of ideas. If all humanity acted in an immoral manner, we wouldn’t survive as a species. Humanity wants to be good for its own sake.

Thoughts as a Concept

Sitting here, thinking to myself, I wonder, why is it easier to write than read?

I don’t want to get into the science of it, because frankly, there are so many technical terms and lateralization of brain-functions that it would muddle up this essay. Not to mention, I would probably butcher the explanation. Because of that, I am going to simplify things a bit.

In order to truly examine this subject, we have to ask: what are thoughts?

A thought, essentially is a biological electrical current. Our brain has to interpret the coded messages that run throughout our brain into meaningful ideas or concepts in order to understand them. This is done through a complicated process that, as stated before, I wish to avoid. Largely, this is why dreams don’t make sense; they are often random stimuli, much like a spinning rolodex. Additionally, this is often why I find myself thinking about something, but can’t express it into words. That’s because my brain hasn’t decoded it yet. So, the first step in any sort of output is translation.

After the synaptic concept has been translated, it has to be expelled from the body in one way or another. There are a lot of portions of the brain that have to work in order for words to physically come out of your mouth, as well as through the hands. For the most part, a lot of the same areas are used for both functions. It takes a few extra for vocalization though, as opposed to writing. This comes easier for some than others.

Often times people are said to, “speak without thinking,” which basically means that they are bypassing important functions of the brain, primarily the “meaning centers” and simply regurgitating ideas. This is an almost autonomous response. Some researchers link it to a personality disorder, but that’s a different subject. However, just because someone has a tendency to “think out loud” doesn’t make them a psychopath. There is also research that shows that the different personality types (extrovert vs. introvert) have different ways of processing information. An extrovert tends to speak out loud using stores of information without much analysis, as opposed to an introvert who needs extra time to process information to validate that which is already known. I don’t personally buy into the archetypal universe where only two types of people exist, but I am a naysayer.

What does that have to do with me? I usually identify myself as an introvert. This means I have to analyze information, but if I don’t have to turn those ideas into words, I have skipped a step. My brain switches to auto-pilot and my hands type away, as if they were possessed. If I were a member of the extrovert camp, I would want to use a voice recorder, because that would be my auto-pilot. In a ridiculously dumbed down way, that is my theory. I write with “ease” because of my introverted tendencies.

I feel the need to clarify a few things. First, I am not saying being introverted is superior; both personality types are adaptations of environment and genetics. They are both capable of being functional members of society, they simply react differently, but isn’t that the beauty of humanity? Diversity?

The Wild Man is Intelligent.

Intelligence is the level in which you can analyze, interpret and explain your environment.

Society has long felt the need to quantify every aspect of humanity. All sports have statistics that are tracked vigorously. Most products are marketed utilizing statistics.

With that in mind, I propose the above statement. Intelligence differs from place to place and person to person. There is no median that can apply to all humans. In order to accurately test how “smart” someone is, you have to include environment as a variable.

Language is a good starting point, however it isn’t just being able to read/write or communicate. It is the ability to utilize communication (passing AND receiving) of information. Not only does an individual need to be able to relay a message [via various means (verbal, written, body language, etc)], but they have to be able to explain that message in a meaningful way to their intended recipient. This comes in various forms all over the world. I would say, politicians who are “charismatic” have a high level of language intelligence, even if they lack others.

Another portion or intelligence is the ability to comprehend the universe. This primarily refers to scientists and philosophers. Using our biological sensors to translate stimuli into something explainable to a certain time period. For instance, watching the movement of stars and coming to the realization that the earth revolves around the sun. While we take this as fact now, at the time it was heresy. Galileo had incredible logical intelligence because he was able to translate perceptions into something explainable to all.

I would also say, ability to survive is an aspect of intelligence. A man who can barely speak a known language who lives off the land has a high survival intelligence. It has been called “street smarts,” however i dislike that term because it simplifies millions of years of evolution. Also, because people use it as an excuse not to better themselves.

Those are only a few examples, but standard IQ tests do not accurately portray true intelligence. I would argue that our normal level of intelligence hasn’t changed much in the last few thousands of years we simply have more information of which to pull from. I am not going to arrogantly guess how many levels of intelligence there are, but i refer to my first statement as a starting point for discussion.

Intelligence is the level in which you can analyze, interpret and explain your environment.

It’s not my fault, It’s Genes.

There is a change that has been evolving since I was born, that is “Blame everyone and everything else for my problems.” We live in a world today where everything is treated with drugs and we all need therapy. I am not discounting the behavioral sciences as a legitimate medical practice, however, they are being used as excuses. For every disease or disorder, there is a cause. Sometimes, that cause is a choice, sometimes it is not. The problem is that people are so used to being told that it isn’t their fault, that we can’t tell which problems are preventable anymore. Let’s take for example, chronic obesity.

Before I start unraveling that subject, I want to first discuss the current theory, which I fully support of why America is the fattest country on the planet. Note: This takes a belief in evolution.

In all animal species energy metabolism is asymmetric with energy accumulation (‘thrifty genotype’) being the necessary condition of survival during hard times. For humans, which are no different to other animals in this respect, this genetic programming was necessary for survival because during the course of history, including the recorded history in the more developed Middle East, Europe or China, there was never a long period of uninterrupted food abundance, whereas famines were regular and frequent. Therefore fat accumulation, when food was available, meant survival at times of shortage, while the possible detrimental effects of overindulgence in food and being overweight expressed in unrealistically old age were irrelevant. It is the central, mostly intra-abdominal fat (in both humans and animals) that is more medically important than the subcutaneous truncal fat, and the accumulation of both types of fat is conditioned by high food consumption; therefore it is a historic novelty for human populations (Stolen from a case study, didn’t want to simplify it).

So, historically speaking, humans have had to consume large amounts of food to survive. Introduce the 20th century, with it’s convenience and high paced lifestyle.  The genes that tell us to eat as much as possible all the time didn’t just disappear, they are still there. What that translates to is we as Americans have this gene that is telling us to eat when possible, but it’s always possible.

Now, that was only the first variable for the obesity equation. Secondly, as mentioned earlier, is the convenience, but not a healthy convenience. Historically speaking, fast food is incredibly unhealthy. It’s really only the last 10 years or so, since the law suits started, that companies have started to change their business plan. Why would they before, it worked and CEOs only see life through pie charts and graphs, not through the weight of their staff.

So, we have the equation, although incredibly simplified.

Biologically irrelevant eating habits + availability = Obesity.

People blame all kinds of things for their weight when in reality it boils down to laziness and addiction. I’m not going to skepticize which is more prominent.

My point is, people need to stop blaming the world for their problems and take some responsibility. Stop being lazy and take control of your life. Obesity is a choice.

Ignorance is Bliss?

In today’s attack on western idioms, I will discuss the often over-used, “Ignorance is bliss.” First of all, I would like to say that I agree with this statement, partially. It is ground on the basis that people who are unaware of situations are generally less stressed and happier. We know this to be true based on empirical studies of societies where their choices are highly limited. Don’t believe me, read a book. What’s that, choices cause anxiety? Freedom comes with stress? Oh my!

Enough of that.

Bliss is defined as, “Extreme happiness; ecstasy.” Let’s think about that for a second. 

What the phrase implies is that being unaware of anything creates a euphoric state. If you have complete ignorance of absolutely anything, this may be true. *Prepare for If, Then statements*

If, you have no idea about any of the strife in the world, then you might be incredibly happy.

If, you don’t know what struggle is, then maybe you might be in a state of ecstasy.

Alright, so perhaps the phrase in it’s most literal sense is true. People usually mean that being ignorant of a particular thing voids any stress, which, I think, is a much stronger statement of the social environment. Just because you are unaware that 100 China-men die making your iPhone doesn’t make you a blissful person.

My proposition is that we change this phrase to: “Ignorance is Contentment.” I think that captures the “nature” of the phrase better than the generality that we can obtain happiness through ignoring everything.

Stuff

What are we but our possessions? I know this has been discussed in length by a lot of people, but materialism really bothers me. Not in the sense that we accumulate needless hordes of stuff, but also that we discard it with little regard to where it goes. 

Out of Sight, Out of Mind.

Some people are prepping for doomsday, I am prepping for no-day. If I die today the people in my life have to figure out where to put all this crap I have collected over the years. My plan is to minimize the amount of useless junk in my life (that includes people). I have discovered e-bay is pretty helpful in recycling things I don’t need anymore. I am not the wealthy philanthropist donating millions to Africa, I am merely a man attempting to minimize the amount of dead weight he is carrying.

When I move, I have to decide where to live in accordance with my crew. My crew consists of my bed, my couches, computer, etc. Our whole life is based around trying to find a place for our crap (please refer to George Carlin for wonderful satire on the subject). Either way, this puts me in an interesting spot because I am tired of having my choices already made for me. I am not going to accommodate inanimate objects with a home, at least not my home.

I once knew a man who didn’t believe in furniture. I think I understand now.

You would be surprised how difficult it is to get rid of these burdens. If I didn’t have a concern for where they went, it might be easier, but I want my couch to have a good home. I’ve used its comfort for many years and figure it should be afforded the same courtesy. I could call the waste management company and have them take it out of my sight, but that seems wrong somehow. I’ve grown attached to all this matter. It has become my life.

Home is where your barcalounger is.

The only way we ever accept getting rid of old things is by replacing them by new things. This is true of almost anything imaginable. A person may be upset about a lost puppy, until they get a new one. Life is about replacement insurance. We rate how depressed we get based upon how easily replaceable that item is.

New isn’t always better.

Elderly are the lost toys in the bottom of the bin. It’s quite sad really. As soon as they have outgrown their use, we throw them away (unless you are of the east). When it comes down to it, the people in our lives are also just “stuff.” We use them for their purpose at the time until they have outgrown their usefulness. There is a reason why divorce is on the rise in the last 50 years. We are spoiled. Try and be happy with the same pair of pants for 30 years. Not 100 years ago, that was the case.

Amish are the ultimate anti-materialists.

Is humanity hopeless? Do we lead a life of perpetual renewal until we expire? I hope not. That is why I am recycling the things I no longer need. I hope my PSP from 2004 finds a good home.