17 March 2011

A Census for Bumtown

Fuck.

I'm so sickened by our world that I don't even want to write. I'm making myself do so because it's good to learn to write under any emotional state. What I can't shake is the feeling that our future is relatively hopeless. We're entering a job market without prospects. I went to one of the most prestigious universities in the entire world. Sure, my degree is in English and I've been focusing on getting a particular type of job in a particular city. Some will argue that I'm not trying hard enough. I'm trying. I know the direction I want things to go, and persistance seems to be the only relevant way to get anywhere anymore.

It is appalling though, the state in which we are entering the real world. It seems that around every turn, the world is becoming a worse place. Not just for ourselves, but the kids we hope to someday raise. I try really hard to stay optimistic, to see the best the world has to offer. Yet, some of the people controlling the power are making it rather hard. I'll spare you the rant on politics. I just think it's fucked up how one-dimensional those in power see things. Where is chivalry? Where is selflessness? Why doesn't anybody just stay together for the kids anymore?

We're stuck in post-consumerism. It's just "me-ism" now. Nobody takes the time to think about anybody else. We say things like "I'm sorry" in everyday conversation, but who's really sorry. Who really takes more than a few seconds out of their day to consider the implications of their actions. Are we really brought up in a society that promotes wearing the blinders, looking straight forward and not giving a damn?

I'm just going to put it out there and say what everybody else has been whispering. We are living in dark times. Uncertain times. It is troublesome and it is problematic. I don't think there is any easy way out and somebody is going to have to pay for the stockpiling mistakes. I'd act bitter about how that is probably going to rest on the shoulders of my friends and me, but then we'd be no better than anybody else. I guess if I can die someday knowing that I made some important contribution to the balance of our feeble society, than I'd be happy.

The world really does do its worst in an attempt to purge the world of true optimists. It's the quintessential battle of good and evil. Troubling as it may be, humanity will so often err on the side of what becomes simpler and in our case, that which isn't righteous. It's tragic. People become cynical, hardened by the world, by the downs of life, and for some, by the God that lingers and watches as the world suffers.

My heart goes out, not limited to those in crisis overseas and locally, but to the people of our generation. Things aren't going to magically fix themselves. As we advance, so do the scales balance and we find ourselves in a tangled web. For each new discovery, we must also reflect on the way in which we choose to utilize our resources. Anybody who thinks the fruits of the world will drop into their hands has another thing coming, unless you have deep pocketbooks, old money or have a family working in the White House.

My heart indeed goes out, because a sinking feeling shrouds my own, knowing that the times, they aren't a-changin'. We have to ourselves find a way to advance intellectually in order to keep up with the way in which we sap this world of what little hope remains.

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