As someone that does have a passion for videogames, I obviously pay close attention to reveals from Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo, and any other company (still pulling for another Dreamcast). With Microsoft's Xbox One reveal, a lot of new information was immediately thrown upon us, as well as a new controversy for the Internet to get all kinds of upset with. Now I won't go into the details, since that isn't the point of this post, but it is easy to say that people are upset. This isn't the first time the Internet has blown up over something, especially videogame related, but I had a bit of an epiphany moment. As I was getting upset over comments that I disagreed with and thinking of possible ways to retort, a simple question went through my mind, "Why the hell do I care? Why do I care so deeply about the opinions of complete strangers? I will most likely NEVER meet these people in the real world, so why do their words (texts) cause such an emotional response?"
I believe a lot of it stems from the fact that the Internet is indeed bleeding over into reality. This is natural since we are becoming more dependent upon it, but like anything else that becomes a part of everyday living, it brings good and bad. Sadly, one of the bad things it brings is the way we are effected by what others say when it actually should have no effect on us. No matter how connected forums, social media, and other sites may try to connect us, the fact is that unless you've met the person and got to know them outside of the virtual world, they are strangers. In fact, I don't believe calling them strangers quite sums up what they are because a stranger implies that you actually saw them. This is at least how I view a stranger; someone that I saw but did not recognize or know from a previous time. With the Internet, that person may as well be fictional because no matter how "thorough" sites may claim to be, it is WAY too easy to create a completely fake person and life. All you need is a little creativity and any image search engine and you're good. I don't state this to seem overly negative, but to hopefully help people establish perspective. Just as we have to always remember that movies, shows, and videogames are fictional so that we don't begin to blur reality with fiction, we have to remember that "knowing" someone on the Internet is NOTHING like knowing someone in real life. It may sound like common sense, but it may surprise you the lack of people that are unaware of this.
Another reason we let comments get to us, I believe, stems from the fact that we don't have anything truly weighing us down. What I mean by this is that for the majority of us on the Internet, we are in industrialized countries that are not going through issues such as civil war, disease, or constant terror. With a lack of serious problems, we find more gravity to things like Internet comments that if we took a second to step back, we would realize that it doesn't mean much at all. It is also worth noting that should any of us go through a bad time in our lives, we suddenly tend to stop caring about Internet comments, which further proves my point that when it comes to the big picture, we should not care what others on the Internet say.
Now this is not a reason to become a tool online. We should try to be as civil as possible even though children trying to act tough does make this difficult, I know from experience. The point of this is that we should make sure our priorities are in order. So, for instance, if you like what the Xbox One has to offer and looking forward to what else is revealed, then don't let "Internet Strangers" bring you down with their views. If you disagree, then of course you can tell them how you feel, but just don't let it get to you. The real world has plenty of things that are out of your control trying to bring you down. The experience you have in the virtual world is 98%, give or take, under your control, so why should you be brought down there as well?
Friday, May 31, 2013
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Getting Stuck in a Conversation/Mood
This is a topic that has come across due to my own personal actions lately. What the title deals with is a particular conversation or mood that I would find myself resorting to whenever I was talking with close friends. In a nutshell, I would open up about my insecurities, doubts, and fears with my closest friends that I trusted. Of course, they were more than willing to listen and offer advice if I asked. We would grow closer as friends and learn from each other.
It would seem curious as to how something like that can be bad right? Well, it comes from constantly speaking on the same topic. Not only would I speak on the same topics, I would have the same emotion and mood every single time. Like a good friend would do, it was blown off at first. As time went on, my mood and emotion over the conversation would wear on them. We are all human, meaning that we only have so much patience to give on certain things. What this would lead to is friends accusing me of just complaining constantly and having no self-confidence. Now I won't go on some narcissistic like rant to make myself seem better, but after some serious thought over everything, I can honestly say that I cannot blame them for thinking that way.
As I thought it over, I realized that the complaining I was doing, and yes that would be the proper term for how I would get, is due to a comfort zone I created. Within this comfort zone, I was able to make my life seem somewhat better due to things being the fault of someone/something else, or I would get pity (unintentionally) from those listening to me. It came as a gut punch since I have a personal pet peeve about people who complain for attention or for the guaranteed pity. I strive to not be like that, so when I was told this, you can imagine how it struck me. They would explain that it never started off as complaining, but that is exactly what it evolved into over time. It is just like a joke; no matter how good it is, it will become annoying if said again and again. The same goes for a song, no matter how well made the lyrics and/or music.
What struck me the hardest was the fact that most of the things I would dwell on was from the past. In other words, things I can't change even if I wanted to. I would hide behind the past memories and experiences to explain things I would do presently. Now sometimes this would be true, because people are a product of past experiences, but the past cannot be my go-to excuse for my present actions. This would be the root cause of why I would be accused of having no self-confidence. I would complain about bad luck in the past so often that people began thinking that I must feel this way all the time. I discovered that my words were beginning to shape people's perception of me far more than my actions, and that is unacceptable.
I bring this up in a blog because I want to help those that may be in a similar situation. Whether it is due to creating a comfort zone, having an easy scapegoat, or just because it is force of habit, we cannot become stuck in the same conversation and mood with a topic. What goes from perhaps being a therapeutic experience of venting your feelings begins to shape your personality. It is like the old saying that if you're told a lie enough times, you'll begin to believe it. The same happens if you get stuck in a certain mood or conversation.
Also, if we are going to be perfectly blunt, having the same conversation all the time makes you pretty boring. If this is coupled with having the same emotion, people will avoid being around you since the emotion tends to be negative like anger, upset, depressed, ect. This isn't to say that they don't care about your situation, but if you never show improvement or any signs that you are trying to fix/move on from the situation, people will just flat out give up. Nobody wants to be the person that brings down a conversation just because a certain topic gets brought up.
I hope, if you are still reading, that this helped in some way. I know I'm going to try and change how I speak amongst friends. There is nothing wrong letting people in and revealing parts of yourself that not a lot of people get to know about, but we have to avoid getting stuck in one gear.
Remember, Don't Panic, and never forget your towel.
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Answered Prayers on a Dime
Something that I have learned rather recently and feel the need to share is how quickly prayers can be answered. I know it sounds silly to say this because we pray expecting to be answered. The Bible makes it clear that we will be answered with either a yes, no, or wait. What I mean is how we don't expect a prayer to be answered in a quick fashion sometimes.
In my experience, I will give an issue up to prayer and kind of expect that a bit of time will pass before any of the three answers are given. Of course I know that God could easily answer the prayer as soon as the words/thoughts leave me, but i just developed a strange expectation. Yesterday, I had a prayer answered that I had only began prayer over earlier this week. It was an issue that I am currently dealing with in college and considering the pace that universities go, especially at the beginning of a new semester, I wasn't expecting responses or any sort of results for a couple of weeks. Instead, I now have a response and potential results depending on how future events unfold. To say I was taken off guard by how quickly things came together would be an understatement. I called my Father up quickly and told him what had occurred. He was happy to hear it. I instantly had nerves and doubts creeping into my mind. My Father then made a great point to me to get rid of those thoughts. He told me that I can't pray over something and be surprised when God answers it. I cannot do like Moses and begin thinking of excuses of why I can't go through with what was transpiring.
Due to this event, it got me thinking about other times I may have acted this way and how often Christians do this in their lives. We ask God to help us in some way, but when that help comes, we instantly try to make excuses of why we can't do things that way. This could stem from things like us not liking the form in which the help comes in, or perhaps the help comes along, but it involves us having to do something that we are either uncomfortable with or isn't a great strength of ours. Instead of being happy that God answered and decided to help, we find reasons to back away. I mention how quick the response may be because as a defensive mechanism, if a solution comes along that we believe came "too quickly" or may seem "too good to be true," we discard it. We need to remember that as Christians, we walk by faith in things unseen. God answers prayers, and we need to recognize when He has. We also need to recognize that even if the answer does not come in a form that we wanted or a form that we are not use to, that does not discredit it or suddenly not make it a response from God.
If anything, this is something that both our minds, and Satan, uses to make sure we doubt ourselves. So, don't be afraid to pray for ANYTHING, but also be aware of what could be God's response to that prayer. If we pass it up, we could be missing out on great opportunities and/or chances to quickly and painlessly deal with the issue.
Now on a more personal/blog related note. I do have quite a few views on this blog, so that means there are several people that do read this or my stats would remain very low. To anyone that is still reading at this point, what is a topic that you would like for me to write on? Keep the topics within reason (I know the weird people out there) since I am obviously not going to do anything that is either extremely sexual or a topic that could be morally compromising. I could talk of the current NFL playoffs, the big news about the Kings moving to Seattle in the NBA, the latest noteworthy stories in gaming, something political, or even something to do with Christianity. I would like to leave the topic up to those that read these posts. Comment on what you'd like to see me speak on, or know my opinion about, and I will do my best to make an entertaining and satisfying read.
In my experience, I will give an issue up to prayer and kind of expect that a bit of time will pass before any of the three answers are given. Of course I know that God could easily answer the prayer as soon as the words/thoughts leave me, but i just developed a strange expectation. Yesterday, I had a prayer answered that I had only began prayer over earlier this week. It was an issue that I am currently dealing with in college and considering the pace that universities go, especially at the beginning of a new semester, I wasn't expecting responses or any sort of results for a couple of weeks. Instead, I now have a response and potential results depending on how future events unfold. To say I was taken off guard by how quickly things came together would be an understatement. I called my Father up quickly and told him what had occurred. He was happy to hear it. I instantly had nerves and doubts creeping into my mind. My Father then made a great point to me to get rid of those thoughts. He told me that I can't pray over something and be surprised when God answers it. I cannot do like Moses and begin thinking of excuses of why I can't go through with what was transpiring.
Due to this event, it got me thinking about other times I may have acted this way and how often Christians do this in their lives. We ask God to help us in some way, but when that help comes, we instantly try to make excuses of why we can't do things that way. This could stem from things like us not liking the form in which the help comes in, or perhaps the help comes along, but it involves us having to do something that we are either uncomfortable with or isn't a great strength of ours. Instead of being happy that God answered and decided to help, we find reasons to back away. I mention how quick the response may be because as a defensive mechanism, if a solution comes along that we believe came "too quickly" or may seem "too good to be true," we discard it. We need to remember that as Christians, we walk by faith in things unseen. God answers prayers, and we need to recognize when He has. We also need to recognize that even if the answer does not come in a form that we wanted or a form that we are not use to, that does not discredit it or suddenly not make it a response from God.
If anything, this is something that both our minds, and Satan, uses to make sure we doubt ourselves. So, don't be afraid to pray for ANYTHING, but also be aware of what could be God's response to that prayer. If we pass it up, we could be missing out on great opportunities and/or chances to quickly and painlessly deal with the issue.
Now on a more personal/blog related note. I do have quite a few views on this blog, so that means there are several people that do read this or my stats would remain very low. To anyone that is still reading at this point, what is a topic that you would like for me to write on? Keep the topics within reason (I know the weird people out there) since I am obviously not going to do anything that is either extremely sexual or a topic that could be morally compromising. I could talk of the current NFL playoffs, the big news about the Kings moving to Seattle in the NBA, the latest noteworthy stories in gaming, something political, or even something to do with Christianity. I would like to leave the topic up to those that read these posts. Comment on what you'd like to see me speak on, or know my opinion about, and I will do my best to make an entertaining and satisfying read.
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Literature, Theatre, Cinema, and Video Games?
The topic of video games and how they should be labeled has been quite a hot topic. In fact, this has been such a hot topic that when brought before the supreme court, they decreed that they are protected speech via the 1st amendment. This is significant since that is what cinema, theatre, and literature is also covered by. Now the other three areas are considered art. Video games have been, and still are, fighting to have this same moniker. It is quite a unique case when you sit down and look at a medium that does have artistic qualities to it (just look at the beauty of the landscape in some of those games) but unlike the other mediums, video games are 100% entertainment. What I mean by this is that even games that are meant to teach or have possible academic aspects to it, like Portal, entertainment is still the number one issue at hand. No matter how educational or factual a game may be, if it isn't entertaining, it will not be successful.
Within cinema, there are documentaries that serve the purpose to inform and/or persuade on a certain topic. Theater has specific styles (like Brecht Epic Theatre) that puts the importance of an issue over the entertainment that an audience may have. Literature has both fiction and non-fiction books that deal with issues and discusses them in ways that get people to talk. If anyone has ever read Fahrenheit 451, you know that it deals with how easily manipulated the world is when books are all destroyed since people are not provoked to think. That is what the three mentioned mediums can do and have done over the years. Video games struggle with the art debate because of the fact that, like I said earlier, entertainment is the core.
Where video games have gained steam in the debate is the fact that games have been made that provokes thought. It may not deal with topical issues, but the games force you to think about the morality and the overall ripple effect decisions may have. The best examples are the Mass Effect games and the episodic games of The Walking Dead. Neither of these games are set in everyday circumstances or dealing with current issues facing oppressed groups or economics. Where people get hooked is the fact that these games deal with the issue of trying to be moral in the face of an overwhelming task where taking moral shortcuts, such as stepping on/screwing over people, are very tempting since they make the current objective so much easier. The long term consequences of taking the shortcuts can be minor, or the reason why you end up losing a key member of your group, to even the death of the character you control. Mass Effect deals with this on a grand scale to where a few decisions you make could decide the fate of an entire planet. The game deals with a scenario that people cannot relate with of being a super-soldier that is tasked with preparing and defending the universe against a threat that could wipe everyone and everything out. People can relate to things like the relationships, the hardships Shepard faces as he talks to different races that have long standing issues (some are similar to racial issues), and just being an underdog the entire time.
The Walking Dead games takes a much different approach. You are Lee Everett, who was on on his way to jail for murder when the outbreak occurred. Although the zombie apocalypse is something we cannot relate to (not matter how much people may want to), we can relate to a guy who has hit rock-bottom like Lee and is just trying to redeem himself. We can also relate to his struggles with trying to band people together under tough circumstances and keep the very dysfunctional group from breaking.
These two games are extremely thought provoking and 2 of the games/franchises people point towards when making the argument for video games as art. The biggest thing that games have going for them is the fact that unlike in the other three mentioned mediums, the person playing the game "experiences" what happens. Since we are the ones shooting, deciding, planning, and picking the speech lines, it feels like we are the ones pushing the story along. In a sense, we are, but of course at the same time, the story gets pushed along as the developers wanted it. Still, plot twists, such as the amazing "Would You Kindly" phrase in Bioshock 1 hit on a personal level since it effects "us," the person we're controlling. Since we put the hours of time into them, we feel an attachment to them that just is not felt in the other mediums. This does not mean that we don't feel anything should something tragic happen to a character in the other mediums, but it has a special sting when it is a character that we took the time to "bond" with in a video game.
Because of this, I personally believe that video games can be art. Are there games out there that are not art in any definition of the word? Of course, but there are books, movies, plays, and music that are the exact same way. There is always bad with the good. Video games, I believe, capture the thought provoking through a different means. I don't know if I could elevate games to the same level as books, but I believe they can still impact a person in a similar way that a great book can. I think as video games evolve, the case for them to be considered art will be stronger since the story elements of games have been strengthening over the years. As I said, I don't know if I could put them on the same level as theatre, film, and literature since I have never seen a video game cause a dramatic shift in the thought process of people or cause a new movement, but I believe that they can be in the conversation of art that provokes thought and emotion.
As with any controversial topic, one opinion will not sway it one way or the other, so that was not the point of this. I wanted to basically give my two cents and see what people think. To anyone still reading this, what do you think? Are video games art? If yes, should they be put on the same level as books, film, and theatre?
And remember, Don't Panic, and never forget your towel.
Within cinema, there are documentaries that serve the purpose to inform and/or persuade on a certain topic. Theater has specific styles (like Brecht Epic Theatre) that puts the importance of an issue over the entertainment that an audience may have. Literature has both fiction and non-fiction books that deal with issues and discusses them in ways that get people to talk. If anyone has ever read Fahrenheit 451, you know that it deals with how easily manipulated the world is when books are all destroyed since people are not provoked to think. That is what the three mentioned mediums can do and have done over the years. Video games struggle with the art debate because of the fact that, like I said earlier, entertainment is the core.
Where video games have gained steam in the debate is the fact that games have been made that provokes thought. It may not deal with topical issues, but the games force you to think about the morality and the overall ripple effect decisions may have. The best examples are the Mass Effect games and the episodic games of The Walking Dead. Neither of these games are set in everyday circumstances or dealing with current issues facing oppressed groups or economics. Where people get hooked is the fact that these games deal with the issue of trying to be moral in the face of an overwhelming task where taking moral shortcuts, such as stepping on/screwing over people, are very tempting since they make the current objective so much easier. The long term consequences of taking the shortcuts can be minor, or the reason why you end up losing a key member of your group, to even the death of the character you control. Mass Effect deals with this on a grand scale to where a few decisions you make could decide the fate of an entire planet. The game deals with a scenario that people cannot relate with of being a super-soldier that is tasked with preparing and defending the universe against a threat that could wipe everyone and everything out. People can relate to things like the relationships, the hardships Shepard faces as he talks to different races that have long standing issues (some are similar to racial issues), and just being an underdog the entire time.
The Walking Dead games takes a much different approach. You are Lee Everett, who was on on his way to jail for murder when the outbreak occurred. Although the zombie apocalypse is something we cannot relate to (not matter how much people may want to), we can relate to a guy who has hit rock-bottom like Lee and is just trying to redeem himself. We can also relate to his struggles with trying to band people together under tough circumstances and keep the very dysfunctional group from breaking.
These two games are extremely thought provoking and 2 of the games/franchises people point towards when making the argument for video games as art. The biggest thing that games have going for them is the fact that unlike in the other three mentioned mediums, the person playing the game "experiences" what happens. Since we are the ones shooting, deciding, planning, and picking the speech lines, it feels like we are the ones pushing the story along. In a sense, we are, but of course at the same time, the story gets pushed along as the developers wanted it. Still, plot twists, such as the amazing "Would You Kindly" phrase in Bioshock 1 hit on a personal level since it effects "us," the person we're controlling. Since we put the hours of time into them, we feel an attachment to them that just is not felt in the other mediums. This does not mean that we don't feel anything should something tragic happen to a character in the other mediums, but it has a special sting when it is a character that we took the time to "bond" with in a video game.
Because of this, I personally believe that video games can be art. Are there games out there that are not art in any definition of the word? Of course, but there are books, movies, plays, and music that are the exact same way. There is always bad with the good. Video games, I believe, capture the thought provoking through a different means. I don't know if I could elevate games to the same level as books, but I believe they can still impact a person in a similar way that a great book can. I think as video games evolve, the case for them to be considered art will be stronger since the story elements of games have been strengthening over the years. As I said, I don't know if I could put them on the same level as theatre, film, and literature since I have never seen a video game cause a dramatic shift in the thought process of people or cause a new movement, but I believe that they can be in the conversation of art that provokes thought and emotion.
As with any controversial topic, one opinion will not sway it one way or the other, so that was not the point of this. I wanted to basically give my two cents and see what people think. To anyone still reading this, what do you think? Are video games art? If yes, should they be put on the same level as books, film, and theatre?
And remember, Don't Panic, and never forget your towel.
Sunday, December 30, 2012
The Difference a Year Makes
With the new year upon us, we usually take time to reflect on what has occurred both around and to us. For myself, I would normally just think about the great times I've had with family and friends. While this still happened, I think upon today, December 30th, as the one year anniversary of when my father was ran over by a truck in the parking lot of Starbucks and began a journey of recovery that is ongoing to this day.
The (extremely) short version of the story is that my father's blood sugar was incredibly low at 36. (For those of you that aren't aware, that is dangerously low to the point of a possible diabetic coma.) He was not acting right at all. Somehow, he drove himself to Starbucks to get a coffee and a bagel to raise his blood sugar since he knew how low he was. When leaving, he misjudged the height of the curb (low blood sugar leads to depth perception issues) and fell. As he was slowly getting up, a large truck ran him over. He was taken to the ICU at the hospital where he would end up spending six weeks before being able to come home. This wasn't the end as he would stay in a hospital bed that was at his home for several more weeks while working on rehab. Although he can move around fine today, he still goes to a gym and swims laps to build up strength in his body.
I was eating dinner with friends when I was told of this news. I could not even comprehend what I was told. You hear about tragic events all the time, but it has a whole new sting when the event happens to a loved one. That first night...I honestly did not know if my father would still be alive that morning. I can honestly say I cried myself to sleep that night. My pillow was soaked as I prayed constantly through sobs for my father to be okay and pull through. This event would be how my family brought in the new year of 2012.
A couple of days later, while trying to see if my college had any sort of grants or hardships for me since my father would be unable to work, I found out that I filled out my FASFA incorrectly. By clicking the wrong answer on ONE question, the school would have to look over all of my financial aid to see if I would be able to keep any of it. (Except the scholarship since that is based on my GPA) I was at a complete loss for words. Not only was my father in critical condition in the hospital, I could very easily lose all my aid for school (causing me to leave due to expenses) and perhaps even OWE the school money for previous semesters I received aid under the wrong information.
I still went to school since the financial aid office told me that they would not make a decision on my enrollment status until a few weeks into the semester. I go to college four states away from my hometown and I was driving alone. It was the hardest trip I have ever taken. Although everyone in my family, including my dad when he was awake, said I had to go to school, I still felt like I was abandoning my family in their hour of need. I was reassured that the best way to help my dad would be to go to school. Even my dad told me that I could not give up school for him and that he would make it. To anyone that is reading this...I honestly pray that you NEVER have to feel like I did as I put nearly 1000 miles between myself and my family as they dealt with this tragic event. I offered to take a semester off and get a full-time job so that money would not be an issue, but they insisted I go back to school.
Fast forward about three months. God rained blessings down upon me and my family. My father, although he broke many bones, had no organs punctured, and with rehab, would be able to recover. My financial aid was working itself out as well. I would not owe the school for past semesters and although I did lose some aid, it was very manageable. I did have one last hurdle as my girlfriend, that I had dated for over a year, and I broke up. Now I know that may not stack as high as nearly losing the life of my father, but I truly loved her, so I had heartache once again.
Needless to say, I was very happy for summer. Having schoolwork on top of all of those issues is a burden that I have not experienced before. I was physically, mentally, and even spiritually exhausted by the time I finished my finals and left the campus. I saw my dad during spring break, so I had visual confirmation of the progress he was making health wise, but I wanted to be at home to help. By this time in his rehab, he was able to care for himself on most things, but it felt like I was making up for the four months that I wasn't there and I owed both him and my mother. I also was getting away from the campus where I dealt with all the financial aid issues and with my ex-girlfriend, so that was a comforting thought for me.
I share these events and memories because as I stated earlier, today marks one complete year since all of this began. I do not, repeat DO NOT, mention these things as a means to build myself up. If anything, these events I share show the grace of God and his amazing strength as a family banded together. It taught me how to work through adversity since I wanted to give up on school MANY times throughout that semester and only through the encouragement of my family and friends I continued on. 2012 was a hard year for hundreds of people with the Colorado shooting, Newtown shooting, Oregon shooting, and numerous other crimes and tragedies that took place. People dealt with loss of loved ones, the healing process of wounds, and the seemingly impossible task to be able to still go on with life both during and after the mourning.
As 2013 approaches, I want anyone that has read down to this part to hug your loved ones. Make sure that anyone that truly matters to you knows this because tragedy does not take a day off. If there is truly one thing that everything that occurred over the course of 2012 taught me, it is that Robert Frost's famous response when asked how to sum up life is incredibly true, "It goes on." I want to personally add to this with something that my father has begun to tell me. He quotes from the Bible when it says, "This too shall pass," meaning that no matter how bad things may seem or get, it will pass. On the other side of every storm is clear skies and the sun ready to shine down and dry you off.
For those that read this, I thank you for hearing a piece of my story. Always lean on God during the good and the bad times. I know I typically don't get personal in the other topics I post about, but this is something that I felt that needed to be said since I know others have gone through similar struggles. God Bless, and have a great new year!
The (extremely) short version of the story is that my father's blood sugar was incredibly low at 36. (For those of you that aren't aware, that is dangerously low to the point of a possible diabetic coma.) He was not acting right at all. Somehow, he drove himself to Starbucks to get a coffee and a bagel to raise his blood sugar since he knew how low he was. When leaving, he misjudged the height of the curb (low blood sugar leads to depth perception issues) and fell. As he was slowly getting up, a large truck ran him over. He was taken to the ICU at the hospital where he would end up spending six weeks before being able to come home. This wasn't the end as he would stay in a hospital bed that was at his home for several more weeks while working on rehab. Although he can move around fine today, he still goes to a gym and swims laps to build up strength in his body.
I was eating dinner with friends when I was told of this news. I could not even comprehend what I was told. You hear about tragic events all the time, but it has a whole new sting when the event happens to a loved one. That first night...I honestly did not know if my father would still be alive that morning. I can honestly say I cried myself to sleep that night. My pillow was soaked as I prayed constantly through sobs for my father to be okay and pull through. This event would be how my family brought in the new year of 2012.
A couple of days later, while trying to see if my college had any sort of grants or hardships for me since my father would be unable to work, I found out that I filled out my FASFA incorrectly. By clicking the wrong answer on ONE question, the school would have to look over all of my financial aid to see if I would be able to keep any of it. (Except the scholarship since that is based on my GPA) I was at a complete loss for words. Not only was my father in critical condition in the hospital, I could very easily lose all my aid for school (causing me to leave due to expenses) and perhaps even OWE the school money for previous semesters I received aid under the wrong information.
I still went to school since the financial aid office told me that they would not make a decision on my enrollment status until a few weeks into the semester. I go to college four states away from my hometown and I was driving alone. It was the hardest trip I have ever taken. Although everyone in my family, including my dad when he was awake, said I had to go to school, I still felt like I was abandoning my family in their hour of need. I was reassured that the best way to help my dad would be to go to school. Even my dad told me that I could not give up school for him and that he would make it. To anyone that is reading this...I honestly pray that you NEVER have to feel like I did as I put nearly 1000 miles between myself and my family as they dealt with this tragic event. I offered to take a semester off and get a full-time job so that money would not be an issue, but they insisted I go back to school.
Fast forward about three months. God rained blessings down upon me and my family. My father, although he broke many bones, had no organs punctured, and with rehab, would be able to recover. My financial aid was working itself out as well. I would not owe the school for past semesters and although I did lose some aid, it was very manageable. I did have one last hurdle as my girlfriend, that I had dated for over a year, and I broke up. Now I know that may not stack as high as nearly losing the life of my father, but I truly loved her, so I had heartache once again.
Needless to say, I was very happy for summer. Having schoolwork on top of all of those issues is a burden that I have not experienced before. I was physically, mentally, and even spiritually exhausted by the time I finished my finals and left the campus. I saw my dad during spring break, so I had visual confirmation of the progress he was making health wise, but I wanted to be at home to help. By this time in his rehab, he was able to care for himself on most things, but it felt like I was making up for the four months that I wasn't there and I owed both him and my mother. I also was getting away from the campus where I dealt with all the financial aid issues and with my ex-girlfriend, so that was a comforting thought for me.
I share these events and memories because as I stated earlier, today marks one complete year since all of this began. I do not, repeat DO NOT, mention these things as a means to build myself up. If anything, these events I share show the grace of God and his amazing strength as a family banded together. It taught me how to work through adversity since I wanted to give up on school MANY times throughout that semester and only through the encouragement of my family and friends I continued on. 2012 was a hard year for hundreds of people with the Colorado shooting, Newtown shooting, Oregon shooting, and numerous other crimes and tragedies that took place. People dealt with loss of loved ones, the healing process of wounds, and the seemingly impossible task to be able to still go on with life both during and after the mourning.
As 2013 approaches, I want anyone that has read down to this part to hug your loved ones. Make sure that anyone that truly matters to you knows this because tragedy does not take a day off. If there is truly one thing that everything that occurred over the course of 2012 taught me, it is that Robert Frost's famous response when asked how to sum up life is incredibly true, "It goes on." I want to personally add to this with something that my father has begun to tell me. He quotes from the Bible when it says, "This too shall pass," meaning that no matter how bad things may seem or get, it will pass. On the other side of every storm is clear skies and the sun ready to shine down and dry you off.
For those that read this, I thank you for hearing a piece of my story. Always lean on God during the good and the bad times. I know I typically don't get personal in the other topics I post about, but this is something that I felt that needed to be said since I know others have gone through similar struggles. God Bless, and have a great new year!
Saturday, August 18, 2012
We Love to Hate
If the title seems right to the point, that is on purpose. It will help me in getting my point across if you know right from the start what I'll be getting at.
When I say we love to hate, I mean it. I believe that there are many reasons behind this, but at the end of the day, it is quite a phenomenon to watch people flock to something to hate on it. Now this hatred can be applied to anything; from TV shows, movies, people of all types/professions, music, and even videogames. Anything is fair game, and if you are of dissenting opinion, just prepare yourself for the firestorm that will be awaiting you.
Now one of the reasons I believe this takes place is the fact that we have to have something to hate. This may sound strange initially, but it should make sense. People never seem satisfied either liking something or disliking something. That dislike has to turn into hatred, it can't just stay as dislike to where the person just ignores it. This is how issues get blown up into proportions that should never be touched. For those involved in the hating, it seems perfectly logically when you are going over-the-top with insults and slurs towards people/groups/events, but to those of us outside it, it looks completely idiotic.
Another reason is the fact that hating is so much easier to do, especially on the Internet. On the Internet, we can abandon all forms of politeness, manners, and just all around good behavior in favor of the exact opposite. As I discussed in an earlier blog, this stems from the fact that we are anonymous on the Internet, so there is rarely, if ever, consequences to what we say. With this freedom in hand, we go to such great lengths to hate and abuse. This of course makes hating so much easier than liking, defending, or just ignoring all together. Also, when you combine that with the mob like mentality that people have when hating, choosing to do the same as them is made even easier since it avoids conflict.
Are there times when being upset and vocalizing your opinion is important? Of course there is, but there is a limit even then. There is a fine line between voicing displeasure over something and suddenly threatening the lives of the people, and their families, involved. This may seem a bit vague, so I will use an example.
My example is with videogames. One of the best to use since it still gets brought up for reasons I've stopped trying to imagine, is Resident Evil 5. As one can guess, this is a sequel to a franchise called Resident Evil. The games are based on survival horror, which is exactly as it sounds, just with zombies. The previous game, Resident Evil 4, was a huge success. Reviewers loved it, gamers loved it, and apparently if you were to ask some people, God himself shed a few tears over it. RE5 was loved as well...at first. This game focused more on action and co-op than horror, though there were still times of horror, just spread out. Where the hate came from was people complaining about the lack of horror. Now this is a fine complaint since there of course will be people who dislike a game no matter what. (Just ask Mario) Where the hate got strange was seeing how just mentioning RE5 in an online conversation would result in yelling matches, or pure caps lock, that never went anywhere. People claim it is the worst game ever made, not just the worst in the series, but the worst EVER. They can go on rants that would tire out even the best public speakers to support themselves and/or bash those that think otherwise.
I bring this up because if you break it down, 90% of the hatred can be boiled down to the 2 reasons I listed earlier. Since RE4 was so universally liked, and because most of the people most likely never played the 3 before that one, RE5 gave them something to hate. With something to hate and the freedom of the Internet at their disposal, they were able to vocalize their dislike as it slowly turned to hatred. As more people joined in, either because they felt the same or because it gave them a chance to fit in, the hate grew until you had a great number of people. For those of us that did like the game, we were quickly targeted and bashed heavily. Now when you see what people say, it has reached the point of absolute idiocy. Maybe I was just taught differently, but when I dislike/hate something, I don't talk about it. I don't go and complain on anything and everything that deals with whatever I don't like.
I know this blog will not suddenly stop pointless hating because as the title says, we love it too much. As I read on an article, there are 4 things that the Internet will ALWAYS love to do/talk about.
4. Ruining childhoods/making great discoveries about childhood things
3. Anything cat related
2. Porn
1. Complaining/hating (Yes, I did place it above porn. That should tell you how much people like it.)
My goal is to make awareness of such things. If you're like me, you have found yourself hating something that you have no clue as to why you're hating it. Perhaps, like me, you just get way to riled up over something that is no big deal. Whatever it is, hopefully this helped in lowering a touch of the hate out there because there sure is enough to last several lifetimes.
When I say we love to hate, I mean it. I believe that there are many reasons behind this, but at the end of the day, it is quite a phenomenon to watch people flock to something to hate on it. Now this hatred can be applied to anything; from TV shows, movies, people of all types/professions, music, and even videogames. Anything is fair game, and if you are of dissenting opinion, just prepare yourself for the firestorm that will be awaiting you.
Now one of the reasons I believe this takes place is the fact that we have to have something to hate. This may sound strange initially, but it should make sense. People never seem satisfied either liking something or disliking something. That dislike has to turn into hatred, it can't just stay as dislike to where the person just ignores it. This is how issues get blown up into proportions that should never be touched. For those involved in the hating, it seems perfectly logically when you are going over-the-top with insults and slurs towards people/groups/events, but to those of us outside it, it looks completely idiotic.
Another reason is the fact that hating is so much easier to do, especially on the Internet. On the Internet, we can abandon all forms of politeness, manners, and just all around good behavior in favor of the exact opposite. As I discussed in an earlier blog, this stems from the fact that we are anonymous on the Internet, so there is rarely, if ever, consequences to what we say. With this freedom in hand, we go to such great lengths to hate and abuse. This of course makes hating so much easier than liking, defending, or just ignoring all together. Also, when you combine that with the mob like mentality that people have when hating, choosing to do the same as them is made even easier since it avoids conflict.
Are there times when being upset and vocalizing your opinion is important? Of course there is, but there is a limit even then. There is a fine line between voicing displeasure over something and suddenly threatening the lives of the people, and their families, involved. This may seem a bit vague, so I will use an example.
My example is with videogames. One of the best to use since it still gets brought up for reasons I've stopped trying to imagine, is Resident Evil 5. As one can guess, this is a sequel to a franchise called Resident Evil. The games are based on survival horror, which is exactly as it sounds, just with zombies. The previous game, Resident Evil 4, was a huge success. Reviewers loved it, gamers loved it, and apparently if you were to ask some people, God himself shed a few tears over it. RE5 was loved as well...at first. This game focused more on action and co-op than horror, though there were still times of horror, just spread out. Where the hate came from was people complaining about the lack of horror. Now this is a fine complaint since there of course will be people who dislike a game no matter what. (Just ask Mario) Where the hate got strange was seeing how just mentioning RE5 in an online conversation would result in yelling matches, or pure caps lock, that never went anywhere. People claim it is the worst game ever made, not just the worst in the series, but the worst EVER. They can go on rants that would tire out even the best public speakers to support themselves and/or bash those that think otherwise.
I bring this up because if you break it down, 90% of the hatred can be boiled down to the 2 reasons I listed earlier. Since RE4 was so universally liked, and because most of the people most likely never played the 3 before that one, RE5 gave them something to hate. With something to hate and the freedom of the Internet at their disposal, they were able to vocalize their dislike as it slowly turned to hatred. As more people joined in, either because they felt the same or because it gave them a chance to fit in, the hate grew until you had a great number of people. For those of us that did like the game, we were quickly targeted and bashed heavily. Now when you see what people say, it has reached the point of absolute idiocy. Maybe I was just taught differently, but when I dislike/hate something, I don't talk about it. I don't go and complain on anything and everything that deals with whatever I don't like.
I know this blog will not suddenly stop pointless hating because as the title says, we love it too much. As I read on an article, there are 4 things that the Internet will ALWAYS love to do/talk about.
4. Ruining childhoods/making great discoveries about childhood things
3. Anything cat related
2. Porn
1. Complaining/hating (Yes, I did place it above porn. That should tell you how much people like it.)
My goal is to make awareness of such things. If you're like me, you have found yourself hating something that you have no clue as to why you're hating it. Perhaps, like me, you just get way to riled up over something that is no big deal. Whatever it is, hopefully this helped in lowering a touch of the hate out there because there sure is enough to last several lifetimes.
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Politics and the Media
Now I know that in the world with the Internet, mentioning politics is like having a dirty bomb on the lawn of the White House, nothing good will come out of it. I also know that most people that read this post after seeing the title will think I'm about to go pro-liberal, conservative, democrat, republican, or whatever, but the fact is I'm tired of all sides. The media is also on my list because of how close politics and the media tends to be. Also for the fact that I want to shed light on something rather important, and that is how most issues that people become passionate about issues is due to the attention the media gives it and people are simply unaware of this.
Now, the reason I am tired of all sides in politics is due to the fact that both sides are exactly the same. I know this sounds like blasphemy to people on either side because "I can't be like them!" and that kind of helps in proving my point. Both sides are so bent on being so different, if not the exact opposite, that all they ended up doing is having the exact same stories, just conveniently switching some of the dialogue or circumstances so it fits with their agenda. The biggest way I've seen this is when you ask them why things are in the current state they're in. Their explanations will nearly be identical except for who the ultimate person responsible for the situation is. For two sides claiming to be intellectual, they sure aren't living up to that moniker.
The true irony from the division comes from what George Washington said after his 2 terms as President ended. He warned against political parties because they would divide the nation. He looks like a prophet cause American History is full of division due to political parties, and it only worsens today now that people have flocked to the Internet as a new means of pushing their ideals down other people's throat. (Both sides are guilty of this) Political parties, to be fair, are necessary because the people running for election have to have a backing of some kind, but my focus is how divided it makes everyone as compared to what the parties should be doing; working together towards the same goal.
Now I mention the media because they will turn a story that is no big deal into the biggest thing to happen since Jesus Christ came down to Earth. I do put a big amount of blame on the media itself because they are the ones that make the stories, but I believe the majority of the blame goes upon the people because if they didn't tune in, the ratings would go down, and the media would move onto something else. I say media instead of the news because the Internet does fall under the umbrella term of media and the Internet is just as, if not more, guilty than any news outlet. The biggest, and most recent example, is the whole Chick-fil-a fiasco. The CEO of the company gets asked a simple question, gives a simple answer, and now he is being accused of hate crimes like this is the second coming of Westboro Baptist Church.
Now I don't know how people have been raised, I can only truly vouch for myself, but growing up I was taught that you don't assume things about people. There are 2 simple reasons for this: 1. You wouldn't want the same thing being done to you, 2. You end up turning someone into something they aren't. The sad thing is that is exactly what people have done to not just the CEO, but to everyone that works at Chick-fil-a period. Simple employees have been labeled bigots, homophobes, and other far meaner things depending on their gender. As much as I roll my eyes at this entire situation, it also bugs me that we care more about someone's opinion than about a bad economy or people suffering. What also bugs me is that the same people who are trying to go full riot on the entire company would of been throwing the CEO a parade had he said he agreed with gay marriage.
Sorry, that was a bit of a tangent, but I point those things out because the media, including the Internet, began to assume things about the CEO and his company from his one answer. Before you could really have a chance to know what happened, there were protestors, supporters, YouTube videos, posts on Facebook, pages across all other websites, and just an all around explosion over something that should not of been THIS big of a deal. Now perhaps it could of caused some backlash because that happens whenever you stand by your beliefs, but what is happening here is just ridiculous. This isn't the first time that the media has elevated something far beyond what it should of been. What I'm wanting people to do is to become educated on what exactly is the big deal. Some situations are so big of a deal that educated won't calm things down, but it will hopefully cause people to be more thoughtful with what they say in response. An example is that instead of automatically labeling someone a bigot, see what their true beliefs are. Also, ask yourself this one question; is my going around and name calling and judging not the EXACT same thing I'm accusing the other side of? Does perhaps tolerance mean that I have to be ok with people who don't think the same way I do? (I sure hope the answer to that question is obvious)
So in summary, educate yourself over a situation before getting sucked in the latest bandwagon issue. I won't lie, an issue may be a big deal, but a person should decide that for themselves before going around mudslinging and bashing with secondhand knowledge.
Now, the reason I am tired of all sides in politics is due to the fact that both sides are exactly the same. I know this sounds like blasphemy to people on either side because "I can't be like them!" and that kind of helps in proving my point. Both sides are so bent on being so different, if not the exact opposite, that all they ended up doing is having the exact same stories, just conveniently switching some of the dialogue or circumstances so it fits with their agenda. The biggest way I've seen this is when you ask them why things are in the current state they're in. Their explanations will nearly be identical except for who the ultimate person responsible for the situation is. For two sides claiming to be intellectual, they sure aren't living up to that moniker.
The true irony from the division comes from what George Washington said after his 2 terms as President ended. He warned against political parties because they would divide the nation. He looks like a prophet cause American History is full of division due to political parties, and it only worsens today now that people have flocked to the Internet as a new means of pushing their ideals down other people's throat. (Both sides are guilty of this) Political parties, to be fair, are necessary because the people running for election have to have a backing of some kind, but my focus is how divided it makes everyone as compared to what the parties should be doing; working together towards the same goal.
Now I mention the media because they will turn a story that is no big deal into the biggest thing to happen since Jesus Christ came down to Earth. I do put a big amount of blame on the media itself because they are the ones that make the stories, but I believe the majority of the blame goes upon the people because if they didn't tune in, the ratings would go down, and the media would move onto something else. I say media instead of the news because the Internet does fall under the umbrella term of media and the Internet is just as, if not more, guilty than any news outlet. The biggest, and most recent example, is the whole Chick-fil-a fiasco. The CEO of the company gets asked a simple question, gives a simple answer, and now he is being accused of hate crimes like this is the second coming of Westboro Baptist Church.
Now I don't know how people have been raised, I can only truly vouch for myself, but growing up I was taught that you don't assume things about people. There are 2 simple reasons for this: 1. You wouldn't want the same thing being done to you, 2. You end up turning someone into something they aren't. The sad thing is that is exactly what people have done to not just the CEO, but to everyone that works at Chick-fil-a period. Simple employees have been labeled bigots, homophobes, and other far meaner things depending on their gender. As much as I roll my eyes at this entire situation, it also bugs me that we care more about someone's opinion than about a bad economy or people suffering. What also bugs me is that the same people who are trying to go full riot on the entire company would of been throwing the CEO a parade had he said he agreed with gay marriage.
Sorry, that was a bit of a tangent, but I point those things out because the media, including the Internet, began to assume things about the CEO and his company from his one answer. Before you could really have a chance to know what happened, there were protestors, supporters, YouTube videos, posts on Facebook, pages across all other websites, and just an all around explosion over something that should not of been THIS big of a deal. Now perhaps it could of caused some backlash because that happens whenever you stand by your beliefs, but what is happening here is just ridiculous. This isn't the first time that the media has elevated something far beyond what it should of been. What I'm wanting people to do is to become educated on what exactly is the big deal. Some situations are so big of a deal that educated won't calm things down, but it will hopefully cause people to be more thoughtful with what they say in response. An example is that instead of automatically labeling someone a bigot, see what their true beliefs are. Also, ask yourself this one question; is my going around and name calling and judging not the EXACT same thing I'm accusing the other side of? Does perhaps tolerance mean that I have to be ok with people who don't think the same way I do? (I sure hope the answer to that question is obvious)
So in summary, educate yourself over a situation before getting sucked in the latest bandwagon issue. I won't lie, an issue may be a big deal, but a person should decide that for themselves before going around mudslinging and bashing with secondhand knowledge.
Friday, July 27, 2012
My Repsonse to an Article on America
I just read quite an interesting article thanks to a link on Facebook. The name of the article is "The 10 things Americans don't know about America." (That may not be the word for word title, but that title does sum it up) To read the article for yourself, just follow this link http://postmasculine.com/america. I found this to be a great read, but I also found fault with it. Now I am not going to be going through all 10 points and break everything down. I don't have the time and I know that nobody wants to read a post that would end up looking like a small novel.
Before I say what I didn't like, I want to first point out what I did like. I liked the fact that this person made it clear that in the grand scheme of things, other countries don't care about us. This meaning that they don't like, or hate, us nearly as much as the media, including the Internet, wants us Americans to think. People in other countries are just like us; they have jobs, families, and lives to attend to, they don't sit around thinking about America just like we don't sit around thinking about their countries.
Now my biggest issue was being compared to the alcoholic relative that someone dislikes being around. Now I know that within the article, the author pointed out that they are not perfect either and that every country has issues, but it is like when someone says "No offense but..." knowing that whatever they are about to say will be offensive. I know that since the author is an American, or so it was claimed, they are just showing tough love, and the article says this, but it also seems like a bias is showing. Another analogy that is used is when a person moves out and after being around other families, notices the weird things that their family did. They may also discover that some of the values were flat out wrong. Now while I somewhat agree, I have also learned through personal self-experience that when you are separated from your family due to something like college, you see what your parents had correct all along. You will also see what was wrong, but if you came from a good family, then the good outweighs the bad. (I know not all families are good/functional, so that's why I put a bit of a disclaimer)
I know that America is far from perfect, but I just got the feeling that the author saw more bad than good. Not only does this contradict my experience when I traveled to Japan, it also contradicts what I've heard missionaries tell when they return. In both my experiences and theirs, they spoke how much the people liked being around an American. I think the biggest thing this article failed to touch on was the fact that most people don't hate Americans, they hate the American government. To that, I say get in line and join the party cause most of us here feel the same way. What I would like to find out is if the reason why people from other countries dislike the American people is due to actual interactions with Americans, or if it is due to what happens on the Internet? If it is due to the Internet, then I will laugh since it is hardly fair, or justified, to base judgement on an entire country due to what someone does online since the whole issue of anonymity online causes people to act in ways they never would online.
Now the author did point out that part of the dislike is due to the odd way most people in America express themselves. While I agree to an extent, that is also just a culture difference. I know that in Japan for instance that making direct eye contact during the entirety of a conversation or interaction can be taken as offensive. In America, we're taught the opposite. Avoiding eye contact makes people think you're hiding something or that you dislike the other person speaking.
I know that I don't have a large audience to speak to with my blog, but this is something I wanted to speak on because as an American, it just rubbed me the wrong way reading everything that is wrong with this country without listing positive with it, or at least something redeemable. I know the author most likely did not want to offend, or at least I hope not, it still slightly came across that way. Like I said at the start, I enjoyed this article because it is nice to have voices from different views. A person learns and becomes a better person from seeing what others say. A person shouldn't just seek out sources that agree with their opinions either since it doesn't help them in seeing what other people may think. For those reasons, I enjoyed the article.
I know that I didn't cover the entire article, just like I said I wouldn't at the start, but if anyone believes I missed a big point that needed addressing, feel free to comment. If you want to know my opinion on the history aspect of the article, I will share. I didn't mention it since it would seem random with the rest of the post.
So, like always, don't panic, and never forget your towel.
Before I say what I didn't like, I want to first point out what I did like. I liked the fact that this person made it clear that in the grand scheme of things, other countries don't care about us. This meaning that they don't like, or hate, us nearly as much as the media, including the Internet, wants us Americans to think. People in other countries are just like us; they have jobs, families, and lives to attend to, they don't sit around thinking about America just like we don't sit around thinking about their countries.
Now my biggest issue was being compared to the alcoholic relative that someone dislikes being around. Now I know that within the article, the author pointed out that they are not perfect either and that every country has issues, but it is like when someone says "No offense but..." knowing that whatever they are about to say will be offensive. I know that since the author is an American, or so it was claimed, they are just showing tough love, and the article says this, but it also seems like a bias is showing. Another analogy that is used is when a person moves out and after being around other families, notices the weird things that their family did. They may also discover that some of the values were flat out wrong. Now while I somewhat agree, I have also learned through personal self-experience that when you are separated from your family due to something like college, you see what your parents had correct all along. You will also see what was wrong, but if you came from a good family, then the good outweighs the bad. (I know not all families are good/functional, so that's why I put a bit of a disclaimer)
I know that America is far from perfect, but I just got the feeling that the author saw more bad than good. Not only does this contradict my experience when I traveled to Japan, it also contradicts what I've heard missionaries tell when they return. In both my experiences and theirs, they spoke how much the people liked being around an American. I think the biggest thing this article failed to touch on was the fact that most people don't hate Americans, they hate the American government. To that, I say get in line and join the party cause most of us here feel the same way. What I would like to find out is if the reason why people from other countries dislike the American people is due to actual interactions with Americans, or if it is due to what happens on the Internet? If it is due to the Internet, then I will laugh since it is hardly fair, or justified, to base judgement on an entire country due to what someone does online since the whole issue of anonymity online causes people to act in ways they never would online.
Now the author did point out that part of the dislike is due to the odd way most people in America express themselves. While I agree to an extent, that is also just a culture difference. I know that in Japan for instance that making direct eye contact during the entirety of a conversation or interaction can be taken as offensive. In America, we're taught the opposite. Avoiding eye contact makes people think you're hiding something or that you dislike the other person speaking.
I know that I don't have a large audience to speak to with my blog, but this is something I wanted to speak on because as an American, it just rubbed me the wrong way reading everything that is wrong with this country without listing positive with it, or at least something redeemable. I know the author most likely did not want to offend, or at least I hope not, it still slightly came across that way. Like I said at the start, I enjoyed this article because it is nice to have voices from different views. A person learns and becomes a better person from seeing what others say. A person shouldn't just seek out sources that agree with their opinions either since it doesn't help them in seeing what other people may think. For those reasons, I enjoyed the article.
I know that I didn't cover the entire article, just like I said I wouldn't at the start, but if anyone believes I missed a big point that needed addressing, feel free to comment. If you want to know my opinion on the history aspect of the article, I will share. I didn't mention it since it would seem random with the rest of the post.
So, like always, don't panic, and never forget your towel.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
The Progress of Only 10 Years in Videogames
This one is more geared towards video games, but it is still something I believe should be discussed. For those of you who are unaware of HD remixes, it simply is an older game that is brought back to the current console generation with updated graphics and perhaps new features added to enhance the experience. Now this has been fantastic for the most part since it has brought back many games that I enjoyed back in the day, and like just as much now. Where I am just blown away is seeing the progress that has been made in just 10 years in video games. What showed me this was on the Halo Anniversary Collection that came out last November. In the game, with the press of one button, you could switch between the old graphics of the original Xbox, and the current graphics of the Xbox 360. This game was a revival of the first Halo game that came out in 2001. I was stunned to see just how different the two graphic sets were. I am aware of the progress that has been made since the days of the original Xbox, but this game helped put things in perspective. Now where something negative that can, and in some cases has, come in is with the position it puts game developers of long standing franchises.
Now if the franchise is new, or relatively young like Mass Effect or Bioshock, this is something that they don't have to worry about. This deals with older franchise games like Mario, Sonic, and Zelda. I read an interview with the minds behind the latest SSX game, simply called SSX, and the mixed reception it has received since being released. Where the interview ties with this discussion is that the biggest thing the producers wanted to avoid is a HD remix of an older SSX because this was a reboot of the series that had gone quite awhile without a sequel. Where this statement is significant is that a lot of people simply wanted a SSX that was just like past titles instead of something new and going in a different direction. Now there isn't anything wrong with having a sequel being similar to past titles, or at least borrowing things from it, but at the same time, a game has to attempt to evolve and grow. If not, it grows stagnant and ends up being stale.
I believe the best examples of seeing franchises that has successfully, and not so successfully, balanced old and new is Mario and Sonic. For those who are savvy with videogame history, this are the two appropriate characters to use since they were bitter rivals in the 90's, back when Sega had their own consoles. Now Mario, for the most part, has done great with balancing old and new. One could be cynical and say that every open world Mario game is the same, just put in different settings with a few tweaks to mechanics, or that any platforming Mario game is the same as it has been since the 80's. While there is some truth to these statements, the fact is that each Mario game, whether open world or platforming, introduces new things that keeps everything fresh.
Now on the other end is Sonic, though saying this franchise has been a complete disaster would be a lie. The irony in the title is that 10 years ago in 2002, Sonic was riding pretty high with the success of the Sonic Adventure games and handheld games. Then 2006 happened. Sonic the Hedgehog 2006 was terrible. There is no way around it. In fact, the next couple of games after it were no better. Since 2009, Sonic has been trying to find the same balance that Mario has discovered. The fans have not helped since it seems that no matter which direction Sega attempts to take Sonic, the fans fight back demanding that it go another way. It has been very hit and miss, to say the least.
Now all of this is to say that we as gamers need to make sure that we don't force long-running games into a rut by limiting them to "back in the day" only, like with Sonic, and never trying new things. We also need to realize how far games have come in merely 10 years. It is very easy to think that as soon as we moved on from 8 and 16 bit animations to 3D scale animations that the progress has been in small jumps only. The truth is that even from the blocky animation seen in 2001 to the amazing, life-like graphics now in 2012, progress has been rapid and there is no indicator of slowing happening. In 10 more years, we could very easily look back on these games we hail now and just laugh at the graphics. It may seem ridiculous, but I'm certain that if you told people how games would look now in 2001, they would believe it, but not in such a short amount of time.
So in summary, for those of you brave enough to read this far, we need to be open to changes and innovations within a popular and long-running game franchise so that it can continue to grow and stay relevant. Second, we need to recognize the shear amount of progress made in graphics and presentations.
Now if the franchise is new, or relatively young like Mass Effect or Bioshock, this is something that they don't have to worry about. This deals with older franchise games like Mario, Sonic, and Zelda. I read an interview with the minds behind the latest SSX game, simply called SSX, and the mixed reception it has received since being released. Where the interview ties with this discussion is that the biggest thing the producers wanted to avoid is a HD remix of an older SSX because this was a reboot of the series that had gone quite awhile without a sequel. Where this statement is significant is that a lot of people simply wanted a SSX that was just like past titles instead of something new and going in a different direction. Now there isn't anything wrong with having a sequel being similar to past titles, or at least borrowing things from it, but at the same time, a game has to attempt to evolve and grow. If not, it grows stagnant and ends up being stale.
I believe the best examples of seeing franchises that has successfully, and not so successfully, balanced old and new is Mario and Sonic. For those who are savvy with videogame history, this are the two appropriate characters to use since they were bitter rivals in the 90's, back when Sega had their own consoles. Now Mario, for the most part, has done great with balancing old and new. One could be cynical and say that every open world Mario game is the same, just put in different settings with a few tweaks to mechanics, or that any platforming Mario game is the same as it has been since the 80's. While there is some truth to these statements, the fact is that each Mario game, whether open world or platforming, introduces new things that keeps everything fresh.
Now on the other end is Sonic, though saying this franchise has been a complete disaster would be a lie. The irony in the title is that 10 years ago in 2002, Sonic was riding pretty high with the success of the Sonic Adventure games and handheld games. Then 2006 happened. Sonic the Hedgehog 2006 was terrible. There is no way around it. In fact, the next couple of games after it were no better. Since 2009, Sonic has been trying to find the same balance that Mario has discovered. The fans have not helped since it seems that no matter which direction Sega attempts to take Sonic, the fans fight back demanding that it go another way. It has been very hit and miss, to say the least.
Now all of this is to say that we as gamers need to make sure that we don't force long-running games into a rut by limiting them to "back in the day" only, like with Sonic, and never trying new things. We also need to realize how far games have come in merely 10 years. It is very easy to think that as soon as we moved on from 8 and 16 bit animations to 3D scale animations that the progress has been in small jumps only. The truth is that even from the blocky animation seen in 2001 to the amazing, life-like graphics now in 2012, progress has been rapid and there is no indicator of slowing happening. In 10 more years, we could very easily look back on these games we hail now and just laugh at the graphics. It may seem ridiculous, but I'm certain that if you told people how games would look now in 2001, they would believe it, but not in such a short amount of time.
So in summary, for those of you brave enough to read this far, we need to be open to changes and innovations within a popular and long-running game franchise so that it can continue to grow and stay relevant. Second, we need to recognize the shear amount of progress made in graphics and presentations.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
My Generation is Better than Yours
This is a constant argument seen across the Internet. The examples range from TV shows, music, video games, you name it, it has been used. Now going down memory lane and enjoying the nostalgia isn't a bad thing whatsoever, but it becomes bad when those memories give you elitist views towards new trends.
If you have been on popular websites, or even liked certain pages/groups on Facebook, then odds are you have seen pictures and/or posts proclaiming the greatness of the 1990's or whatever the person in question liked in their childhood. As I said there's nothing wrong with remembering great things from earlier times, but in many ways, we have turned into the very people that looked down on us when we were kids. I remember being told how some of the shows I liked to watch were dumb and not like shows from (fill in the era or show name here). I would just blow them off and watch what I wanted. Now that my generation is older, we have become those very people that look down upon the generation in front of us and say "These shows are terrible, shows in my day were much better." This has also been seen in video games in saying how much harder or scarier games were back in the day. Although I love how the Internet is great at bringing people together that have common interests or likes, it has served as a component that worsens this elitist view. It is kind of similar to that view when you're a freshman in high school or college and you swear you will not treat freshmen the same way you were treated when you're a senior and then when senior year comes around, you find yourself treating the freshmen in the exact way you were treated.
Now am I saying we have become our parents/older siblings? In this case, yes we have. People will of course deny this, so don't expect some revelation to occur and suddenly everything gets taken back. If I have learned anything from the Internet, it is that people will rarely, and I do mean rarely, go back on something they said beforehand. This issue can stem from nostalgia, but that is a different conversation that I have attempted to tackle twice now in this blog. Another thing that I believe contributes to this is the fact that people are unable to come to terms with the fact that their preferences or tastes in media will change over time. They can't handle the fact that a genre of music or type of TV show that they loved as a kid doesn't have the same flair now that it had then. I have seen it in my own life with old internet videos that I will watch sometimes because I will think to myself how great they were back in the day, but as I watch, it just isn't the same. The video itself hasn't changed at all, but my tastes in humor, or whatever the video dealt with, has changed as I have matured. This isn't a bad thing at all, and it should never be treated as such. People and things change over time, and we are only fooling ourselves if we think otherwise. Now are there shows, songs, movies, and games that have that timeless ability? There are many that are considered timeless. In fact, on Xbox 360, PS3, and the Wii, they have an entire section on their online store where you can buy old games to play once again. In the video game industry, there has been a big revival of having old games that are classic brought back and redone in HD so people can get a chance to play them again. Hollywood is cashing in on this as well with all of the movies they are re-releasing in 3D or having put out on DVD or Blu-Ray.
The reason I bring up this issue is for one reason:
1. This isn't something new and the cycle needs to be stopped
The 1st reason might be surprising. Unfortunately I could not find the source of this quote, though I swore it was from Mark Twain, but it fits very well here: "Every generation thinks that it is smarter than the one before it, and wiser than the one in front of it." Seeing people brag on the 90's being greater than the 2000's is no different than what people from the 80's said of people from the 90's and so on. There are pros and cons to when we were born and because of that, it doesn't magically make one generation greater than another. We should always cherish the things that helped us or gave us joy and entertainment in our childhood, but we shouldn't use it as a means to be elitist. So my hope is that the cycle can be broken and we just learn to get along just a bit better because the world is messed up enough with issues without us adding senseless arguing to the mix.
So here's hoping that this has perhaps shed a new perspective to you. If not, well then, I tried.
If you have been on popular websites, or even liked certain pages/groups on Facebook, then odds are you have seen pictures and/or posts proclaiming the greatness of the 1990's or whatever the person in question liked in their childhood. As I said there's nothing wrong with remembering great things from earlier times, but in many ways, we have turned into the very people that looked down on us when we were kids. I remember being told how some of the shows I liked to watch were dumb and not like shows from (fill in the era or show name here). I would just blow them off and watch what I wanted. Now that my generation is older, we have become those very people that look down upon the generation in front of us and say "These shows are terrible, shows in my day were much better." This has also been seen in video games in saying how much harder or scarier games were back in the day. Although I love how the Internet is great at bringing people together that have common interests or likes, it has served as a component that worsens this elitist view. It is kind of similar to that view when you're a freshman in high school or college and you swear you will not treat freshmen the same way you were treated when you're a senior and then when senior year comes around, you find yourself treating the freshmen in the exact way you were treated.
Now am I saying we have become our parents/older siblings? In this case, yes we have. People will of course deny this, so don't expect some revelation to occur and suddenly everything gets taken back. If I have learned anything from the Internet, it is that people will rarely, and I do mean rarely, go back on something they said beforehand. This issue can stem from nostalgia, but that is a different conversation that I have attempted to tackle twice now in this blog. Another thing that I believe contributes to this is the fact that people are unable to come to terms with the fact that their preferences or tastes in media will change over time. They can't handle the fact that a genre of music or type of TV show that they loved as a kid doesn't have the same flair now that it had then. I have seen it in my own life with old internet videos that I will watch sometimes because I will think to myself how great they were back in the day, but as I watch, it just isn't the same. The video itself hasn't changed at all, but my tastes in humor, or whatever the video dealt with, has changed as I have matured. This isn't a bad thing at all, and it should never be treated as such. People and things change over time, and we are only fooling ourselves if we think otherwise. Now are there shows, songs, movies, and games that have that timeless ability? There are many that are considered timeless. In fact, on Xbox 360, PS3, and the Wii, they have an entire section on their online store where you can buy old games to play once again. In the video game industry, there has been a big revival of having old games that are classic brought back and redone in HD so people can get a chance to play them again. Hollywood is cashing in on this as well with all of the movies they are re-releasing in 3D or having put out on DVD or Blu-Ray.
The reason I bring up this issue is for one reason:
1. This isn't something new and the cycle needs to be stopped
The 1st reason might be surprising. Unfortunately I could not find the source of this quote, though I swore it was from Mark Twain, but it fits very well here: "Every generation thinks that it is smarter than the one before it, and wiser than the one in front of it." Seeing people brag on the 90's being greater than the 2000's is no different than what people from the 80's said of people from the 90's and so on. There are pros and cons to when we were born and because of that, it doesn't magically make one generation greater than another. We should always cherish the things that helped us or gave us joy and entertainment in our childhood, but we shouldn't use it as a means to be elitist. So my hope is that the cycle can be broken and we just learn to get along just a bit better because the world is messed up enough with issues without us adding senseless arguing to the mix.
So here's hoping that this has perhaps shed a new perspective to you. If not, well then, I tried.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
More Problems with Nostalgia
Hope you guys enjoy the new setup! I'm kind of experimenting right now with different looks, don't be afraid to let me know what you think.
I arrive back to the very first thing I wrote about when this blog was created, and that deals with the nostalgia problem. A quick summary of my definition of this; when someones past experiences and good feelings with something, be it a movie, video game, or whatever, clouds their judgement towards new things being made. This is best seen whenever there is a new movie or game made from a long running franchise, especially if this new installment came after a long gap of waiting. I am visiting this issue again because it seems like things are getting worse, not that I expected my first post to suddenly fix everything, but the way I see arguments happen and with how intense they become, more needs to be said on this.
A new twist to the nostalgia issue comes when someone's nostalgia has been "broken." This means that they find themselves not liking something now that they may have adored years ago. Sadly, even though I personally enjoyed the game, Duke Nukem is a great example of seeing nostalgia in both ways. The initial way was how Duke Nukem Forever was put up to such a high standard due to nostalgia building up his reputation. It also didn't help that with the Internet becoming the huge hype factory it is now was just fueling the expectations for this game. Once the game came out, people were shocked to see how they no longer approved of Duke's humor. His typical one-liners and macho-manness to any and all situations worked great in the 90's, but in 2011, that was no longer the case. While I personally enjoyed the game, it got blasted by old fans and newcomers alike. With their nostalgia "broken," they began to reevaluate everything about the game and if it really is all that good, but in the end the simple manner is that the game was made in the same fashion, mostly, as the previous ones and what most likely happened is that the people who liked it then have matured in their humor and playing preferences. Though I must say that bashing a game just because the graphics aren't state of the art is completely idiotic, but that is a whole other conversation.
The reason I believe this is worsening is because people get upset whenever a long standing franchise makes a new addition to their franchise, but they add new twists so that it stays fresh. These same people will also get upset if a franchise always sticks to the same thing when making new additions. This is very much a love-hate relationship. As stated with Duke Nukem, the core of the game in terms of the character and thin plot is the same as it was in the 90's, yet it got bashed heavily; then you get something like the newest Legend of Zelda which introduced some new concepts and tricks to use so that the series doesn't become stale, and although it has been adored by reviewers, other people have just gone crazy with flaming it. There is a phrase in theatre that perfectly sums up this situation, "You're damned if you do and you're damned if you don't."I know I have focused on games in this, but it can be seen in movies, TV shows, and books.
My suggestion for this is to take away the cloudy goggles of nostalgia when looking at new things. Yes, I enjoyed games I played back in the 90's as well. Street Fighter 2 and Sonic the Hedgehog 2 & 3 are special to me since they're amongst the first games I've ever played, but I won't get so caught up in old memories that I will think that all new Street Fighter games or Sonic games are instantly horrible because they aren't exactly like what I remember back then, of course remembering is the key word since our memory tends to be selective. Now, new games can be terrible, but what I'm saying that we need to at least give them a chance, not just cut them out at the knees before they even have a chance to show how good or bad they are. On the flip side, we don't need to build up things to such a high standard that there is no way they could possibly succeed. I believe if this is done, people will just be happier in general, because although some amount of entertainment can be derived from reading pointless arguments on the Internet, it can also be depressing/angering. Angering because you find yourself getting caught up into the argument, and depressing because it is sad to think that some people appear to have that much hate and anger just boiling inside them.
On a final note, never forget that all forms of media are meant to do one of three, possibly four, things. These things are inform/teach, persuade, and/or entertain. We tend to forget that movies and games are meant to do one or more of those things, though it is usually to just entertain. So in the end, take a deep breathe, relax, enjoy your good memories, and don't get so caught up in the "all new things are terrible, it was better in my day" arguments.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Are We Too Free on the Internet?
I almost forgot that I even had a blog, but now I am writing again and I wanted to discuss something that I have been wondering quite often for the past couple of months and that is, are we too free on the Internet?
What I mean by this is that on the Internet, we have to ability to openly mock, threaten, demonize, support, sympathize with, or any other verb you can imagine with any person, place, or thing with little to zero consequences. Now while having this much free speech is a great thing, I will always support it, there is a negative consequence that comes from it as well. Because of the fact that 99% of what one will do and say will not harm them whatsoever, it has clouded how we conduct ourselves virtually as compared to reality. It is no secret of how "bloody" forums, chat rooms, and comment sections can get if there is any sort of dispute amongst Internet users, or if someone is purposefully picking a fight in an attempt to get an out of control argument going, they are commonly referred to as trolls. This has led to "cyber-bullying" and although commercials have tried to get a hold on the Internet by saying that whatever you post will last forever and doesn't "truly" come off, just going to any typical website with comment abilities will show that it hasn't really sunk in.
This has caused us to basically treat topics in one of these ways: we agree and type about how much we support it, we don't like what we're reading so we bash, ridicule, and say any and all insults we can think of, or we just move to something else/just express our dislike peacefully (that never happens). There are even stories of kids who end up getting bullied at school because of what they said or did on Facebook, and it turns out that the kid in question does not have a Facebook, and someone else created a profile for them, befriended people from school, and began harassing them. In this case, this kid is being harassed for things they genuinely did not do. Other examples come from online gaming where people will be as nasty and as cruel as possible, and even if their account is banned after being reported, they just create another profile and start over.
So I pose this question because with bills like SOPA, PIPA, and others being proposed, and luckily shot down, it got me thinking. While I NEVER want any of those type of bills passed due to the implications of what could, and would, happen, but I still wonder if perhaps the Internet isn't due for a little humility? I believe SOPA scared so many users because it actually showed how vulnerable the Internet actually is as compared to thinking it is something invincible. For a short period of time, the Internet users were somewhat united against this, but as one could expect, the unity broke away quickly once the bills were gone. This is why I think that perhaps we are too free because if we don't like someone, we can create profile, harass them is they do have a profile on whatever website, or just hack them and either ruin them virtually or in real life. That is A LOT of power to give to millions...scratch that...billions of people especially when the software, hardware, and ability to hack or just create chaos isn't that difficult at all to find or use.
This isn't an easy, "This solution works for every situation," kind of problem, which is exactly what SOPA and PIPA were trying to do with piracy, but it is something that needs discussion. Some would just suggest some maturity on the issue since the tantrums typically seen in chat is reminiscent of an immature child, but that may only work in situations where you are talking to people that personally know you and where you have a profile that has pictures and information of yourself so people will know it is you. In situations where you can be an unknown, or just a fake profile with the picture being taken from using a search engine, then there truly is no consequence to your actions. It is no secret of how vulgar people can be online and the typical rebuke being "You would never say that in real life/to my face" and there is truth there. People have so much security thanks to the computer screen that they act out like they never would normally. So my question is two fold; do you think Internet users have too much freedom and if so, how can we make it more user-friendly? I by no means want to cut down on freedoms, when I say too free, I mean if the freedom of there being little consequence to actions too great?
What I mean by this is that on the Internet, we have to ability to openly mock, threaten, demonize, support, sympathize with, or any other verb you can imagine with any person, place, or thing with little to zero consequences. Now while having this much free speech is a great thing, I will always support it, there is a negative consequence that comes from it as well. Because of the fact that 99% of what one will do and say will not harm them whatsoever, it has clouded how we conduct ourselves virtually as compared to reality. It is no secret of how "bloody" forums, chat rooms, and comment sections can get if there is any sort of dispute amongst Internet users, or if someone is purposefully picking a fight in an attempt to get an out of control argument going, they are commonly referred to as trolls. This has led to "cyber-bullying" and although commercials have tried to get a hold on the Internet by saying that whatever you post will last forever and doesn't "truly" come off, just going to any typical website with comment abilities will show that it hasn't really sunk in.
This has caused us to basically treat topics in one of these ways: we agree and type about how much we support it, we don't like what we're reading so we bash, ridicule, and say any and all insults we can think of, or we just move to something else/just express our dislike peacefully (that never happens). There are even stories of kids who end up getting bullied at school because of what they said or did on Facebook, and it turns out that the kid in question does not have a Facebook, and someone else created a profile for them, befriended people from school, and began harassing them. In this case, this kid is being harassed for things they genuinely did not do. Other examples come from online gaming where people will be as nasty and as cruel as possible, and even if their account is banned after being reported, they just create another profile and start over.
So I pose this question because with bills like SOPA, PIPA, and others being proposed, and luckily shot down, it got me thinking. While I NEVER want any of those type of bills passed due to the implications of what could, and would, happen, but I still wonder if perhaps the Internet isn't due for a little humility? I believe SOPA scared so many users because it actually showed how vulnerable the Internet actually is as compared to thinking it is something invincible. For a short period of time, the Internet users were somewhat united against this, but as one could expect, the unity broke away quickly once the bills were gone. This is why I think that perhaps we are too free because if we don't like someone, we can create profile, harass them is they do have a profile on whatever website, or just hack them and either ruin them virtually or in real life. That is A LOT of power to give to millions...scratch that...billions of people especially when the software, hardware, and ability to hack or just create chaos isn't that difficult at all to find or use.
This isn't an easy, "This solution works for every situation," kind of problem, which is exactly what SOPA and PIPA were trying to do with piracy, but it is something that needs discussion. Some would just suggest some maturity on the issue since the tantrums typically seen in chat is reminiscent of an immature child, but that may only work in situations where you are talking to people that personally know you and where you have a profile that has pictures and information of yourself so people will know it is you. In situations where you can be an unknown, or just a fake profile with the picture being taken from using a search engine, then there truly is no consequence to your actions. It is no secret of how vulgar people can be online and the typical rebuke being "You would never say that in real life/to my face" and there is truth there. People have so much security thanks to the computer screen that they act out like they never would normally. So my question is two fold; do you think Internet users have too much freedom and if so, how can we make it more user-friendly? I by no means want to cut down on freedoms, when I say too free, I mean if the freedom of there being little consequence to actions too great?
Monday, July 18, 2011
Video Games: Battle Won, War not Over
This may seem a bit late since the decision regarding rated M video games has already come and gone, the subject at hand is still very relevant and is long from being done.
I also bring this up as a gamer myself who was not very happy at the light that video games were being thrown under. People wanted to make it seem that all video games were ultra violent and that all of them are negatively influencing children more than violent movies, TV shows, or any other media outlet available. Though when I looked up the percentage of games created in 2010 that had a rating of M, I was surprised to find it was only 5% where rated E (which is family friendly) made up 55% of the games that were made. (Source:http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/15/esrb-breakdowns-say-5-percent-of-games-were-rated-m-in-2010) Also, when looking at the top 10 best selling video games of 2010, there was a 5-4 split between games that were either rated E or T (both are friendly for children) and rated M. (Source:http://www.cnbc.com/id/37616179/The_Best_Selling_Video_Games_of_2010?slide=11)
Part of the argument brought against video games was that the games in question should not be seen by minors and should be treated like porn and be put off in another section of the store. This really rubbed me the wrong way. I am certainly old enough to buy rated M games, so if this was to ever happen it would not apply to me, but the fact that this singled out video games is what I saw as wrong. Porn movies are certainly put in a different section of any store that may sell them, but magazines like Playboy are out in the open for all to see. I am aware of the fact that these magazines are blacked out except for the title. Now this works just fine with small children, well some depending on what they have or have not been exposed to, but when it comes to any child or teenager that is 10 or older, it is very easy to fill in the blanks mentally. This is also true when you see previews for upcoming movies with how they cut off a sentence right before the actor says the cuss word, or when a woman begins to strip down and the screen either goes black or goes to another scene right before anything that would need to be censored in that preview can be seen.
The biggest thing I like to stress is that this lands on the parents to make sure they are aware of what their kids are playing. As someone who has worked in Gamestop, it never ceases to surprise me when I see a parent that just buys a game that is gory or just flat out not for someone at that age. A great example occurs whenever a child brings me a copy of any Grand Theft Auto game and I say how I cannot sell it to them since they are under 17 and therefore against the law for me to sell the game to them. The child goes and gets their parent and I, by law and rule of Gamestop, explain what makes the game rated M. Very rarely does this cause a parent say that they no longer want the game, what usually happens is they just appear to be "listening" and as soon as I finish talking they say "it's fine" or "they can play it, it's not that bad." I'm sorry, but no 12 year old should play Grand Theft Auto or Mortal Kombat, especially since the ESRB lists everything in the game that gives the game the rating it has. But as long as parents give consent, there is nothing that can be done to keep extremely violent games from minors. Even if this law somehow made it, there would still be parents giving consent for these types of games.
So in the end, all I want to make clear is that the parents need to do their job and keep games away from their kids that are not meant for their age. And for those of us that are old enough to get these games, please don't do like what people do for alcohol and tobacco and get these games just to give them to minors.
And remember, Don't Panic, and never forget your towel.
I also bring this up as a gamer myself who was not very happy at the light that video games were being thrown under. People wanted to make it seem that all video games were ultra violent and that all of them are negatively influencing children more than violent movies, TV shows, or any other media outlet available. Though when I looked up the percentage of games created in 2010 that had a rating of M, I was surprised to find it was only 5% where rated E (which is family friendly) made up 55% of the games that were made. (Source:http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/15/esrb-breakdowns-say-5-percent-of-games-were-rated-m-in-2010) Also, when looking at the top 10 best selling video games of 2010, there was a 5-4 split between games that were either rated E or T (both are friendly for children) and rated M. (Source:http://www.cnbc.com/id/37616179/The_Best_Selling_Video_Games_of_2010?slide=11)
Part of the argument brought against video games was that the games in question should not be seen by minors and should be treated like porn and be put off in another section of the store. This really rubbed me the wrong way. I am certainly old enough to buy rated M games, so if this was to ever happen it would not apply to me, but the fact that this singled out video games is what I saw as wrong. Porn movies are certainly put in a different section of any store that may sell them, but magazines like Playboy are out in the open for all to see. I am aware of the fact that these magazines are blacked out except for the title. Now this works just fine with small children, well some depending on what they have or have not been exposed to, but when it comes to any child or teenager that is 10 or older, it is very easy to fill in the blanks mentally. This is also true when you see previews for upcoming movies with how they cut off a sentence right before the actor says the cuss word, or when a woman begins to strip down and the screen either goes black or goes to another scene right before anything that would need to be censored in that preview can be seen.
The biggest thing I like to stress is that this lands on the parents to make sure they are aware of what their kids are playing. As someone who has worked in Gamestop, it never ceases to surprise me when I see a parent that just buys a game that is gory or just flat out not for someone at that age. A great example occurs whenever a child brings me a copy of any Grand Theft Auto game and I say how I cannot sell it to them since they are under 17 and therefore against the law for me to sell the game to them. The child goes and gets their parent and I, by law and rule of Gamestop, explain what makes the game rated M. Very rarely does this cause a parent say that they no longer want the game, what usually happens is they just appear to be "listening" and as soon as I finish talking they say "it's fine" or "they can play it, it's not that bad." I'm sorry, but no 12 year old should play Grand Theft Auto or Mortal Kombat, especially since the ESRB lists everything in the game that gives the game the rating it has. But as long as parents give consent, there is nothing that can be done to keep extremely violent games from minors. Even if this law somehow made it, there would still be parents giving consent for these types of games.
So in the end, all I want to make clear is that the parents need to do their job and keep games away from their kids that are not meant for their age. And for those of us that are old enough to get these games, please don't do like what people do for alcohol and tobacco and get these games just to give them to minors.
And remember, Don't Panic, and never forget your towel.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Love for the Testaments
Something that I have noticed becoming a sort of trend amongst peers that I have talked to and been around is this misconception between the Old and New Testament. This misconception deals with people that focus primarily on the New Testament, and just disregard the Old Testament as something that no longer applies to them. This worries me greatly since American Christians already deal with a serious issue of being biblically illiterate, but throwing out half, probably closer to two-thirds, of the Bible just because it doesn't appear to apply to you is just going to worsen this problem.
The reason people think the Old Testament isn't as important as the New Testament is because they believe if they just focus on the Gospels and Paul's Letters, then they'll be fine when it comes to biblical knowledge. The problem with this train of thought is that if you read what Jesus said or what Paul put in his letters, you see references to the Old Testament all over the place. Jesus quoted Deuteronomy more than any other book while he walked the Earth. Paul in several places references events from the book of Numbers and talks about ancestors like Elijah or Isaiah. I think what tends to happen is that people see the sections with the names "old" or "new" and subconsciously think the new section must be more prevalent than the old section, otherwise a new section would not be needed. I did have a teacher at my college point out how some Jews find it offensive for the Torah and the other books that make up the Old Testament to have this name for similar reasons.
The reason why both sections have to be taken into account is because the Old Testament verifies the New Testament. When Paul, Peter, and John are saying to turn away from the ways of your ancestors, or to learn from those who have come before you, they are referencing the Old Testament. If you have no knowledge of the Old Testament, then it's difficult to see why Jesus was so radical with what he did and with what he was saying. Many people like to say that the Old Testament is nothing but laws and boring genealogies. Now while it does have both of those things, it has so much more to offer. There is a reason why the Pentateuch has survived for centuries amongst both Jews and Christians. The stories in those five books have applications that can be found even in today's world. The laws talked about in those books can be seen today, an example is why most of us never consider eating lizards.
Now the two things that worry me about this misconception is that if one only focuses on one section, then you will end up doing what the old saying states in that "those who fail to learn from their past are the ones who end up repeating it." Also, if a person is not very knowledgeable in parts of the Bible, this can very easily be exploited by Satan to lead people, both Christian and non, astray. So all I am saying is that the entire Bible needs to be read, studied, and analyzed, not only a particular section.
And remember, Don't Panic, and never forget your towel.
The reason people think the Old Testament isn't as important as the New Testament is because they believe if they just focus on the Gospels and Paul's Letters, then they'll be fine when it comes to biblical knowledge. The problem with this train of thought is that if you read what Jesus said or what Paul put in his letters, you see references to the Old Testament all over the place. Jesus quoted Deuteronomy more than any other book while he walked the Earth. Paul in several places references events from the book of Numbers and talks about ancestors like Elijah or Isaiah. I think what tends to happen is that people see the sections with the names "old" or "new" and subconsciously think the new section must be more prevalent than the old section, otherwise a new section would not be needed. I did have a teacher at my college point out how some Jews find it offensive for the Torah and the other books that make up the Old Testament to have this name for similar reasons.
The reason why both sections have to be taken into account is because the Old Testament verifies the New Testament. When Paul, Peter, and John are saying to turn away from the ways of your ancestors, or to learn from those who have come before you, they are referencing the Old Testament. If you have no knowledge of the Old Testament, then it's difficult to see why Jesus was so radical with what he did and with what he was saying. Many people like to say that the Old Testament is nothing but laws and boring genealogies. Now while it does have both of those things, it has so much more to offer. There is a reason why the Pentateuch has survived for centuries amongst both Jews and Christians. The stories in those five books have applications that can be found even in today's world. The laws talked about in those books can be seen today, an example is why most of us never consider eating lizards.
Now the two things that worry me about this misconception is that if one only focuses on one section, then you will end up doing what the old saying states in that "those who fail to learn from their past are the ones who end up repeating it." Also, if a person is not very knowledgeable in parts of the Bible, this can very easily be exploited by Satan to lead people, both Christian and non, astray. So all I am saying is that the entire Bible needs to be read, studied, and analyzed, not only a particular section.
And remember, Don't Panic, and never forget your towel.
Friday, June 3, 2011
A Heated Rant
I know I had a poll to determine the next topic that I would discuss, but there is something I want to bring to the table while it is still relevant since it deals with the NBA finals. I hate hearing all this love for the Miami Heat. I know they got Lebron James and they made it to the finals like a lot of people predicted, but that is no reason to just bow and worship them and act like they are unstoppable.
The reason I bring this up is because the Heat won game 1 and so many people came out saying the series is over and the Heat are amazing. This was especially evident on ESPN, which is disgusting to me. The broadcasters on that network have had to stick their foot in their mouth many times in the past, you would think they would get tired of it and stop making such bold and ridiculous predictions, but not these people. These are the same people that said the Longhorns led by Vince Young could never beat USC lead by Reggie Bush and Matt Leinert. They also said the New York Giants could never beat the then undefeated Patriots in the superbowl or that Kurt Warner would never take the Arizona Cardinals to the superbowl. Of course as ESPN was proven wrong, they would back peddle and begin saying how they were really on the winning side the whole time, or just nit pick the losing team to make it seem like they weren't as unstoppable as they appeared.
Though of course now that the Mavericks have won game 2 in Miami, I'm sure there will be one of 2 reactions. People will just say this was just a small slip-up, but the series is still wrapped up, or they will jump on the Mavs bandwagon and be just as bad as they were for the Heat. I know this has been mostly a rant, but it is something that needs to be addressed because nothing in sports is certain, NOTHING. I get tired of people, especially sportscasters, that think they know something as unpredictable as sports. It's like trying to predict the weather a week or two out, odds are you will be wrong.
The biggest thing I just want people to take from this is to just watch and enjoy the series, no matter how it goes. Please, just stop trying to think that after one game you can predict an entire series, because honestly, if you were that good at predictions, you should go make some bets in Vegas and get rich while you can. Enjoy sports, especially the games/series that determine who the new champion will be of that particular sport, for the entertainment value they provide.
And remember, Don't Panic, and never forget your towel.
The reason I bring this up is because the Heat won game 1 and so many people came out saying the series is over and the Heat are amazing. This was especially evident on ESPN, which is disgusting to me. The broadcasters on that network have had to stick their foot in their mouth many times in the past, you would think they would get tired of it and stop making such bold and ridiculous predictions, but not these people. These are the same people that said the Longhorns led by Vince Young could never beat USC lead by Reggie Bush and Matt Leinert. They also said the New York Giants could never beat the then undefeated Patriots in the superbowl or that Kurt Warner would never take the Arizona Cardinals to the superbowl. Of course as ESPN was proven wrong, they would back peddle and begin saying how they were really on the winning side the whole time, or just nit pick the losing team to make it seem like they weren't as unstoppable as they appeared.
Though of course now that the Mavericks have won game 2 in Miami, I'm sure there will be one of 2 reactions. People will just say this was just a small slip-up, but the series is still wrapped up, or they will jump on the Mavs bandwagon and be just as bad as they were for the Heat. I know this has been mostly a rant, but it is something that needs to be addressed because nothing in sports is certain, NOTHING. I get tired of people, especially sportscasters, that think they know something as unpredictable as sports. It's like trying to predict the weather a week or two out, odds are you will be wrong.
The biggest thing I just want people to take from this is to just watch and enjoy the series, no matter how it goes. Please, just stop trying to think that after one game you can predict an entire series, because honestly, if you were that good at predictions, you should go make some bets in Vegas and get rich while you can. Enjoy sports, especially the games/series that determine who the new champion will be of that particular sport, for the entertainment value they provide.
And remember, Don't Panic, and never forget your towel.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Return of the Duke and the Classics
Hail to the King baby; June 14th (10th internationally) marks when Duke Nukem returns to video games. For some people this is a big deal since it is the first Duke Nukem game in over 12 years, especially since this game was suppose to come out in 2002 before going through a maze of complications pushing it back further and further until the set date now. For others, this seems like any other game since due to the large gap between this game and the last Duke Nukem game, the younger audience most likely knows very little about him. I speak somewhat for myself since the series is about the same age as myself and I was a child when Duke Nukem 3D came out, so I obviously had zero chance of playing it then. Part of what kept Duke alive was soundboards created of him and one-liners that get used on a consistent basis that originated in this series. Examples include "I've got balls of steel" "Come get some" and everyone's favorite "I'm gonna kick ass and chew bubble gum...and I'm all out of gum". As put by the CEO of Gearbox, Duke Nukem really has become the video game Chuck Norris in the sense that if it is possible, Duke can do it. His "accomplishments" include going to the moon, scaling Everest, catching Jaws, winning the world series of poker, becoming a UFC champion, and winning two oscars.
The reason I bring up Duke Nukem is that I've noticed that in the last few years, classic games have been making a comeback. Classic may not put it correctly...the better term may be how iconic games/characters that have been returning or going back to their roots of when their games were at their peak of popularity. It started back in 2008/2009 with Street Fighter 4. This was the first street fighter game that wasn't some kind of collector's edition or anniversary edition game since number 3 was made back in 1999. The game took the world by storm and in my opinion, reminded everyone who the king of fighting games was and still is. 2011 comes along and Marvel vs Capcom 3 comes out, which is the long awaited sequel that took quite a few years to finally come out with, and also Mortal Kombat (number 9 in the series). Marvel vs Capcom stuck to the system that made it so famous over the years while Mortal Kombat went back to the fighting style of their 2D versions. This has been met with great reviews by critics and regular gamers alike, myself included. Even games that have stayed popular like Zelda are going back in time, pun intended, with the release of the Ocarina of Time for the Nintendo 3DS. So as I said, the return of the Duke has just been another ripple in what has been a classic/iconic game revival going on. I for one am very happy about this since the variety is even better since it has new games to try and old ones to fall back on in case nothing seems appealing at the time.
Now I of course have no way of knowing if Duke Nukem Forever will be any good. Of all the reboots that I have mentioned already, this could be the one to fall flat on it's face. I certainly hope this isn't the case since I have been looking forward to this game for some time, but there have been some games that looked great and ended up disappointing (Force Unleashed 2 anyone?). So here's hoping that Duke returns to his spot in the main stream gaming community.
And remember, Don't Panic, and never forget your towel.
The reason I bring up Duke Nukem is that I've noticed that in the last few years, classic games have been making a comeback. Classic may not put it correctly...the better term may be how iconic games/characters that have been returning or going back to their roots of when their games were at their peak of popularity. It started back in 2008/2009 with Street Fighter 4. This was the first street fighter game that wasn't some kind of collector's edition or anniversary edition game since number 3 was made back in 1999. The game took the world by storm and in my opinion, reminded everyone who the king of fighting games was and still is. 2011 comes along and Marvel vs Capcom 3 comes out, which is the long awaited sequel that took quite a few years to finally come out with, and also Mortal Kombat (number 9 in the series). Marvel vs Capcom stuck to the system that made it so famous over the years while Mortal Kombat went back to the fighting style of their 2D versions. This has been met with great reviews by critics and regular gamers alike, myself included. Even games that have stayed popular like Zelda are going back in time, pun intended, with the release of the Ocarina of Time for the Nintendo 3DS. So as I said, the return of the Duke has just been another ripple in what has been a classic/iconic game revival going on. I for one am very happy about this since the variety is even better since it has new games to try and old ones to fall back on in case nothing seems appealing at the time.
Now I of course have no way of knowing if Duke Nukem Forever will be any good. Of all the reboots that I have mentioned already, this could be the one to fall flat on it's face. I certainly hope this isn't the case since I have been looking forward to this game for some time, but there have been some games that looked great and ended up disappointing (Force Unleashed 2 anyone?). So here's hoping that Duke returns to his spot in the main stream gaming community.
And remember, Don't Panic, and never forget your towel.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Predictions and Consequences
Unless you somehow avoided the internet, television, and depending on where you lived, billboards, then you knew about how the world was suppose to end on May 21st. A pastor out in California claimed that he mathematically proved the Rapture would take place on this date. Of course as we can all say now that this did not occur and that life shall continue as it did beforehand. The one thing that I believe hasn't been brought to the attention of most Christians is that due to this man being as bold as he was with this and in doing so creating a following, it has now made the job of witnessing harder for the rest of us.
The popular argument people like to use against Christians is how we contradict ourselves with how we live our lives, but now thanks to this pastor, many of these people will most likely think we're insane as well. Thanks to this, there are most likely people that will now be shut off towards Christians that will come up to them. What I fear more though is the effect this ordeal could have on believers whose faith may have been shaken.
It does say in Matthew that many false prophets will arise that will sway people both that are lost and those who are now very grounded in their faith. I believe this pastor fits as a false prophet due to the following he obtained as May 21st got closer. Stories have been told of people who maxed out credit cards, spending their entire retirement funds, and quitting their jobs thinking this pastor was correct. These are the people I worry for since it makes me wonder how they're view on God has changed.
And to put icing on the cake, this pastor, instead of just admitted he was wrong and trying to salvage what he could, now says he was off by five months and it will now take place on October 21st. He blatantly ignores what people have told him where the Bible is very clear saying that nobody, including Jesus himself, knows when the end will come, but only the Father. My mentality with this knowledge has always been simple, if Jesus doesn't know, how on earth could we as human beings have any shot at knowing when the date?
Now it would seem from what I've already said that there has been nothing but bad consequences from this latest "end of the world" prediction, but there is one good thing that can be brought out from this. The world is looking for answers as made evident by the hundreds and thousands of followers of the May 21st theory. Sadly, many times they will end up trying to find answers from people that warp the Bible to fit what they want to say instead of listening to Christians trying to relate to them. If anything, this should be a great reminder that as Christians, we have to remember that people are watching us and seeing what we do and how we act. Our actions could easily determine whether or not that person will see a true reflection of Jesus Christ, or a warped version doing things like trying to predict the end of the world.
And remember, Don't Panic, and never forget your towel.
The popular argument people like to use against Christians is how we contradict ourselves with how we live our lives, but now thanks to this pastor, many of these people will most likely think we're insane as well. Thanks to this, there are most likely people that will now be shut off towards Christians that will come up to them. What I fear more though is the effect this ordeal could have on believers whose faith may have been shaken.
It does say in Matthew that many false prophets will arise that will sway people both that are lost and those who are now very grounded in their faith. I believe this pastor fits as a false prophet due to the following he obtained as May 21st got closer. Stories have been told of people who maxed out credit cards, spending their entire retirement funds, and quitting their jobs thinking this pastor was correct. These are the people I worry for since it makes me wonder how they're view on God has changed.
And to put icing on the cake, this pastor, instead of just admitted he was wrong and trying to salvage what he could, now says he was off by five months and it will now take place on October 21st. He blatantly ignores what people have told him where the Bible is very clear saying that nobody, including Jesus himself, knows when the end will come, but only the Father. My mentality with this knowledge has always been simple, if Jesus doesn't know, how on earth could we as human beings have any shot at knowing when the date?
Now it would seem from what I've already said that there has been nothing but bad consequences from this latest "end of the world" prediction, but there is one good thing that can be brought out from this. The world is looking for answers as made evident by the hundreds and thousands of followers of the May 21st theory. Sadly, many times they will end up trying to find answers from people that warp the Bible to fit what they want to say instead of listening to Christians trying to relate to them. If anything, this should be a great reminder that as Christians, we have to remember that people are watching us and seeing what we do and how we act. Our actions could easily determine whether or not that person will see a true reflection of Jesus Christ, or a warped version doing things like trying to predict the end of the world.
And remember, Don't Panic, and never forget your towel.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Reasons to Watch Captain America
With Captain America coming out in a movie finally, there are several reasons to go watch it, but there are two reasons that especially say why.
1. We all like the underdog and good guy winning.
Everyone likes to cheer for the underdog to win. While Captain America certainly doesn't seem like an underdog, he certainly starts off as one before becoming a super soldier. Think Peter Parker before he became Spiderman. We also like seeing the good guys win. While heroes like Wolverine are cool and well liked, they tend not to be very morally upright, which is why they're rightly called anti-heroes. So whenever a hero comes along that is cool and is also very morally upright, it kinda encompasses everything we want to see.
2. We all like watching an American beat up on a Nazi/Communist
This should go without saying. We always like watching America triumph time and time again when the movie is set in WW2. This is easily seen in video games as well. The Call of Duty series has always dealt with Nazis or Communists where other games that try to be a more realistic, like Medal of Honor, which deals with the Middle East and terrorists don't sell as well. Since Captain America is created in the WW2 setting, that means we will see plenty of action against Nazi's, specifically in Captain America's enemy, Red Skull.
And also a side benefit of this movie is in the fact that Captain America's entire outfit is the American flag. Where there has been a lot of anti-American feelings in the last few years, this movie could help reestablish some positive feelings. Of course this is assuming the movie does great and isn't a flop like other attempts at making super hero films have gone. But then again, this is post is just merely to rep this movie and tell people why they should see this movie like I know I will. I, like most of you, will have my fingers crossed that this movie will be as great as we expect it to be.
And remember, Don't Panic, and never forget your towel.
1. We all like the underdog and good guy winning.
Everyone likes to cheer for the underdog to win. While Captain America certainly doesn't seem like an underdog, he certainly starts off as one before becoming a super soldier. Think Peter Parker before he became Spiderman. We also like seeing the good guys win. While heroes like Wolverine are cool and well liked, they tend not to be very morally upright, which is why they're rightly called anti-heroes. So whenever a hero comes along that is cool and is also very morally upright, it kinda encompasses everything we want to see.
2. We all like watching an American beat up on a Nazi/Communist
This should go without saying. We always like watching America triumph time and time again when the movie is set in WW2. This is easily seen in video games as well. The Call of Duty series has always dealt with Nazis or Communists where other games that try to be a more realistic, like Medal of Honor, which deals with the Middle East and terrorists don't sell as well. Since Captain America is created in the WW2 setting, that means we will see plenty of action against Nazi's, specifically in Captain America's enemy, Red Skull.
And also a side benefit of this movie is in the fact that Captain America's entire outfit is the American flag. Where there has been a lot of anti-American feelings in the last few years, this movie could help reestablish some positive feelings. Of course this is assuming the movie does great and isn't a flop like other attempts at making super hero films have gone. But then again, this is post is just merely to rep this movie and tell people why they should see this movie like I know I will. I, like most of you, will have my fingers crossed that this movie will be as great as we expect it to be.
And remember, Don't Panic, and never forget your towel.
Anger and Self Control
Self control is something all of us work on, or at least I hope everyone does. Biblically, self control is one of the hardest things to do, but something that is stressed for us to do. All too often, people will say that self control is important unless...(fill in excuse here). These excuses range from anger, to a specific insult, person, or anything else a person can make up. Examples of this happening are everywhere, whether it is in sports, arguments, or video games.
The reason I mention the excuses is because once the person makes the excuse, they think they can go ahead and act like an immature and selfish child. When confronted later about this, they merely shrug it off by saying, "Yeah self control is good, but when you get angry/upset, you just can't help it." Or my personal favorite line, "In the heat of things, stuff just happens."
These excuses may seem harmless, but the results in the long run can be disastrous. If you do not see the issue that comes with losing control of your emotions, usually anger, it will lead to habits and subtle things that will change in your behavior. The Bible is very clear when it says how we should never give Satan a foot in the door. Even if you argue this, it has been proven that those who anger you control you, so not practicing self control is just begging for people to manipulate you.
Also, a person's mental health is greatly improved through self control. I won't go into detail about this since things like this we have been told of time and time again growing up. I merely want to bring it back up since simple things we are told as children we tend to overlook and forget as we grow older. I also bring it up cause as Paul commands us, we are to grow up, mature, and throw off childish things and take on things of an adult. And acting like a child or throwing a tantrum just because emotions begin to run high is very much of a child.
And remember, Don't Panic, and never forget your towel.
The reason I mention the excuses is because once the person makes the excuse, they think they can go ahead and act like an immature and selfish child. When confronted later about this, they merely shrug it off by saying, "Yeah self control is good, but when you get angry/upset, you just can't help it." Or my personal favorite line, "In the heat of things, stuff just happens."
These excuses may seem harmless, but the results in the long run can be disastrous. If you do not see the issue that comes with losing control of your emotions, usually anger, it will lead to habits and subtle things that will change in your behavior. The Bible is very clear when it says how we should never give Satan a foot in the door. Even if you argue this, it has been proven that those who anger you control you, so not practicing self control is just begging for people to manipulate you.
Also, a person's mental health is greatly improved through self control. I won't go into detail about this since things like this we have been told of time and time again growing up. I merely want to bring it back up since simple things we are told as children we tend to overlook and forget as we grow older. I also bring it up cause as Paul commands us, we are to grow up, mature, and throw off childish things and take on things of an adult. And acting like a child or throwing a tantrum just because emotions begin to run high is very much of a child.
And remember, Don't Panic, and never forget your towel.
Friday, March 4, 2011
WWJD
This is a phrase that I have heard countless times over my life. Just four simple words; What Would Jesus Do? I've seen it on t-shirts, bracelets, anklets, stickers, and various other things, but have we ever thought about this phrase?
I say this because for a long time I hated that phrase because to me, it isn't a question over what Jesus would do, it was more along the lines of what he did and the fact we should follow that example. As human beings, we are filled with sinful desires so to think what Jesus would do would be impossible since our thoughts would be tainted with sin.
Though through discussions I've had with various people over the years, I have come to a new realization of this phrase, most likely one that not too many people consider, perhaps saying what would Jesus do is more of setting him as a standard than trying fool ourselves into thinking that we are just like him.
This came to a head during my philosophy class when we discussed virtues as defined by Aristotle. Aristotle said that virtues are things, like bravery, generosity, wit, etc., that we practice so much that it eventually becomes second nature to us so we're able to do those things without even thinking about it. When asked how Aristotle would think of WWJD, my teacher responded that he would love the concept of this as a great beginning point since it placed Jesus as the virtuous standard for us to live by. Where he would be upset is that the church and Christians don't pursue it after that. We don't think of living so much by the standard of Jesus that his virtues and teachings become second nature to us. This would lead to the end of WWJD since we would know what should already be done in an instinctive manner.
As I thought this over, it made perfect sense. We are called to be like God and Paul even says that we should flat out stop sinning. This could only be accomplished by living by the standards of Jesus to such an extent that his virtues would become our own. I love how this works together since many people believe philosophers cannot be Christians or have ideas that can be very biblical. Now whether or not Aristotle knew God cannot be known until we go up and see for ourselves, but what I like is that his ideas can easily work hand in hand with what we have been commanded to do by Jesus.
So from now on when I see WWJD, I won't think it's some poor attempt at people trying to think like God. It's people having Jesus as their moral and virtuous standard.
And remember, Don't Panic, and never forget your towel.
I say this because for a long time I hated that phrase because to me, it isn't a question over what Jesus would do, it was more along the lines of what he did and the fact we should follow that example. As human beings, we are filled with sinful desires so to think what Jesus would do would be impossible since our thoughts would be tainted with sin.
Though through discussions I've had with various people over the years, I have come to a new realization of this phrase, most likely one that not too many people consider, perhaps saying what would Jesus do is more of setting him as a standard than trying fool ourselves into thinking that we are just like him.
This came to a head during my philosophy class when we discussed virtues as defined by Aristotle. Aristotle said that virtues are things, like bravery, generosity, wit, etc., that we practice so much that it eventually becomes second nature to us so we're able to do those things without even thinking about it. When asked how Aristotle would think of WWJD, my teacher responded that he would love the concept of this as a great beginning point since it placed Jesus as the virtuous standard for us to live by. Where he would be upset is that the church and Christians don't pursue it after that. We don't think of living so much by the standard of Jesus that his virtues and teachings become second nature to us. This would lead to the end of WWJD since we would know what should already be done in an instinctive manner.
As I thought this over, it made perfect sense. We are called to be like God and Paul even says that we should flat out stop sinning. This could only be accomplished by living by the standards of Jesus to such an extent that his virtues would become our own. I love how this works together since many people believe philosophers cannot be Christians or have ideas that can be very biblical. Now whether or not Aristotle knew God cannot be known until we go up and see for ourselves, but what I like is that his ideas can easily work hand in hand with what we have been commanded to do by Jesus.
So from now on when I see WWJD, I won't think it's some poor attempt at people trying to think like God. It's people having Jesus as their moral and virtuous standard.
And remember, Don't Panic, and never forget your towel.
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