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.
Thursday, January 10, 2013
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.
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