Dawn Of Kaos

When I was younger I was the one that would constantly gabba gabba about any and all subjects of interest; politics, philosophy, art, struggle, or…anything, really. I guess I had (and still have) an inquisitive nature. I’m always curious to see how people think. However, as I have gotten older (some might say wiser, I say…more aware of what I don’t know) I tend to spend very little time debating problems. Anyone can do that, and it gets old very quickly. Solutions are what matter, as long as people are aware of the real problem. When I refer to “the media” later on, I mean all forms of mass communication including television, radio, newsprint, and the internet.

One thing I absolutely believe in is the [individual] capacity for evolution of thought and thought processes. Personally, my thirst for knowledge is never quenched, although sometimes I get hung up on idiocies and that quest takes a hiatus. What I can’t believe though, is how so many prevalent topics debated in our generation seem to be stuck in the mud with no way out. Sometimes I wonder when people will realize certain things. Let’s take the topic of racism as an example (one which I think feeds a self-defeating purpose, I’ll get back to that later). Although individuals may or may not have certain pre-conceived notions about races other than their own, it seems as though the longer the discussion or debate of racism itself lingers, the longer the problem and the problems it causes, will exist. I have been a confrontational person my entire life. I try to think of solutions though, rather than other problems to extend the initial problem (which seems to have been ocurring over the past two to three decades on the subject of racism, in fact it might have regressed). I’m guility of dwelling on problems myself, that is not what I’m saying, or what matters. I strongly believe, though, that for there to be such a thing as a “post-racist” society, the problem has to be confronted head on. I bet alot of other people feel the same way.

The media tends to beat around the bush and not actually get to core issues. This perpetuates and promotes many different things, including ignorance. It is also a fantastic mechanism to distract people from tangible issues that not only affect us but many generations to follow. Hell, maybe if they keep talking about frivoluous superficialities, then maybe problems like racism will never go away. And by frivoluous superficialities, since I am talking about racism, I specifically mean topics such as skin color (also the most obvious). Sure people are raised differently, and have different cultural backgrounds, but isn’t it safe to say that skin color doesn’t mean a damn thing? That skin is basically an aesthetic veil over the mounds of flesh and bone of which we all consist? One problem I can see is people identifying with their own skin color. We, all races, are guilty of this. This perpetuates many different outcomes as well; some positive, but ultimately, it further extends the problem of racism because that engenders bigotry. Bigots identify people by skin color. Thousand year old ways of thinking cannot be turned upside down in a short time, however unfortunate that may be. I believe racism starts with an obtuse pre-conceived notion that a person has of other people, cultures, or anything they do not know about. These obtuse notions are reflected in primetime and cable network news, and it rapidly spreads, like a disease, due people watching incredible amounts of television. In this day and age, there is everything right with celebrating cultural diversity and revelling in it. There is everything wrong, however, with people identifying each other by a pigmented organ (every race is guilty) rather than heritage, culture, music (and NOT top forty radio music) problems will continue, especially if people are sensitive and do not see the bigger picture. I think it is safe to say this is all common sense (to me, at least…), although I’m not so sure it’s common anymore, it seems to be dwindling out of existence.

Everyone has pre-conceived notions. We all imagine what things are like when we have no clue, and if you don’t than you are kidding yourself. The secret is knowing that it is all postulation and nothing more. So…is common sense? I know what I think, and it’s not pretty. But at the same time, I also think that there are tangible solutions to everything, including racism. On the one hand, people could take the biggest step and first confront themselves about their own prejudices, and then carry on an open discussion that would lead to solutions to the problem. Or, if all people do is argue with each other about superficialities and problems, then it will just be cyclical, and will be draw out infinitely, for many generations, possibly forever with no solution in sight.

Is this just a media tactic, to beat around the bush and not confront core issues of racism, to actually solve them (or comes to certain understandings), so that it never goes away? Shallow meaningless discussions about racism might actually be great for ratings, the problem is the public lap it up, whether it is for entertainment or something else. All political denominations are guilty; lawmakers, politicians, and especially pundits. No-one is safe, I hate all denominations with equal fervor, this will be a blog full of jumbled thoughts about moving mankind in a different direction, for if we do not evolve, more specifically our minds, we are SOL. Hence the self-defeating purpose, twice over, by the way. Not only does fabricating shallow arguments about racism prolong the problem (which the media falsely professes to want to end), it makes us dumber. We regress, instead of progress.

Some of you might say well…this seems fine and all, but what do you mean about core issues of racism? I mean issues that affect us today, not issues that our grandfathers discussed, which seem to still be the only prevalent discussions on television and radio. Most “issues” are non-issues to me: equal pay, equal rights, equal opportunities, etc. The main issue for me is psychological…why people think a particular way It is a catch 22 because people opening their eyes to what truly matters threatens the status quo, which is rigorously protected by almost every apsect of institutionalized society…an institutionalized society that places profit over well-being. Caring about profit over societal well-being ties into racism for a few reasons, one being the argument about generating ratings by discussing menial hollow subjects and debates that cause controversy, even though they should not because they are extremely archaic (It used to enrage me completely, now I usually laugh, and then feel frustration set in). In essence, archaic, hollow debates which generate ratings are placed over tangible solutions to racism in society.

Changing pre-conceived notions, or stereotypes, or extremely racist behavior (if possible at all) is dangerous, but it is not done by regurgitating arguments. Moving forward with self-relfection, followed by intelligent open discourse, or simply cutting people with these archaic means of thinking out of the picture seems to be a solution. The problem is that this solution begins with the self.

There are good news sources, and shows that offer exceptional, progressive-minded debates (not progressive as in “liberal” but progressive as in “moving forward”). But unfortunately conflict, friction, and argument always score a higher rating even if based on archaic principles, because entertainment value is more important as it generates higher revenue. Until we start valuing the well-being of our people and country over profit, there will continue to be problems with racism in the media, and no real solutions to said problems will ever be presented. I’m damn sure there is a way out, no matter how grim it seems to the rest of us.

I’ll leave you with two Thomas Jefferson quotes.

1 – Advertisements contain the only truths to be relied on in a newspaper
2 – A coward is much more exposed to quarrels than a man of spirit

quotes from www.brainyquote.com

Until next time!