In all the reality.

(alternate title : "All the reality that is fit to print.")

There is no doubt that we are living in an extraordinarily fucked up world. We have global warming, corrupt governments, a culture growing out of reality television and Splenda seems like a good idea to a lot of people.

Religion is the opiate of the masses.
Television is the opiate of the masses.
Opium is the opiate of the masses.

The three previous statements can all be proven as true through logical argument, but what is it really that is impacting our world into a false sense of happiness?

I have no idea.

Something I have always wanted was a child. As I meet children, as I get opportunities to teach them something about the world I have a strong urge to make one of my own. I am jealous of members of my family that have children, I am envious of their opportunity to shape a mind... to clone a lasting copy of themselves to live on in this world. Then reality settles in.

Is this the world that an innocent child deserves?

People smoke despite a clear label on the package that the product will kill them.
Priests diddle children.
Amid a clear global change, we don''t change our ways.
Any idiot can have a child when it takes months if not years for someone to adopt someone in need.

I was fortunate enough to have amazing parents. Two people that allowed me to develop into the person I am today, they were and are considered by their peers as a strange anomaly, they are also envied by these same people for the friendship they have with their three sons. When they could have molded us into anything they wanted, champion golfers ( in the way of Earl Woods ) or subjected us to fame on television ( we were gorgeous children ), they instead offered us everything that this world had to offer. Exposed to every religion, every bit of knowledge in the world available ... they let us grow into the men we are today.
I am a colossal fuck up... when compared to my brothers. I'm the explorer, never content. While my younger brothers take on more noble roles in the world I sit around and write hoping to eventually reach a reasonable conclusion that will convince you the reader to not have children.

Why?

In a world beyond repair... do you feel capable of teaching someone enough that they can fix your mistakes?


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H to the LN
[this is good]

I've said it before and I'll say it again, your parents sound amazing.

This post is rather thought provoking.. Good work!

Ginger_sister
[this is good]
Very intriguing post. Made me think about something. I don't think I've ever agreed with the statement "Religion is the opiate of the people". I think religion is a panacea to many people, and in most cases I believe that religion is more of a hindrance than anything. I think about active faith though, faith that moves you to make a positive difference in your world. Like Mother Teresa's faith that prompted her to move to India and work with the forgotten, or Ghandi who's faith prompted him to lead a peaceful revolution. Bono once said "religion is the building after God has left" and I tend to agree (shudder shudder, pop culture reference). I think if I follow God just because it makes me feel better then shame on me. That is useless and selfish, and really defeats the purpose of faith. It's religion. But if I follow God because I want to be change, and through that change, change my world, by caring for the forgotten, giving of myself, caring for the environment, loving the unlovable, making do with less so that someone else who needs can have, then that isn't an opiate, or a panacea, it is something of worth.
P.S. Not there yet, but would like to be... I'm still a little too selfish for my own good.
King Ellipsis
Religion is the opiate of the people for the very reason that it relieves just a little bit of the pain of reality, just like television, just like opium.
For me ( if the Karl Marx were to be talking directly to me in some bizarre alternate universe ) he would say, "Beer and Cigarettes are the opiate of Lucas".
Religion has it's place for a lot of history and a lot of history's people. I however am not among them. I find a much more comfortable place in humanism. Here in this man made philosophy comfort is found in the safety of things like the Hippocratic Oath and Ben Folds songs.

First:

To hold him who taught me this art equally dear to me as my parents, to be a partner in life with him, and to fulfill his needs when required; to look upon his offspring as equals to my own siblings, and to teach them this art, if they shall wish to learn it, without fee or contract; and that by the set rules, lectures, and every other mode of instruction, I will impart a knowledge of the art to my own sons, and those of my teachers, and to students bound by this contract and having sworn this Oath to the law of medicine, but to no others.

I will use those dietary regimens which will benefit my patients according to my greatest ability and judgement, and I will do no harm or injustice to them.


and Second :

Smile
Like you've got nothing to prove
No matter what you might do
There's always someone out there cooler than you

I know that's hard to believe
But there are people you meet
They're into something that is too big to be
Expressed
Through their clothes
And they'll put up with all the poses you throw
And you won't
Even know

That they're not sizing you up
They know your mom fucked you up
Or maybe let you watch too much TV

But they'll still look in your eyes
To find the human inside
You know there's always something in there to see

Beneath
The veneer
Not everybody made the list this year
Have a beer


You know which is which right?

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