Rites of Passage in America

As important as it is to look at the crucial necessity for stricter gun regulations in America, it is also necessary to look at the psychology of the people causing these tragedies. We can no longer look at these instances as random acts of violence by “insane” individuals. With over 70 school shootings in the last two years, there are some statistics that need to be observed. The majority of the assailants of these crimes are males within an age demographic of 12-30. Now, some might say that is too large of a demographic. However, if you look at the psychology of Rites of Passage it might make more sense.  (Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rite_of_passage for more information on Rites of Passage).

The lack of certain Rites of Passage in tribes/cultures/societies can have severe psychological ramifications. I think it is important and necessary to look at the individual psyches which cause such psychosis. Traditional Rites of Passage in the age range of 12-30 in American society can range from: going through puberty, losing your virginity, finding your tribe/group of others who you can identify with, getting married, having kids, to getting a job that is seen as an acceptable career in our society. (These indicators may sound trivial, but they are just the beginning of trying to understand how a person can perform such violent acts.) These Rites of Passage have a strong tie to the American Dream, but go far beyond it. But, at the core, it is essential to remember that we live in a patriarchal society, which is a strong indicator for why such psychosis causing these tragedies seems to reside mainly in males, who are, inevitably, consciously or subconsciously, told to follow a certain path in particular transitional stages in life. At a time when our society is transitioning to a new understanding (or, if you think about it, going back to the origins of this country as “all men are created equal”) of what it is to be an American, it seems inevitable that instability in what was considered “the norm,” can cause confusion in many. Confusion can turn to feelings of isolation, creating a void in an individual. (It should be noted that some of the shootings at schools in America in the past two years have been suicides where the individual desired to cause no physical harm to anyone but themselves. That does not mean that they did not wish to cause emotional harm to others). This void can create resentment and delusional hatred towards others.  It is especially so inside an educational institution where so many of these rites are "performed" or expected to occur.  Both high school and college are seen as important transitional periods for people from "childhood" to "adulthood."  This is just one of many psychological issues that should be looked at in these cases. And, I hope, it soon will be.

I also hope this highlights the importance of education in our society.  I do believe there is a direct link between the lack of said rites above and our underfunded education system in America.  It astonishes me that such a lack of funding is given to an institution that's purpose is to instill young Americans with the proper tools and knowledge to follow their dreams. This goes beyond reading, writing, and arithmetic. We need to educate individuals on other cultures, ways of thinking, and most importantly, in expressing themselves in non-violent ways such as music and other arts education. My mother is a 6^th grade teacher, and when she tells me about the statistics of kids graduating high school with less than a 6^th grade reading competency level, I am astonished and saddened.  If a child does not receive the basics of education, how to we expect them to become well-adjusted adults in our society? However, the lack of education in our country is a whole other topic that needs to be discussed in length at another point in time.

Conditioning The Working Class

Have you ever noticed in certain television shows that are about "the working class" (which, let's be honest, is now 99% of our society), the music reflects that particular class in the theme music.  Now I know that doesn't seem too controversial in itself.  Obviously television shows want their music to reflect a theme in the show.  I came about this thought in my mind while watching a show on Netflix called "My Boys."  If you haven't seen it, this show is a standard sitcom where the characters spend most of their time drinking and playing poker and then just waking up the next day in order to do it again once they are done with work.  The shows theme song is mostly comprised of a harmonica.  This music is reminiscent to music one might associate with the kind of music that the original working class of this country, (the coal miners, railway workers, etc...) might have listened to.  This might seem far fetched, however, just think about it.  With this music having such an association, and the audiences identifying with this "working class" mentality, this music seems to be a construct for conditioning purposes.  All of our mass media is a never ending distraction from what we should really be paying attention to.  We zone out from reality as much as we can until we have to get back into it the next day.  This music, in a sense, conditions people to accept their place in life, and spend their time "unwinding" and getting ready to do it all over the next day.  It is because of "the working class" now taking up 99% of our society, that such a possibility scares me to death.  If 99% of our population is being conditioned to accept their place in society, how many are going to wake up and actually take a stand against it.  We are constantly being conditioned to believe "this isn't so bad," when in actuality it really is.  Just think about this the next time you are watching a good old sitcom.  Take a minute to ask yourself, "what am I being conditioned to believe?"

"I'll have a beer."

A man or woman walks into a bar.  They walk up the bartender and say "I'll have a beer."  The bartender nods and pours them a random beer and sets it down in front of them.  This has to be one of my biggest pet peeves in entertainment.  I don't care where you go, if you walk up to a bartender in real life and say "I'll have a beer," they are going to look at you dumbfounded and ask "What kind of beer?"  Now I understand that there are reasons why television shows and movies can't/don't use brand names such as Miller Lite or Blue Moon.  But ordering "a beer" isn't quite the same as saying you'll have a gin and tonic.  If you walk up to a bartender and order a gin and tonic, they will simply pour their rail gin.  For the love of God Hollywood, can you please have the common sense to understand that a beer isn't just a beer.  It's not just a standard drink that people order.  Unless the bartender is Miss Cleo, they aren't going to know what kind of beer you want.  Especially in this day and age when microbreweries are popping up everywhere.  There are different styles that can easily be replaced in the phrase "I'll have a beer."  For instance, "I'll have a pilsner." or "I'll have a stout."  How has this gone unnoticed and uncorrected for so long.  So this is my plea to all writers out there, the next time you write in a scene at a bar into one of your shows or movies, please take the time to think about this.  

The "Good" Guy Always Gets The Girl?

It has become common place in films and television that "the good guy always gets the girl."  I find absolutely nothing wrong with this notion.  However what is actually portrayed is "the good guy gets the way out of his league girl."  I don't know like how this notion has affected male psyches.  In popular culture, it is assumed that if a guy just hangs in there a little longer, somehow this girl he is after is going to "open her eyes" to how great he is for her.  I am sorry, but that is not how it works.  I find it amusing to that the guys I have encountered in my own experience who have this mentality usually rank Kevin Smith and Judd Apatow movies as their all time favorites.  I find this amusing because all of their movies follow this ridiculous storyline.  Now, don't get me wrong, I absolutely love movies by these filmmakers (and Freaks and Geeks was/is one of  my favorite shows).  What I don't love is the lasting impression these guys leave on their audiences.  So many guys leave these movies with this new sense of optimism to finally "get" that girl they have always wanted.  If a girl isn't interested, she isn't interested.  She isn't leading you on by being "just friends."  It is not automatically assumed that if a girl is friends with a  guy there is automatically something more there.  And further more, what is annoying is there is more to this than just "the good guy getting the girl."  This spends the entire movie pining after someone or trying to save a failed relationship.  All of their efforts are ignored up until the moment when that "good guy" finally finds success.

Let's think about this.  Feelings don't just change like that.  A woman doesn't say no to a guy over and over and over again to just magically say yes all of a sudden.  This is never displayed, but the only reason that woman finally decides to say yes is because of the word success.  They don't have a change of heart because they finally see what they have been missing.  They weren't missing anything.  It is only because of this success that comes in during the final act that the girl finally sees the guy differently.  She sees the money, she sees the fame, she sees the comfortable life.  He finally fits into the category of being "good on paper."  She decides to settle.  This is another crucial message portrayed in these movies that I feel is detrimental to a lot of women.  

The thought of having to settle.  We all know that the "Prince Charming" type fairytales have completely fucked with women for longer than anyone can remember.  And no, there isn't a perfect man out there.  There is no person alive that is perfect.  Perfection isn't something to be found, it is something to constantly strive for.  However, no person should just "settle" because that's what you are supposed to do.  You shouldn't commit to someone because you are bored with looking or you don't want to end up alone (and if you do take that step, I am so sorry for you.)  You commit to someone because they are right for you.  Also, I am not saying that opposites don't attract or that a couple have to be in the same category of "attractiveness" from a list of superficial social standards.  Love is love and it doesn't matter who it's with.  What is portrayed in these movies is not love.  Love is something you can feel right away.  It isn't something you create, it is already there when the two souls first meet.  So the idea of the women in these movies all of a sudden changing their minds when there was nothing there to begin with is completely ridiculous.   

This isn't something you see with the genders switched.  All the films where the not-so-hot girl gets her "Prince Charming," the girl really isn't unattractive at all.  These films are always with women who are already hot underneath and the filmmakers just throw some glasses on her and make her hair messy.  However, the same theme is being displayed.  A superficial transformation finally opens one's eyes to the "love" that was standing in front of them this entire time.  Sure, he finally sees what he is missing.  But, he doesn't finally see her inner beauty.  It was her unattractiveness that was keeping him from her. How ridiculous is that?  "Oh, you got rid of your glasses!  Sweet!  Now I'm ready to be with you."

But, the theme portrayed in the Kevin Smith style movies is much more subtle and much more socially acceptable.  I worry about how this mythologies acceptance affects a woman's psyche.  I am scared for how many women out there might be subliminally brainwashed into this way of thinking.  But those getting brainwashed by this type of mythology probably don't have much depth in their way of thinking to begin with, so it probably works out okay.

It is never wrong to dream.  But, it is never okay to stalk someone.  When a girl says she just wants to be friends, she means just that.  So to all you guys out there, seriously, stop it.  When a girl says she just wants to be friends, she means she just wants to be friends.  All the time you waste chasing after the wrong person, you could be finding the right person for you.  Don't "wait it out," because whatever you think "it" is, isn't really there.  However, if you are fine with a chick way out of your league being with you for the money, then kudos to you sir.  

Inner knowledge is stronger than mass stupidity.

I am a huge fan of Instagram.  I find it absolutely fantastic that people can express themselves creatively with other people all over the world and share experiences with one another.  What I don't get is people who take photos of other photos, or share other people's photos on their own account.  And if I see one more picture of what I am assuming is a boy band called OneDirection, I am going to have a panic attack.  And no I don't know who they are because I don't own a television and I don't listen to the radio, and I refuse to have any curiosity in finding out what they sound like for fear of being brainwashed in some way.  I wish there could be a ban on people who comment "Follow me and I will follow you," or, "Like 5 of my pictures and I will like 5 of yours!"

The purpose of this app is for people to find other people with common interests and common artistic visions, and also to stay connected with the people you care about in your life.  In my opinion, most importantly, this social media tool allows visionaries to connect with other visionaries.  It's not a popularity contest.  To see the world through other people's eyes the way that you see it, or to experience a point of view completely different than yours and to see things in a new way, that's the most important aspect of this application.  Maybe there just needs to be a more exclusive type of app for people of this caliber.  But eventually, that social media tool will drown in the pool of time-wasting apps people devote more and more time to for superficial satisfaction.

It seems inevitable that all good things get ruined by the mass population of our society.  If only those with passion for this life would be stronger and unite, maybe this cycle could be broken.  You just have to trust and believe that inner knowledge is stronger than mass stupidity.  Passivity is not going to create change.  It simply allows the inevitable to continue to be the inevitable.  It is time to take back the mass majority.  To praise the visionary.  To reward the people who strive to connect us together, not tear us apart.  To embrace a positive outlook instead of dwell on the situation we are currently in.  All it takes is searching for this connection, finding it, and allowing it to grow by continuing the search for others.  Be brave.  Be bold.  And believe that there are others like you out there.

Superficial Enlightenment

Life is about balance.  When you focus too much inward, you forget to pay attention to the external world.  I notice this when I am really in depth in my research and writing.  I begin to forget about my appearance.  Let's be honest, even daily tasks such as showering get left behind.  You have to live in both worlds.  If you focus too much on one or the other, it will destroy you.  I think the most successful enlightened people in the world are the ones who superficially get their message out there.  The ones who are most successful at getting their message heard are the ones who understand the importance of appearance to the mass majority.  At this point, you should ask yourself what you define as success.  Is success based on the amount of money you have?  Is success based on the amount of knowledge you have?  More importantly, is success measurable?  Success is often achieved in a manipulated manner for monetary gain.  However, those who pursue their endeavors strictly for the money find themselves unfulfilled and yearning for more.  This is because they are ignoring the other world inside.

For one to be truly successful in this life (both internally-spiritually, and externally-monetarily) they must find a harmonious balance between both the internal world and the external world.  When one finds this balance, they better understand the connection we all have to each other.  They can truly understand the collective unconscious seen through the eyes of the collective conscious.  A method I have been practicing to help me get better in-tuned to both worlds simultaneously involves the idea of a light switch.  Sit somewhere by yourself, and practice switching back and forth between worlds.  Once you have mastered this, imagine that light switch has a dimmer installed.  Now, you  must try and dissolve both worlds into one another.  From here, the hope is that one can experience the harmonious balance between both our conscious world and unconscious world.  The hope is left in the hands of the individual.

Posthumous: Then and Now.

While checking my yahoo mail today, I noticed that Left Eye was "trending" today.  Curious as to why this was, I investigated further.  The link directed me to an article from www.webpronews.com that had the following to say:

"Yesterday, on the tenth anniversary of her death, TLC announced a new tour which will incorporate Left Eye through archived footage. Perhaps inspired by the Tupac hologram at Coachella this year, the group says they will have Left Eye singing with them while her image is projected onto a giant screen."

Many things first came to mind when I read this.  The first being, "I can't believe they are exploiting her death to go out on tour again."  My second contradictory thought was, "This new trend is allowing people to relive and appreciate music from deceased artists such as Left Eye and Tupac in a revolutionary way.  And, that is something quite magnificent." 


However, with both of these thoughts in my head, I think about this concept in perspective to the ideas of worship and resurrection.  This is no different than other resurrection mythologies found in our world's history.  Especially important is that both these public figures, Left Eye and Tupac, addressed very important social issues and could be looked at as modern day preachers or prophets.  It says something about our culture that we are so desperate to resurrect these figures and bring them back to life.  I am scared though that people misunderstand what this resurrection really means.  This goes back to the problem of people taking mythologies too literal.  It is another desperate outward attempt to escape the troubles that are within our psyche.  We are still looking to other outward sources to fix and understand our problems.  


The journey is within yourself.  It is up to the individual to experience and understand the eternal message these artists were sharing with the world; and internalize it in order to fully grasp their meaning.  And through this, we are one step closer to understanding our connection with the universe.  It is your individual journey that causes either negative or positive reactions to all that surround you.  Be a part of the positive change. 

Zombies

The misinterpretation of zombies in our society is puzzling to me. Zombies reflect the sector of society that is created by the mindless sheep that blindly follow whoever has supreme power and control (and by supreme power and control I am referring to money). Instead of craving brains, they crave money. We mustn't fight these zombies with gun power, but with the power of knowledge and insight. Zombies have already taken over our world, and we have been blind to this invasion. It takes like-minded people to connect together and fight against this travesty with our collective minds and with the force of love found within our symbolic hearts. Zombies surround us now in our everyday lives. Look around and they will emerge. The drones that follow a systematic routine of lifeless living. And, if you don't see them, sadly you might be one of them. However, contrary to the zombie mythologies that saturate our modern-day society, it is never too late to wake up from this mindless sleep. It is never too late to awaken from a mundane existence. Mass media wants us to believe that there is no hope for this sector of "zombies" in our society. But, if we give up on each other, then we are doomed to destroy ourselves. Open your eyes and open your hearts. There is hope. You simply have to believe in it.