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To Be Read

November 3, 2008

Irony

September 11, 2008

Seven Year Itch

It took me roughly ten hours today before I realized what the date was. It feels as though the farther away from the event, the less we think about it.

I’d like to voice my hatred of the war we’re in. I’d like to voice my lack of faith this war has anything to do with this date. But I’d rather not.

Instead I’d rather think about the families of the victims, and how much they still must struggle with this date. We all remember where we were on that date, but I think most of us view it through a curious lens. The victims’ families view the date through a lens of pain and unease.

They’re still dealing with the horrific events. I guess we are too, as a nation. I’d go as far as saying every single dilemma our country faces has a direct relationship with that date. Whether we like it or not, we were shook from our beds - from a very nice nap - and into a reality we’re still not believing.

Contagious national debt. A deflated housing economy. An un-winnable war. An ever-harsher line drawn between political parties.

Bin Laden didn’t win. We haven’t won. There is nothing to win. A man with a sharp hatred of our country attacked. A country with unfortunate ulterior motives attacked a different country in vengeance. That doesn’t make much sense.

I want to catch this man as much as you do. Yet the country where we can have the greatest chance in catching him is an afterthought. Afghanistan seemed like the correct move. Now we’ve forgotten we’re even there.

Those events on that date changed everything. How this country reacts and adjusts to those events has shown its true colors. I just don’t know what those colors are.

May 20, 2008

Trillion

America is $943.5 billion in credit debt. Are you fucking kidding me?! How in the hell did this happen? Did we all collectively spend too much time at Macy’s?! Did we all buy way too many grande lattes?! Did we all at once decide to buy those designer jeans on “sale” for $175?!

Jesus Christ. What is wrong with us? There’s no way I’m going to throw this high-tempered rant at everyone except me. I drive the boat with the rest of you. We’re all in this together. This is collective conscious here. No finger pointing. Except at ourselves.

So, back to my point. Holy shit.

We all complain about the war debt we’ve accumulated, except we all complained while purchasing items we probably don’t need. Gas is up. Food is up. Living costs more. And I don’t mean a standard of living. I mean just living. However, this can’t be the only thing dragging us down. Can it?

Gas is going up to $4. We’ll cry bloody hell, but keep paying. Exxon made $41 billion in profit in 2007. They thank us whole-heartedly while we keep bent over in the touch-your-ankles and hold-your-breath position. We just keep paying. We just keep buying big fucking vehicles we don’t need. Suzy the soccer Mom does not need the Ford Excursion. I don’t care how hyped up her son is on anti-ADD meds. She doesn’t need it. Neither does Bob the broker with the Rolex watch. This genius paid for his watch and Porsche Boxster with an American Express card. Welcome to slavery.

Throw me in the pile. I drive a Ford Explorer. I “bought” it seven years ago, simply because I wanted an SUV. Not like I need the thing. I’m a hypocrite, too. I can’t afford a different car. I can afford the gas to push this tank around. Barely, and with a little help from Visa. After I fill up I have those real engaging conversations where I praise the new hybrid cars, yet claim I’m not quite there yet, “I’ll just wait until it won’t cost so much to maintain the engine.” Sounds great. We all say it. Great excuse to stick to our shitty SUVs.

Let’s forget about gas prices and SUVs. I’m sick of that subject anyway. I’m American. I know I live a lifestyle way above the norm. Can we all stop complaining about the blasted wealthiest 1% in this country? They’ve never helped, nor will they ever. This is about our own lack of responsibility. They are not moving from their perch. Hell, even struggling Americans still live way above third world countries. But let’s not go there either.

So corporations are greedy assholes. The rest of us are hypocrites for the simple fact that we’re naive enough to not care. This big machine is not stopping. Anything is possible. Sure. I completely and absolutely believe that. However, in the realm of reality, today, it’s not stopping.

Forget about rising gas prices, dairy prices, and food (Christ, food’s going up?). Let’s focus on those lovely shopping sprees. The four cars in the driveway. The big screen TV (I need that for football season, you know?), the thousands of DVDs, cable service with 80 movie channels, the bed from the Cindy Crawford collection (it’s like, you know, softer), the Banana Republic wardrobe (aka The Gap but nicer and more expensive), and the iPhone.

Segway: I love Apple. I love their products. They make the world easier to navigate. Their prices are ridiculous. Yes, that’s right. $600 for a phone is ridiculous. Yes, it’s more than a phone. I agree. So I change my statement: $600 for a phone that does way more is ridiculous.

To get back on point (and after pissing off quite a few fellow designers), we’re nearing a trillion in debt. It’s due to our lifestyle. Not one thing, or another. Or the other. It’s everything. Everything we’re told. Everything we tell them (whoever they might be). It’s how we justify our spending. It’s how every choice we make. It’s every choice made for us. It’s greed on the highest level. Maybe it’s greed at my level, too. It’s wanting what we think we deserve. It’s not appreciating what we already have. It’s everything, and maybe it’s none of that.

For every blog post just like mine that tries to make sense and fine reason, most people who read it (myself included) will agree, possibly post a comment, then keep moving forward with our own nasty habits. I’m no motivator, nor would I ever consider telling you how to live your life, which is why I won’t do much either. Sad but true. World moves so fast, we have to stay on the ball of our own lives. Changing drastically might alter the course. We wouldn’t want that.

"Art is the highest form of hope."

— Gernhard Richter