Radio Waves of the Heart (or maybe just the head)

A sensitive issue these days is the issue of the opposite genders. There are the obvious differences, the unchangeable biological differences, and then there are some similarities. It’s odd, the battle of the sexes debate is so much more, for lack of a better way to put it, unique than other kinds of discrimination. In racism, the differences are almost negligible compared to the differences in men and women. While one race can make up a large part of the world, men and women basically make up all of it. That just makes the issue all more significant and controversial.

Feminism, it seems, is the standard now, its understood now, almost like how “going green” is now supposed the right and neat thing to do. In the media, in regular conversations everywhere, feminism gets the high reputation. This often causes other issues to go overlooked. Yes, there is a wage gap, and it’s a terrible thing. But, if you were asked, who in this world is the one most likely to get a job that is rated as one of the worst jobs in America (or in this world I should say)? Well, you’d probably answer men. Which gender most often (there’s never an always) does the most menial, dirty, downright despised jobs? Who’s usually on Dirty Jobs anyway? Also, in domestic issues, women get the upper hand. As stated by one person, (I’m sorry I don’t know who this is, but it’s a memorable quote), “the women who gets divorced three times and doesn’t have a Ferrari is doing something wrong.” In custody issues, guess who usually wins? I remember a story where some male workers (construction maybe? I’m not sure…) had a rally because they were not allowed to see any of there children. If I remember quite right, they were struck down fairly fast and ruthlessly. Also, men aren’t the only ones that commit domestic (or other forms of abuse too) abuse. Both genders do (even if the statistics on who commits it more are disputed, it’s undeniable that both genders commit domestic abuse), but you never hear about the other side of the coin. Men probably don’t report abuse as much either, because of social constraints, and the f@#%!&* parameters of convention. In the past quarter century, we exposed biases against other races and called it racism, and we exposed biases against women and called it sexism. Biases against men we call humor (Warren Farrel, Women Can’t Hear What Men Don’t Say.

But as always, there’s the other side of the coin. Now it just gets annoying. Yes, men do get advantages too. In politics, back in the cloakrooms of Congress or elsewhere, males (most often Caucasian) are mostly dominant. Yes, there’s Hillary Clinton, and now Sarah Palin, but Congress and most of the government is still controlled by men. Many men are still chauvinists, misogyny is still alive. There are still many that see females as the weaker race, just as how racism is still alive in today’s world. You know, I won’t go into further detail, but anyone reading this can’ think of countless more ways men get the upper hand. In the music business I’m sure, there are more successful male musicians. More male producers, more male A &R people, more males in general probably. In business, in science, in mathematics, men have the home court advantage. Sure there are a lot of prominent women, but when did Einstein, or Newton, or Tesla get a sex change?

Another thing is the portrayal of this issue. Depending on who you talk to, and about what, sometimes it seems men are the underdogs, and sometimes women are. But the media always has a funny view on things. The media will always conform to the people, because that’s what people want to read about, what they want to watch. Men can be portrayed as the pervert, the rapist, the asshole abuser, the bum, the idiotic jackass, the nerd, the shy guy, while women can be perceived as sluts, money loving whores, emotionally uncaring bitches. It goes both ways. I’m not saying which is more prominent, which is more important, but both are there. I mean, just look at the t-shirt there. What does that do to kids? When boys see something like that, they’ll see women don’t care, they’ll become emotionally shy. Although I don’t think I was, I don’t think I saw any of that as a kid, and I doubt I cared either. It could do the same to girls too. But today, with the media and internet everywhere, who knows?

Can this all work out? Will stereotypes be gone? That’s easily doubted, but how prominent will this issue be in the future? Personally, I don’t what to think. I choose neither side. Picking a side in an issue like this is fucking stupid. Compromise probably won’t lead anywhere either. Heck, my favorite musicians are females, and gay. My favorite guitarists are males. Most of my favorite films have male leads. I almost actually prefer female singers too. So, ummm…, who cares.

Can you see my problems, if I never explain it?

-digital delay

What You'll Be Looking For

I’m just going to mention, perhaps discuss, some of the things that I think are really interesting, and stuff that I’ve been thinking about lately. One is the conformist and non-conformist thing going on. The whole thing where there’s one side that gives in to the pop culture and mainstream “media” (ahem…*c*r*a*p*…most of the time), and those who purposely try to stray away from those. But if you think about it, those two supposed black and white sides aren’t so different at all. If those people who try to be different think those other people are misguided and mislead, well, so are they. Pop culture or whatever thrives on people, solidarity, and collectiveness. Or for example, people going, have you heard about so and so, and so the chaos ensues. So, people do something, because other people do it right? Well if you think about, those who try to be different, only try to be different because of what other people do. They base their beliefs and actions on what other people do, just like the supposed mainstream jackals they so despise. Now the black and whites just become a mixed gray…

So you should just believe in what you believe, like what like. It's ok maybe for others to affect what you like and believe, but completely basing it off of someone else is not something that'll lead to much good. You shouldn't care if what you like is liked or disliked, popular or not, despised or not, but you still have to listen to others, feedback is important, especially if it's constructive.

Who really thinks that most of the new these days isn’t over bloated, exaggerated, and is propaganda anyway?

Another thing I think is interesting is the whole punk/anarchist ideology. No, not the jackass who wanders neighborhoods being a, well, jackass. The ones that actually care about the ideology behind it are the ones. I’m not saying I’m one, I doubt I’m one, not even close, haha, doubt I’d even want to be one. But it’s still interesting to know about and read about. Anarchists believe in no government. They say that any government or authority basically sucks. But there are still several forms of anarchists, of course. One that is really interesting is the non-violence part of these groups. Some believe violence is necessary to achieve radical changes. But I read about one that believed so, until she visited the Soviet Union and saw stuff there that changed her mind. Then there are the punks. One group that is really interesting is the one that believes music and ideology are what define a punk. A guy with a Mohawk and ripped jeans could be some freaky Neo-Nazi who drives a Ferrari for all they care. They’re anti-consumerist too. So apparently some of them hate it when you buy and do stuff that just means you got screwed over so someone far a way could get rich.

Something else too is the feminist movement, which is by the way great, so don’t say anything just wait. But even some feminists today hate the modern feminist movement. It’s interesting also how that has affected men, and it has, which is often overlooked. Now people say there are stereotypes against women, which is true, and cruelly unjust. But, there are also stereotypes for women as well. And sometimes, things don’t always work out the way they should. These issues could get a bit sensitive too. Many women talk about equality, which is great. But at the same time, they go and ask for favors, as if nothing happened. And men are often discriminated against as well. In domestic issues, women are often favored. Custody cases, domestic abuse cases, etc. Now I’m not saying that men have been completely overlooked and women are wrong, it’s really not as black and white as that. It’s confusing and weird. Now, I’m not sure how many would want to read and extremely long article on it, but I did, so it can’t be that long. But it’s really interesting, in my opinion, haha… So here it is, posted by HuntanPeck near the top.

Elections are coming up. Who are you going for, or were? One thing I have to point out, that just pisses me off a lot. When someone says they support them, and the best they can give me, I’d be change, a women in charge, or an African-American. It's like saying you're going to vote for them just because they're a women, an African-American, an Asian, or their last name soudns like one of those badass movie character names (i.e. McClane, etc.) You know, I don’t give a shit what race they are, if they have an odd accent, what gender they are, maybe they used to be a sewage worker (no offense to sewage workers, I’m sure they’re great) and not a lawyer. It doesn’t matter people! Please, the person who is best for the job should be the one. That’s it, doesn’t matter if they’re an inspiration or whatnot. If they make you feel good great, doesn’t mean they’re right for the job though.

To end it, something sad. Randy Pausch has passed away. Don’t know if any of you saw his “last Lecture”. It truly was moving (kinda long, but I'm sure there are shorter versions). It is the saddest, most heart-wrenching, gut-punched, shoved-up-your-___-, happy, inspirational video about dreams (maybe?) ever. It could bring you to tears even when its not sad, or at least shouldn’t be. When I saw that video, I just went ****, I’m screwed, I’m so far behind, I’ve been doing everything wrong. Then I laughed and went, yea I already knew that. Here is a man, who has no regrets he says, who is maybe content with the life he lived, which is something we all try to do. Cheers to you Randy.

^^^

"Brick walls aren't there to keep you out, they're there to prove how badly you want something."

"Don't bail; the best of the gold is at the bottom of the barrel of crap."

(this one i can't remember too well...) "I'd rather see someone who's earnest than hip, hip is short term."

-digital delay