Five times Robert Pattison’s “The Batman” suit worked on screen and Five times it did not.

Let’s start out by giving a round of applause to Matt Reeves and fellow cast members for delivering such a wonderful piece of art at a time when the film industry is rattled with questionable and quite appalling projects. This film, a comic book adaptation, respectfully borrows to my knowledge from multiple medium – such as The Long Halloween, Batman Year One – to convey a story worth watching without needing to constantly roll your eyes (I’ve been doing that a lot lately with recent films. Have you?).

The score, the colors and set pieces allowed me the opportunity to immerse myself into a world beautifully crafted by Reeves and company. I still listen to the score played at the Mayor’s funeral on repeat. What can I say, it’s just breathtaking. And to add to that immersion, the decision to release a short novel prior to the film was brilliant. If you read it, you learned a ton about the world we’re introduced to in the film and it adds a much welcome layer to the experience. Bruce Wayne isn’t front and center in this film, however; reading the novel automatically bestows upon you this feeling of familiarity and empathy for the character and his crusade to elevate Gotham to a brighter future.

And in order accomplish that goal, he builds himself a suit of armor and adopts the shadows as his ally. With that said, Matt Reeves tried his best to gives us a glamorous yet practical suit. Due to the suits “homemade” originality, proper lighting was necessary in every scene for us fans to not only believe but obviously fall in love with it. In my opinion, I can undoubtedly say that Robert Pattison did an excellent job with what he had to work with and I’m very excited to see where he takes this character and the suit in the much anticipated sequel.

So without further ado, here’s five times the suit worked on screen and 5 times it did not. (Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THESE PHOTOS. THEY ARE THE PROPERTY OF WARNER BROS. PICTURES)

WORKED (5)

Talk about copying and pasting straight out of a comic book page!

I’m still trying to figure out how much work went into this shot. Just amazing!

This looks even better as it unfolds, so go watch this scene if you can….now!

DID NOT WORK (5)

When I first saw this scene, my brain just could not comprehend the odd take on this one. The cowl is just off.

The hockey-like shoulder pads…..a bit cringe.

Reeves loves his close shots, but unfortunately it does not do the suit justice on many occasions. Especially the cowl.

Maybe I’m nitpicking here, but prior to taking flight, his suit looked a little funny. Go back to this scene and watch his right armpit area. Without him even touching the suit, it looked inflated.

Let me know what you guys think. Did you enjoy the film? What were some things that you loved or where bothered by during your experience?

Featured

Fear makes us all vulnerable and highly susceptible to change

There are two things in life which are certain, death and taxes. But what if I told you this aphorism was partially false? Would you believe me? What if I told you that taxes don’t have to be certain? Would that tickle your imagination a bit? So many instances could lead to the demise of tax collection as a national collective. Obviously, the sheer number of individual tax evaders is already prevalent and it’s a phenomenon I can’t possibly quantify. But as a collective, it’s absolutely not set in stone. A government coup or the refabricating of our national economic model are two of many scenarios where taxes can pivot from certainty to history.

The same can’t be said for death. Death is without a doubt inevitable. I sometimes fantasize about the idea of being a principal scientist in search of discovering a revolutionary solution to the shortening of our telomeres, hoping that one day we could extend the process of aging. After basking in fantasy for a quick minute, I always immediately crash back to earth pondering at the realization that death is sadly certain for all species on earth. But you see how the fragile mind works. Fearful of death, my mind is constantly ready to formulate any absurd scenario where the one thing it fears more becomes non existent.

Which brings me to my main point: The death of all social constructs as we once knew it.

Depending on your beliefs, the world has been around 4.5 billion years. Out of those 4.5 billions years, sentient life has been around for 6 million years while the modern form of human life evolved and thrived for as much as 200,000 years. Now, if you are a Christian and do not believe in evolution, the modern form of human life evolved and thrived approximately 6000 years ago. Now, whether you believe in 200,000 or 6000 years doesn’t really effect this piece because, both are tangible evidence to make my case. For 200,000 years or 6000 years, humans have formed societies to add meaning and structure to an unforgiving world desperately trying to axe them off the face of existence. Within said structure were roles created to ensure the survival and advancement of said society. Individuals had a purpose (innately discovered or implanted by societal hierarchy) to strive toward. Through those remarkable years, we discovered incredible technologies through the dedicated work of scientists and engineers. Incredible technologies with which we continue to reap the benefits in the year 2021. To name a few: energy sources, vehicles of transportation, modern agriculture, modern medicine, computers, Web1, Web2, Web3 and film….ect. Those years also gave rise to spectacular artists, poets, writers, filmmakers and historians. Within the same degree of discovery also rose horrific discoveries and vile leaders who alone destroyed or almost succeeded at destroying established societies.

Societies within every culture, whether we accept it or not, play a vital role in the life of all species roaming the earth. From the day we are born to the day we die. Human interaction, conversations, debates, intimacy, war and a plethora of other things molds us into the person we stare in the mirror daily, good or bad. And within those interactions are the technologies which facilitate our lives through efficiency. With efficiency, technological advancements have increased exponentially giving way to a new society, one drastically and far removed from those of our predecessors. In this new society, we are granted the biggest gift of all – time. More time to spend with family, friends and loved ones, right? Well, not quite right. Study shows that as a collective, we spend about 59 hours a week of our free time on the internet. 80% of internet users are mobile users which signals the beginning of the “cyborg” lifestyle Tesla CEO, Elon Musk dubbed a year ago. In the United States, the average time spent on social media is clocked at 2 hours and 41 minutes with projections eyeing an increase. Surpassing the U.S is the Philippines with a whopping 4 hours.

Through the revolutionary technology of social media, we were given the avenue to transport our real world experiences and sense of belonging, pride and dignity to a world dictated by algorithms which we knew very little of and their impact on the human psyche until recently. CEO’s of these mega tech corporations have gone on record to admit the unforeseen impact of their creation and have swayed the public to indulge wisely. But, how can one indulge wisely when one’s needs of love, belonging and affirmation have been hijacked by this technology and are served back to them on an artificially bloated platter. The one thing one fears most in real life can suddenly go away for a brief moment once on social media at the touch of a digital button.

And if that wasn’t enough for the fickle minded brain of the consumer , who former Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerburg errogantly described as “dumb fucks”, recently introduced to market was a mind shattering technology called the Metaverse. A place where you can live out your wildest dreams and fantasies. A place where business meetings, shopping, dating, learning can be done through the usage of 3 dimensional avatars in 3 dimensional space. Providing even more efficiency, you may never have to leave the comfort of your home except for emergencies. Why would you when you can just put on Virtual Reality Headsets, gloves and become your true self digitally. Your biggest fears become a thing of the past and your worries, well possibly non-existent. As of this moment, virtual lands and roads are being sold for millions of dollars. Conglomerates such as Nike who are aware of the shift in the air are buying in early to secure their seat at the big table in the Metaverse.

As you read this piece, you’re without a doubt convincing yourself that this 3 dimensional society will never come to fruition like they want it to. And to that, I say think again. Prior to consumer culture, we had a culture of producers. How did they get us onboard? Prior to social media culture, we all had tangible social lives? How did they get us onboard? What we have to ask ourselves is, what are we afraid of so much that we are willing to forsake our real selves for something uber artificial? What are we afraid of that makes us so vulnerable and susceptible to these drastic changes? What are we afraid of that we are willing to destroy the very fabric of what’s decently left of our current society for the Metaverse?

As you ponder over these questions, I’ll leave you with two excerpts. I can’t quite remember the species they used for the first excerpt since a large chunk of time as elapsed since I last read about these experiments, so I’m going to try my best to summarize:

A group of scientists once conducted an experiment in the hopes of understanding the importance of a society. They ran two tests. One had a colony of larvae in close proximity and the other had a colony of isolated larvae. The species which hatched from close proximity over time grew to build a strong society. A society of unity which benefited all surviving members of that species. The species which hatched from the isolated colony over time grew and demonstrated an astounding number of members who sadly became cannibals.
A brilliant scientist intrigued with studying the fabric of society built a utopian world for a large group of mice. This experiment stretched out for years. They had unlimited food, unlimited water and more. Things begin smoothly take shape for the colony of mice. Unfortunately, as the years went on, the brilliant scientist was met with grave disappointment. War broke out within the colony. The mice had stopped mating, some even stopped taking care of themselves. Instead, a handful turned to cannibalism. Others just refused to eat and simply died of starvation even with the excess of food at their disposal. Soon enough, the colony self-destructed.

________________________________________________

Side note: Why did I write this article?

Never have I been one to shy away from appreciating and admiring technological advances. Heck, I even go as far as trying to convince others to adopt those innovative ideas in their day to day lives. Innovations such as Peer to Peer trading like crypto, transparent ledgers facilitated by the blockchain, NFT’s, EV’s, Neuralink and many more all have potential. When I analyze them, I tend to weigh more positives on the scale of utility. Yet, after researching and reading about the topic of the Metaverse, I got a sense that there’s an outcry from a small community. An outcry possibly stemming from the foreseeable loss of freedom of speech, freedom of privacy, freedom of choice…ect. I for once see the validity in their outcry no matter how much I admire the technological advances aforementioned.

With Insta’s 2bil+ active users and TikToks 2bil+ active users who combine spend about 6+ hours a day on these apps, it can be a scary thought to think what the Metaverse will provide to these users if it delivers on all its promises.

Featured

Underwater We Can’t Be Together

Are we all living underwater?

Aurora has always been a favorite artist of mine ever since I discovered her song called: “Murder Song”. The tone and words articulated immediately captivated my attention for reasons that may seem trivial to some. The detailed story telling painted a gruesomely vivid imagery of “US”, citizens of this world, as emotionally damaged. Obviously you’ll argue that not all individuals are emotionally damaged and my rebuke would be to ask the 29 million people who viewed the song on youtube, add that by the number of spotify/apple/amazon streams and for analytical accuracy multiply that by the magic number 3. That should give an accurate estimate, right? Maybe not, but the point is that people in such a state of mind find the song captivating. If you think about the booming success “Emo” music has enjoyed these past few years compared to other genres, it should paint you a clear picture of our state of mind as a society. But I digress.

To paint the picture of how I ended up on Aurora’s playlist today, it started with a normal lazy day listening to music. We just got off a celebratory phase with Independence Day and here I am enjoying my time off work, listening to music and analyzing lyrics. (Hooray to corporate America for such eccentric perks) As my songs shuffle one after another, a song by Haiva Ru comes on called: “Wildflowers”. I heard it before. To be fair, I thoroughly enjoyed the melody and the instruments the first time I heard the song. I can recall a few words when it comes on but I mostly like the song because of the melody. Suddenly, a thought crossed my mind. Phrases from a past conversation with a friend over 4th of July constantly echoed. Phrases such as – Happiness, sadness, sins of the father and mother, relationships, building or upholding a community, caring..ect. We discussed on a micro level how the butterfly effect is much bigger than we had originally imagined. “Maybe we should write a paper on this?” I told my friend, even though I knew we most likely wouldn’t because of the time it would take. The idea stuck to mind after he left and it sincerely nagged me to the bone. Oddly enough, those thoughts propelled me to look up the lyrics to Haiva’s songs this afternoon. As I read them without the music in the background, a small patch of fog dissipated from my mind. I loaded a second song by her and read the lyrics. A second patch of fog left my mind. I tried to understand the message she was trying to share. Following a few reads, I immediately looked for similarities which caused me to tumble back to Aurora.

As I carefully read the lyrics to Aurora’s song called: “Running with the wolves”, I think it’s safe to say that I experienced an epiphany like never before. So, I loaded another song called: “Underwater”. After days of battling with the idea of writing the piece regarding “The real butterfly effect and society’s collective state of mind”, I became victorious. The lyrics to “Underwater” served as a catalyst for me to begin writing the piece my friend and I lightly shrugged to the side. To make sense of our vision, here are the lyrics which stuck out the most:

Under the water we can’t breathe, we can’t breathe

Under the water we die

Under the water there is no one watching

Under the water we are alone

Then why do we jump in?

So many souls, that lost control

Where did they fall?

Into the deep, what do they seek?

Where did they fall?

Hearts will dream again

Lungs will breathe in

Wash away the sins

It’s where it begins

Feet won’t fail you now

Arms won’t let you down

In the next coming weeks, I am going to share with you all a handful of original articles which in the end will hopefully merge into a cohesive narration of “The real butterfly effect and society’s collective state of mind”. It’s hopefully going to answer questions such as: “Why do we do the things we do? Why aren’t we doing the things we’re supposed to be doing? How does it impact those around us? How does it impact our community? How does it impact the world?” The lyrics above encompass the present with a melancholic tone and end with hope. My goal is to mimic Aurora’s delivery and bring you 6 robust chapters answering the questions mentioned above with revelations from current events and possibly solutions to issues deeply aching us to our core.

The continuously lengthy and arduous race to self-improvement.

By now, we are all too familiar with the maxim – The road to hell is paved with good intentions. But, have you ever heard of this aphorism – The road to self-improvement isn’t paved at all. On the contrary, it’s full of gravel of all shapes and sizes.

Alright, you caught me and I can hear you whispering: “That’s not a saying at all. This guy is full of….” Before you finish your thoughts, let’s not get too hostile. Hear me out. Have you ever experienced an epiphany so strong, it naturally moved you to improve a trait or habit which you deemed for so long paralyzing or destructive? Only to conquer that trait or habit and be rudely greeted immediately by another paralyzing or destructive trait or habit you had no idea existed within you. Soon you realize as you continue to trek forward, the road doesn’t get easier. The gravel beneath you begins to increase in size and no amount of money can save you from developing sore feet.

Three years ago, I decided to embark on such a journey after experiencing what I would describe as a life altering moment. To describe my early twenties, it would equate to the famous Joker ride at Six Flags – fun and dangerous. My pride had reached unfathomable levels like the stock market today. My selfishness knew no bounds. Not to get into the nitty gritty but, let’s just say throughout my fun and dangerous moments, I was blessed enough to escape death on one or two occasions. Those eye opening experiences were enough to prompt me to enter the race to self-improvement, not knowing the arduous challenges ahead. One day, I sat in deep thought and realized I had everything I ever needed – food, shelter, clothes, a career, loving people and great health. Yet, I was missing something. Desperate for an answer, I turned to religion for guidance. A bit naïve, I saw it has a cure to all my problems. Following months of studying and spiritual growth I surely believed I was on my way to a better life.

Initially, conquering your first bad trait or habit feels rewarding. However; you slowly notice the toll it takes on your state of mind. Just as I was preparing myself to take along breath of victory, life decided to throw me a curve ball. “Oh you thought you were done?” life said. Without warning, a new challenge sprung forth. “Now fix that!” shouted life. “And this, and that, and umm, don’t forget about this one.”

Naturally, if you’re not mentally strong, self-doubt begins to seep into all the neurons inside of your brain. Inevitably, the pain travels downwards and your feet begin to hurt as you trek on the uncomfortable gravel. “How could I have so many flaws?” you may catch yourself asking. “Why can’t this road be paved already? I just want to be better!” you may shout from within.

I get it. I really do.

Luckily, it doesn’t have to remain that way. By allowing myself to be humble as I can be, to interact and be in the company of people of all ages, old and young, I am now able to see the beauty in this continuously lengthy and arduous race to self-improvement. I am now able to recognize growth, short or long term, and appreciate its worth. I am now able to calm my self-doubts and focus on one gravel at a time. And so can you! Humble yourself. Branch out, meet new people of different cultures, age and backgrounds. Build your knowledge bank. As you interact with those individuals, don’t fall in the trap of comparing yourself to them. Instead, take in the stories they share, draw out the lessons and use them as fuel to keep you going on your continuously lengthy and arduous race to self-improvement. Now is not the time to give up. We may not be able to utterly predict our future, but stay on this lengthy and arduous path to self-improvement and the end result can only be a true masterpiece.

With that said, I leave you with this – Take your eyes away from this screen. Look around you. If you don’t like what you see, then change it. Do not allow them to break your spiritual core as it is the only spark that will set you free!

Covid Today. AI & AGI Tomorrow.

This topic we’ll be discussing today is a bit niche and to be frank, my expertise concerning this topic is quite minuscule. However, for the sake of starting a conversation, I think I know just enough to make this an entertaining read for you. What are we talking about here?

Well, let’s start with the current pandemic that has taken the world by storm. Covid-19 has struck the world a new blow. Millions have been infected and thousands have sadly died. As of this very moment, many continue to contract the virus while we all remain hopeful for a treatment or vaccine on the horizon. As tragic as it all is, we’re not here to discuss something that is street knowledge. Instead, let’s discuss particularly one area where Covid-19 has burned a hole through. The unemployment hole. According to recent statistics, the unemployment rate in the United States alone has reached a whopping 15%. Over 24 million Americans have been furloughed and are currently glued to the unemployment program run by their respective states. For how long they remain in such a state totally depends on a victorious battle against Covid-19, or so we hope, right? You see, to stave off a colossal economic crash, billions of dollars (money printed out of thin air, which if economic laws hold, we the taxpayers will be footing the bill sooner rather than later) were pumped into mostly corporate businesses to retain their employees. Unfortunately, some of these corporate entities had other plans and still carried through with mass layoffs to retain cash flow. For example, United Airlines, after receiving a fat check of 5 billions dollars announced their plan to lay off a portion of their employees come Fall. In turn, many will be sent running to the hills of unemployment benefits. The good news is, as long as employers continue to pay into the unemployment insurance taxes, the funds should be available for those furloughed. The law states: “Employers must pay unemployment insurance for as long as they have employees, as long as these employees work a minimum amount.”

Now comes the meat of this discussion. If employers must pay unemployment insurance for as long as they have employees, what happens when they no longer have employees? What happens when AI and AGI become the bread and butter of corporate industries? I grew up in a small town where I was fortunate enough to witness the damage self-checkouts had on the working class. It took years to take shape but eventually the doorbell rang. I was fortunate enough to live in a progressive state these past few years (California) to witness the revamp of the grocery store and fast food chain. And guess what? The revamp had profit in mind first and employees second. Even now, I’m still fortunate enough to witness a revolution which could spell trouble for our civilization. Last week, I stumbled across a startup company providing autonomous security services to businesses at a fraction of the cost it would take to hire human security details. Three days ago, I happen to be reading about a company gearing up to supply autonomous machine patty makers. Possibly in the next 5 years, uber may possibly lay off their drivers in favor of autonomous cars. Ten years from now, maybe airlines will invest in fully autonomous planes. Are you catching my drift yet? When AI and AGI have reached autonomous levels to complete tasks beyond the capabilities of humans, where does that leave humanity? Where does that leave the working class? At the mercy of unemployment benefits? But wait, these companies no longer have employees, so who will be supplying the unemployment funds then? The government? Extremely high taxes? UBI? This is pure speculation, but maybe these stimulus checks might be a form of trial phase for an upcoming era where UBI comes to fruition. (I see you clapping Mr. Andrew Yang)

Sorry got side tracked there for a second.

I’m beginning to feel like not enough is being done to avoid such a catastrophic future. And it took a tragic event like Covid-19 to put things into perspective. Why are we not having this conversation more often? Why are we not forging reliable plans to prevent an unemployment rate which could exceed 25% when AI and AGI become the norm? Why are we not investing more in trade schools to give the working class a chance to get ahead so they can be prepared to live in an AI and AGI runned world?

The biggest question is, how sustainable will this new system be? Sure sounds marvelous for corporate businesses, but how will the tune sound when 25%+ of your population becomes illiterate in a world where they no longer recognize and as human beings bring zero value to? What then?

Thanks for stopping by. Leave your comments below or DM on insta @iiarcseriesii. Let’s talk. Teach me something I don’t know regarding AI and AGI.

The unforeseen and continuous rippling effect of a character molded in 1951

For so long, I’ve deeply pondered over the differences between a rebel and an anarchist. Without the aid of literature or wiki, I wanted to come to my own conclusion by just analyzing the events unfolding in today’s society. Foolish you might say. What you might not realize is, sometimes, it pays to be calm in the mind and let it figure things without the influence of another. Only then can you claim that your conclusion was the product of your own understanding. Unfortunately, I never got to that conclusion and was compelled to search through google for the differences after recently watching the controversial and critically acclaimed film – Joker.

This is going to be a lengthy piece, so strap yourselves in and enjoy the read.

Prior to my trip to watch one of DC’s most iconic villain in his debut origin film, I constantly browsed the internet for articles pertaining to the Joker. After endless clicks, a few articles caught my attention. Why? Because they all shared the same exact theme – “Joker the movie should not be screened to the public due to the fear that it might entice violence and anarchy.” To combat this fear, it was reported in multiple articles that selected movie theaters would be provided with adequate to robust security detail if deemed necessary. As I read those articles, I just had to raise my eyebrows. Then, the lightbulb in my mind quickly illuminated and I instantly recalled the violent incident which occurred during a showing of The Dark Knight Rises in 2012 at a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado. The assailant set off tear gas grenades and shot into the audience killing twelve civilians in the process. A tragic moment.

And yet, 7 years later, the release of Joker not only brought back those horrific memories but also planted a dose of fear in the minds of many. But why Joker? A plethora of violent films have been released to the public in the past 7 years and I can’t think of one who forced cities to mobilize police officers to monitor selected movie theaters screening Joker. What is it about this character that has so many people frightened? After all, he’s just a comic book character, right?

Well, before we get to answer the questions above, here’s my abbreviated experience going to and returning from seeing Joker.

It’s noon on a Friday. I pull into the parking lot of the movie where I reside. Sorry, can’t say the name. (Now that would be foolish). However; I won’t leave you hanging and will sprinkle in a very important detail. I live in one of the safest cities on the eastern coast. It’s so safe you could leave your car open at night and wake up the next morning to find your belongings still intact. Now back to the story. I pull into the lot and the first thing I see is a police vehicle. Mind you, I’m a frequent movie goer to that specific theater and I’ve never seen a police vehicle outside of that theater. I walk into the movie theater and there she is pacing back and forth in full uniform. “Man, this is serious!” – I said to myself going into the theater. I get my ticket, walk into the showing room and noticed no more than 15 people. I sit and voila, the movie begins. Truthfully speaking, from the beginning of the movie to the end, I felt quite uncomfortable. So much so it gave me a slight headache. But, oddly enough, the uncomfortable feeling was not negative. On the contrary, it was a positive experience. A positive experience which propelled me to think. (Maybe a little too much) The narrative set forth and displayed to the audience that Friday afternoon was a brilliant masterpiece. A time piece depicting the rapid degeneration of a man who was once abused a child. A man who’s mentally unstable and desperately looked to find comfort in the happiness of others. Instead, he was ridiculed and tormented to the brink of no return. In the process, this man commits a string of murders and realizes that his happiness and tranquility lies solely within that morbid lifestyle. Coincidentally, he unintentionally births a movement. A movement not bred by rebellion but of pure anarchy, hence becoming the prince of crime and Batman’s greatest foe.

So, what is it about this character that has so many people frightened? – I previously asked. After all, he’s just a comic book character, right?

In my opinion, I wholeheartedly believe this fear comes from the fact that this could indeed play out in today’s society. “Are you saying someone could become the joker in real life? What are you smoking? I’m out!” – You say. Before you storm out, look closely at the gem and analyze the fragment within. Mental illness has plagued our society for so long. In the past it was brush off as nothing but a phase. In modern society, after countless of violent incidences, strides are being made to better understand the intricacies of the human brain. Yet, as the movie narrated, for those who do not have access to decent health care, they can’t and may never receive the proper treatment or medication to cure them or soothe their mental afflictions. And when left uncheck, awful repercussions soon follow.

A man or a woman with similar mental afflictions as the Joker may not start a rebellion or an uprising based solely on anarchy as shown in the movie (doubt anyone would even have the courage or energy to leave their homes nowadays if something of the sort did occur) but he or she may be pushed to the brink of committing horrific acts similar to the Aurora theater or the Sandy Hook shooting.

When Bill Finger, Jerry Robinson and Bob Kane created Joker, I have no idea if their intentions were to spread the awareness of mental illness in our society. 68 years later, the character not only withstood the test of time, it served as a well needed reboot for the failing DCEU and a wakeup call for all of us to take mental illness very seriously.

Now with that said, will I be watching Joker a second time? No. I loved it the first time. I will be listening to the epic score repeatedly on my way to work. But, I will not be watching it a second time. In my eyes, it is a truly tragic story meant for one viewing only. That’s just my opinion however; don’t let me rain on your parade. “After all, life is nothing but a comedy.” – Joker.

On a side note: It would be such a bold move and frankly quite amazing for Warner Bros to set their new Batman film in this universe. A time piece story for Batman would be epic.

Is prejudice being masqueraded as true love?

Let us gather around this artificial bonfire. Go ahead and pick a seat where you’ll feel most comfortable. Found it? Great! Now, not to intentionally put you in the spot light but here’s a question I have for you. Before you blatantly shout out the answer, fix your posture and truly ponder over the question.

Can you honestly say you bear true love within you? Or are you masquerading prejudice as true love?

Go ahead, I’ll give you a much needed moment and when you’re ready, join us down below.

Recently I came across a very eye opening story written by a brilliant author. I felt it imperative to share this story in the hopes that it might get us to think and analyze ourselves sincerely.

_________________________________________

In a nutshell, the story follows a Saxon prince who’s to become king. The current king, his father, sends him out to battle in hopes that war will mold his childish prince into a firm ad tenacious man. The story then takes a turn when we the reader are informed that the king had no such plans and wanted his son dead all along, hence why he sent him out to war without experience. Along with his war servant, a drunk priest and his beaten army, the childish prince on his gruesome journey on the battlefield experiences an epiphany. His overseer or better yet, his beloved war servant is betrayed and killed in battle. So the prince morns deeply.

“War has taken someone who truly loved me.” said the weeping Prince. Meanwhile the drunken priest replied: “He did not love you.”

The prince, shocked by the priest’s wild statement exclaimed: “If my servant did not love me, then where might I find a man who properly embodies love?”

“Over there…” the priest pointed at a dead carcass. “It could be said that in death, he has become a thing of love. Far greater than any living being could hope to be. Already, he does not hate, does not kill and does no steal. Left where he is, he will selflessly provide sustenance for animals and insects. Buffeted by harsh winds and pelted by stinging rain, he will not utter a single word in protest.”

In turn, the confused prince asked: “Are you implying that death is the true nature of love? Is a parent’s love and affection for their kids or a husband’s or wife’s love for one another not real love?”

“It’s prejudice.” Boldly claimed the drunken priest. “They bear little difference from he who kneels before a king and then whips his slave. Your servant watched and killed as innocent lives were slaughtered for your sake. Prejudice!”

The childish prince stood in shock. He took a deep breath as the cold wind blew west. He bent and scooped the snow beneath his feet. As it dissolved in his small palm, he gazed at the mountains heads, he noticed the trees and the beaming sun above. After taking another deep breath, his eye widened as he felt a fog lift from his mind.

“I see.” said the prince. _________________________________________

After much thought and self-reflection, I can honestly admit I do not bear true love in my heart. And if I’ve told myself or others otherwise then that’s a lie I no longer wish to pursue. I’ve come to an understanding that true love is indeed selfless. True love knows no scheme; True love has no ulterior motives; True love does not boast nor shout; True love is silent in all that it does. Yes we say we love our kids. We say we love our girlfriends, wives, boyfriends, husbands, pets……ect. Yet, we are easily irritated by the slightest change in them that does not please our state of mind. And even when we say we love them unconditionally, we dislike, belittle or hate the one next to or beneath us. By some chance we do indeed love those next to or beneath us we’ll most likely dislike, belittle or hate the one in front or above us. (An endless cycle)

The question is, do we truly love or are we just bias? And if we are bias, how can we cultivate true love? Is true love even attainable to a mere mortal?

With that said, I leave you with this – Take your eyes away from this screen. Look around you. If you don’t like what you see, then change it. Do not allow them to break your spiritual core as it is the only spark that will set you free!

I get it, you’re lonely. But what are you doing about it?

Let’s get straight to it. If you’re reading this, most likely you saw the title and immediately came to the conclusion this article was written on your behalf. Congratulations! Your conclusion was spot on.

Now it’s my turn to play the guessing game. I’m going to assume you’re horizontally resting somewhere with your phone or laptop at hand which is providing the only luminescent light in your room. You’re halfway through the week and you fill as if something is missing. A part of you is seeking something new while the other part of you wants to just continue to wallow in sorrow. So, you hop on the internet to look for answers. Am I right? (I have tingling sense that I’m 50% right. Sorry to disappoint, I’m not a magician.) Either way, we can both agree that you’re lonely. But what are you doing about it?

Stay with me here. If you’re a millennial, recent studies have proven that our generation is the loneliest generation of them all. Mind blowing right! We have almost everything at our disposal – Phones, TV, social media, video games, fast food, fast relationships, an endless stream of information and the list goes on and on. You want something, click, you got it. You don’t like something, click, and block it away forever. Yet, we are categorize as the loneliest. Why is that?

Now before I make my case, obviously, there are many factors that can lead someone down a lonely road but I wanted to highlight the three most prominent ones I’ve noticed within the confines of my daily life and interactions with others. Hopefully your battle lies somewhere between the three and hope this read provides you with a boost to your moral to make the changes necessary.

Alright, here’s answer number one and it’s quite short actually. You! You are your worst enemy. Before you resume reading, deeply and meaningfully ponder over this and you’ll know exactly what I’m referring to.

Answer number two: I’ve come to believe that we the lack of empathy and genuine human interaction might be the leading cause to this astronomical problem. You and I and many alike are so caught up in our own affairs, and worrying about our own happiness or lack of that we neglect to genuinely connect with people. When we have conversations with others, we are so pre-occupied in our own headspace that we forget why we’re even conversing in the first place. To connect! So in turn, the conversation most likely becomes a chore and we go home and wallow in self-pity. We lock ourselves away and say: “Oh man, she/he doesn’t understand me. She’s/he’s so weird. Why can’t I be understood?” or “Is something wrong with me? Why am I so weird?” Stop it! You’re only doing yourself more harm.

Answer number three: I’ve also come to the conclusion that many individuals who say they are lonely are possibly hanging out with the wrong people. Okay, I can see the confusing expression on your face. No I’m not contradicting myself. Being empathetic and building genuine human interaction is key to your happiness, however; if you’re hanging out with the wrong people constantly and still feel lonely than you’re just beating a dead horse. And if those people around you, “friends, best friends” are only interested in the short and cheap thrills of life and you continue go home and repeatedly wallow in self-pity than it’s time for you to find yourself new groups of friends. Friends that you can have genuine conversations with. Friends that you can be productive with. There lies your way out of loneliness.

Trust me, I understand. It’s harder said than done. But as you know, the first step is always the toughest one. Take that first step. Get out of your own way, build within you empathy, genuinely connect with people and find yourself a new circle if that’s what you desire. Once you take action, you will notice progress. Stop wallowing in your self-pity and allow yourself to evolve. Do something about it!

It all sounds GREAT, but what about us?

What’s the biggest popularity contest in the United States? Go on, I’ll grant you ten seconds. Still not enough, alright, twenty seconds. Okay, stop begging for more time you had your chance. Politics! Politics, politics, politics.

I can see you brooding. Don’t beat yourself over not getting the right answer. I can tell you this, you knew the answer all along, you were just too pre-occupied with other thoughts and that’s completely understandable. In this same sense, we can all come to the conclusion that modern politics, especially in the United States has been too pre-occupied for too long with matters that may seem and sound trivial to our survival but in retrospective fall flat to issues that really standout such as the impending implosion of a generation that has yet to reach thirty years of age. Instead, we’re constantly bombarded with celebrity “wanna be’s in suits” who bicker at each other non-stop on national television. Before I go any further, let us take a nose dive at the definition of the word “politics”. The dictionary states – “The activities associated with the governance of a country or other area, especially the debate or conflict among individuals or parties having or hoping to achieve power”.

Debate? – We get plenty of that.

Conflict? – Don’t even get me started.

Parties hoping to achieve power? – Achieve power in order to create even more conflict.

Was I spot on with my reflection? If you’ve been paying attention to the 2020 presidential race, you’ll have most likely notice the same recurring issues take center stage over and over again. They all spit out the same big and bold statements followed by fraudulent promises which accomplishes absolutely nothing but boosts their egos. Climate change, jobs, equality for all, impeaching Donald Trump, stopping China and Iran, free everything, (Hahaha, free everything? Really?) climate change. (oops, sorry I already mentioned that. I can’t help myself since that’s all I’ve been hearing.)

Now, before you get all agitated and start molding negative thoughts about my opinion, let’s discuss and dig into an issue that trumps all these issues previously mentioned. An issue the majority of “parties hoping to achieve power” seem to neglect. The mental wellness of the future generations of this country.

You can’t have a properly functioning country, let alone a thriving economy with a generation that’s as lost and confused as an unborn child. Why is no one talking about the fact that an ever increasing amount of children are continuously growing up in discombobulated homes where both mother and father are endlessly working whether it be non-skilled or professional jobs? Plenty of evidence prove that without parental stability, chaos undoubtedly ensues. Why is no one talking about the fact that drugs and pornography are easily accessible to kids as young as eleven years old? Why is no one talking about the fact that mental illness is ever increasing in teenagers and young adults alike? The constant feed of information (sometimes meaningless) without proper guidance or explanation lead so many young ones astray. Those young ones who will one day hold professional positions in the working world will be expected to accomplish great feats, start a family..etc. How will they live up to societies expectations when they not only lacked parental advice because mom or dad was too busy working three jobs, but are so ill in the mind and lack any sense of direction? How will they strive to better themselves as human beings when their sense of morality and beliefs are endlessly contorted?

Eventually, in the near future, what you end up with is a society on the edge of a colossal meltdown. Regardless of how many jobs you create, how excessively you push for equality, how free you want to make education and insurance; it’s all futile if the people who are supposed to benefit are mentally ill, lost and honestly do not care.

To end, here’s my slogan for the 2020 election: Create strong minded individuals by making families great again! (Kind of cringe and unoriginal, I know. More reasons I should not be a politician.)