Wednesday, September 15, 2010

"A bookstore is one of the only pieces of evidence we have that people are still thinking" -Jerry Seinfeld

I really have begun to question whether people actually think anymore, so I completely find this quote as truthful. Today, when everyone lives on the internet, plays video games all day long, and simply finds ways to shut themselves off it's nice to see the traditional bookstore making a revival. Hell, you can go to Barnes and Noble on a Saturday or Sunday and have absolutely no place to sit other than the floor because there is someone in every single chair or seat reading a book. That I find to be amazing, because it seems like books require far too much thinking for our generation to comprehend.

Maybe I'm just a bit too narcissistic but I really question whether or current generation is as smart as the ones in the past, with our iPhones and Xbox 360s making us oblivious to the world (I have an iPhone and an Xbox as well) but I really wish that people would step back for a bit and do something that requires thought, inspiration, or is maybe a bit challenging. It surprises me when I hear my friends tell me they enjoyed my editorial in the Daily because, honestly, I figured no one read anymore, and if they did, they read an article on WFAA that was the entire length of 5 sentences. Gee, this makes me sound pretentious.

But that's why I feel Jerry Seinfield's quote an extremely true snippet of our culture. People simply don't appear to think anymore; yet the continued relevance of the bookstore proves that-to a point-people actually do think, and maybe I'm wrong. But it sure doesn't seem like it. I get bewildering stares when I read in the Lyceum Lounge between Writing and Government. People drop their jaws and ask why when I tell them I'm dropping by Recycled Books (which by the way is the greatest book store of all time) or Barnes and Noble.

Yet, I have a pretty big point which proves the lack of thinking skills our generation has. Look at the radio and the music that is popular. In the past, you had The Who, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin all be majorly popular music acts. Everyone knows them. They all had extremely technical, emotionally-driven music that required a bit of thinking skills to fully enjoy. Even pop music had Michael Jackson, who was extremely talented, to prove that the public still had a bit of brains. The rock stars have now become bands like Nickelback who sing about how they have sex and memories over and over again to the exact same guitar riff, all this screamo junk which is pure nonsense, and in pop music, with the exception of Lady Gaga who actually is talented, you have people like Ke"$"ha (yes, it's spelled that way) singing about how the "party doesn't start until I walk in" or Taylor Swift, which needs no explanation. This is proof of how people simply don't think.

So, yes, the bookstore is one of the last remaining pieces of evidence that people are still smart, and still think. But what happens if that bookstore, a seeming last cradle of intelligence, goes away?

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Rude People...

So, I'm sitting here in bed in my dorm trying to figure out what to write about, and these stupid people upstairs sound like they're either freaking wrestling or playing basketball upstairs. What the hell? I mean, do you not have any common courtesy, especially at 9:51? I mean, these girls have been running up and down our hall, slamming doors, laughing loudly, banging crap. I don't understand why people have to be so rude. I mean, yes, I understand it's a college dorm-and Clark at that-but, seriously, where is your filter?

That brings me to a bigger issue. Its surprising to me when I get a door held open anymore. As I walked to class earlier, I got honked at by a driver as I walked across a crosswalk, when they are supposed to yield for me. Screw you, whoever you are. I'm sorry I wasted 5 seconds of your life.

I really can't stand living in a dormitory. People are inconsiderate. And stupid. Let me move into an apartment already, at least I can complain and get something done, other than our bullcrap RA who does nothing whenever I ask him anything. He always just says "I'll get on it." Nothing ever happens. Once, an alarm clock went off for 2 hours in someone's dorm. 2 hours. Maybe just this college, and this city are rude. I really don't know. Although, I did have the world's rudest Journalism teacher last year.

I really wish there'd just be a bit of courtesy, but in today's society, that's just too much to ask. Ever try driving recently? In Denton, they have all these small entrance ramps. A COP SPED UP SO THAT I COULDN'T MERGE ON. YES, a COP. Even the cops are rude.

All I'm asking is just to be a little bit nicer. Not much. Just be a bit friendlier, if you can.

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Commonplace Blog...

"Let's see you do better than the President."

You know, I'm really tired of hearing people tell me this. I saw it on Facebook, after one of my friends posted that he's tired of hearing people complain about President Obama, I posted my dislike with him, to which he replied "You are just like everyone else. Let's see you do better than him."

Well, of course I'm not going to do better than he is. But isn't that why he's the President? To do the job most people don't want to do? I certainly don't want the responsibility of an entire country on my back. I disagree with Obama, and greatly don't like him because I feel he does a bad job. Yet, why do I get attacked by people for criticizing him? Obviously I couldn't do as good of a job as he does-yet, that's not my job, nor my place. He hasn't lived up to his promises, and his policies go against everything I believe in. So, yes, I'll criticize Obama even if I know I couldn't do as good of a job as he does.

The American society nowadays is built on the fact that we aren't strong enough to be the President, usually, so we elect someone to do that job for us. We are a Representative Democracy. A representative democracy relies on criticism and competition from the American public, and from his opposite party. That's why I feel it's great when someone criticizes the President, even though they wouldn't do as good. Some people tend to be ridiculous, and take for granted their life as American, their rights, and I really tend to think they would be fine letting a dictator take over because "you couldn't do better". I'm the type of person who would die for his beliefs, speaking out against a dictator. Well, why not speak out against the President in a society that thrives on expressing your opinion?