Stoa

So I hesitated on buying 808’s and Heartbreak for quite a while.  I am a HUGE fan of College Dropout and Graduation, but heard that 808s was completely different.  Recently on of my friends convinced me to buy the album, and I must say that I am in no way disappointed.

By way of background, the album is a reflection on Kanye’s split with his girlfriend, among other hurdles in his life.

The use of the vocoder that permeates the album is awesome for conveying a sense of distance and separation.  It feels like the music is a way of excising the pain from Kanye’s experience.  The music is haunting, full of sadness and regret, and anger.  At the same time it is extremely satisfying.  It has every bit of Kanye’s intelligent catchiness and confident cockiness.  In short, it is completely true to the musical nature that Mr. West began with in Dropout and Graduation.

Uncategorized Kanye West, music, sadness

In Judeo-Christian tradition, one of man’s central roles is the protection and husbanding of animals.  This is, by small extension, also evident in such vastly different traditions such as Confucianism.

For instance, a tenet of Confucianism is that people who are handicapped (mentally / physically / whatever) are to a certain extent better – in that they do not have to worry about all the responsibilities of the normal person.  Unfortunately (from our viewpoint) or fortunately (from their viewpoint), they must rely on others to perform some responsibilities for them.  If someone has no hands, he must rely on others to work fields to grow his rice.  If a person has no ability to understand culture (i.e. extreme autism), then he cannot be held responsible for this by society. 

Extending this (poorly illustrated) principle, animals are handicapped men – in that they are unable to perform the advanced self care that we perform for ourselves.  Being better able to model, predict, and control the future, we have the responsibility to assist them (being handicapped in this sense).

From this we quickly see the role of shepherd or pet in the ethical tradition: a protected life is provided to an animal (for farmed animals, easy access to food, protection from predators, assistance in propagating genes, &c., and for pets) in return for either products and food (farmed animals) or companionship and enjoyment (pets).  A theoretically/ideally speaking, a pet agrees to give up responsibility and control over its living situation, eating schedule and diet, and complete freedom of movement and activity, in return for the guarantee of sufficient food, living space, and care (injury/ sickness / emotional health).

From this, the source of outrage over abused pets is clear.  An animal (handicapped in its ability to stand up for itself and understand the complex world we force it to operate in) has made a deal with humanity (more specifically a particular individual) and the more responsible, capable party (humanity / the individual) is failing to uphold their end of the contract. 

I think that this is at least much of the basis for almost all religious (or non-religious, socially oriented) organizations’ argument for the protection of animals.  From a purely non-theistic perspective, I think that the most anti-social action possible is for a significantly more powerful entity to treat a significantly less powerful entity with the full extent of its power – inflicting it on the weaker party.  Society is about working together; man is expected to protect the weaker.  While Ayn Rand may disagree, I think that even objectivists would allow that strong individuals have a responsibility to protect the weak members of their pack (i.e. selected individuals).  I think even Ayn Rand would agree that abusing a contract merely because the other party has no strength to prevent it is an abomination of social activity.

So, in summary, the one thing that I ABHOR more than any other is when people treat animals as if they have no intrinsic worth.  Forcing an animal to realize that it has no power to control its environment is hateful enough; then abusing an animal after it has been forced to surrender everything is as close to non-theistic evil as I can imagine for a social animal such as humanity.

If I had my way, anyone who abuses a pet would be similarly abused.  Individuals are as helpless against groups (and groups vs. nature), and some need to be reminded of that.

Introspection Ayn Rand, Catholicism, Objectivism, Pets, philosophy, psychology, social contract

I am a huge fan of Epictetus (clearly), and have been for quite a while.  The Stoic philosophy appeals to my sense of discomfort with the reality I experience.  Additionally, it closely matches my understanding the necessity of controlling one’s own mind.

I recently began practicing yoga for funsies and better flexibility/balance.  It is surprising how similar the yoga and stoic philosophies are, particularly regarding the importance of controlling one’s attitude, self-perception, and other mental faculties.

Additionally, despite the amusing official position on yoga, the Church (as I understand it) teaches a similar precept of self-control and expanding one’s sense of self to include all humanity.

Observations, Sweetness... Catholicism, philosophy, Stoicism, Yoga

I think that if you were to name a band that is the most completely opposite of Tool, you would pretty much have to go with Matt & Kim.  Contrast the multi-threaded and intricate melodies of one to the simple rhythmic beat of the other. The angry, philosophical depth of the former’s lyrics and the cheerful straightforward joy of the latter.

While Tool is a recognition of the redemptive power of pain, Matt & Kim is a celebration of the enjoyment of life with no responsibilities.  It’s like comparing Man’s Search for Meaning with The Unbearable Lightness of Being.

Regardless, I really like them both.  Tool is awesome for focusing and getting ready to rock.  Matt & Kim, on the other hand, is among the best relaxation / I-don’t-want-to-think-about-anything-I-just-want-to-hear-something-light-and-catchy music ever.  On an x-y axis, where x is musical complexity and y is lyric philosophical content, Tool is full (+x,+y), while Matt & Kim is full (-x,-y).

Observations, Sweetness... Man's Search for Meaning, Matt & Kim, music, philosophy, The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Tool

I am a huge fan of Closer by Kings of Leon right now.  His voice is amazingly  haunting, and the background mini-rhythem thing is particularly effective at adding feeling (mainly creepy).  I think the song lyrics are sweetacular also.

I really enjoy when multiple aspects of a song play into each other – in Closer it is the manner the background rhythem, guitar, vocals, and lyrics all build a spooky tension that emphasizes the maybe-relationship-metaphore, maybe-horror-sci fi-story theme.  It sets a definite mood, and all aspects join together.  I think Tool and A Perfect Circle achieve it quite often.

Anywho, it matches my mood right now also – tired, frustrated, angry, ready for  a better turn and aa good week or two.

Observations, Sweetness... A Perfect Circle, frustration, Kings Of Leon, music, philosophy, Tool

My little sister attempted to kill herself yesterday.  Not through suicide, but by celebrating her birthday by pounding a multitude of shots.  I believe the shot count hit above 13, resulting in a BAC at the hospital of over .35.  Meaning that at some point, since her BAC was measured at the hospital, it was significantly higher.  Close to the .4 = you’re dead level.

Having just gone to college, I feel like this is a disturbingly typical experience, if worse (i.e. more alcohol) and better (no major injury) then average.  I can only hope that she suffers from the hangover enough to be more intelligent about her drinking in the future.  More specifically, hopefully this will convince her to be careful drinking, because she almost didn’t make her birthday + 1.

I think the biggest problem (other than her stupid, stupid decisions last night) is friends.  In the modern world, it seams many people are more than happy to push others to dangerous acts while staying cautiously a few steps behind.  Especially headed off to college, where you suddenly become best friends with numerous people you never knew before (in her case via sports team), but whom you think you can trust.

People need to know that NO ONE cares more for your safety then yourself.  Everyone else may care for you because they will miss your presence, or lack a person to hang out with, or make jokes with, or play sports with, but no one else really cares for YOUR LIFE.

I really hope she’s smarter in the future…

Uncategorized alcohol, death, family, suicide

I am  constantly frustrated with  myself.  I am a big believer that one must learn from one’s mistakes, and move on.  I find, however, that no many mistakes I have made, and then resolved to learn from and never to repeat, I seem to always make another.

Eventually, I hope, I will actually survive a day without f*cking up.  Should that ever happen, I think I will be able to consider life a success.  Or at least, I will be able to say that my life may one day be a success.

I also get frustrated because I have never found what I Want.  Often times things happen that I would like, things I hoped, and wanted to happen; but I have yet (notice the optimism) to find the one thing that defines what I Want To Be.

So, every night, I relieve my mistakes mentally, to learn from them, in a strange desperate hope that it will help me turn my wants into my Want.

Maybe one day.

Introspection failure, frustration, philosophy, psychology, Stoicism, stress

There is an article in the September 2009 Scientific American about the counting ability in animals.  There was a really interesting point (in reference to a monkey who responded faster than college students) : “‘The monkey didn’t mind missing every once in a while…It wants to get past the mistake and on to the next problem…whereas college students can’t shake their worry over guessing wrong (p.24).’”

This seems to suggest that the monkey (and to generalize for no real reason, most animals) place more value on being right (i.e. maximize the number of successful attempts w/o regard to failures) while we tend to place more value on not being wrong.

Off the top of my head, I would guess that it is a result of human culture; that we discipline ourselves to avoid error more than nature would necessitate.

I wonder if animals have a fear of failure.

Admittedly, hardly an empirical fact given the info provided.  However, interesting.  That is all.

Observations, Questions animal, psychology, science

I really abhor big exam type activities.  I feel like instead, it should be a give and take.  When you have had a couple of in-depth discussions, and have covered all the objectives, and have demonstrated through multiple conversations that you have retained the requisite knowledge for a length of time, then you should be complete.  Thus, the individual being examined proves depth of knowledge and its retention, without the one-try-good-luck situation.

Of course, it would never work because the majority of people would use the situation as a crunch to minimize their own input.

But it would be awesome.

Introspection

I recently saw District 9, and thought it was pretty awesome.  I think its one of the first movies I’ve seen with believable aliens (i.e. aliens aren’t ridiculously human looking/capable of speaking English for no apparent reason).  The plot was pretty entertaining, if about 3 percent plausible, and the living situation was remarkable realistic.

Apparently, the housing for the aliens was filmed in existing housing, with only one shack built for the movie (complete with hanging meat and everything).  I thought that the South African location / discriminated racial group situation was particularly apt and well pulled off.

I was a little disappointed with the ending, as I feel like it was just setting up a sequel.  Or maybe they were playing the trendy-leave-the-watcher-curious thing.

Aside from a couple of (fairly minor) incongruities, I thought the entire thing was awesomely thought provoking.  I am a huge fan of the way the aliens communicated by speaking their own language, and listening/understanding english.

Sweetness... Aliens, communication, Movies