Over the last few weeks, whenever I have approached the Foggy Bottom Metro here in DC, I've beden confronted with the chants, yells, and exclamations of overzealous, chirpy alternative spring breakers hitting up decent, hard working folk for money. "Alternative," meaning they are not going to be sucking jello shots off each others navels in Cancun. Instead, they'll be piously building homes for the less fortunate, cleaning up dirty parks, administering first aid, or teaching dirty little kids how to read...you get the picture. Because they have so generously decided to throw away their spring breaks and devote themselves to doing volunteer work they believe we should support their trip, because....damned if they'll spend any money on it.
Alternative spring breaks are a load of croc, they have no economic logic. If your goal is to make the world the best place it could possibly be, in the most efficient manner, you would never go on an alternative spring break. Just spending money on air fare to travel across the nation or to another country negates any benefit of your trip. Instead, you could do civic work locally, where there is no shortage of its need. In an case, it's alright to have a vacation guys and gals. People owe it to themselves to relax, unwind, and reflect. Further, I suspect, most alternative spring breaks aren't spent doing sanctimous civic construction 100% of the time. These trips are group activites, and friends probably spend their nights drinking or sight seeing. It's pretty lame to try and make yourself feel fulfilled by spending a quarter of your vacation inefficiently building a house at public sector pace, but it's even lamer to have used other people's money to do so.
Look, there are people who need help, and we should help them. But, even if this was 2005, going hundreds of miles to help rebuild homes after Hurricane Katrina for just a week is not worth it. If you want to be efficient, you have to totally dedicate yourself to that cause. You're not a carpenter or a construction worker. Building houses is not easy, it takes skilled labor. Going to New Orleans for a few days and doing some grunt work which someone else much closer to the area could do, maybe for a little money, makes no sense. You could instead become a part of, in whichever way is the most efficient, the overarching effort to rebuild New Orleans. Something like this would require taking a semester off from school, but invaluable experience would be gained, and it would be even better (and more efficient) if it somehow related to your educational and career goals.
Long story short, enjoy your one week reprieve from reading, quizzes, tests, and social drama. Don't feel like you're helping the world by putting up some vinyl siding, you're not. Be efficient, enjoy life, recharge.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Monday, January 26, 2009
Fear Of A Gay Man...
So many young men (and older men, but I won't focus on them) claim to be "disgusted" or "repulsed" by the thought of homosexual acts between two males. These men are from a variety of geographic and socioeconomic backgrounds.
Personally, I think its not all bullshit, but that men should get over themselves. I can understand the male uneasiness towards homosexuality, but not its total extent and severity. When I was a child the thought of kissing another man made me squirm. Why? I'm still not sure. Maybe it was because I had never seen such an act before or that homosexuality was not at all talked about by my immediate or extended family. One reason for sure, had to be my heterosexuality. I was not wired to be attracted to the male gender. But before long, as I became a teen, the idea of homosexual sex stopped bothering me at all. I accepted it as readily as I accepted the idea of heterosexual sex. I reasoned that the two acts were really not so different mechanically, even if they were different in application.
This is where me and many males seem to differ. While my uneasiness with homosexuality was purely based on my own heterosexuality, there seems to be an additional conditioning element with many young men. They have never let go of that uneasiness with homosexuality and they have added on top of that the idea that homosexual behavior is "unnatural," "perverse," and "disgusting."
Why? Are these men prudes? Surely not. Although most of the men I know are pretty sexually inexperienced, presented with all sorts of kinky suggestions from any attractive women I'm sure they would jump at the chance (at least in private).
What does that mean? I'm not completely sure. Many who I have talked to, when asked to actually expand upon their repulsion of homosexuality, are unable to do so in any thoughtful or articulate manner. Their usual and banal response (if i may articulate it for them) is only to reiterate that the thought of two men having sex makes them physically and mentally shudder and that gay sex is not natural because only a man and a women can have a child.
I believe that, in truth, their communities are the author of their own beliefs. They believe what they are supposed to believe. They live (or grew up) in closed off societies, where gay people are not openly out in public. They belong to a boys club where "manliness" is put on a pedestal and any signs of homosexuality (synonymous with weakness) is totally frowned upon.
How did these communities form these beliefs? The source was probably fear. A heterosexual man's fear of a gay man coming onto him or his offspring. Fear of the stories they had heard of the stereotypically flamboyant gay man. Fear of anything different than the current order. Fear of the gay man borne out of a mix of ignorance and conservatism. Because gay people are traditionally so few in number relative to straight people, it is easy to see how straight men (who like the way things are) would single them out as a potentially subversive element to the local order.
However, those who fear the gay man. You must change your ways, you cannot keep your beliefs! Just as many racists from the 1950s and 1960s were not able to hold onto their own racism or pass it on to their children, you and your seed will be forced to change because that is the power of the tide! As gay people unify to increase their strength and rallying power, they cannot be ignored for much longer.
Don't fear gay people! Sure they make life more complicated, less uniform. But, they are just like us in the most important of ways. They too can be some of the most intelligent of human beings. And they too can be some of the most petty, ignorant, and callous. They too can love and care and grow and raise. They may be sexually different, but tis "no worse, than what's goin on in your parents' bedrooms." We must accept them just as they in turn, accept us.
Basically, accept. Don't be a bitch. Man up, you heterosexual sissies.
Personally, I think its not all bullshit, but that men should get over themselves. I can understand the male uneasiness towards homosexuality, but not its total extent and severity. When I was a child the thought of kissing another man made me squirm. Why? I'm still not sure. Maybe it was because I had never seen such an act before or that homosexuality was not at all talked about by my immediate or extended family. One reason for sure, had to be my heterosexuality. I was not wired to be attracted to the male gender. But before long, as I became a teen, the idea of homosexual sex stopped bothering me at all. I accepted it as readily as I accepted the idea of heterosexual sex. I reasoned that the two acts were really not so different mechanically, even if they were different in application.
This is where me and many males seem to differ. While my uneasiness with homosexuality was purely based on my own heterosexuality, there seems to be an additional conditioning element with many young men. They have never let go of that uneasiness with homosexuality and they have added on top of that the idea that homosexual behavior is "unnatural," "perverse," and "disgusting."
Why? Are these men prudes? Surely not. Although most of the men I know are pretty sexually inexperienced, presented with all sorts of kinky suggestions from any attractive women I'm sure they would jump at the chance (at least in private).
What does that mean? I'm not completely sure. Many who I have talked to, when asked to actually expand upon their repulsion of homosexuality, are unable to do so in any thoughtful or articulate manner. Their usual and banal response (if i may articulate it for them) is only to reiterate that the thought of two men having sex makes them physically and mentally shudder and that gay sex is not natural because only a man and a women can have a child.
I believe that, in truth, their communities are the author of their own beliefs. They believe what they are supposed to believe. They live (or grew up) in closed off societies, where gay people are not openly out in public. They belong to a boys club where "manliness" is put on a pedestal and any signs of homosexuality (synonymous with weakness) is totally frowned upon.
How did these communities form these beliefs? The source was probably fear. A heterosexual man's fear of a gay man coming onto him or his offspring. Fear of the stories they had heard of the stereotypically flamboyant gay man. Fear of anything different than the current order. Fear of the gay man borne out of a mix of ignorance and conservatism. Because gay people are traditionally so few in number relative to straight people, it is easy to see how straight men (who like the way things are) would single them out as a potentially subversive element to the local order.
However, those who fear the gay man. You must change your ways, you cannot keep your beliefs! Just as many racists from the 1950s and 1960s were not able to hold onto their own racism or pass it on to their children, you and your seed will be forced to change because that is the power of the tide! As gay people unify to increase their strength and rallying power, they cannot be ignored for much longer.
Don't fear gay people! Sure they make life more complicated, less uniform. But, they are just like us in the most important of ways. They too can be some of the most intelligent of human beings. And they too can be some of the most petty, ignorant, and callous. They too can love and care and grow and raise. They may be sexually different, but tis "no worse, than what's goin on in your parents' bedrooms." We must accept them just as they in turn, accept us.
Basically, accept. Don't be a bitch. Man up, you heterosexual sissies.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Saigon: Album Was It's Own Prophecy?
Saigon the rapper is most famous for acting as a fictionalized version of himself in the television show Entourage. But in the rap world he has probably had the most REAL buzz of any rapper in the last 3 years (although that buzz has died down considerably now).
Anyways, Saigon has released a new song called "trans-atlantic slave deal." The song details the trials and tribulations of attempting to release his album "The Greatest Story Never Told" on Atlantic Records before he was dropped from the label in May 2008. The song is in the format of a radio interview with the verses consisting of Saigon's answers to the questions posed. This is especially hilarious to me because I once heard a Hot 93.7 interview with Saigon (probably one of a hundred he has done) that was very similar to the format of this song (except without the answers being rapped).
No one can deny that Saigon has talent as a rapper, he is probably better than most who release records these days. However, his claims in this song seem pretty dubious. All of his forays into making "conscious music" like he claims his album is all about have been overly simple and pretty disastrous (see "Pain in My Life" and "Believe It"). Joe Budden just released a random diss track aimed at Saigon called "Letter to Saigon" where he brings up a lot of good points. Sidebar: Jay-Z on "Come On Baby" (Saigon's feature track) did a pretty classic verse. Saigon was not bad either...but Jay-Z made that song...actually they complemented each other pretty well but that song with just Saigon on it is not nearly on the same level. Also, Just Blaze (the producer) KILLED THAT TRACK.
http://www.imeem.com/people/8pppM_/music/uHOcBRWc/saigon_come_on_baby_remix_feat_swizz_beatz_jayz/
It seems to me that Saigon has hit upon a great idea. Put out a couple good mixtape tracks and just hype up your album saying its the best thing ever and then never release it and call yourself a victim of the game. You go down in history as one of the greatest rappers who never got a chance and people will always give you some modicum of respect. Saigon may even have been thinking of this plan from the start with his super ironic title "The Greatest Story Never Told" which has (will?) not (never?) be told.
Of course, Joe Budden (as far as I know) has no reason to go and diss Saigon other than to try and create some buzz for his new album. Joe Budden is a good rapper, he even makes some good existential rap but he just can't get any traction with mainstream audiences. Sucks for him. Really.
Both Saigon and Joe Budden ain't no Lupe Fiasco, so oh well for them.
Trans-Atlantic Slave Deal: http://www.xxlmag.com/online/?p=34250
Letter To Saigon: http://www.xxlmag.com/online/?p=34449
Anyways, Saigon has released a new song called "trans-atlantic slave deal." The song details the trials and tribulations of attempting to release his album "The Greatest Story Never Told" on Atlantic Records before he was dropped from the label in May 2008. The song is in the format of a radio interview with the verses consisting of Saigon's answers to the questions posed. This is especially hilarious to me because I once heard a Hot 93.7 interview with Saigon (probably one of a hundred he has done) that was very similar to the format of this song (except without the answers being rapped).
No one can deny that Saigon has talent as a rapper, he is probably better than most who release records these days. However, his claims in this song seem pretty dubious. All of his forays into making "conscious music" like he claims his album is all about have been overly simple and pretty disastrous (see "Pain in My Life" and "Believe It"). Joe Budden just released a random diss track aimed at Saigon called "Letter to Saigon" where he brings up a lot of good points. Sidebar: Jay-Z on "Come On Baby" (Saigon's feature track) did a pretty classic verse. Saigon was not bad either...but Jay-Z made that song...actually they complemented each other pretty well but that song with just Saigon on it is not nearly on the same level. Also, Just Blaze (the producer) KILLED THAT TRACK.
http://www.imeem.com/people/8pppM_/music/uHOcBRWc/saigon_come_on_baby_remix_feat_swizz_beatz_jayz/
It seems to me that Saigon has hit upon a great idea. Put out a couple good mixtape tracks and just hype up your album saying its the best thing ever and then never release it and call yourself a victim of the game. You go down in history as one of the greatest rappers who never got a chance and people will always give you some modicum of respect. Saigon may even have been thinking of this plan from the start with his super ironic title "The Greatest Story Never Told" which has (will?) not (never?) be told.
Of course, Joe Budden (as far as I know) has no reason to go and diss Saigon other than to try and create some buzz for his new album. Joe Budden is a good rapper, he even makes some good existential rap but he just can't get any traction with mainstream audiences. Sucks for him. Really.
Both Saigon and Joe Budden ain't no Lupe Fiasco, so oh well for them.
Trans-Atlantic Slave Deal: http://www.xxlmag.com/online/?p=34250
Letter To Saigon: http://www.xxlmag.com/online/?p=34449
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