Fashion & its Impact on Society & Individuals, Part II

The Trend is Dead; Long Live the Trend!
by George A. Miu

For a society that is materialistic and, for the most part, highly deconstructionist, we appear to ignore our modern inclinations when it comes to assessing the overall character of other human beings with regard to appearance. It is one of the few aspects of life in which we seek to understand in general terms, rather than in particulars. In other words, we no longer care about the internal processes and the causality that brought about the external factors that account for the umbrella term “fashion”.

Those around us, as per social norm, are clothed. They style their hair (or maybe not), wear a variety of artificial scents and substances and, depending on personal preference, are liable to cover (or not) specific parts of the anatomy (just think turtlenecks or cleavage).

Since we have been mass-producing clothing for a fair chunk of time, our trends have evolved in several different directions; consequently, unanimous agreement within the parameters of “good” and “bad” fashion taste is as rare as a non-scandalous Lady Gaga outfit.

So we have cliques, offshoots, rebellious movements and a lot of hilarity. There are really only very few distinct standards of universal fashion – things like color matching, for instance. But for the most part, we are free to dress however we like without incurring the wrath of society as a whole.

Note carefully: that we are free to do something (and not get crucified for it) does not mean that it will necessarily engender any admiration. Au contraire – outside the workplace (and formal occasions), a suit draws question marks as to intent, dressy-shirts bring about glances and baggy outfits do not exist. Just kidding – we only wish they didn’t. Yet, having clothes that fit well and are carefully arranged in an ensemble will, most likely, bring about good things, irrespective of the newest, red-hottest trend.

Seasons come and go; popularity is, by definition, short lived. Perhaps the most secure way of expressing oneself is not through threads, but rather through the content of character. I mean – if you think Lil Wayne is the Second Coming, and that the hood holds miraculous depths that society is not yet ready to understand – that’s fantastic. Really. But it would be substantially more rewarding if I could get this message in a more sublime way than through how you dress. The same goes for those who believe that Queen Victoria, or maybe even Casanova, or whoever else you so choose, was the aforementioned Second Coming.

My advice is to be neutral. Dress well, and by all means accentuate your blandness with small-but-noticeable items that are seen by the acute and astute investigator. But to overdo it is to simplify, dilute and overstate your message about life and society. Then, you lose your individuality and become the symbol of a caricaturized notion that most of us don’t really care about, anyway.

Fashion & its Impact on Society & Individuals

Fashion is a virtue yet to be discovered.
by Neal R. Karski

It would be undeniably difficult to exert any sort of judgment of a person or group of people that we meet without taking into consideration his, her or their outfits. Our clothing has virtually become a part of our appearance – the way we look and present ourselves. It may complement our physical appearance or take away from it and it is up to every individual to make a decision for him or herself [of course, only if the individual cares to do so]. Although many motivational speakers say “Feel comfortable in your own skin,” the fashion trends have become the numerous different skins we put on – either because we are attracted to the trend, want to satisfy ourselves or others, or plainly because we’ve been brainwashed by the immensely-budgeted marketing and advertising campaigns. In any case, we’ve come out of the comfort zone and taken on an ideal image of the “good look”.

But fashion in itself does not come as a freebie. It’s largely dependent on the incomes of individuals and the prices of the markets of stores, boutiques, designers and big corporates. Here is an example. A person with high expenses, a median income, and a taste for high fashion faces a conflict of financial management – a person has to make a choice between fashion and obligation. On the other hand, a person with a very low income and a keen interest in fashion cannot possibly further develop that interest into a daily activity of dressing up in desired clothing and apparel. So has fashion become for the rich and the famous? Or can we rid ourselves of the financial restraints and explore fashion on its pure level of individuality and uniqueness?

No one can disregard the fact that being fashionable (whatever that may mean nowadays) brings other’s attentiveness and admiration [or critique] to the overall presence of the individual. People, especially in the United States, are drawn to appearance, as it is the major component of first impression, which overlooks the intelligence of the individual and focuses on the visual aspect more intently. But… it’s true. I’ve always told my friends that the way they dress and look will matter in a variety of environments (social, educational, occupational, etc.). And thus, they took some time to improve certain elements of their “fashions,” and progressed.

Although fashion brings artificiality, social class divergence and not-always-so-beneficial marketing schemes, it is a way for all people to express themselves – in a way that their finances permit them to. Some say “You look good, you feel good.” This statement is very subjective. Try and explore your own fashion, and see what satisfies you and those around you the most… because fashion is a virtue yet to be discovered.

God Bless.

Antihero

Candles in the Shadow – Why the Antihero Fascinates
by George A. Miu

Traditional heroes are difficult to embrace in a modern world that is filled with oft-conflicting motivations and complex social structures. We have difficulty understanding the knight in shining armor, who is almost never beset by moral uncertainty or self-doubt, and would much rather relate to the intrinsically-flawed-yet-well-intentioned protagonist. Such a character, most often dubbed an “antihero”, is faced with the very human task of meandering through their destiny while winning over the affection of the grand impartial observer (namely – the reader).

Yet, one must not limit one’s perception to the realm of good; antiheroes can be evil, too. Whether or not this is their defining feature is up to the environment in which they reside and the actions they choose to execute. But all antiheroes are fundamentally tainted creatures, whether it be by virtue of a murky past or characteristics such as bitterness, sarcasm or cynicism (or, if you’re lucky, all of the above). The point is that, in becoming acquainted with an antihero, we begin to sympathize with the cruel nature of reality, where nothing is proclaimed to be “wholly good” or “wholly evil” without eliciting a myriad of “what if” scenarios.

The murky-past facet is arguably more powerful, due to its instantaneous ability to provoke soul-searching and reflection in those who are subjected to its portrayal. We are naturally drawn to ponder sudden deaths, lost loves or traumatic events while others around us are doing the same; but when we are faced with the prospect of spending the entirety of a book or movie with a brooding, bitter hero, the game changes. Their losses become ours, and the syndrome is reciprocated when we associate the antihero with our own failures and tribulations.

Lo and behold, the antihero becomes a dyad of sorts, where the incontrovertible fact in our lives is merged with the mystery and drama of the rigid, fictionalized past. Slowly, as the story proceeds, the epicenter of this strange fusion becomes increasingly blurred, until we become the antihero, and the antihero becomes us. And then, something miraculous happens…

At what should, in all honesty, be the most depressing point of our empathetic experience, we begin to feel relief. Our shortcomings are no longer ours alone to bear, and we feel a sense of camaraderie with another soul that, previously, had exacted our pity. We are simultaneously accompanied on a journey of our weaknesses, and give our invaluable companionship in return. Suddenly, it does not matter that the antihero never existed, and that their fate was set in stone long before we were made aware of it. The audience and the flawed character partake in the abstract exchange of experiences, which all conscious minds can then translate into concrete, palpable virtues and actions.

All of this is testament to our ability to detach from the constraints of our own condition, and inhabit a hypothetical plane. All of this is therefore testament to our humanity.

Reality

Reality: A Personal Case Study
by Neal R. Karski

Thus, I shall what I’ve started with the first personal case study of destiny. In this piece, Part 2, I will provide you, keen observers, with my analysis of the concept of reality. Note that this post reflects the thoughts of an individual, that is myself, and does not represent any absolute truths or proven facts [just to clear things up].

Every day, we take the steps we haven’t pursued before. We look carefully in the mirror at the inherent face, the clothes we wear and we attempt to describe the feelings and emotions we experience. And every day, they are different. We hear the chirping birds, glance at the blooming plants and talk to our close ones. But is everything that we do real? Or does your imagination play a part in our perception: creating what we see, hear, feel. Does the adjective of “real” even relate to reality?

I often question reality; its existence, laws, complexity. One way, I can say that I, myself, have the power to create what’s real through the works of my mind. But the other way, every person that manages to think and take footsteps on this planet has a right to dispute my statement and say that he or she is the one that creates reality. So therefore, is reality split? Is it an individual concept that belongs to each and every human being? Or is reality a universal notion that transcends beyond our understanding? At times, it seems to me that we’re trapped in a world, where everything appears apparent, but the underlying laws works in mysterious ways to alter this equilibrium and our perception of the continuing reality. That’s when we lose touch. We ask ourselves – Is this real?

Questions. Questions. Questions. I pardon each and every one of you, as this post is filled with them, yet like many of you I seek the answers [whether through writing or other means]. I’m a curious learner of the unexplainable, the sought after, the forbidden.

Now, we must ask ourselves… if it’s not real, then is it unreal, surreal or fake? What is the opposite of reality? And does it exist? I am not capable of fully comprehending the realm beyond reality where world is like a dream, or my imagination. Wait! Dreams, imagination and engendered thoughts. It may seem to us that those elements are the elements beyond reality, thus we would label anti-reality as something that is shared commonly by human beings, where more than one person can experience the event or interaction and take away from it. So does reality urge experience? And the surreal is purely an individual concept? I guess we’ll never know, eh?

God Bless.

The Inherent Racism

The Inherent Racism
by George A. Miu

NOTE: This is not a racist piece. It is a tongue-in-cheek piece. If you think being offended on behalf of these issues makes you more humane and upstanding, do not read on! If you are often the last to laugh, or cannot elicit a chuckle to save your life, please shut down your browser. Thanks.

It’s about time we admitted it. Certain prejudices are wired into the human brain; it is widely considered abnormal to lack any sort of a bias towards one race or another, the article I have attached to the end of the post suggests.

Here’s my little game: give a young girl or boy two pictures: one of a black boy, the other of a white one. Ask them: “Who is the naughty boy?” and watch them point to the child that does not belong to their race. According to my little article, the overwhelming majority of children seem to think more highly of their race.

Well that’s a relief. We have scoured the psychological terrain in young’uns and discovered that, on a deep, existential level, blacks and whites consistently accuse one another of being naughty. I could’ve gotten my favorite Chicago panhandler (a fine gentleman by the name of Jake, who opens doors for cab passengers by the Metra LaSalle Street Station) to attest to the same thing. Of course, Jake puts it a little differently:

“They look at me like I got some … infectious disease,” he tells me wisely.

In all honesty, you’re more likely to catch something terrible off those filthy hand-rails you so religiously use at all the CTA stops. But it doesn’t stop people from giving the African-American Jake a huge detour. In his turn, Jake accuses the white man of unthinkable crimes with every other breath. So it goes.

On a more troubling note, I must confess that I have seen many of my friends utter a lot of racially-charged nonsense, only to go out the next day and pretend to treat everyone the same, irrespective of skin color. The real problem is that children overhear and subconsciously understand the biases of their elders without necessarily being exposed to unprintable language. That, in addition to the natural tendency to profile by race, results in an incorrigible attitude that will not fade with time.

The Earth spins on its axis, still. White people will still fear nameless, faceless, very very black people are out to steal their stereos (or iPods, more appropriately). Black people will still assume that the corporate suit-clad white man is secretly supportive of the KKK and against affirmative action, while Hispanics will entertain the notion that blacks and whites alike are conspiring to build a wall around this country. Of course, all of these people will drop these phantasms as soon as they walk out of their front doors, only to revisit them late at night, before drifting into the eventual half-remembered dream.

http://www.livescience.com/culture/sexism-racism-social-stereotypes-100412.html

Destiny

Personal Case Study: Destiny
by Neal R. Karski

I was really intrigued by the two recent films “Shutter Island” and “Inception,” in which Leonardo DiCaprio showed masterful acting skills and presented to us many questions that we ask ourselves every day. I managed to dig up a couple of the underlying themes from those movies, both very captivating and at times perplexing. The following piece will address my personal case study of destiny, whereas Part II will entail the matter of reality. Take a quick read.

Destiny is a concept driven by each and every human being. Therefore, it is subjective. One may believe that he or she is does have full control of his or her destiny, or rather share this belief with the moral perspective of God’s omnipotence. Whatever the case, the concept is puzzling to philosophers, theologians and professionals in the health sciences, because it protrudes many layers of core questions. Destiny may or may not be. For some of us, destiny may not exist – it happens to be the present moment that really counts. But how do we formulate what really counts in our lives and relate it to the notion of where we are destined to go… or end up?

I often question destiny when the times are bad or my life has taken on a temporarily-declining direction. I ask myself and God: “Is this a part of my destiny?” – the necessary piece or component of where I’m headed or the person I’m going to become one day. Humans change, largely influenced by other people with whom they interact or cross paths with, and they are significantly affected by plethora of events. Therefore, it is logical to conclude that at every step [of change] our destiny is liable to change, as well. This can be negated if our destiny has been pre-determined, whether by a higher intelligence, such as God, or unconsciously, ourselves. The latter I’ve managed to think about quite thoroughly. It is possible, yet vague, that in our neonate development and childhood we condition ourselves to take certain paths… who knows. The moral outlook also brings up questions such as: Under what conditions has my destiny been pre-determined? Can I change my destiny in any ways? How do I reach salvation? Can destiny be affected by the steps of change? And the most difficult question… What really is destiny?

Since this is my personal case study of the notion of destiny, I will put forth my own definition.

Destiny is a concept that cannot be fully conceived by any human being. We can ask questions and seek answers, but certainty cannot be reached [until we have perished, and maybe not even then]. Destiny is a feeling of my own presence at the point of location and time, and assurance that I’m going forward; I’m progressing toward a more wise, more successful, happier I. I don’t know whether it is my intrinsic destiny, but that feeling leads me to believe [even if foolishly] that I am destined to do outstanding things for myself and altruistically for others. We are all destined to live the life we have, and if everything happens for a reason, the past, the present and the future will collide.

The Decline of Literature in the 21st Century

The Decline of Literature – Case Study: Twilight
by George A. Miu

The world is full of e-books, Kindles and good old-fashioned tomes; everywhere you turn, it seems the advertising realm is alight with means to improving one’s connection with the act of reading. Ironically, the quality of published literature is decreasing, and books no longer have the captivating power that propels societies and inspires generations.

Now that we got the incendiary, generic introduction out of the way, yours truly needs to silence Twilight fans. Okay. Twilight is not high-quality. It does not propel our society; it degrades it. It does not inspire generations. It deludes them. A morbid love-triangle between a vampire, a werewolf and a girl that is eerily reminiscent of the author’s own character is uninspired at best.

Do not call it fantasy. We don’t want JRR Tolkien rolling in his grave.
Do not call it gothic. Edgar Allan Poe is gonna need a drink from his next adventure if you do.
Do not call it a modern novel. Joyce Carol Oates might shift uncomfortably on the couch she’s inhabited for the past two decades.

Twilight has come to symbolize all of the things that we do not want to happen. It is a mere product of the hype machines that dominate our consciousness; it is aimed primarily at an audience too young or too uneducated to distinguish good literature from bad literature. Twilight, as a saga, is an incoherent cacophony of clichés, repeated ad absurdum. Oh – and don’t think I haven’t read the books, because I have (ashamed though I am of it). But if I ever hear anyone talk about Edward’s Adonis-like physique or tortured warm brown eyes … I’ll defecate a brick.

Back to literature, now. The problem we are facing these days is that we have no concrete, well-understood, systematic method of classifying today’s works, in terms of schools of literature. I mean – let’s face it. Modernism was great. Postmodernism was a little unoriginal, but interesting. Post-postmodernism is a joke. You’re telling me that the most talented minds in prose and poetry have not figured out a new major movement
since the late 19^th century? All we get is offshoots. But you can’t feed absurdist pieces to the masses forever, unless you want anarchy to reign. And if it did, the anarchists would be the first to get eaten, anyway.

Oops – I digress yet again. This particular piece has no structure or continuity. Isn’t it annoying? If it is, then that’s because I wrote it in such way so as to reflect the sheer nonsense of post-postmodernism. If you are a literary critic, and happen to be reading this, tell your fellow well-read drinking buddies to get to work coming up with a movement that is not called post-post-postmodernism, and might actually provide a halfway decent guideline for the upcoming generations to abide by. If you are reading this and are not a literary critic (as is most likely), then go off and read some James Joyce or something. There’s nothing to see here in 2010.

The Power of Positive Thinking

The Power of Positive Thinking
by Neal R. Karski

I have read a substantial amount of literature in the last few months that generally spoke about the matter of positive thinking in daily activities, relationships, business and other challenges we face in our lives. Positive thinking has said to be a powerful force in progressing, moving on, succeeding and conclusively, being happy. It’s the factor that triggers the connection we develop with our dreams, goals, people and objects of desire. In the book “Secret,” the authors described the mind and its engulfed thoughts as the most helpful tools to achieve one’s plans of being financially independent or having a loving marriage, when fully utilized and targeted. Many millionaires and billionaires have also stressed the importance of focusing one’s internal wavelengths in the direction of the path one hopes to take with his or her life. Then, we face the issue of alignment. Alignment particularly applies to matching up one’s thoughts with his or her beliefs, values, characteristics, habits, etc. to establish a compatible and continuous pattern [which is said to bring more balance into one’s existence].

Let’s not exclude two very significant elements that allow one to exercise the power of positive thinking. Those are imagination and optimism.

Imagination is the source of one’s ingenuity and creativity. It’s what motivates one to go above and beyond, “up and high in the sky,” and even farther. This element engenders motivation, which consequently also acts as the driver for positive thinking in a specific task or idea-in-works. The authors of the books from which I’ve gathered my knowledge about this subject insisted that one should and must dream and imagine better living conditions, a pleasant vacation or simply a well-paying job at a higher position. Imagination will provide you with ideas you want to pursue and positive thinking will link you to them; all you have to do is act upon it.

Optimism stems from one’s inner ability to perceive positively, with taking into consideration a logical analysis of the circumstances. Optimism also acts as the supporter of the motivational force that is created by imagination and executed with positive thinking. Sometimes, instead of taking a cynical approach, one ought to look on the brighter side (Half Full vs. Half Empty) to see the positive end of the spectrum and learn lessons that can, with time, improve the mood, overall well being and decision making. Optimism is the critical element of positive thinking, because without such thinking would solely remain stagnant… or negative.

Stay Tuned. God Bless.

A Poem

The Recesses of My Consciousness
by George A. Miu

A barrier,
Breached in the night by whispers of a promise
Can never be recovered.

Men and women,
They cannot know what is forbidden – merely pleasant
That is why we fell, after all.

Secretively,
I become the interest and the interested,
My patterns change, and torturous early mornings –
they become blissful as the furtive glances
exchanged over the candlelight.

Fear infects me:
for what has passed and is to come,
for my ambitions and desires.
I fear that I will fall, after all.

The present cycles through stress and relief
I cannot make up my own mind and
I dig deep, dissecting words and motions
awaiting with dread the next unknowable cycle
the stress, relief, then stress again.

External view
accounts for little; I appear cool, detached
and they gaze at their facades in the tint
that protrudes from my own masquerade.
Inside I melt.

I am determined, certain there will be a way,
a reconciliation that solves the amalgam of obstacles
that sneer at me from farther away than I can see.

I pick up my pen to pen a poem:
“My mind springs forth a sweet aroma,
Its recollection uncontested,
Substantially permitting me to roam
A memory of the soul well-rested.

Reclining and lethargic,
I look to speak with her adistant,
Provocative, laconic and
Madly reminiscent.

Tenderly, we make ourselves so very insecure
Precarious, excited, outlandish and demure.
But I find the words within…”

… I try to find the words within.
But I cannot – I am affected. Is that why I will fall?
No, say I resoundingly; tomorrow I will be a king.

To be happy, my friends, is to allow your barriers to be breached in the night,
engulfed in the whispers of a promise.

Personality Types

Day and Night
by Neal R. Karski

As I am a big fanatic of the psychological realm, I decided to write a short piece in which I would compare the two sides of the personality spectrum. Most of my knowledge about this particular field comes from self education, books and personal experiences; the latter which really inspired me to talk about the Type A and Type B classifications. Personally, I find it quite intriguing and at times miraculous how divergent from each other these specific types can become. I happen to fall into the A category: hyperactive, dynamic, “go-go” (seriously), yet my brother, whose personality resembles the passive and introspective model, quite often may be just the exact polar opposite of me (seriously, again).

Thus, I will attempt to portray both personality types in a manner I find suitable for both myself and the readers.

TYPE A

Have you ever found yourself rushing, pacing and sometimes losing focus? But then, that sometimes would transform into a daily occurrence and embark itself as part of your lifestyle – of who you are. Restless, busy, occupied, dynamic, curious. These are just a few adjectives describing the type to which you could relate to. Have you woken up one morning and felt like there was so much in life to explore, to learn, to talk about? But then, there were never enough hours in a day for that, and there were not enough accessible means of transportation to all the places you wanted to see, and you were not satisfying your curiosity cravings up to your par. Type As are hungry for life. They are hunters for thought, idea, entertainment or results. They reject the status quo and wish to progress at a fast, sometimes inconceivable pace. The everlasting driving force keeps them out of their homes, desiring to socialize with others, and interact in many countless activities that can be difficult to manage.

TYPE B

If Type A is the day, then what is Type B? Night! Yes, you’ve guessed correctly. Although the scale on which I’m making this contrast may not present such a drastic differential, frequently it’s a close call. Type Bs tend to be like night… calmer, more peaceful, situated, quieter, still (you get the point), but their introspection allows them to explore individual issues on a deeper level. Relatively, it also directs their attention to a particular task or idea, rather than splitting their stream of consciousness into a multi-dimensional wave of thoughts. Have you ever found yourself acceptant of your current financial, social, occupational, or academic situation? And change wasn’t necessary. Have you ever found yourself comfortable with a small circle of friends rather than being concerned about a popularity trend? And those friends were simply enough. Type Bs like to conduct their lives at a slower pace, and in their own ways. They are lurkers of the quiet sphere; explorers of their own emotions, tied to artistic interests or specific hobbies, unwilling to take a huge leap or make a substantial difference… and usually quite amicable.

Depression, Part II

Pariah – A Personal Story of Treatment
by George A. Miu

In my last post, I wrote about how I feel depression is a human calculation that needs to be resolved. Unfortunately, modern society is ill-equipped to handle the rigorous arithmetic that this human calculation entails. In my own experience with depression, the greater vast majority of my friends harped on and on about how my “Trigger” was trivial and therefore not a legitimate cause of my internal commotion. Expressions such as “drama queen”, “attention seeker” and “nobody cares” circulated, which (one can imagine) did not sit particularly well with me. That was okay, I told myself. All of my friends are mere products of a system that disregards depression, and most were not suited to hypothesize about its causes and symptoms.

A month into the whole fiasco, and people began to avoid me. Soon enough, nobody would listen to my litany of concerns, except for a couple of homeless chaps that roamed the nearby intersections. Driven to desperation, I acted in the only way that I thought would yield improvement – I went into therapy.

For weeks, my therapist and I painstakingly combed through my past and present, scoping out the minutest details in an over-arching process of learning and understanding. Medication was brought up, but not directly recommended by any of the involved parties, and I was not inclined to ask for it, despite its elevated chances of success. My task, as I saw it, was to gain the skills necessary to combat depression in the future, and to undo the effects of the initial trauma that had kept me at its precipice for so long.

Improvement, as a goal, will only ever come gradually. There are no “a-ha” moments, no simple instances of the mind reversing its condition instantaneously. For a while, depression may even get worse during treatment. The only thing that matters is that your vision of the future is corrected, and you are capable of living life as you once did. To me, counseling and force of will were natural solutions, while medication was artificial.

Most importantly, nobody can beat depression without help; some may suppress it for a while, but it invariably returns. I won my mental war because help came at the right moment, from the right people and in all the right ways, not because I am somehow special.

A year later, I have made progress on all fronts – academic, professional, social, emotional – to beyond pre-depression levels. By all accounts, I’m doing better than ever. Still, most of my old friends never came back. Society considers any affliction of the mind to be highly embarrassing. Thus, individuals do not fully understand depression. Consequently, people laugh at it. What they do not know is that therapy helps the multiple aspects of the individual – addresses far more than just their depression. Hence, people emerge from the darkness with abilities they did not previously possess. This is the ultimate vindictive reward of a post-depression life: you, the “drama queen” or “attention seeker”, get the last laugh.

Depression, Part I

A Word on Depression: The Rocky Road to Closure
by George A. Miu

Depression. It emerges from the depths of the mind, latching on to our memories and eventually infesting our present with an outlook that is pessimistic and skewed, never truly permitting us to operate with the efficiency we had always taken for granted.

As depression is becoming more and more prevalent, we have a whole host of doctors, professors and distinguished misters who tell us that the problem evolves from chemical imbalances in the brain. Being a veteran of the mental war that is depression, I find that I disagree with this assessment. If depression was, indeed, a chemical anomaly with no external causes, its rates would never rise or dip beyond a negligible point – namely, the percentage of brains in which the aforementioned anomaly is likely.

My experiences indicate otherwise, at least insofar as I am able to decipher them. Depression is first and foremost a disorder that must be associated with sentiment, as opposed to concrete physiological function. The order runs thus:

One. Genesis: We are traumatized.

Two. Dormancy: We live with the trauma that has not been fully processed.

Three. Trigger: We undergo an experience in which we realize that we are affected deeply by the initial trauma.

Four. Depression: We spiral downwards because we automatically identify all situations in which the previous trauma, as well as the “Trigger”, obstruct us from operating.

Okay. So I’m no psychologist. I know next to nothing about the intricacies of the brain. But I know well enough that a suspended brain can never be in a state of depression, no matter what its chemical composition tells us about it. For the disorder to occur, sentiment is requisite. Yes – there are chemical imbalances that are observed in individuals suffering from depression; these are natural side-effects of sentiment, not primary causes. I did not become depressed because my brain went gaga, but rather because I met my “Trigger”. Only then did my mind go haywire.

I urge all readers who are depressed: Do not look at your condition as a medical calculation to be solved. Look at it as a human calculation that needs to be resolved. Don’t regard yourself as a finite-combination puzzle. Instead, seek out closure so that you can learn to live with your perception of the past, your understanding of the present and your vision for the future. Then, decide on a reasonable way to treat it – more on this in Part II, I promise.

On a closing note, I would like to reason as to why I believe that counseling is necessary for depression treatment, while medication is not. Consider this analogy: sufficient pain medication for a ruptured appendix will cure all symptomatic elements therein. It will make even the most agonized human being believe they will be okay. But it does not eliminate the origin of the potentially-lethal condition. Similarly, medication may cure the chemical imbalance and shift the overall outlook towards the more positive end of the spectrum. Yet, it fails to address the reason it happened in the first-place: an intrinsic dissatisfaction. Of course, medication may be recommended, or even necessary, given the precise nature and gravity of depression. Nevertheless, careful introspection is the only way that a natural catharsis can come into existence.

Part II is on its way tomorrow.

15 Reasons Why the Recession Happened

15 Reasons Why the Recession Happened
by Neal R. Karski

A little bitter, a little sweet. Enjoy.

1. Eminem’s CDs stopped selling.

2. Lil Wayne’s sales and popularity went up… then he went to jail. Let’s not forget Miley.

3. Jersey Shore. Can’t explain what exactly happened there, but it did affect the economy.

4. Apple, and no, not the one at your local fruit market.

5. Welfare and employment played chess. Welfare won.

6. Facebook came out with the policy that does not permit any one to have more than 5000 friends. (Sad face)

7. Lots of homes; not enough landlords.

8. Chat Roulette?!?!

9. Tuitions rose up; IQs did not.

10. The big corporates took nice vacation trips and claimed that Santa did not visit the house on Christmas Eve with tax payers’ money.

11. The biggest “donations” went to the government funds.

12. Savings account and 401ks became unpopular.

13. What is a small business?

14. Kim Kardashian went shopping.

15. Business cycles… life.

Changes in the Music Industry over the Last 50 Years

How the Tune Changes – 50 Years of Music in Retrospect
by George A. Miu

The year is 1960. The Beatles are playing in some dodgy Hamburg nightclub without a clue of their impending worldwide success. Elvis is off making dreadful movies in Hollywood. Buddy Holly is not yet cold in his grave. Vietnam hasn’t started. The Summer of Love is unthinkable at this point.

The year is 2010. The Beatles are still selling million of records, even though they haven’t played a show in more than 40 years. The anniversary of Buddy’s passing still brings out mourners each year. Even Elvis’s movies are loved (which is a remarkable thing, indeed). And the music industry grosses billions upon billions of dollars – kids from LA to Vladivostok are singing Ke$ha’s new song, or googling Eminem. What in the world happened in this last half-century to catalyze such a shift in the importance of music?

Well, for starters, musicians upped the ante. The Beatles broke up in 1970; they played their last concert in 1966. History thus tells us that one of the greatest bands of all time did not perform live for over a third of its immensely productive career. I mean – Vanilla Ice still goes on tour with the same tired song time and again; why couldn’t the Beatles get it together on stage? Anyway – the point here is that, by playing more shows and doing a tour with every new album, modern artists enter the public consciousness a lot more easily.

Also, artists are increasingly built to target a specific audience; for example – Justin Bieber for the tweens, Michael Bublé for the modern Sinatra-lovers and the late, great Johnny Cash for the all-around hard-assed. They then cross-over into general audiences, but always have a specific fanbase, as opposed to the more willy-nilly marketing tactics of ages past.

Similarly, people are more responsive to music. Cliques begin forming around artistic tastes more than anything, and this, in turn, spreads the appeal of various genres to perceptive by-standers.

These three factors weighed in heavily from the 70’s onwards, and created memorable musical movements whose impact is still widely felt today. It also set the stage for technology to come to the rescue – from iPods to iTunes, music is now easy to obtain and to listen to. No more mammoth gramophones, bulky walkmen and chunky CD players. A laptop and small portable device are all you need to access pretty much all the music anyone would ever want.

All of these developments, and many more, contributed to the radical transformation that the music industry has undergone in the past fifty years. I have to wonder, now – what will the next five decades bring?

Relationships and Dating in the US

The Game
by Neal R. Karski

The subject of relationships in the United States is one that I find very interesting and worth exploring in depth. Having lived in Europe, in the Southeastern and Midwestern parts of the US, I happened to acquire a lot of knowledge about the way in which social associations develop and fall apart. This knowledge was derived from a variety of unique experiences of my own and others in my surroundings, as well as the keen observations I’ve managed to store and ponder in my mind.

Let’s begin.

Relationships, whether it be a commitment between a girlfriend and a boyfriend or a friendship between two people, are what I like to call The Game. The Game implies that the process of dating [which used to be referred to as “courting”] has now become much more complex and at times perplexing for either or both parties involved. The simplicity-and-value ridden system of rules that guides the couples in their endeavors exerts a very unstable groundwork. *Think of the quote by Vince Vaughn in Wedding Crashers about dating. Social media certainly doesn’t make it any less difficult to maintain good relations with a friend or a significant other. Every day, we’re exposed to stories, movies and TV shows that display unfruitful relationships and compulsive issues that can impact our perception and even diminish hope.

Originally, I planned to compare the situation of the matter which I’m addressing in terms of the United States and Europe, but I will postpone this analysis in a form of a future post.

The Game is my own personal theory and does not constitute for the views of anyone but mine. Therefore, imagine yourself on a date with a beautiful or handsome person that you are pursuing. Great locations and meal choices, interesting and ongoing conversation, plus there is a positive tension. Now, be careful – Red Tape [or more closely known as Bureaucracy] kicks in when you haven’t realized it. Multiple complications arise at different corners, you or the other person is not capable of accepting something they do not approve of, this is going too fast, feelings, physical attraction, should I impress him [or her], where will this connection go, am I ready? Houston, we have a problem – the field of gravity is a bit “shaky.” Now, instead of pinpointing the significant values of the potential or existing relationship, we’re focused on what can be possibly wrong? Disvalues, not values, play the major role in this movie.

And we see that not every casual dating couple ends up together. Not every relationship [by all means] is a fairy tale we see in the movies – the good ‘ole “Hey-Climax-Rough Times-Love” kind of event flow. Pause for a second and think… Maybe we, ourselves, make dating and the relationships we have to complex and over think the meaning behind why we are here with this person and not another. Who knows… for some this way may be preferable.

Today’s Reality: Game Over.

The Realm of Romance
by George A. Miu

Everyone is looking for that special someone. Even after finding a good enough partner for the long haul, we continually assess and reassess one another in terms of compatibility, emotional security, physical attraction factors and a plethora of other categories.

In the USA, as far as I can tell, there are two major stages in this process: that of dating (i.e. being on the lookout for a romantic partner) and that of marriage/life partnerships (i.e. making the commitment to be with someone for the rest of one’s life, barring certain circumstances). Various individuals progress through these at various points at different speeds, or maybe even not at all. The important thing is that we have carefully defined social patterns that indicate, both to ourselves and to our significant others, certain levels of development in a relationship. For example, it is considered taboo to talk about, say, children’s names, on a first date.

What distinguishes modern times from ages past, however, is that the average childbearing age has risen by almost six years over the past three decades. This trend affects our romantic endeavors, as progressively fewer people are prepared to start families at young ages, thus lengthening the dating stage in the above process. In theory, this should mean that there are fewer divorces, since the maturity levels increase at the time of marriage. Yet, this is clearly not so, seeing as the divorce rate revolves around the 50 percent mark in the USA.

We can conclude that something is broken in the realm of romance. The way I see it, the major culprit is the modern job competitiveness. Most people have to go to college to make a good living, and that is no easy feat. It puts off having a family until at least 22-23 years of age. I mean, they call it a Bachelor’s Degree for a reason, people. Furthermore, the instability that follows graduation creates an unsuitable environment for a young family.

Women, too, are a resurgent and critical force in these times. Increasing numbers are postponing motherhood in order to pursue careers – and who can blame them? So, by the time we are ripe for matrimony, the social and economic stress levels are so high that disagreements are liable to take place between spouses, leading to our elevated divorce rates.

Don’t get me wrong: I’d be chuffed to the bollocks if everything could revert back to the old-fashioned ideal American family. But doing so would be causing a great disservice to our economy, to women and, ultimately, to our free will to pursue whatever we so choose. There is no quick fix to whatever is broken in the romantic world. It’s simply a necessary consequence of the times.

The Rise of Developing Economies in the Globalized World

The New World
by Neal R. Karski

The world today looks nothing like it did it two hundred, hundred or even fifty years ago. The times of imperialism appear to be almost over, and many nations on the other side of the globe are not ruled by their occupants via means of frigid treatment and limited freedom. Yes, the business influences and viewpoints have spread around the world and a vast amount of entrepreneurs traveled to foreign lands to pursue their ideas. Earth has now become a mix up, where the melting pot explodes with booming [previously underdeveloped] economies. The reality is at the horizon; no nation can dominate solely and for the entirety of contemporary history.

There are a few notions that I believe one should take into account to analyze and comprehend this phenomenon…

United States depression has paved path for other economies to show their potential. With the decreasing value of the dollar and the failure of finance corporates in the wealthiest nation, others, like China, have stepped up their game to utilize their investments and contribute to their technological, educational and commercial growth.

The population size of the countries with developing economies has allowed them to implement the mass production systems with low labor wages. These systems, initially, were closely similar to the ones of the United States, yet enhanced by the many more able hands willing to work and live in lower and less adaptable standards. Sometimes business takes an unjust advantage of the necessity of survival… but each nation has its own way of leveling the economy.

The world is flat – A.K.A. Globalization. Yes, the pun was intended to suggest to you the book by Thomas L. Friedman, who through excellent language and descriptive story telling shared his theory on today’s competitive world and its very narrow room for coincidence in the economic trends. The battle field has now widened, connected its many corners via technology, and opened doors for nations like Brazil and India who struggled to truly put themselves on the map of economic decision makers in the global stock markets. We all used to say… “Well Russia will never catch up” or “China makes good Nikes, but that’s about it”.

The reality is, the competition is not only within the U.S. now. It’s global. And many economists have predicted that it’s their turn… the round of rising developing economies.

God Bless.

Rise or Fall? Developing Economies and the Notion of Globalization
by George A. Miu

Look around you. I’m willing to bet all my readers that there is an object that is inscribed “Made in China” within ten feet of you. Even if you do like to buy American. Well, I guess China isn’t a developing economy any longer, but this doesn’t change the fact that there are a lot of goods floating around that are made in third-world countries and sold cheaply over here.

Such is the nature of a global economy. Some are buying, others are selling, and everyone is doing something or other. Now, consider this:

A “developing economy” makes a certain product, whatever it may be. If this product is sold for profit on another continent, most of the extra dollars that are made are kept by the big corporations. A little goes through to the workers and the factory. Most developing countries deal with at least one of the following two problems: political instability and high levels of poverty.

The little money that the workers do earn is by no means enough to elevate them above the poverty with which most factory workers contend. Since vast numbers are employed in this field, especially if the country is a big “producer” of certain goods, the poverty level is not helped by this mercantile trade pattern. Indeed, the only ones who become “rich” are the owners and the political elite…

…which brings us to the concept of political instability. In dictatorships, or strict systems of government under which most third-world countries operate, the government’s money comes from abroad and by virtue of the upper-classes who want to maintain their privileged status. Therefore, feeding money into factories and such will only help bolster a government that does not permit the wealth to be evenly distributed in proportion to the individual’s value in terms of productivity. Hence, the political instability is renewed, as the majority of the populace will feel cheated by their leaders.

On the other hand, building factories and boosting production is how all countries must develop; oftentimes, this is a painful process in which the human sacrifices are astounding. Remember that China, the world’s largest producer of … anything … is now considered a powerhouse in economic terms, whereas in the not-too-distant past they, too, were deemed to be a “poor country”. This shift may have occurred due to the globalized economy, or a variety of other reasons (which will be the topic of another post).

The question here is this: ought we to permit a global economy to occasionally run riot against the interests of untold millions, for the benefit of fewer millions, in the hope that all will turn out well? Or is it not worth it? If not, what alternatives do we have that are even remotely plausible, considering the oft-selfish nature of human beings? And why does this feel like 20 questions?

Linguistics in America

Today, we feature just one article, written by George A. Miu, who possesses a wide range of knowledge specifically related to the topic. Enjoy.

The Fluency Problem in Our Schools, and a Proposed Solution
by George A. Miu

I have been very fortunate in life; I have been thrown into long-term situations that necessitated speedy assimilation of a given language: first, it was English, then Arabic, and then French. My native Romanian tongue, also, has had to be employed at various times. I will not go so far as to say that I am fluent in all four, but I have a passable understanding of the spoken language first and foremost.

Upon arriving in the US, I enrolled in French classes at my high school, and found that I was more advanced than the rest of my class. This was not because of some amazing talent I had for the language, but rather because of the way in which it was taught to me. I was, intellectually speaking, no more advanced than any of my classmates; yet, I found the course we were all enrolled in to be rather trivial.

I often reflect upon these times, and my thought has yielded fruit! America suffers from what I like to call a “fluency problem”. All of my colleagues in the aforementioned high school class had approximately the same reading and writing skills. However, they lacked the necessary comfort in actually speaking French. This is because, from the onset of their education, they were taught to conjugate verbs and memorize sometimes-absurd lists of words. Our classes were always split into four sections: reading, writing, listening and speaking, with an emphasis on the first two.

This is unique to the United States. In my British school, all language courses were focused on acquiring fluency in speaking first, and then in writing and reading. Of course, if one looks at ordinary human development, we learn to speak in sentences long before we can write them or read them. I believe that it is advantageous to employ the same sort of pedagogical philosophy in approaching second and third languages, too. In my experience, a five-minute oral exam does more for my vocabulary and understanding of the language than a fifty minute written exam.

I propose that the approach to foreign languages in our schools be changed to incorporate a greater focus on speaking and listening, rather than reading and writing. In this way, for example, a two-year student of a given language can commence writing the sentences they already speak in and subsequently learn the nuances at an accelerated pace.

We live in a multi-lingual environment, both here and abroad. If we can write our requests better than we can speak them, solving problems becomes a theoretical task done on paper. Since this is not the way of the world, I suggest that we develop a system whereby human tendencies are given higher regard.

Only when this is done will Americans be regarded as more than uni-lingual creatures, forever stranded when abroad.

Growing Culture of Video Games

The Transformation of Video Games and their Impact on the Society
by Neal R. Karski

Video games… ever since the 1990s when the early phenomenons appeared on the markets across the world this phenomenon has gained increasing popularity as the producers improved their quality and realistic nature. Twenty years later, video game platforms and consoles are present in hundreds of thousands of domestic and commercial locations across the globe where users can interact with each other, compete and enhance their skills with online experience. This form of entertainment, initially most utilized by younger generations, has now grown into a field of all ages… we can say that as the world has become more liberalized, so has the interest in playing hits such as Call of Duty or FIFA.

One may say… “Video games have given me a chance to escape reality without leaving my household,” another may reason “There are so many things I want to do in my life, but I don’t have the finances or opportunities to – video games are those opportunities”. Whether you agree or not, that happens to be your own opinion. That is exactly the purpose of video games: to satisfy one’s own personal needs of entertainment, excitement, leisure, past times, social gathering with friends, etc. It is meant to give one, as the individual owner and user of the video game platform, the options, the choices, the personal freedom to venture into different worlds and different occupations.

Now let’s briefly discuss the impact of video games on the society… The controversies in the 90s revolved around the censorship of brutality, language, sexual content and such related material displayed via the means of digital graphics. And it is possible that many of these concerns were quite legitimate, as studies have shown that video games did effect the youth in many negative ways. Some countered these arguments stating that video games were an actual and significant source of learning and knowledge of the world [regardless whether it was the “real” world or not]. Opinions on this issue vary to this day. More importantly, I believe that video games have really transformed the perception we have of our surroundings, i.e. the world around us. Through the median of visual and practical utilization of controllers and online characters / players, we’ve somehow become part of the world of video games, and vice versa. It is safe to assume that there are people who have even detached themselves from the psychological reality, and began to lose the comprehension or rather the separation of the two entities.

There is lot more to say on this topic, but for now, this thought has come to an end… George and I certainly would not mind to receive your thoughts…

God Bless

Video Gaming – Pastime or Obsession?
by George A. Miu

Every other week, it seems, we are bombarded with news of a new “revolutionary” console that will forever change the way we enjoy gaming. Of course, most of these are little hand-held gadgets that no person over the age of ten, or below the limits of 20/20 vision, can possibly enjoy. Nevertheless, the hoopla surrounding the PS3, Xbox and Wii appears to have been justified when considering the return that investing in one has yielded in terms of sheer enjoyment. The PC, arguably the world’s forgotten console, has evolved magnificently, too, now being able to run increasingly complex and realistic games.

However, in a seldom anticipated move, gaming has teamed up with the Internet and created a phenomenon that, some argue, can lead to considerable deterioration in our social patterns – online gaming. MMORPGs (Massively-Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games) such as World of Warcraft or Guild Wars appear to have substantial addictive powers that affect millions of gamers worldwide. Every-so-often, reports come out of Asia, Europe and the US pertaining to “gamer deaths” due to exhaustion and a general neglect of hygiene caused by deep obsessions that people develop with their online characters.

It may seem laughable to many of us that people sacrifice their real lives in favor of what, in its most basic, is the ephemeral, illusory representation of chunks of codes designed by programmers. I was privy to the sobering facts my freshman year of college, when a good friend and neighbor told me of having had to “quit” Runescape (an online game) due to a bona fide addiction. Another neighbor developed a similar infatuation with World of Warcraft; his grades suffered, as did his social life.

I remember my dad and I playing Lemmings and Tetris in the mid-to-late 1990s. We never became fixated with it to such a great degree, but then again, games were so much less immersive back then, that it comes as no real surprise. As we advanced in age, we kept up with these habits, never spending more time than was healthy in front of the PC screen. We both know people that fell into the trap of personal neglect, and we deem it to be an easy mistake to make, especially in this day and age when necessities are often satisfied axiomatically.

But let’s remember something here, people. Games are good so long as they provide a temporary escape; the more realistic, the better. But when they constitute a mistaken elimination of the responsibilities that human beings have towards society, video games become a force of evil, rather than one of good.

So when Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft come up with another miracle that will change reality forever, one ought to pause for a moment and think on what kind of change these new inventions precipitate.