Youthful Life: X

"Painful as it may be, a significant emotional event can be the catalyst for choosing a direction that serves us - and those around us - more effectively. Look for the learning."  Louisa May Alcott We are all the main characters of our own life stories . What happens when we're not quite the protagonist and instead overrun by the supporting cast, the "Big Bad" villains, or the pervasive locale as its own character? We must be central to our own narratives AND we have to get out of own stories to realize that every single person has a story just as complex, full, and nuanced as ours. That's a bit difficult to wrap our heads around. If we are the center of our solar system with overlapping components from other celestial bodies then everyone else is also positioned as the center to their own galaxy and universes. How do we depart from our home star base to visit those of others around us? What does it take for us to get out of our own heads and to send out a s...

" America is false to the past, false to the present, and solemnly binds  herself to be false to the future." Frederick Douglass The American Dream is dead. Rather it never existed. Maybe it did, but even then it was not made for everyone to be able to attain it. What's a dream if its within reach for everyone? No it was, is, and always will be reserved for a select few. And to those who don't fit the selection criteria but somehow, against all odds (*read systemic and interpersonal barriers) make it  - the narratives are co-opted to reify the propaganda that the dream is only deferred not denied. This country doesn't want us all the make it. Our society isn't built for everyone to thrive. Our perspective needs people to trounce upon, to use, to throw away as disposable. We need people to other. We need them to be different. We need there to be a distinction between us and them. That is what we are founded on - blood, the ideals of the rich white-ma...

Truth - Reality is relative. The ways that we experience the world vary greatly. It is a testament to people being given the same knowledge or facts, and coming up with different conclusions. Absolute truth may not be quite so absolute. In the wake of a truly dramatic campaign season, the different realities we exist in has once again diverged. The divide from person to person seems to grow. Some are relishing in this brave new world, and others are struck with mortal fear. What thing that holds to be true is that no matter what or who we are, our lived experiences are valid. This is our Dys(U)topia.   "Perhaps the greatest utopia would be if we could all realize that no utopia is possible; no place to run, no place to hide, just take care of business here and now." Jack Carroll Hope and peril . Dreams and nightmares. Awe and terror. This is the tale of two Americas and the multiplicity of realities in between. The day after an election is nothing but an almagation of a ...

Truth - Everything is political. Everything from what we do and what we say, to even our existences are political. The notion that people can be into or out of politics is moot. All that we are is based on beliefs, normalizations, and values that are inherently contestable. Whether we like it or not, we are consumed by politics - in fact, we are the embodiment of politics. The extent to which we show up in political ways can surge and wane but the bottom line is that to exist is to be political. How we navigate those personal politics makes all the difference. "Voters don't decide issues, they decide who will decide issues." George Will Being part of the American general public is an experience. That experience is greatly influenced by our identities and the ways in which we move through this world in addition to our actions, words, and ambitions. What we know to be true, and what has always been true is that each and every person is different. We experience the w...

Truth - Morality and ethics can both be clearly defined, stringent absolutes, and complicated ambiguous gray areas, depending on your ideological beliefs and personal contexts. In living in a society, there are some commonly agreed upon parameters and guidelines that we all accept, whether consciously or inadvertently. Those who operate beyond the bounds of what we deem legal, if caught, are supposed to deal with the established consequences laws, statutes, and orders that have been set in place. The challenge to that bureaucracy when that established system disadvantages certain people or may just very well be inherently corrupt itself. Are we for moral absolutism or are we more moral relativists? "Despite what they tell you, there are simply no moral absolutes in a complex world." Berkeley Breathed Last week  was an adventure and a half. At every junction I came to there were moral and ethical decisions to be made. How do I behave, what is best for not only m...

The 20s are all about knowledge. Just like Adam and Eve are from the tree in the garden of Eden and were endowed with the overwhelming knowledge of good and evil, college can give you the insight to know about the dynamics of the society we live in. Social justice, once you know about it, you're forever obligated to do what you can to promote it whether that be with internal work or advocacy external to yourself. There's no going back. There's no more ignorance to hide behind. You have to take responsibility for your words and actions, and if you choose not to know that even that choice is a privilege in and of itself. It should be bringing people together but "tradition" and closed-mindedness can sometimes be synonymous making the struggle for equity a little too real. Power up, this is the social justice league of America.  Passion is a powerful thing. It's what can drive people and help move mountains but at the same time it can blind you from seeing o...

The  20s are all about celebrating the things around you. What a privilege it is to live in America, arguably one of the most free nations in the world. The US however is not always what's it's cracked up to be. We've still got a long way to go and history might need to be mythbusted for the whole truth to come out, but we still have a lot to be proud of. Let's just put it this way, things could be a whole lot worse. This is your real  state of the union address.  Contrary to popular belief, the United States of America is not the only country in the world. The citizens however would tell you otherwise and act like it. There's billions of other people who inhabit this planet but the way we carry ourselves (excuse the broad generalizations) would have you believing we're the only people on Earth. Other countries that are deemed "inhabitable" and worthy to be "dealt" with are few and far between aka the old European powers like Great Brit...

Being a teenager is all about having some hope. Wanting, and willing for things to happen can be just as powerful as doing things in some cases. Hope shines a light in darkness and helps like the way in the pitch black. Hope reigns as beacon of courage over us in our darkest hour (I Found You). Here begins the next portion of this great American story. It all starts with hope and faith. When we don't have hope we've already given up. What motivation would we have if we didn't have an inkling that things will get better? What would keep us going when all is lost? There's nothing us but hope and faith. Hope is defined as a feeling that a desire will be fulfilled (according to Siri). Faith is a belief in something without proof. They may not make sense to some people but we all have some portion of both that keeps us moving forward. We have to believe in the unseen because not everything can be explained. I used to think things were purely black or white, I've co...