8/26/2000 8:00 PM

This is a confusing time we live in.  We are still at the infancy of space exploration, fusion reactors, astrophysics, etc.  Computers are advancing at an extraordinary rate.  Pretty soon, we will probably have AI, genetic enhancements, gravity-wave propulsion…  if we don’t blow it.

Most people couldn’t care less about the human race’s future.  It is merely a triviality to them, like all of the other events in our world.  Why would one want to even consider caring for a race that doesn’t care about itself?  Amazingly, there are a few people that do care.

Scientists want to advance our education, technology, health, and our quality of life in general.  Religions claim to want to advance things, but it is merely weaving the moral fibers so tight that no one will be able to escape.  Politicians will stop at nothing to shape society in their vision.  Some businesses owners really do care.  Steve Balmer (Microsoft) put a lot of money into SETI.

Is this really a lot of people?  No, I’d say 1-5% (probably less) of the population really care about improvement.  So, why do so few people care?  Most people are content to put up with day-to-day issues and very little else.  I would classify this as apathy, ignorance, and selfishness.  Most people are content with following the lives of celebrities, watching professional wrestling, worrying about what clothes are currently in style, listening to Britney Spears, trying the newest diet fad, climbing the corporate ladder (or not) by any means necessary, watching the latest reality show, and who won the latest of the now numerous worthless TV awards shows.

Why is everyone so shallow and uncaring about what really matters?  I really don’t know the answer.  If I had to guess, I would say that people are interested in instant gratification.  If a job is too hard, choose something easier.  Instead of reading a book and using your imagination, watch TV so that you won’t have to think.  Listen to preachers and politicians so you’ll know what you should believe.  Don’t think for yourself, dammit, what you could come up with is probably wrong.  Gosh, it all makes me sick.

Freewill doesn’t really exist anymore.  People choose to be force-fed information.  They chose to have other people control major aspects of their lives.  You only have limited choice on matters of drugs, life and death, morality.  It is no longer your choice to screw up your life anymore.

All politicians are basically evil  (of course there are always exceptions).  If some psychopath goes and shoots up kids in a school, where is the finger pointed?  Society…  nothing is ever truly the individual’s fault anymore.  It must be violence on TV, it must be a computer game, it cannot be the individual’s fault.  I guess that’s just too small of a target.  Justice has to be served, and everyone becomes the victim.

Why must artwork, music, entertainment, and everyone else be made to suffer for the crimes of a few?  It must be because the real solutions are too difficult to comprehend and implement.  It might take… gasp! Some actual work.  For the real problems, there are no ten-second answers.  This again refers to the instant gratification thing.  No one wants to get their hands dirty anymore. 

I don’t like the idea that my tax money goes to programs that I do not care about.  I admit that people need help from time to time, but programs like Medicare, social security, etc. are ridiculous.  This is an example of people not taking care of their own interests.  Social security should be replaced by individual, mandatory 401k programs.  Welfare should be done away with for the most part.  Having a job should be mandatory if you want any help at all.  Don’t come bitching to me saying no jobs are available.  Look in the classifieds and you’ll find hundreds of jobs.  What?  There’s nothing there that you want to do or pays as much as you’d like?  Too fucking bad, some of us really work for a living.

I don’t think I’m cold-hearted.  I just believe too many people are slackers.  I saw a lot of dumbasses in high school ignore their education and futures.  Yes!  Most of the time, it’s someone’s own fault if they are a failure.  If you fail at something, try harder, smarter.  If you continue to fail, you need more education or you need to try something new.  Yes, I am the product of a mostly-public school education and I am well-off.  Oh well, that’s enough ranting for tonight.