China or Chinatown USA?

Anyone ever see that Karate Kid movie? I mean the new one with Jaden Smith, not Ralph Maggio? Well, you should know that The New Karate kid is complete Bullshit. There are no other Black people in China. I am the only one, and if anyone says different, they're a lying prick.

If you haven't figured it out, I'm writing from china, which means that this whole enterprise of using Blogger is pretty fucking illegal. With that said, China isn't so different from the U.S. lets go down the list:

America

Consumed with Consumerism

China 

Consumed with Image

America

Hates poor people

China

Hates poor people

America

I drink too much

China

I drink too much

America 

Asians can't drive

China

Asians can't drive 

Yet, there are some differences that show the beauty of the two cultures

China 

No political dissension

America

A plethora of political options and opportunities

China 

Ethnocentric

America

Warm and accepting to every culture ever

You get the idea. 

In any event, the morale of today's story is that if a random person approaches you to  go to a tea shop, she's trying to take your money...all of your money. Now THAT'S an ancient Chinese Secret.

 P.S. I'm not the only Black person here. There are like 10 Nigerians somewhere. 

Comfortably Numb

In the midst of the long and winding road called life, is it best to feel anything at all? When no one can hear, see, or help, is it best to be comfortably numb? I've heard ignorance is bliss, and perhaps the beauty of this statement is its ultimate truth. As a lover of knowledge, naturally, I'm diametrically opposed to this statement. However, upon further reflection, perhaps the best times in my life were when I was younger (not that twenty three is old at all). What i'm saying is; I miss the days when a simple reassurance from my mom was all I needed. I think we're all like this. I'm just wondering if I'm happier with the knowledge i've attained? Or if the experiences of youth were better. As people become more knowledgeable, as the world becomes smaller, as religion provides less reassurance, and as humanity seems...well...as destructive as ever. What's the ultimate good in our accumulated knowledge? Especially considering the fact we were happier as children.

What I Fear Most

Ok, ok, what's going on America? A country whose first amendment includes "freedom of speech" sure is getting bitchy when it comes to, and here's the kicker, FREEDOM OF SPEECH. What's this atmosphere against speaking your mind? Of course a prime example is the backlash Ricky Gervais has received from this years Golden Globe awards. In my mind, he basically said things we all know to be true (and trust me, if you've seen the movie, you know it's true) I.E how was The Tourist nominated for anything????..... ANYTHING?? I mean, what do you expect a brash comedian to say?  But there are more examples, Helen Thomas being fired from the White House Press Corps, Rick Sanchez being fired from CNN, and Juan Williams being fired from NPR. See where I'm going with this? And I know freedom of speech works both ways. A literal depiction of the first amendment would be me blogging; you disagreeing, me responding, and you disagreeing, on and on and on (oh America). But what is this firing business? it seems people are being fired because of some group they've offended. Juan Williams said the Muslims attacked us on 9/11. And though I'm not calling my Muslim friends, or Muslims in general terrorist...did someone else attack us on 9/11? I thought these specific attackers were all Muslim? My point is, America has gotten to a point where people are afraid to say obvious things out of fear of being fired. Speech is being curtailed because it's too "messy" or "Brash" and this is what fear most.

"I'd Rather be Dead, Than Living and Broke"

Is a quote from an unnamed Facebook status. Ok, I know the name, but for privacy's sake, will remain nameless. Earlier today, a friend of mine ( who will also remain nameless) was crying due to finances. These two events deserve consideration. In what way do finances affect our lives? A commodity with no intrinsic value, has been the cause of suicide, war, disease, corruption, and slavery. What psychological power does an inanimate object have, to make one kill his brother, or create songs praising it's worth? If the power of this god is so great, so entrenched in the minds of society, is it possible to have a satisfactory life without, or with very little of it? How can one have a successful relationship without the worship of this beast?

Furthermore...

When the phrase, "I don't care about money" is stated, it's either highly naive, or disassociated with our reality ( or at least my reality). If Bill Gates utters, "I don't care about money" he's disassociated, and if Comrade Yosef says it, he's naive.  Whatever your perspective, we are trapped in a world where, as history shows, paper means more than ethics, morals, and all those other things you can think of. This being the case, how can one develop relationships, when stuck on broke? Using an example from my life, lets say I'm broke...better yet, let's say I'm rich. After hanging out with a "broad," does she genuinely like me? Or is she enamored with the great time we've had? Or if we take the autobiographical approach, lets say I'm broke. Did the relationship fail because..well..I suck, or because we couldn't do anything that requires money (most of the fun stuff)? I mean, creativity and sweetness can't last forever, or in my case, the matriculation through college.
Humans are social creatures. We eat food we haven't caught, wear clothes we haven't made, and live in houses we haven't built. We understand the "love" of money is wrong, and yet our actions are geared toward it's accumulation. The best things in life are truly free. However, when these things are adulterated by consumerism and supply- and- demand, what does that say about society? Perhaps, if the choices are, dead vs. living and broke. A society based on, "the collective group" would be wiser than a society based off the individual; a construct not found in other primates. Perhaps when society cultivates thoughts of money over life, I'd rather be dead, than living and broke.