December 13, 2005

• Topic: Bullet-point thoughts

  
  

  
  
  • The movie the Graduate does an excellent job of demonstrating the multi-generational desire of young people to do something “different” with their lives.
    
  • It’s possible to grow close to people in a matter of days or weeks in ways in which you cannot grow close to certain people who you know for 20+ years.
    
  • The most important social issues of all time, are those that are necessary for improving the quality of life for the lot of mankind.  For the mostpart, happiness is derived from healthy interactions amongst people…therefor, one of the most useful ways to improve mankind is to work towards overcoming the intentional and unintentional barriers that create isolation amongst people.  When people can both identify with their unique groups, and also feel close with those of varying skin colors, cultural backgrounds, genders, sexual preferences, social and economic status, personalities, then the world will have moved towards a better place.  Addressing economic and political issues is just tinkering at the margins of the central issue that needs to be tinkered with, which is the psychology of human beings towards other human beings.
    
  • I love chocolate and peanut butter.
    
  • I think there is no room in this world for dreamers, because dreamers are not awake to reality.  This world, however, is ripe for idealists and pragmatists. 
    
  • “Everything that has ever been said, has been said…The problem is that nobody listens.  Out job, then, is to say things again, only better.  In order to say things better, we need to know how things were said in the past.” (recently obituary)
    
  • Although relatively speaking, the poor in developing countries have less than the poor in developed countries, the ultimate question worth addressing is what level of have’s and have-not’s is acceptable?  There will always be income gaps, and material gaps, but for both the rich and poor alike, what is it that everyone should be entitiled to? 
    
  • Are there truly injustices in the world that are black & white?  Is there anything in the world, outside of the health and mental well-being of our closest friends and family, that should keep us up at night?  Are there situations that are black & white where our fellow human beings are suffering while nations watch, or are some of these situations clouded by varying approaches on how to help those who are suffering? 
    
  • ex) are rich countries simply greedy and exploitive in their handling of global trade and int’l lending institutions such as the WTO…or are we quick to judge and failing to understand complexities, such as the loss of jobs to European sugar farmers in Ireland and Finland, and cotton farmer in the US, in our hopes to develop the economies of Africa? 
    
  • Is there a ‘SYSTEM OF CONTROL’ whereby we are kept ignorant and apathetic to the suffering of the poor and other misdeeds committed by governments, through education, the media, and the nature of our work?  Is it really the system that is controlling us, or have we just not listened to the voices of the past, so that we may do things smarter and more efficiently today?
    
  • Where in NYC can people assemble indoor and in public, where they can socialize and talk, and not have to pay a lot of money, or any money at all?
    
  • Are ambition and professional drive misguided?  If I can stay at my current job, where I work comfortable hours, have lots of free time to read, chat w/ friends, think, and make plans for my free time, with little stress and responsibility, a job that isn’t all that boring because of how i use my free time, is there any reason for me to feel shame for the work that I do, or to desire to want to achieve something more?
    
  • I haven’t had ice cream in a long time…and i’m thinking of cutting back on dairy somewhat for health reasons.  I wonder if there’s good organic chocolate peanut butter cookie dough ice cream?
    
  • out for ice cream…

  • 11:49 am
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