My Xmas wish list

It would be nice if people would take seriously the issue of consumption. Adbusters has been trying to publicize the issue for years, and one of their classic anti-events is coming up this Friday. Yes, it's Buy Nothing Day, the day you avoid crowded malls and hyped-up bullshit. Another proposed activity is Buy Nothing Christmas. The site tells us: "Buy Nothing Christmas is not really about refusing to spend a dime over the holiday season. It’s about taking a deep breath and deciding to opt out of the hype‚ the overcrowded malls‚ and the stressful to–do lists. It’s about reminding ourselves to really think about what we are buying‚ why we are buying it‚ and whether we really need it at all."

This is an idea that I completely support, for a couple of reasons. First, I hate the shopping. Second, I hate trying to come up with ideas for what other people should by for me. Third, I have so much stuff already. A lot of the stuff I have - whether received as a gift or purchased by myself, sits around and never is used. Yet at the time, I "needed" it. Hell, I still find myself "needing" stuff, or just wanting things enough to say, "Fuckit, I'm buyin' that."

Simultaneously, I'm a huge fan of the bounty that capitalism has produced in this country. Apparently, I contain multitudes.

Now, a lot of people out there will argue that anti-consumerism is akin to communism, or is illogical (if I literally consume nothing, I'll die, for example), or is it's own form of hyped-up bullshit and or hypocrisy. And I'm not going to engage that, because it would be pointless. I think the biggest argument I can make is that it's not about anti-consumerism, but rather mindful consumerism. Think about your consumption and its consequences. It's not easy, but if we start paying attention, and teaching our kids to pay attention, maybe in a couple of generations people will find it easier to consume less. Assuming they aren't too busy fighting each other over puddles of filthy water.

It dawned on me ...

Oh, that was my ponderable: This "Age of Aquarius" thing. If the Piscean Age correlates strongly with the rise of Christianity, which is symbolized by the fish, what characteristics might one expect in an age characterized by the water-bearer? What does water "mean"? Rising seas, environmental issues, lots of urination? While I don't believe in the legitimacy of astrology as a "way of knowing" - I am, after all, a product of my culture and environment, and we are still living in a society dominated by Enlightenment principles that value human reason and our ability to know the world through empirical means. But cultural phenomena based in superstition fascinate me. While the mythologies of the Greeks and Romans are mere stories to us now, they left a rich literary and artistic legacy that we can still appreciate. The mythology of Christianity still clings, unfortunately, and disgusts me in its application, but I love the architectural heritage, and just last night I listened to Mozart's Requiem again. Simply amazing, yes. So umm... I don't remember where I was going - oh yeah - So, I wonder about that whole Aquarian thing. Ya know. As I do.

Does art matter?

Yes, according to this article that I found via Arts & Letters Daily. The gist of the story is that the current obsession with standardized test scores, and the tendency to teach with a focus on improving those scores, has undermined the perceived value of the less quantifiable skills students learn through art (and music):

As schools increasingly shape their classes to produce high test scores, many life skills not measured by tests just don't get taught.

[...]

While students in art classes learn techniques specific to art, such as how to draw, how to mix paint, or how to center a pot, they're also taught a remarkable array of mental habits not emphasized elsewhere in school.

Such skills include visual-spatial abilities, reflection, self-criticism, and the willingness to experiment and learn from mistakes. All are important to numerous careers, but are widely ignored by today's standardized tests.

Comics roundup

Get Fuzzy is great.
-- Bucky (the cat) expresses something I've long believed but have lacked the ability to articulate.
-- Political jokes.

Cat and Girl is often hilarious.
-- This is why I buy Powerball tickets once in a while.
-- Oscar Wilde, updated for the Spring Break set.

Dinosaur Comics should never be missed. Don't forget to mouse-over the image for an extra fun message. (If it trails off in ellipses, you'll need to right-click and select Properties to see the whole thing - it's worth it.)
-- Etymology: The best story wins.
-- T-Rex is a Web Architect.
-- T-Rex gets kinky.

I'm like Diogenes, but ...

... instead of an honest man, I'm looking for something worth adding to my "Random Links." And instead of a lantern, I'm using teh internets. But otherwise I'm exactly like Diogenes. Really.

Blogger.com features a "Blog of Note" each weekday, and oftentimes they're interesting enough to merit attention and placement on that list. I saw one the other day called The Caffeinated Librarian and thought it might be promising. When I went to check it out, I was bombarded with post after post about Harry Potter. Well, so much for that.

Today I decided to check again. The first one that caught my eye was Guerrilla Busfare, and I thought, "That might be interesting - it sounds like it could be someone who is pro-mass transit, and that's cool." Then I read the brief description at the top of the page: "There's a fine line between criticism and haterism. Tread lightly." Well, so much for that.

Then there was a link labeled Yeah, That Vegan ****. Hmm. Let's see what this is aboot. Description: "Vegan recipes that will make you scream with unbridled pleasure." I like food, and while I'm a dedicated omnivore, I have no issues with animal-free meals every so often. Plus, I know no fewer than 4 vegetarians. (Hay guys!) Looks like we have a winner!

"Do as I say, not as I do"

I was thinking last night that I'm a big fan of that philosophy in most cases. While I totally understand the opposing viewpoint of "Physician, heal thyself," I don't necessarily think it's the most helpful in dealing with real-life issues. If a bum on the street approaches me and asks for a dollar so he can get food or booze or whatever, and he tells me, "You should be saving up for your retirement," does his poverty negate the value of the advice?

Why I don't like the word at atheist

I'll tell you why, see. Describing oneself as an atheist is like going around telling people, "Hey, I'm not a pedophile (just so you know)." Or walking into a restaurant and announcing to everyone, "I'm not a meat-eater." What if you ask me what I do for a living, and I say, "Well, I'll tell you this much: I'm not a chiropractor"? That doesn't tell you what you want to know. People don't define themselves by what they don't do or believe. If I believe that a rational and natural explanation exists for everything in the universe, whether or not we know that explanation, shouldn't I consider my belief as the source for any label I might choose to apply to myself?