In the modern world, we risk becoming alienated from nature, ourselves, and each other. How to avoid a future of disconnection?
World Improvement
Recently, Noel Gallagher, the frontman of the band Oasis, (I didn’t know who he was either) lashed out against fiction, saying, “I only read factual books. I can’t think of … I mean, novels are just a waste of f–king time.” Though we’re all entitled to our opinions, I was perturbed to see such a [...]
A few weeks ago, my sixteen year-old cousin asked her Confirmation advisor whether people who don’t believe in Catholicism go to Heaven. “No,” he replied. “They go to Hell.” My cousin was deeply troubled. She went home and told my aunt, “I don’t know if I can believe in a God who would send friends [...]
Since the day you were born, you’ve been conditioned to think in certain ways. It might seem like you’ve been free to choose your own attitudes and ideas, but for most people, this isn’t really the case. You see, in any society, there is a status quo — a current standard of the most popular [...]
David Foster Wallace is one of my personal heroes. Maybe you’ve never heard of him. Wallace (or DFW) was a novelist, essayist, short story writer, and arguably one of the most notable geniuses of the past few decades. Time magazine cited his novel, “Infinite Jest”, as one of the top 100 novels from 1923 – 2005. [...]
This world contains a colossal amount of scary, evil nastiness. Helpless children are gunned down with increasing regularity in our schools. Real, honest people face constant discrimination because of the color of their skin pigment. Innocent civilians are murdered daily because of wars over whose God knows best. Dedicated life partners are denied marriage because of a natural [...]
Words are the building blocks of the world. Words are powerful beyond measure. This is why Fascist regimes burn books and why corporations pollute mass media with subliminal promotions of popular ideology. Words make us who we are, and if you aren’t conscientious of how words are directing your life, you’re likely a slave to [...]
Every second of every day, we are all changing the world, for better or for worse. Some of you may scoff and think, Bullspiittt. Like what I’m doing right now has any effect on everything else. But you’re wrong. It does. All of our tiny thoughts, words, and actions add up to the whole. You are [...]