psst...it's crossposted...
derailed post from a February night
it's hard having faith in my ability to change the world around me when so many others have no faith in their abilities to exact change. Deep Ellum, a place close to my heart for all the great memories it's been a venue for, has been beaten down so bad it can't open its eyes anymore. this isn't new, it's been struggling on life-support since the millenium changeover. but who did anything to make things better? sure, there was some resistance at first, but then people quit fighting when it persisted instead of taking stronger measures to overcome the sickness preying upon the area. it seems like no one cares, like they've accepted its death and are ready to let it go.
a similar thing is occurring in little D. despite citizens' efforts, combined with some other people in the area who still have compassion left in them, Fry Street as i've known it for the better part of the last 12 years is also about to change dramatically. soon, the independent restaurants and bars will be replaced by drug stores and fast food outlets. which is insane considering there's still plenty of available, undeveloped space they could take over in town. but no, they want to move in where places like Tomato Pizza, Cool Beans, and Bagheri's are. places with their own unique atmospheres, with workers you look forward to seeing time and again. sure, the places are a little run-down, but why not pour this money into revitalizing them so they attract more business instead of just tearing it down? ...as one UNT student recently said, according to the NT Daily (and i'm paraphrasing, since i don't have a copy in front of me): it's going to happen anyway, so everyone may as well just accept it. that's the mentality i despise. what happened to never giving up without a fight? or "damn the man, save the Empire"? this notion that we can't change things and just have to deal with the way they are or soon will be is a mentality that cripples us. it's this same mentality that has people voting for candidates who don't serve our interests, don't care about our needs, and who believe that the youth vote is worthless. it's this mentality that has us stuck in Iraq instead of focusing our attentions where they really belong. it's this mentality that keeps people glued to their TVs or computers while the world passes them by. it's this mentality that keeps the undereducated from trying to better themselves and their situation, preferring to remain in dead-end positions for slave wages. it's this mentality that has people shopping at stores with cheap prices instead of paying extra for Quality goods. it's this mentality that fosters a worldview where working for something is less valued than the get-rich-quick scheme and being "discovered." and it's this mentality that keeps people locked down in categories and beliefs that cause more harm than good.
mediocrity and ignorance and apathy are NOT ideals. these things lead to a quicker death, and little else. educate yourself. accept challenges and stand up to them and see it through. if you fail, learn from your mistakes so you can succeed the next time around. stop swallowing everything you're spoonfed just because it's simpler than spitting it back in their faces and finding something healthier to digest. make something of yourself. if you want improvements, you've got to make some effort, no matter how big, and you've got to believe that it matters. even if you can't cause an immediate change, maybe someone else will see the value of whatever you're fighting for and will carry on the struggle so the change can happen for future generations to benefit from.
(personally, i don't get how ANYONE can believe the unbelievable, unrealistic, and often contradictory writings in books that claim to be the "divine word," but they can't believe they can impact the world they live in, even a little.)
i leave you with this final thought,
"(I)t is noble to strive after noble objects, no matter what happens to us."--Socrates (from Phaedrus)
derailed post from a February night
it's hard having faith in my ability to change the world around me when so many others have no faith in their abilities to exact change. Deep Ellum, a place close to my heart for all the great memories it's been a venue for, has been beaten down so bad it can't open its eyes anymore. this isn't new, it's been struggling on life-support since the millenium changeover. but who did anything to make things better? sure, there was some resistance at first, but then people quit fighting when it persisted instead of taking stronger measures to overcome the sickness preying upon the area. it seems like no one cares, like they've accepted its death and are ready to let it go.
a similar thing is occurring in little D. despite citizens' efforts, combined with some other people in the area who still have compassion left in them, Fry Street as i've known it for the better part of the last 12 years is also about to change dramatically. soon, the independent restaurants and bars will be replaced by drug stores and fast food outlets. which is insane considering there's still plenty of available, undeveloped space they could take over in town. but no, they want to move in where places like Tomato Pizza, Cool Beans, and Bagheri's are. places with their own unique atmospheres, with workers you look forward to seeing time and again. sure, the places are a little run-down, but why not pour this money into revitalizing them so they attract more business instead of just tearing it down? ...as one UNT student recently said, according to the NT Daily (and i'm paraphrasing, since i don't have a copy in front of me): it's going to happen anyway, so everyone may as well just accept it. that's the mentality i despise. what happened to never giving up without a fight? or "damn the man, save the Empire"? this notion that we can't change things and just have to deal with the way they are or soon will be is a mentality that cripples us. it's this same mentality that has people voting for candidates who don't serve our interests, don't care about our needs, and who believe that the youth vote is worthless. it's this mentality that has us stuck in Iraq instead of focusing our attentions where they really belong. it's this mentality that keeps people glued to their TVs or computers while the world passes them by. it's this mentality that keeps the undereducated from trying to better themselves and their situation, preferring to remain in dead-end positions for slave wages. it's this mentality that has people shopping at stores with cheap prices instead of paying extra for Quality goods. it's this mentality that fosters a worldview where working for something is less valued than the get-rich-quick scheme and being "discovered." and it's this mentality that keeps people locked down in categories and beliefs that cause more harm than good.
mediocrity and ignorance and apathy are NOT ideals. these things lead to a quicker death, and little else. educate yourself. accept challenges and stand up to them and see it through. if you fail, learn from your mistakes so you can succeed the next time around. stop swallowing everything you're spoonfed just because it's simpler than spitting it back in their faces and finding something healthier to digest. make something of yourself. if you want improvements, you've got to make some effort, no matter how big, and you've got to believe that it matters. even if you can't cause an immediate change, maybe someone else will see the value of whatever you're fighting for and will carry on the struggle so the change can happen for future generations to benefit from.
(personally, i don't get how ANYONE can believe the unbelievable, unrealistic, and often contradictory writings in books that claim to be the "divine word," but they can't believe they can impact the world they live in, even a little.)
i leave you with this final thought,
"(I)t is noble to strive after noble objects, no matter what happens to us."--Socrates (from Phaedrus)
and what's the deal with mediocrity anyway??? i say, unless something grabs me by the ears and screams "HEY!!! FUCK YOU, I'M AWESOME!!!" then i'm really not interested.
You?