Month: October 2023

Inconsiderate

Mentioning, linking to, caring about posts that don’t give a crap about others is a useless affair. In the name of sanity, I must exercise my right to disengage.

Local sites like Nextdoor cry out in vain for addressing my concern about regular citizens being mocked and told that their concerns are illegitimate or just unwarranted. The lawlessness is alarming.

We don’t know others’ state

Lewis wrote of the fallacy of appearances. “Madness frequently discovers itself merely by unnecessary deviation from the usual modes of the world” (Christian Reflections). Specifically, Lewis spoke of his friend Smart as showing his disturbance by falling on his knees and praying in the street.

Testified.

But he also said, “it is greater madness not to pray at all.”

I don’t know. Maybe I will know as I am known one day, in this world. But it seems a far way away. I believe I know the prayers. I know the pacing unsettlement. That inward turn.

I’m high functioning. But I know others who are not. Their lives are stopped, but maybe they attend support groups and then go back to the struggle when it ends. I was there.

Lewis thought that Smart should not be shut up because he was not doing anything detrimental to society. Smart insisted on people praying with him, and Lewis said he would rather pray with him “than anyone else.” He wore dirty clothing. Lewis, humorously, said he didn’t have any need for clean linen.

Abraham prayed to God. He sought forgiveness; the fervent prayer of a righteous man achieves much.

It’s been 15 years since I had any significant problems, but I believe I understand the prayers sent up with hope of an answer.

On Influencing

Yes, I can see your channel with logo and background. Your great production value. Your giveaways. And your sponsors have an attraction to your audience reach.

But business would as soon sell out for cat videos. Checking Ask the Public and Ubersuggest will show the current searches.

Fickle are the keywords.

Is “each new technological medium, and the professions it spawns…more soulless than the last…no longer ‘reaching for the stars’ but aiming instead for the more lowly consolations of stardom?” While Wired’s concept of soul may emanate from a non-religious spirituality (and desire to be relevant), this has to give one pause. Technology will progress, but what does reaching for the stars mean?

They do have it right on the face of it: stardom does not console the soul’s reaching for relevance. Can’t the wisdom of masses be more than popularity? When does your truth voice have sway? What does mass-produced influencing bring to it?

  1. Concealed competitive hierarchies.
  2. Unreliable, concentrated-at-the-top spoils.
  3. Becoming a vapid mascot for brands.
  4. Failure to demand meaningful contributions to one’s community.
  5. Blurring between personal and professional roles.
  6. Mandated likes, shares, and follows of a life of frenetic people-pleasing and social conformity (Wired).

The author should be commended: people-pleasing and social conformity destroy. So question: what happens when your audience contradicts or exhibits fleeing your channel? What happens when you lose followers?

I do not want to say the obvious.

The time will come where you must say what you believe. Is your moral(ity) spread throughout the network? Have you lost yourself in cheers and accolades? The answers are as old as Augustus raising the thumb.

We understand the pressures, the shrinking of your circle of friends, but your dissolving self asks, what is next?

As I wrote in the poetry of my worst times, the top is here and there is nothing seen.

23 and Me and You and Your Identity

This 23andMe data breach came out last Friday, but I wanted to mention it. It didn’t get the notice it should have because of Saturday’s events. It is certainly odd that Jewish and Chinese individuals were targeted. Why anyone would want this type of data, from a certain ethnic group?

But speculation aside, this is a big deal. The culprits are selling these records.

Nothing new

Was the “occupation” of 1967 the beginning of troubles? There was evil committed against the Jews in 1948 during the war for independence, and decades before and after Israel became a nation. (Add this to hundreds of years of pograms, lynchings, and persecutions.)

The terrorists want no recognition of Israel, no negotiations, no peace.

If the Gazan arabs laid down their weapons there would be peace, if the Israelis laid down their weapons there would be a massacre.

The good Gazan arabs need to stop supporting the evil ones.

Beware Fake USB Flash Drives and SSDs

Just a reminder for recognizing fake flash media (SSDs and USB flash drives), since I shopped for some recently.

OK I admit it. I look for bargains online that are not smart purchases, e.g. USB flash drives or solid state drives (SSDs) that are cheap. But those bargains may be hiding garbage technology or malicious software. In general, you should buy for the quality and dependability of a known manufacturer (see suggested manufacturers below). Also consider whether you want a lower or higher range drive from these companies as price will vary. Continue reading “Beware Fake USB Flash Drives and SSDs”

News headlines

These stories are distressing. Watching the news can disturb your well-being, well at least mine. In every story is the possibility of further stress. Here are three sets of practices to cope with bad news, but I can tell you from personal experience that mental health is a day-to-day conflict; I don’t remember what exactly transpired on former days. As Christ said, the worries of today are sufficient. I can do a mental check–yes, “I remember that”–but the gravity of that day does not equal the gravity of today. There is not a great sense of self when you are struggling. Just the opposite.