Another one for those of you in Social 20...

Here's Part One Booklet in PDF Format:

Booklet

A social question that started a rant

Why is there usually a major conflict between tradition and change?

People often prefer to stick to their standard way of doing things, rather than to change what they and their parents and grandparents have done. Humans generally prefer to have a routine, to do things the same, and tradition is one form of routine. And so conflict arises when changes challenge tradition.

Take Christmas for instance. It is a holiday that is celebrated by nearly every country in the world, and has been since the year 800. It has always been a season of loving, generosity, gift giving, and family. But more recently, changes have been imposed because of things like political correctness and economic prosperity of businesses. For example, there have been many “Christmas Controversies” lately that have been a dramatic conflict between tradition and change. Many commercial retailers (such as Wal-Mart) decided to change their Christmas greeting from “Merry Christmas” to “Happy Holidays” (this was not an isolated incident, as it continues to be used across North America in many commercial and private business alike. This caused an uproar from consumers because it was such a change that they felt was unnecessary. Those from a Christian background were the most upset because of the removal of Christ from the holiday, which has been the focal point of the Christmas holiday for centuries. The businesses argue that they need to for reasons of political correctness, as not everyone is a Christian. The problem with that is, no one has ever complained about Christ being in the word Christmas, it has just been accepted as another holiday. But when “Holidays” replaced “Christmas”, it was more than just Christians complaining. In 2005, Sears Holdings Corporation received multiple threats of boycott from their heavy use of “holiday” in their marketing campaigns. So why were people upset? Because their traditions [saying “Merry Christmas” as a greeting] were threatened by change [to using “Happy Holidays”]. Another related incident was the change from “Christmas Trees” to “Holiday Trees”. Donnie Hatt, the donor of Boston’s 50 foot Christmas tree, is quoted as saying "Ever since I was born, a tree was put up for Christmas, not for holidays, because if you're going to do that you might as well put a tree up for Easter.” This really captures the essence of just what “Holiday” means, that being a general term for a date. But that’s not the point of this.

When our traditions are challenged by change, we will most often stick to the familiar, and keep our feet out of the water. We don’t like change, we like things to be the same, and for there to be order in our lives. And so when some big corporation comes and challenges us to change the way we’ve always done things (such as the Christmas/Holiday example), we feel hostile towards them, and dislike it. Unfortunately for us, change is entirely inevitable.

For those of you in Social 20...

Here it is, in PDF format:

http://w4.media-convert.com/convert/?xid=zppulugy

Feel free to send it to other people in ours/other classes.

Well, the day's over

10:00 PM, and all's well.

That day just went WHIZZING by. I think I'll go watch the National for a bit, then head to bed. But you don't really care, do you. So my friend, I look forward to talking to you in person soon. And drawing some amazing graffiti on your wall.

Good night!

Well

It would seem that there are quite a few people not up to blogging lately. So I might as well.

6:47 and all's well.

So if you're reading this, I would like it if you would do one of two things:
1) Post something in your blog
2) Create a blog, and send me a link

There really is no reason why I shouldn't be writing more, it just becomes so hectic in this world as we get closer to Christmas, which I think totally defeats the purpose of the season. We're recognizing the birth of Jesus, and yet it seems all that gets celebrated is crass commercialism and retail profits.
I just read an article in Wikipedia about Black Friday. That's the day after Thanksgiving (in the US) when everyone starts Christmas shopping. Many employers give the day off, and traffic is a nightmare. Financially, companies that were "running in the red" are suddenly making a profit that day, due to the sudden increase in purchases.
So why is is so obvious in the financial sector, but we have annoying 'Christmas controversies'? What's with "Happy Holidays!" and "Holiday tree"? It's CHRISTMAS! It must be because there's some religion in the word. Do you see anyone wincing at the word Christmas? No. Do you see people wincing at the words, "happy holidays"? Yes, myself included. Why can't we just celebrate it the way we've always celebrated?
And then there's what is to me, totally rude, that being "Xmas". You put a big 'X' where Christ was, essentially taking him out of the holiday. :(

Merry Christmas!

Oh yeah :P

I'm 16 now...


That was.....anti climatic...


I hate birthdays in once sense because it's so awkward sitting there while people sing happy birthday. And what are you supposed to say when people write "Happy birthday!" on your wall? Just smile and say "Thanks [name] :)"? That's all I did...

Confusion, then happiness

I've been so confused in the past few days, but that's not important anymore. I realized that this is just how things work. You have to understand that not everything is going to go your way

AT

THAT

MOMENT.


It might take a while, but eventually the things that need to happen will happen.

So M, I'm sorry I dragged you into this whole post-relationship-confusion thing, and I hope you can forgive me, but when I saw that you were truly happy, and are in love with S, I knew I couldn't be angry with you. This is an affair of the heart, not the mind, and I will have no say in the matter.

Have fun, be happy, and love.

(I'm serious M, you've taught me so much, and I will always be happy for you. You made the call, and I respect that, and friends is now, truly, the best. We have struck the final chord, and this opera is over. The audience will leave, and be happy because the characters found resolution.)

This is directed to YOU

If you're reading this, then this is for you.

You know that thing you know you should do, but just don't have the courage to do? That thing you tell yourself you'll do later, or won't really matter? That thing you're sure will ruin your life, or have people hate you?


DO IT.


DO IT NOW.


Trust me, it makes you feel so much better, and people respect you for it.

For one reader in particular, you will understand the context/motivation behind this. Thanks (a ton) and a big hug for you.

Truth in a quote

"It's not the critic who counts, not the one who points out how the strong man stumbles or how the doer of deeds might have done it better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred with sweat, and dust and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes short again and again, who spends himself in a worthy cause, and who, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly. His place will never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat."

Theodore Roosevelt

Peace?

Ok, this is making no sense to me.

I'm watching a CBC special on remembrance day, and a group of students who went to France to see what happened during WW2. Everyone's very emotional about it, and using that magical word.


Why?


Why did this all happen? It seems that everyone wants peace in this world. Everyone says that peace should be our number one priority, and yet there's still war.


The easiest answer is that there are people who like war, or that war supports the economy, or that people in other countries don't understand. I think there's a much simpler answer.


We just naturally fight. We aren't really peaceful beings. We just naturally don't get along. I can't put it into words right now, but you know what I'm talking about, right?


So really, we can't blame others when we're just as bad ourselves.


"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?"
Matthew 7:2-4

I'm using a lot of Calvin and Hobbes references right now, and I think this will likely be the last one. I'm just reading through all them, and posting the ones I think are really applicable.

The sound of silence?

The silence rips your ears to shreds. It's cavernous, dark. Foreboding.


Nothing stirs.


Your pounding heart and your irregular breath are all that breaks the silence.


You have no way out.


The labyrinth spirals continually.


Who knows if there is any way out?


Who could know that true silence was so loud?


You wander aimlessly it seems.


Your only scrap of hope is the knowledge that if you continue to walk along one wall, you will eventually get out.


But what will you get out to?


Could this labyrinth be all there is left in this world?


The silence kills, but you are safe within it.


Do you want to leave?

Cool, part 2...

How cool are we?!?!