So close, so close

Spring Break is almost upon us. While I sit here in my geology lab, the breeze rolls in through the windows, and I just want to be on the beach with the bueys. Friday we will leave, in a glorious caravan to laguna beach, Fl. Hopefully we can make the Panama run in under twelve parsecs! (just kidding a parsec is 31 trillion kilometers) but seriously, I hope that we beat the traffic down there and have a glorious time. I don't care how the weather is. I mean I want it to be sunny and hot, but even if it isn't it will be ok, because I am going to be relaxing with all of my best friends, the bueys. this blog's namesake. We shall dine on much fresh seafood: oysters, crab legs dipped in butter sauce, peel and eat shrimp, fresh blackened grouper, a cookout full of brats, and even a pancake breakfast one morning. I am so excited that I want to not study for my terrible spanish test that I have tomorrow. It is what I have been looking forward to for weeks, finally my hopes will be realized. hopefully they will be fulfilled beyond my wildest expectations. I love you guys and I am very glad that we will get to spend a week relaxing on the beach together. We will get to see a sans-architecture adam for the first time since the beginning of freshman year! I can't even wait. T-bone is coming!


On a sad note, we will miss the three bueys that will be out of country. Dyson, Bing, and House, I want you three to know that you will be sorely missed. I wish that you could all be coming with us and relaxing, but you will have a good time in london. Just know that we all wish that you were with us.

and then there is this again:

An Unusual Book Review

Yesterday I was feeling quite rebellious. I spent most of my Saturday wandering around central London observing the smattering of protests occuring. London is very much an activist city, mainly due, I believe, to its diversity. After attending a 'Free Tibet' protest in Trafalgar Square, I entered a bookstore. I found myself naturally drawn to the politics section. Looking on the shelves, I saw something I had never seen before. I saw a copy of the most infamous piece of political literature written in the last 250 years- The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx.

Naturally, feeling curious and rebellious, I bought it for a mere pound. This was a small, personal act of rebellion against my American Southern conservative Christian upbringing. I did not realize this beforehand, but this infamous and villified piece of literature measures but 30 pages in length. As soon as I got home, I began to tear into it, curious to see how the hype surrounding this pamphlet matched the reality of its contents. What follows is a summary/review of what I drew out of The Communist Manifesto.

Summary

In the first few pages of the pamphlet, Marx proposes that humanity is divided into two groups: the bourgeoisie and the proletariats. In short, the bourgeoisie is the ruling class and the proletariats are the working class. The proletariat exists for the sole purpose of making the bourgeoisie money, or capital. The proles provide cheap labour for minimum wage, and then in turn, the bourgeoisie makes a huge profit on the goods produced by the proletariat. Once the workers earn their measley paycheck, most of it is taken back by the bourgeoisie in the form of taxes, rent, and purchased good.

As Marx continues to describe social conditions of Europe, he talks about several ideas that are still prevalent. He touches on the idea of globalisation, and claims that, in a sense, it is a sort of colonisation attempt by the bourgeoisie. It is in the interest of the bourgeoisie to 'civilise' foreign people, such as occurred with Africa and Asia at the hands of European imperialism. In doing so, new markets are created for the goods produced by cheap proletariat labour, thus increasing the capital of the bourgeois. Marx also proposes that some nations are essentially enslaved to other nations. This is an idea that we refer to now as the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd world nations. These are terms we use frequently, but most of us don't understand the meanings of them. 1st world nations are essentially the bourgeois nations. 3rd world nations are the proles. the 1st world uses the 3rd world to produce cheap goods and labour. 2nd world nations are typically communist or socialist nations, and sometimes play the role of 1st world nations and sometimes play the role of 3rd world nations. Marx also talks about wage labour, an idea now know as 'wage slavery' to some. It proposes that hiring oneself out for wages (especially low wages) is akin to slavery. Sure, you're getting paid, but only just enough to survive, just as slaves are treated.

Marx procedes to lay out ten foundations of communism, which are known today as the Ten Planks. I won't list them because they make no sense out of context. Basically, they propose taking the property and money of the bourgeoisie and dividing it among the proletariat, because, after all, the proles are the ones who earned all the money for the bourgeoisie anyways. Towareds the end of the pamphlet, Marx says that communists support any revolution against the established order, regardless of who is rebelling or why. This echoes a bit of anarchism and you begin to understand why the two schools of thought seem to be linked. Not until the very last paragraph of the publication does Marx call for violent overthrow of the bourgeoisie.

Review

First of all, let me say right now that this is not an easy piece of literature to read. It took me over two hours to read 30 pages. I found myself reading paragraphs and sentences over and over again to understand them. The fact that it was translated from German probably didn't help.

To be honest, I am surprised at what I found between the covers of The Communist Manifesto. It was mostly a diagnosis and not a prescription, if you follow me. Marx devotes the vast majority of the book explaining and analyzing the flaws and evil of the current structure of society, and very little time proposing solutions. Many of Marx's diagnoses ring true, unfortunately. The plight of workers has improved significantly since 1848, but it is still evident that workers exist to make the bourgeoisie money, and for no other reason. They are still paid as little as possible, but thanks to unions, the wage is now actually somewhat of a living wage. Also, the diagnosis about enslaved nations probably rings truer now than it did when it was written. Why is all of our shit made in China and Taiwan? Because it is cheaper. Essentially, their economies are subservient to ours (for how long, who knows).

I do feel, however, that Marx has an oversimplified view of society. Only on two or three occasions is the middle class mentioned. Marx paints a picture of a world inhabited solely by wealthy executives and politicians, and blue collar workers. No white collar workers are to be seen. It is possible that the middle class was much smaller in Europe in 1848, but I still felt that they would have been mentioned somehow. Throughout history, the middle class has been extremely influential, and most revolutions have started in the middle class.

After reading The Communist Manifesto, it is evident that Lenin and Stalin in particular, departed from Marx's ideology quite sharply. At the end of the book, Marx has one sentence where he encourages violent revolution. Marx was NOT anti-democracy. He recognized that most elected officials come from the bourgeoisie, and saw the need for reform, but there is certainly no mention of a Premier or a Politburo and the lack of elections and what not. It is evident that the totalitarian aspect of communism was purely Lenin's and Stalin's additions.

While Marx and his writings have been villified in western society since the Cold War, I found The Communist Manifesto quite un-radical. Sure, Marx proposes violent revolution, but look at how our nation was founded - a war over money. Marx was no more violent than any of our founding fathers. His political ideologies regarding property are a bit radical, but not mind-blowingly so, and, in these days of economic turmoil, they start to seem more and more valid.

Yo, Dawg, Xzihbit here

Cool New Music Review

sorry about the title but I had to get farley to read my shiiyt somehow.
First off, I guess I'll say that this is not going to be "poetic" (House 1) but rather, I just want to share my feelings with you guys about a few things. I am clearly known for making the classic pity jokes around our group of friends. I have thrown out so many divorce and fat jokes that I am completely desensitized to them. I am saying that in the hope that those jokes are not where you mind will go when you read the next few sentences. As all of you know Rita and I broke up after just over two years of dating. I don't like to show it or talk about it that much but i has been really hard on me. I suppose that it isn't hard in the traditional sense. I think that I made the right choice and it has helped me grow in ways that I don't really know how to explain. It hurts because for two years I put the majority of my efforts into that relationship. I showed her more of myself and gave her more of myself than almost anyone (insert a dyson dirty joke here), but seriously it is hard seeing something you pour so much of yourself into fail like that. It's hard knowing that 3 months ago I was holding her in my arms thinking she might be my wife someday. I cant explain why it has been hard but I just has been. I said all of that to set up my main point (clever transitional writing).
I was reading Romans today and came across something that I had read before but really caught my attention for some reason. Paul says, "By Gods will I hope to come to you with joy and together with you be refreshed." I hate when people pull out one sentence from any piece of literature and push there own agenda with it, but I can't type all of Romans 15 so bare with me. If you have the time read it to get the full context. It is so amazing to see that he views spending time with these people, his friends, fellow believers whatever as refreshing. I thought about you guys, my friends. Some of the only times of my life that I would call "refreshing" have been spent with you guys. I thought about Paul the people he planned to visit. I wondered if the prayed every second they were together and fasted and studied scripture. I kind of doubt it. I bet they ate together and laughed. I bet they spent time talking and simply enjoying each others company. Like us I bet they told stories. I don't want to list specific examples but some of the only things that have helped me get through this stuff with Rita has been the good company, the good conversations, and all that comes along with having such incredible friends.
I really do love all you guys and I love how special what we have is. I know that inevitably I will be an ass to one of you soon or I will be the opposite of refreshing or simply not be a good friend, but with that in mind I hope you all know that your friendships mean the world to me. Hopefully this hasn't been boring to read or think about. Just remember our jobs are to love each other well(semi-impossible) and in some way help each other towards God.

It Is Just Easier to Forget

"Hey man, can you spare some change"
"Sorry, I don't have any money on me."
...Except the freaking debit card in my wallet.

Don't worry. This post is about Food in the Fort, not a rant on how I (slash we (we = people (people = fortunate people))) don't give a shit about people who can't give me anything. Well, maybe it's both. The above exchange needs no explanation. It is so so much easier to walk by a person who is calling out for help from poverty than it is to take time to do or think anything. Even when I do stop, the motivation tends to be, "you know what, I (key word) am going to do something for this man. I'm going to do something good (2nd key word)." Wow. I bought a homeless man a quarter pounder to avoid feeling guilty. Here is the deal. I support buying homeless people quarter pounders, I'm just pointing out what dirty rags my efforts to do good are.

So what? Feeling guilty is in no way the answer behind any cosmic door. Where is the change? Perhaps I can offer one place: Food in the Fort. Here is what volunteers do there that resembles volunteer "work": nothing. You walk around with the different people who come in and take food off shelves and put it in a bag. These people know the rules and they have hands, basically the only physical contribution you make is being sure each person does not get more than their fair share. And yet wednesday mornings at Redeemer are so freaking powerful. Why? I finally get to stop DOING and I get to start BEING. All your contribution is just being there, listening, talking, remembering names, and looking people in the eyes. Food in the Fort is not about the volunteers, it's about the people who are seeking help. They have stories. They have personalities. I stood one week and listened to a guy tell me his life story for 20 minutes and then try to convert me to Christianity. I am not saying I don't have selfish intentions there too, but it is much more difficult when I am not actually doing anything to feel this sense of self-rightousness.

Sure you can give monetarily (I would definitely encourage it - checks with Food in the Fort on the Memo line), but it is on Sunday mornings when there is none of this, "I did something GOOD for you. Hope you are grateful." Oh yeah, they need plastic bags too.

Final take-away for me: loving is a whole lot of being and some doing. I need desperately to learn this in my own relationships. I can't buy friendships and I can't buy salvation. All I can do is show up, and I know that God is working through me to sanctify my dirty rag of a soul.

The End of "Manliness"

I am writing this specifically for the Galbraiths out there. I will be brief, for I am sick, and wish to snooze. But a frightening thing happened last night at the Oscars: we saw a man awarded for being feminine.

Let's travel in our minds to the heart of Africa, where the deer and the antelope play. Now focus in on the great plains of the sun: wild rivers, gushing watering holes, African Wattle trees, and (of course) Pride Rock. Now, bear with me...a gay lion.

Are we serious? Yes we are, says Hollywood. The big boys from the West Coast have flexed their guns and defied scientific reason. It is with great remorse that I admit that the words "manly" and "girly" are now loose leaf terms. What is a man without "manliness"? What is a female without "femininity"? With this I implore the consideration of the birth of a new genre of sexes: the Feman and the Womale. With these new titles for the gay man and lesbian woman, we need not be confused anymore by the meaning and implications of words such as "manliness" and "girlishness". Hell, I'm going to bed.

The way I see it...

Heres my take on why the new U2 album is genius, why my opinion hardly matters, why Monger has listened to too much WmtnN to appreciate it, and why THIS Journey music video plays a part, (take a few minutes, click the link and watch that video, its gold. Specifically 2minutes 8 seconds in). First of all listen to the album on Myspace.com/u2, maybe while you read this. Sorry if my post is too long winded.

Let me start off by saying: I know less about music than probably everyone else. 'cept maybe Galbraith. (just kidding dude, i just wanted to say "cept") But really I'm no music critic, I dont read pitchfork or musicblogs for fun, I haven't seen all the Oscar nominated films from the past 10 years, I dont read books by Ron Weasley's quidditch keeper try-out counterpart, and I dont know what Mickey Rourke's favorite color is. So take everything I say as coming from a low place, and all my lyric analysis as probably wrong and misinterpreted...

This album is amazing, the band seems to be more contemplative and unified as they have gotten older. Signified by some slower almost retrospecive songs, and some songs that the band sings parts together (check out Unknown caller), Bono's voice can't even be discerned from the rest and I think thats pretty cool.

The album opens with the title track No Line On The Horizon. Too often we don't think about why artists or bands choose album titles or song names, and honestly I hardly ever delve deep in to the darkian depths of music.

I think the title and the song simply convey the idea that there is no clear cut idea of where we should be heading. We can't really discern an up or down, wrong or right. Its kind of ironic how the older U2/Bono gets, the lyrics are just as confused about the way things are as ever, maybe even moreso. Still hopeful though. I like the song musically alot, lots of classic Bono "Oh's" and "Whoa's"

Im going to dissect a few songs just for the heck of it.

Track 2: Magnificent- Bono's attempt at a worship song,
"I was born to sing for you
I didn’t have a choice but to lift you up
And sing whatever song you wanted me to
I give you back my voice From the womb my first cry, it was a joyful noise…"

Still, with confusion he adds-
"I was born to be with you... After that and ever after I haven't had a clue"

and for some reason the lyrics "Only love, only love can leave such a mark But only love, only love can heal such a scar," echo with no trace of cliche in my mind the more i think about them.

Also noteworthy is Edge's guitar playing. Though the whole song is filled with typical Edge-style-delay-effect picking, his solo at 4 min. in is really of the ordinary for him, and I love it.

Track 3: Moment of Surrender- The song opens up with a beautiful symphonic swell, and moves into a groovin' soul filled tune carried by Bono's screaming voice. The guitar solo near the end again is totally different for Edge, Claptonesque and so so tasty.

This song lyrically is pretty heavy, Bono adresses relationships. He talks about the strange paradox of marriage:
"I tied myself with wire

To let the horses run free

Playing with the fire
Until the fire played with me"

I Think we can all relate to that- we all want to let our horses run free if you catch my drift, but in order to do so we have to tie ourselves down? Its a strange frustrating concept, for guys like me atleast. Also, the "fire" that is sexual connectedness is far more dangerous than we realize.

"Two souls too smart to be
In the realm of certainty
Even on our wedding day"

Im not sure if he's saying the uncertainty is a good thing or not, but I think it ties in with the idea of surrender, to God and to the oneness of marriage. We dont really know what were getting into, but surrender is the only option for new-good-change to come over us. Maybe THIS is the answer Bono is searching for in this yearning song.

Back to the song, "The stone was semi-precious" is a tasty morsel of a line.

Lines like:
"I was punching in the numbers at the ATM machine
I could see in the reflection
A face staring back at me"
"Every eye looking every other way
Counting down till the pain will stop"
and
"I did notice the passers by
And they did not notice me"-point to a irrelational world, think about it, I'm looking into a screen right now as I type this "relating" with you as you read it on a screen. The line counting down till the pain will stop is a sad reality for so many people walking around, and we do nothing to help each other.

Track 4: Unknown Caller- I think this song is again about the technological mechanical world we live in "Force quit and move to trash" is something we've all done, and the lyrics in that part of the song are almost chanted. At the same time I think its about seeking to listen to a God we know nearly nothing about, calling us to do things without answers. Make sure and listen to the end, for another amazing guitar solo, and some organ playin thrown in there.

Track 5: I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight- guuuughhhahhh, this song is awesome. This is where the Journey video I mentioned earlier comes into play. I am here to propose that U2 was inspired by the Journey song "Faithfully" (which coincidentally appears on the latest Girl Talk album on the track Play Your Part pt. 2) to write this song. Ok not really, but the opening to "I'll Go Crazy" sounds eerily similar to Journey's love ballad, Who cares if it uses the word "baby" 3xs in a row like some other U2 song, when it sounds exactly like Journey? Anyways its a great mixture of 80's melody hooks, plus some lyrics dealing with doubt and struggle.

This song has a few good lyrical gems as well:
"Is it true that perfect love drives out all fear?" references 1 John 4:18.
"Change of heart comes slow...It's not a hill its a mountain" is a pretty cliche line, but it reminds me of the wise words of Bill Delvaux.
Also anyone remember Mr. Dark writing "kick at the darkness till it bleeds light" on the board? well Bono gets close with "Let's shout until(into?) the darkness, squeeze out sparks of light"

I did a little research and the line Mr. Dark quoted is from a Bruce Cockburn (go ahead and laugh, giggles-wise) song. That U2 actually referenced in their song 'God Part II' on 'Rattle and Hum': "heard a singer on the radio late last night says he's gonna kick the darkness till it bleeds daylight". So if David Dark, Bruce Shaftblister, and U2 (mentioning it twice) think this is important, it must be.

Track 6: Get On Your Boots- I like most disliked and mock(and continue to do so) the sexy boots line, i still dont really get it, but I think what Bono is trying to say connects with the lines in the song:
"I don’t wanna talk about wars between nations
Not right now," and "you dont know how beautiful you are."

When we are apathetic about war/politics/life we dont realize the worth of human life and ourselves, we cheapen it, we dont get it, there are people who alot of times are more worried about sexy boots, (Bono included, I think) than bombs destroying houses in the middle east. Its kindof a jab, a bucket of ice-water in our face when he shouts sexy boots.

Welp, thats all I can conjure up for now, I'll leave the rest of the songs alone. I do however encourage you to look up the lyrics online and read them as you listen, and think about them obviously. Its theraputic.

I'll leave you with one last lyric snippet
"Choose your enemies carefully, 'cause they will define you...They're not there in the beginning, but when your story ends."