I never really understood why people say that these current times are the worst that we've ever seen as a species (in all of human history). Usually, when somebody says something along the lines of "Cops are going crazy and killing people, journalists are being beheaded by fundamentalists, and Robin Williams is dead, this is the worst time in human history." I usually let it go. I find that it's not worth to argue about these kind of things because it's coming from an emotional standpoint. But, when I hear something like that statement more than once, I do something better. I write about it and explore the issue more.
What I am doing here is what I do every time before I begin writing a new project. I'm merely letting you take a glimpse inside of my head and wade in the tempest (if you're interested).
It was the worst of times. It was the worst of times.
I misquote that beloved opening to a great novel because that seems to be the general consensus of the 21st century according to the extremely religious. That we are living in a debouched age that is awaiting damnation and ushering in the apocalypse. Please note that I used some religious connotations there because it is becoming more and more evident, to me, that religious fervor is going to be the downfall of us all.
A spooky, unresponsive father figure
Think about it. I do all the time.
With a million religions in the world, and a million gods buzzing about, it feels like, for an agnostic, you may be playing Russian roulette with your soul. Besides my usual thought of "what's the point" before going off and worrying about real problems, I tend to think about the what if scenario. What if one of the religions was right? And just one religion. Not all of them, half of them, or 42 of them (get the reference?), but just one of them. I hope it's Bokononism.
Black Dog
It doesn't matter who you are or what you've accomplished, if you suffer from a mental disorder, it's going to take precedent over how awesome you may be. Robin Williams was awesome, but he still hanged himself because depression got the best of him. I think that's the catch-22 for everyone who is extremely creative. They always seem to suffer in silence until it is too late. You could spend all day naming such people (Jackson Pollock, Sylvia Plath, Ernest Hemingway, etc.). I don't think suicide is selfish. I don't think it's a sin. I think carries a sense of honor, but people are usually too busy caring about their own sorrow because of the death that they refuse to celebrate the person's life and see them off properly. Now, I'm not saying that if you're suffering you should off yourself. You should get help. You're not alone.
And sometimes you need to heed your own advice.
Be kind, unwind
You do not, I repeat, do not have to be religious in order to be kind to other people. There seems to be a common misconception when it comes to the term "humble." It's not a religious term. But... like many words in our now bastardized language, we attach a made-up definition to it.
Just be nice. That's all. Well... actually, you should be nice, but if the person you're being nice to isn't interested in returning the courtesy then fuck em. Leave them alone.
"There's only one rule that I know of, babies-- god damn it, you've got to be kind." ~ Kurt Vonnegut.
In Con...fusion
I'm not a believer. And when you chose to believe in humanity rather than fantasy, people of "faith" either assume that you are lost, or that you are an evil person. I tell them that I am saved. I'm saved from having to live my life in fear of something that does not exist, OR, from loving something that does not profess its love back to me in any form. I'm saved from all of that because I think and ask questions. The two things that faith hates, and that the faithful do not have the concept of doing. I then tell them that I am not evil because, well, I just am not. In fact, the last time I checked, religion was the main reason behind most murder, wars, and torture than anything else in human history. The next of course being the fight for food, shelter, and reproduction. Which proves that we are nothing but animals, but happen to be more civilized now. Religion, however, has never seemed civilized. This is why they have to constantly change their teachings in order to appeal to an evolving society.
Think about it.
I'm done for now. This whole thing started because I was pulled into a religious debate and wanted to share the points I made there with everyone who reads this blog.
Think about it. But, most importantly, keep working on your art. It's your only true salvation.
Amen.
~Torres
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