The Internet, Activism, Billy Joel and Cheetos

The Future

Ok, let me blog about something serious this one time.

People never cease to amaze me.  As our society shifts toward isolation and non-confrontation, I often wonder what it really is that sets them off.  I like to think that the gigantic sense of entitlement that our service industries have bestowed upon us have created little princes and princesses that don't like being told no.  In fact (see if you can follow me here) It's almost gotten to the point where NO ONE tells anyone else no anymore.

Don't get me wrong, I don't like being told "no" either, however, I'm confident enough to admit that I was raised in an environment that had rules that were adhered to.  Although you can definitely make the case for ME, I can argue that my brothers at least turned out okay.  Being able to hear someone tell you "no" is simply part of the problem, another part is the ability to TELL someone no.

I think that one of the reasons why people get scammed and pushed-over all the time is simply because they don't do enough research and don't take a stance in their own favor.  You see this in the corporate environment where pay rates are based on charisma instead of job performance (not ALL the time, but it happens - I think I get payed well for what I do) and financially where people get ripped off for not negotiating loans and loan rates (yes you can often negotiate and shop those, too!).  In short, there's a growing number of young people these days that simply allow Life to "happen" to them.

This is possibly due to the fact that with SOO little parent-child interaction during childhood in the "two-parents-working" families, there's no one present to teach their kids how to behave and what is right.  We've almost gotten to the point where we EXPECT teachers to raise our kids (they often do it).  Heck, I'd argue that teachers our our last hope, since television rarely teaches us life lessons anymore.  When was the last time you watched a show that made you THINK about morality?

Internet Movements

Our parent's generation didn't seem to have any problem opening their mouths and championing a cause.  For good or for bad, they protested Vietnam, racism, gender equality (or even gender independence) and the government.  They were thrown in jails in herds over their beliefs, good or bad.  Don't get me wrong, there are ways to speak your mind without landing in jail, but let's look over some of the issues we face today and think about how much YOU have opened your mouth and spoken about it.

• Racial equality (shocker, it's still there, just hidden now)
• Human rights for people who have different sexual orientation
• Women's rights abroad
• Freedom of speech (and other rights) with respect to the Internet
• Health Care Reform
• The Great Recession
• Occupy Wall Street
• Tax Law
• Terrorism
• Cancer/AIDS, and so on... (isn't it about time we re-wrote "We didn't Star the Fire" with current lyrics?)

I suppose you should ask yourself, when was the last time you actually denounced something that you felt was wrong?  When was the last time you told someone "No" that you KNEW was screwing you?  When was the last time you actually stood up for something that wasn't yourself?

Many of you know some of the things I stand for.  What I'm going to say that's different is that I could care less if you agree with me or not.  I just want YOU to decide for YOURSELF what you believe in and then make yourself heard.

The beautiful thing about the Internet is that it typically avoids physical confrontation.  What I mean is, that if I call you a d-bag on the web for espousing homophobia, you're usually too far away from me to punch me in my face.  People can also hide behind misleading internet handles that shroud their true identity in anonymity so they can speak more freely.  Isn't that wonderful whether or not I agree with you?

Most importantly, we live in a country where, although you pay some big-wig corporation money for your internet service, you're entitled to your opinion AND YOU CAN PUBLISH IT on plenty of sites for all to see.  If you have any doubt about the power of social media or Facebook, just look at all the riots in the Middle East and what's happening in Libya.

In parting I want you to think about this: if you don't wake up and make your voice heard, then you never have a right to complain about what happens to you.  The same goes for voting.

In the meantime, you should click on all of my Google AdSense ads to the left and right of this blog, so I can become a gigantic unfeeling corporation.  (you didn't think the WHOLE blog would be serious did you?) It will also help me buy more Cheetos.

-Dave Lumpkin