Bad Rhetoric

About a week ago this statement and image set fire to facebook via the status updates of many libertarian and conservative friends of mine.  At first glance, it seems to be one of those "yes" moments for any strong supporter of the 2nd Amendment.

But I myself have a problem with rhetorical tools such as this, and it has nothing to do with personal or political sentiments towards the 2nd Amendment of the United States Constitution under the Bill of Rights.  Rather, my qualms with this statement stem from the lack of logical analysis regarding the comparison he makes of the items involved. Lets break this down.

Chuck Woolery states that blaming assault weapons for killing someone is the same as blaming airplanes for the atrocious events of September 11th, 2001.  Essentially, he is stating that just because an assault rifle was involved with the act of murdering someone, you can not blame the rifle itself, but rather the person who holds the rifle.  He then compares this to airplanes, since the airplane itself was merely the tool used to commit the egregious tragedy of 9/11.  Again, this makes some sense. But there are some issues we must discuss.

First, we must get down to the identity of both of these tools, airplanes and assault rifles, and we must reach a conclusion regarding their purpose. Basically, what utility were they intended for in our modern society.

Let's begin with airplanes.  Specifically, let's discuss those he refers too, commercial airliners.  These vehicles serve many roles.  The most prominent is a means for transportation.  They act as a way from people to get to point A and point B, either for personal or business related reasons.  In a large market economy, fast modes of transportation such as airplanes and other ground based motor vehicles are necessities for supporting the economy's fundamental need for mobility, whether it is social or economic. They also serve as logistic tools for large industry.  By transporting goods across the globe, they are a major part of any supply train.

Now let's discuss assault rifles.  What utility where they intended for?  In essence, they serve as an advanced technological means of self-defense, or, at times of conflict, weapon in order to complete whatever strategic mission may be at hand.

But assault rifles do have an economic role.  Since industries provide such tools, people or organizations consume these goods for either one of their intended purposes.  Moreover, they also serve a role for sporting.  Many individuals travel back and forth to firing ranges using multiple different firearms simply to practice and improve their skills. Also, hunting is still a large activity in many states such as my own of Pennsylvania.  All of these actions have economic impacts.

Now that we defined the original utility of these two items it becomes very clear that it is fallible to make such a comparison as the photo above states.  Both situations and items are different.  One must be wary of reading such rhetoric and consuming it for the intended political purpose no matter if it serves your cause or not. In this case the rhetoric ends up being a failed attempt at blurring the two situations with faulty semantic analysis.

When I originally posted a more succinct statement like this on one of the libertarian organizations Facebook pages, many were quick to attack me and merely focus on the economic benefits of such rifles.  While I completely agree their statements are valid, they still ignored the intended point which I stated above. More so, economic arguments can only go so far in my opinion.  You could virtually justify the legality of anything and everything when viewing things through an economic paradigm.  I'm sure there are many things people would cringe at with the thought of it being legal, but would truthfully have an economic impact. Therefore, any issue impacting the greater society should come down to a much broader analysis which includes discourse regarding the social and ethical implications of said matter, not just an economic viewpoint.

Personally, I respect the 2nd amendment.  I believe it is not only a Constitutional right, but a natural necessity in human civilization.  While we have become extremely advanced sentient creatures, sociological and psychological factors produce situations where one may need to protect themselves or their family.  While it is easy to state one can do this without an assault rifle, it all depends on what the aggressor in the situation has as well.  If such advanced weapons such as firearms are banned, it is reasonable to assume that the aggressor may have better access to these tools than the innocent law abiding citizen who may be placed in such a situation. Therefore we must have a fair and open market to prevent any unsafe disadvantages, since these events are usually fueled by criminal activities and criminals have an easier way of accessing black markets where outlawed or illegal items could be obtained.

But I do believe there are many steps any society should take to ensure such powerful weapons don't fall in the hands of unstable individuals.  Thorough and fair background checks must exist for these reasons. Furthermore,  we must also ask ourselves what we want our economy to consist of.  As the saying goes, it is either ,"guns or butter."  But lets save that topic and the underlying issues I have with the military industrial complex and the economic distortions and inefficiencies associated with it for another day!

I hope you enjoyed reading this!

Best wishes,


Mark

6 Simple Rules

 I recently decided to play a little thought experiment regarding sound values to live by.  I thought what would I say if I only had a few moments to live and I had the opportunity to address the entire world, or at least those who had access to technology that made this address capable, and I also had their undivided attention.  I came up with 6 things.

1. There are very few things you can be certain of in life.  Understand and accept this, make this the lens for which you view the world through.

2. As life goes by, we sometimes find ourselves in rather ill-tempered moods which may lead to us taking it out on those we care about, or perhaps that guy who sits in the cubicle next to you. Rather than blaming and lashing out on others, look deep within yourself and you may find out that what truly ills you is something of your own bidding or fictitious imagination.

3. Forgive, learn to forgive others and learn to forgive yourself, but don't do it simply to gain back something you lost.  If a branch breaks in a storm, you can not have the same one back.  You can only learn from what happened and eventually grow a new one.

4. Don't live everyday like it's your last, but rather, live everyday like you want to make the world a better place for all.  Spread laughter and smiles, show compassion and understanding, work hard, and be sure to give opportunities to those who are willing to work hard for them.

5. In some way shape or form give someone else all of your love and accept theirs back.  Treat it well, for it may be the most precious gift within existence.

6.  Finally, to steal a quote from someone you may have heard of, " Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans," - John Lennon.  Whether or not your childhood dreams come true, if things happen for a reason, or we simply make reason out of things that happen, the only thing that truly matters is that you make sure to take the time and enjoy the beautiful aspects of life itself.

Be true to yourself, follow the above steps, and things should fall into place.


It's been a while since I posted something last, but I hope you all enjoy this and have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.

Best,


Mark

My Beef with Indie Kids

Tonight I had a dinner conversation with some friends regarding what it means to be an “indie” kid.  Now I am sure you can search and find a plethora of different descriptions on the web.  But I am not here to define what it means to be an indie kid, I am here to tell you about the problem I have with these people and the high-minded views they have of themselves.  You see, I take issue with people who think since something has become “mainstream” it no longer holds the same quality.  Whether it is music, film, or any other artistic expression, the idea of something being solely “indie” doesn’t exist.  I also have a problem with these people believing that by them being indie, they are not “mainstream.” They may not be what you see on television every day, but I assure you, these people are a set cultural group within our society.  This means they represent a collection of values that are apparent based on behavioral and cosmetic traits.  I also assure you companies and manufactures directly market products and services to these people.  As an MBA student, if a company can market something towards you, you’re not that “indie”.

Here’s my beef with indie kids.  They go around acting like they are some bleeping paragon of knowledge when it comes to good music, and whenever a band they once loved becomes popular, they instantly attack it for going mainstream, and they boast to all of the new fans about how, “well, I listened to them before they were big!” Great, that’s awesome, and in my opinion, in regards to music, nothing could be a better compliment then to have someone you discovered before they were big become popular.  That’s basically saying you have great taste in music, and rather than acting like a turncoat, appreciate the compliment.     

On top of this, they cease to see the big picture.  If it wasn’t for advancements in technology, we wouldn’t be able to have so many micro-cultures of music.  Thanks to the web and social media sites, and the wealth of our nation, any Joe Schmo can afford a guitar, start a band, get some recording equipment, and start a web page.  And you know what; sometimes you find some great bands this way.  But most of the time these people are simply living within the paradigm of what others believe to be creative, and they try to channel that same spirit.  This isn’t being creative, this is being redundant.  Still, every once in a while you get a spark of uniqueness to mix in with the monotony, and you end up with something novel for a change.  Once this happens the “indie” kids pounce on the delicious piece of meaty music awesomeness like a vegan suffering from willpower depletion. Watch out !

So let’s imagine you have this new band.  They played a show for one of those bigger named artists, and you liked them.  It turns out that they aren’t that popular, but they have an amazing sound!  So like anyone who enjoys something, you tend to tell people about it. All of the sudden, more people are listening to them, and one day you find their music video playing on MTV! For some reason this strange thing happens; the people that originally listened to them and supported them get upset whenever they become successful.  Now not everyone turns their back, but many do.  And when this transpires, they do it with an air of snobbery that is so rude, egregious, and stupid; you sometimes just want to punch them in the face.

Okay, I get it, their sound changed.  Well, I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to listen to the same sound from the same band for some unknown number of years.  I like it when a band experiments. Sure you have winners and losers, but part of being an artist, and hell, a human in general, is growing.  Your perception on the world tends to change with this process, and what influences an artist more than their perception of the world?  There have been many bands that I have loved who have become extremely successful, and good for them! Isn’t that what we should want for everyone? They risk a hell of a lot by pursuing such a lifestyle, an existence that doesn’t have any soft cushions to fall back onto if you don’t make it.   So if this ever happens to one of your artists, even if their music begins to suck, be happy.  Because they are able to make a living by following their dreams, something we all want.  And if you ever meet an “indie” kid who says Mumford and Sons are no longer good because they are too mainstream, while he or she slowly inhales a hit from a self-rolled cigarette, do me a favor and punch them in the face.  By doing so, you made the world a better place.

Thanks,

Mark


PS - I do not actually condone any of the violence mentioned in this post. 

American Hubris

The Republican Presidential nominee, Mitt Romney, has made headlines with his proclamation that he will, “not apologize for being an American.”  Now, by stating this, he is saying he truly believes in American ideals, moreover, he will not apologize for any acts committed by citizens of the country or the governing bodies themselves as long as they were means used to achieve a pro-American end.   I feel like this is a fair analysis of the statement, but if anyone disagrees, I am open for discourse.

Now keeping this logic in mind, let’s examine another much broader argument.  I feel most people will agree that humans themselves are fallible creatures, meaning we are by no means perfect. Being this way, it would follow that we will make bad decisions from time to time.  And in a society, in order to preserve a level of civility, subsistence, order, and humanity, we must learn from these mistakes, and at times, we must apologize whenever they are of the up most egregious affair.  By apologizing, we are displaying another most essential aspect of humanity.  We are growing, progressing, and learning from past follies in order to better ourselves as individuals and thus improving the greater social group we live in.  So in essence, making mistakes and thus apologizing for them have been quintessential aspects to humanity for quite some time.  While it’s moral justification may have been more secular than ethereal throughout various points of history, and vice versa, what only matters is that it occurs.  For without it, we would not be at such a state of enlightened civilization. And while I am sure many of you would proclaim we still display barbaric tendencies, the truth of the matter is that things are much more humane than they have been at times. 

We should now break down what it means to be an American; I would say it is a human being who lives within a set geographic boundary under the guise of specific political factors, who also contain a definite, yet in our case, diverse set of cultural values dependent upon the socioeconomic environment the citizen comes from.  To summarize, an American is a particular individual living within a particular social group.  Thus, they would be subjected to the previous paragraph’s argument.  Furthermore, since humans are fallible, and are capable of making mistakes, and social groups are made up of humans, would it not follow logically that nations at times would thus make mistakes?  I feel the answer is obvious.

I could easily twist Romney’s words here and posit that by him stating he will not apologize for being an American, he is ultimately asserting he is not subjected to the various characteristics all other humans possess.  Ultimately, he is not a human.  While I am sure there have been and will continue to be many people we meet throughout our days who we feel are mere wantons vicariously going amongst their lives without a care for how their actions impact others, they are still human.   We don’t respect these people because we know, in terms of the grand level, they are not acting how a civilized, and thus, efficient individual should behave in society.   And while I do not believe there is a specific way an individual should behave to be efficient, I do believe going amongst your life claiming there is no need to apologize is both foolhardy and arrogant, and that is how one shouldn’t act. 

In fact, I believe one of the most dangerous things that could ever happen to our nation is for us to adapt what I declare to be an, “American Hubris,” a perspective that  states we, as citizens of this grand country, are invulnerable to the many realities of humanity and the world in general.  This type of certainty is short-sighted, irrational, and pernicious to the overall health and stability of our nation.  By believing that sheer will  has been the deliverer of fruition, wealth, and prosperity, we ignore the various variables that have been delivered by fortune and fortune alone.   While might and action can to some degree, “bend” the arc of history, in many ways the path is already set, and we can only act within the parameters in front of us.  By not apologizing and acknowledging mistakes, a nation lacks the ability to see what has and has not worked. Therefore they cannot employ such an analysis in order to choose the necessary step regarding what actions we need to take.  And for the many people who are quick to state that apologizing is the number one sign of weakness, I completely disagree.  By identifying mistakes, you are preparing your nation to face certain realities of the geo-political realm, and thus examining the right actions to employ necessary means for a truly prosperous, yet still temporary end, while simultaneously encouraging the undying, eternal flame of humanity amongst your citizens.

America's Epidemic

I should probably be doing homework right now, but the Steelers are on and I am thoroughly engrossed with a new book I just picked up. "Republic, Lost:  How Money Corrupts Congress -- and a Plan to Stop It," by Lawrence Lessig has to be one of the best works of political criticism I have read in a while.  From what I have gathered so far, the author shows no sign of bias and is completely objective, or as objective as one can be, with his argument.  Moreover, he cites ideas stemming from Libertarian, Conservative, and Liberal ideologies.  I am pretty sure this only works because the issue at hand is grand and impacts all sides of the political spectrum. Still, I finally feel there is someone out there with a sound head on his shoulders.

But this isn't just about the book; it's about something the author touches on, something that I personally have strong convictions for.  This has to do with our obesity epidemic and its correlation to the government subsidies that perpetually exacerbate the woes our country finds itself in today.  Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) is one of the country's biggest agricultural companies. It is a conglomerate of organizations that handles the production and supply of foods such as grain, rice, corn, and other products.  In 2009, their total revenues exceeded $69 billion. According to a Cato Institute study by James Bovard called, "Archer Daniels Midland: A Case Study in Corporate Welfare," at least 43 percent of those profits are from products "heavily subsidized or protected by the American Government."    What does this mean?  Well it means thanks to tariffs imposed by our government to protect American production of certain goods that on top of it, are subsidized by us, the tax payers, ADM is able to produce foods such as high fructose corn syrup at low costs.

Have you ever wondered why you see a link between obesity and individuals in low socioeconomic classes?  That's because our government assists in the production of cheap foods that are extremely pernicious to our health.  Now anything in moderation is fine, in my personal opinion, but here we have a nation that consumes prodigious amounts of foods thanks to the economic distortions committed by our government.  Moreover, not only does the cheap production of corn allow for an abundance of soda pop, chips, and gum drops, but it also increases the ability to feed more cattle on large industrialized farms.  So while government subsidies kill off the smaller farms, we also continue to feed cows more corn.  Cows evolved to ingest grass, not corn, and while they try to digest it, they also become victims of bacteria brewing inside their stomachs.  But don't worry, we can just fix this by increasing the amount of antibiotics we feed our cattle.

Wait a second, isn't there reason why doctors don't prescribe antibiotics to us every single time we have a cough or a cold? Yes, there is, and that is because the more antibiotics we take, the more we encourage the development of drug resistant diseases.  Did you ever wonder why e-coli is such a big problem if all of these animals are taking antibiotics? 

Not only do we have a market that allows individuals to consume price distorted, unhealthy products, but we are also more at risk for disease.  You may think that I am just some health nut who wants everyone to be healthy. Well, you're right, I am.  But there is more to it.  What happens when we have the health issues we do, especially the ones that are encouraged by the recent obesity "epidemic?"  They impact the health care system, and thus increase the cost of it.

So while everyone sits here moaning about health care, maybe we should take some preemptive steps to mitigate our dependency on the drugs and doctors.  Maybe we should encourage policy that eradicates this corporate welfare, policy that will allow foods to be produced at an actual market price, and give a fair chance to goods that are truly beneficial to our health. 

For those of you who align with the Democrats or the Republicans, I respect the fact that you choose to be politically active.  But these subsidies are the result of both parties being easily swayed by lobbyists on Capitol Hill. Now there is a difference between campaign contributions and straight bribery, but even without an obvious agreement of quid pro quo, it still occurs due to a gift based system of reciprocity.  Think about it, a friend gets you something, and even though they say its no big deal, you are socially bonded to the norm that something must be given back in order to show gratitude. And that's what happens on Capitol Hill. Subconsciously or not, we remember favors. 

Now I do not believe our government consists of a bunch of evil people who reap the wealth while all of us get  sick.  That is ludicrous, and if you know anyone that thinks that you should probably slap them. It is a simple as this, our leaders are good people.  They all, or at least, most of them got involved because they cared, because they wanted to make America a better place.  But we have a system that is corrupt, and no matter who enters that system, the corruption will take over.  It's similar to how many of us become dependent on family at times of need. It’s all a matter of how things are structured, and where the power lays. 

I believe in our government and I believe in this countries foundation and ideals.  We have potential to become a nation full of brilliant, hardworking individuals that follow the cause of our founding fathers.  We have enough wealth to make this world, our world, a better place.  But before we go off and try fixing problems that you can't fix with guns and bombs, let’s take care of the issues we face at home first.  Only then can we be true leaders within this global civilization.

Okay, that's it, that's my rant.

Enjoy your Week,

Best wishes,

Mark

The Magic of Reading

One thing stands out whenever I think about my childhood.  I have this memory where I'm laying in bed next to my mother.  We were both under her big white quilt.  I had to be about 4 years old.  She was reading to me.  Slowly, so I could follow along and learn the words.  She would turn each page and go through it with gusto unparalleled by anything I saw on the television.  I remember this one book.  The tittle alludes me, but the images glowed in the dark. I thought it was the greatest thing. She would always keep it open underneath her lamp all day, so whenever night came, I would be able to enjoy its magic. Pages were literally lighting up in front of my eyes.  My imagination took flight.

Now, for a large part of my life I didn't have much guidance.  My parents raised me, they clothed me, fed me, took care of me when I was sick, but at times where I think it was very important, they weren't there.  But something was,  my parents gave me something, something that has the ability to change one's life.  All those nights my mother spent reading to me, she was teaching me as well.  And without those nights, I wouldn't be who I am today.

The power of reading could be captured, I'm sure, with a million different words. But in my personal opinion there are no words that can truly capture its magnificence. For it has the ability to heal, to make someone laugh, to teach a lesson.  It has the ability to persuade, to change you, to make you remember, to make you forget.  It has the ability to bring peace to any soul. It brings a satisfaction, a sense of knowing, by making shapes out of the foggy world we live in. Through reading, we find ground to stand on.   Through stories, we relate, we feel, we empathize. We become human.

I believe that whenever you read to a child, you give them an opportunity.  You grasp the world and you place it right within reach of their tiny hands. And in a sense you say to them, "The world is yours now. Go get it."  For all that has happened in my life, my parents did something that I will always be thankful for, they put the world right in front of me. That is the reason why I can stand here today, and say with a smile, that I feel on top of it.

In the end, all of my success stems from what they gave me. The time they dedicated, the love they shared. That is why one thing that  will always manage to put a spark in my step, a flame in my spirit, is whenever I see a man or woman intensely lost inside a book. The will to get lost in the pages and engage, to be apart of a different narrative, will always be one of the most quintessential aspects of the human experience.  And I dare say, if there ever comes a day where it stops, then I proclaim we have lost our humanity.

A Love of Photography

Ever since I "borrowed" my mother's camera when I moved up to college my freshman year, I began to kindle an affinity for the art of photography.  I suppose it makes sense, my mother's apartment is ridden with photos.  She truly does have an eye for it, moreover, she is an excellent artist all around.  But I feel like her love for snapshots must have drifted onto me, for I find myself viewing the world through lenses quite a bit, and I'm not just referring to my eyeglasses.

I thought I would share some of my most favorite photos.  You will see places, people, specifically my family, and events.

I hope you are enjoying this wonderful Autumn morning !

Best,


Mark

 

 I snapped this beauty back in 2009. It was around 1 am.  My good friend Geo and I left our hotel room to get in some last minute tourism.  Little did I know I would be back in the city in just a few years.

 

 I thought this was an awesome shot!  This was also back in 2009. The little guy is only a few months old.  It was taken at the Pittsburgh Zoo.  I believe it was around Thanksgiving.

 

These were some really nifty glass statues at Phipps Conservatory in Oakland, PA.  It actually was chosen as the Cover of the 2010 edition of the Tobeco Journal, Clarion University's Literary and Art Journal.

 

This little guy right here changed my life.  I remember when he was born.  I remember everything about the drive out to see my sister, brother-in-law, and new nephew, Angelo.  I even remember the exact gas station my mother had to stop at in order to fill up. This kid puts a smile on my face every time I see him.  He actually just entered kindergarten, so this shot is a bit dated.  Now the only obstacle is to convince my sister that she should let him come up and stay with me for a weekend!

 

This guy right here is my brother, Joseph.  I call him Jo Jo, or Ho Ho.  Not really sure why that ever came up. I just really enjoy the emotion of this photo.  The stark contrasts of light and dark remind me of a Baroque style painting. 

 Alright, so this bad boy was taken last summer whenever I had a fellowship down in D.C.  I lived right on capitol hill, so I would head out of my house every day, and within four blocks this wonderful building was staring right at me.  I caught this one afternoon while I was walking home from work. Again, I feel this might be my favorite style.

 This little chunky monkey is my adorable little niece Sophia! She is the youngest of my sister's kids, but my god can she eat, scream, and go through diapers.  My sister told me that she reminded her of myself when I was that age.  When I asked why, I got a glare.  I imagine it had something to do with me being a pain.

 I took this photo around 5 am, this past winter, at Daytona Beach. I didn't have my camera, so I was forced to use the cheapness of instagram.  Still, I feel it turned out pretty neat!  This was a great trip, I will never forget it. I went down there with some of my best buds, Alex, Greg, Jo, Ashley, and Andy.  Side story, our car broke down the night before we were supposed to come home.  The date? Friday the 13th.......

 This was a candid shot of my best bud Pat's and his wife Val's dog, Bella.  Easter morning, 2012. 

 

Here is Olivia, the middle child. This was taken when she was about 1.  Now she's about to be 4, and I find myself having arguments with her. She is way too much like my sister.

 This photo was taken on the day of the Stanley Cup victory parade. I am actually surprised it turned out so well.  It was just a quick glance and shot, but I lucked out for sure!  The Mellon, or, Civic Arena, no longer stands.  So this is a shot of a now long gone skyline.

The summer after my freshman year, my cousin Alex and I went to visit his older brother Joey down in Palm Beach, Florida.  It was a great week. We did a whole bunch of awesome stuff, including skydiving.  But the morning we were leaving I woke up extra early and stepped out onto his balcony.  The inlet was calm, the sun was rising, and there was just one lonely fisherman out on the water.  Perfect timing.

Hope you all enjoyed!