Orwell - A Political Prophet and Genius

When George Orwell wrote his novel, 1984 he was a bit off on his projected timeline, but his ability to predict the direction of world politics was impeccable. From his immersion in World War II Europe, Orwell experienced first hand the dangers of totalitarian government and in 1948, his book was published.

I was riding in my car today, listening to 1984 on my iPod, and came to this passage. I heard it once, and had to rewind it to hear it again. It's amazing the parallels to 2008 America.

"In the ramifications of party doctrine she had not the faintest interest. Whenever he began to talk of the principles of Ingsoc, doublethink, the mutability of the past, and the denial of objective reality, and to use Newspeak words, she became bored and confused and said that she never paid any attention to that kind of thing. One knew that it was all rubbish, so why let oneself be worried by it? She knew when to cheer and when to boo, and that was all one needed. If he persisted in talking of such subjects, she had a disconcerting habit of falling asleep. She was one of those people who can go to sleep at any hour and in any position. Talking to her, he realized how easy it was to present an appearance of orthodoxy while having no grasp whatever of what orthodoxy meant. In a way, the world-view of the Party imposed itself most successfully on people incapable of understanding it. They could be made to accept the most flagrant violations of reality, because they never fully grasped the enormity of what was demanded of them, and were not sufficiently interested in public events to notice what was happening. By lack of understanding they remained sane. They simply swallowed everything, and what they swallowed did them no harm, because it left no residue behind, just as a grain of corn will pass undigested through the body of a bird."

(this passage can be found at the end of part 3, pg 156)

First, I think of how little most of the world is involved in politics. If you read the above, chances are you're not one of those people, but think about the people around you. Think about the uninformed things you hear (or say) everyday in relation to foreign or domestic policy. The scary thing is to realize why Orwell is talking about this at all... He's saying - and rightly so - that the ignorance of the general populace is the reason totalitarian government can exist and rise to power.

Orwell's character "knew when to cheer and when to boo, and that was all one needed." We find this even in the Americans who get out an attend a political rally. They cheer for things they think they like - all the while having no understanding of the policies themselves or the effects of implementing them. And surly if anyone was to stand up and explain these policies, they would develop "a disconcerting habit of falling asleep."

And it's these sleepers that the political regimes of the world count on to allow them to have free reign over liberty. As citizens are distracted more and more by over entertainment, they become increasingly disinterested in reality. Thus, allowing the government to grow and become more autonomous from the people they are supposed to represent.

I'm not sure if Orwell's 1984 and John's Revelation are inevitable prophecies or alterable warnings, but they are both certainly believable projections. If there's hope, it's in the awakening of the people to create a laissez-faires structure the governments of the world.

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Manly Men

For the last few weeks, I've been inundated with conversations about men and women, how they're made and how they should live. Want to learn more about how your friends view the world? Have some of these conversations.

It all started with Trent Sheppard talking about how Jesus interacted with women. In a broken, archaic culture, women were viewed as property (and still are in most parts of that region). Jesus entered into that cultural context and blew that attitude out of the water. He sat down with a woman who had been oppressed her entire life because of the evils of racism and sexism and made known to humanity the value of her life. Despite the criticisms he got from the people around him, he lifted - not just her spirit - but her status. She was created by God, in the image of God and for a divine purpose.

A few nights ago, I was with Michael Dalton (and Andrew Smith). They had prepared an amazing dinner for the three of us to eat. I made mention that I felt like Michael notes his gender a lot (ie. quotes like "be the man I'm supposed to be"). Michael and I have had lots of conversations about "manliness," and for the most part, I think we agree on what that means, and in short, I'd say "stepping up" is a good summary phrase. But honestly, I believe that is essentially the definition of what it means to be a follower of Christ, man or woman. We must discover our intended purpose and faithfully live it out. That's why I think it's strange that Michael mentions his gender so much.

Then today, I got an email referencing Trent's talk. The guy who wrote it had lots of questions about it, but the thing that stood out the most to me was his description of one of his heros. It went like this:

"he is a manly man; red meat eating, truck driving, manly man "

I'm beginning to see that the issue isn't just how women are viewed but our understanding of ourselves in light the Truth. This guy admires someone because he eats red meat and drives a truck. It made me want to scream because honestly, I feel like the guys I know that are proud of their trucks are some of the least manly men I've met. They don't have a creative bone in their bodies, will always work for the man and have to prove something to the world by jacking their truck into the air (generalization, I know).

It's interesting because all of these conversations have been taking place in the midst of my learning a bit of science behind man-ness and women-ness. I highly recommend checking out last week's episode of This American Life on Testosterone. It's fascinating. There are physiological differences between men and women. Sometimes those differences reinforce stereotypes - but most of the time have nothing to do with who people actually are.

Here's where I land. I'm here - not to build myself up - but to give myself for the world. There cannot be a more lowly place than where God has called me to be. If someone asks me to carry their load one mile, I don't stand up and yell, "no way" in defiance. I offer to carry it two. If someone hits me on the cheek, I don't punch back in anger. Instead, I offer my other cheek.

Men aren't men because they're tough. They're men because they are living out their individual calling as a human.
Women aren't women because they are girly. They're women because they are living our their individual calling as a human.

It's time people stop being afraid to love one another. It's time that people stop thinking they have to defend their name and build their kingdom. We're here to love, and no greater love has anyone - man or woman - than the one who lays down everything (even life) for a friend.

Ron Paul to Barack Obama

I don't talk about politics very often, but I think and read about them a lot. As we all know, most people in America make political decisions the same way they watch TV. They scan through the options (channels or candidates) as quickly as possible and stop on something they think will entertain them for the moment. There's no evaluation of the philosophy or long term effects of their decisions. It's largely based on their initial perceptions of what lies on the surface.

I have lots of friends who, at the beginning of the election, were supporters of Ron Paul. Now, I'll admit that even this decision was largely based on what most of them had heard others say about Ron Paul, or worse based on the fact that their friends were supporting him. The preceding is an assumption, but it's supported by the observation that many of those Ron Paul supporters say that they might vote for Barack Obama in the general election. This phenomena can only be explained by a complete lack of knowledge or understanding of either candidate's philosophy or policies.

I'm going to make a diagram for this... hold on.

K... here it is:



The whole of politics is on one scale. At one end is totalitarianism, or complete government control over the actions of individuals. On the other end is liberty, that is personal freedom. The amount of (or lack of) liberty of each of these political systems is contained within their definitions, and the amount of freedom you desire for your life and the lives of the people around you depends on where you would fall on this line. This is not just a line political ideologies. All persons can be placed on this chart - you, me, your neighbors and friends. Unfortunately, most people have no informed reason where they are or where they desire to land on this chart.

What's amazing is this. Ron Paul is almost completely libertarian in his political philosophy while Barack Obama is one step away from socialism - and I know people who have claimed allegiance to both! What duality.

When you're thinking about politics for the remainder of 2008, think about this chart. Your vote is nothing more than your retention of or the giving away of your individual freedoms. That's a HUGE responsibility. Don't take it lightly. Don't believe the rhetoric. Do research. Don't take my word blindly... investigate for yourself. Don't be a lazy anarchist. The government exists. Do something about taking control of it.




Now... a few notes:
- The word conservatism does not relate to morality (as most people think). Rather, the idea of conservatism has to do with maintaining a small government. To conserve the boundaries to which government extends.
- The placement of Republican on the chart is based upon what the Republican party is supposed to stand for (which is drastically different from what it is today). Both of the parties in our two party system are out of control in their view of a healthy scope of government. Thus, we find the likely Republican Candidate, John McCain to the left of Republican and the far left of Conservatism.
- Barack Obama is left of Liberal, the idea that the government should grow in its regulation of society. He is closer to Socialism because he supports taking the money of Americans to redistribute as politicians see fit.
- Hillary Clinton defines herself as a "Progressive." Search for the tenants of the Progressive Party, and you'll be quite surprised the kind of persons hundreds of thousands of people are rallying behind to be the next president of our country.
- Famous Fascists: Mussolini, Hitler and Big Brother from Orwell's 1984

The Key To Life

I decided this week on the title of my first book... "The Key To Life." Cliche? Yes, but that's only the beginning. The cover of this book will be me - more specifically, a bust shot of me - smiling really big with my hand under my chin.

I've been talking about this for a few days, and much to my dismay, Jenn sent me a picture today on my phone to let me know that my idea was already in use by the gem of a man... Joel Osteen on the cover of his book, "Become A Better You." I had the image in this post originally, but when I published it, it just consumed the page. Those teeth... oooff! The only difference between Joel's cover and mine is that he is FOR REAL! Are you kidding me?!

So, cliche title and cliche picture. You might be saying to yourself, "Cole, don't you know what you're doing?" And that's exactly the point. I've decided this week that the key to life is self-awareness. It doesn't matter how much money you've made (Joel) or how many books you've sold or - on the other end -how eccentric you want to appear. If you're living in a world apart from reality, people just aren't going to take you - or what you have to say - seriously. I mean, think about this guy.



David Cross is a genius, but Tobias Funke? He's an Analrapist (accent on the SECOND "a" ).

One of my biggest fears is that the exact people who need to read the book will never pick it up. In addition, people who don't need to read the book are the ones that will, thus making them more cynical toward the oblivious among us. So, I have some thinking to do because I want the book to be a more than solely humorous. I want it to have a point.

Here's the deal, there are people around you and me everyday that just don't have a clue. Whether it's the person who walks really slowly down the middle of the grocery isle or that girl on national television singing her heart out to a laughing television audience of 10 million (aka, the people reading Joel's book) - something must be done. We live in an age that tells people they can do whatever they want if they just put their minds to it. That's ridiculous. You can't grow wings and take flight. You can't superman jump over a tall building. And the people who are creative enough to get around the laws of gravity don't need pop psychology to cheer them on.

The fact is that people CAN do a lot of things, but things don't get done by willing them into existence. Things get done because people discover what they are good at, and they chase after those things with all their hearts.

So, if it's singing you want to do, make sure it's not painful. If it is, sing in the shower. If you want to write a book, make sure you can spel write and that you use grammar good. If you can't, write a song. Push your limits, but find the limits that are worth pushing.

Bikes and Bridges

Yesterday, at 1130 am, a bunch of bike riders showed up at my front door with their bikes. Big beards, thick rimmed glasses, a few tattoos; the kind of nerds everyone wishes they could be. The people that corporations look to for their next million dollar idea. Early Adopters who pretend they don't know - and even more so don't care - that this is who they are.



I had taken the last bench seat out so that we could fit the bikes in. They fit perfectly. Metha proved to be a good packer.



We drove to St Augustine and met up with about 150 other people from around the state. Every race that is "organized" by fixed gear riders is deliberately unorganized. The most information we had to go on was an intersection name and a something posted online that said "Registration, 2 PM" followed by a question mark. After driving down several narrow, badly paved roads in what looked to be one of oldest sections of the oldest city in America, we arrived at a wooden two-story house. The house was painted pink. We knew we had arrived at the right place, not because we had an address or as the result of any sign-age, but because of the 100 or so dreadlocked, beer laden smokers carbing up for the race. We walked through the crowd and ascended the four steps that led to the front porch where Eric, the organizer of the race, was taking the eight dollar registration fee and stuffing it into a white, letter-sized envelope.

The guy next to him would ask, "What's your name?" Really only wanting first names. Then, "Where are you from?" He wrote the answers down on a piece of paper that - up to this point - was the first sign of any preparation. It had numbers typed and double spaced down the left side so that they could see how many people had registered.

At about 350 PM, Eric called out to everyone to go down the street where to the park where we would be starting. Half of the riders rode to the left and half to the right. The park was to the right. After ten minutes or so, everyone had made it to the park, and the race was ready to start. We laid our bikes on the ground and walked to the sidewalk - the makeshift starting line. After a few words of thanks, Eric yelled go, the riders raced to pick up their bikes and the race had started. No police escort, no blocking off of roads. just a bunch of red light and stop sign running, weaving in and out of traffic and amazing fun.

Each check point had a map (which, for the most part had no street names) to the next of ten check points. Somewhere early on, one of the bikers mouthed off the the sergeant of the police force who then set her officers to snipe mode on any biker breaking any laws. The only person to get a ticket was Eric, the organizer of the race, who wasn't even racing.

After an hour and fifteen minutes of grueling riding back and forth over drawbridges several hundred meters long, I reached the finish line with 11 maps in my pocket. 15th place.

I'm so thankful for this culture of people who love life and are okay with discovering along the way. People who are willing to start the journey, whether it be from Orlando or the starting line of a race, without a clear destination in mind. People who are willing to step out in faith and hope that things will work out one step at a time. It feels good to move forward together rather than being dragged along by someone else. Even in a race, there's a feeling of cooperation... knowing that we're all looking for the same thing and that no one has really found it yet... but hoping that we'll get there together.

Suspension of Disbelief

Suspension of Disbelief is a result of poor execution. In story, I don't want people to suspend their skepticism or turn off their critical thinking. I want participants to believe that people are real and places exist. The only time suspension of disbelief is necessary is when the hands of the real world can be seen - whether it be poor dialogue or forced action or cartoonish CG. A story is told well when the recipient is invited to believe without distraction.

This man got it.

Lexicographer

I really like words. Yesterday was the birthday of Sir James Murray, the lexicographer who wrote more than half the entries in the Oxford English Dictionary (the OED for those in the industry). I'd never want that guy's job, but I'm sure glad he did it.

Language is one of my passions. It's so pregnant with potential. Without words, we can't really even have thought. I wonder how many words haven't been invented yet. How many new concepts have yet to enter into our consciousness?

There are those that want to remove words like "better," "excellent," "wonderful," and "best" from our vocabulary and replace them with "good," "plus good" and "double plus good." The scary thing is that the elimination of words begins with synonyms and continues with any word that might be subjectively offensive.

As words are eliminated, so is our ability to think and communicate. The control of language results in the control of society.

Start

I've been trying to figure out if the things I do shape who I am or if who I am shapes the things I do. Because I haven't been able to find a clear answer, I spend most of my time allowing myself to be distracted.

I read a lot in hopes that others will help me answer the question. I think that F Scott Fitzgerald and Oscar Wilde would be my good friends if we had been living at the same time and in the same place. The three of us would sit at the end of a long dining room table in a dimly lit room discussing why we do the things we do and how no one ever understands why we seem frustrated with the world.

I'd like to think I'd be friends with Jack Kerouac and Earnest Hemingway because they seem like cool guys, but I think they were afraid of roots. Not in the Kunta Kente sense but in the tree sense. Roots are important to me. That's why - even if I did write music that a lot of people liked - labels would still hate me. I wouldn't want to be gone more than a few weeks at a time unless I could take all my friends with me. That would be expensive.

There are a lot of things that it seems I'm good at, and - for the most part - I stick to those. It's a lot easier than trying to play basketball or take girls on dates. I say that while hating people who just take the easy way in life. So, I'm forced to either hate myself or feel uncomfortable everyday. Oooff.

The blog fad comes and goes, but for as long as it's around this time, I'll try to answer some of these questions and analyze my life in front of the world's eyes.