Again, I have been a bit shitty about updating this thing. Truth is, I have been stuck in a bit of a crappy cycle which has left me somewhat bedraggled. And sad. Recently, well since around February, I have had an overwhelming sense of demoralisation and sadness. This, I think stemmed from my taking up Photojourn. Although it is fun, do not get that wrong, it often means taking something you love and simply doing it over and over again. It becomes frustrating to be able to portray the world through a lens in a million different ways and yet still have the energy and the drive to do it again the next day. It saps the life from you, slowly but surely. There seems to be no end and no point, almost. A waste of time, some might say. Then I went on a 5 day trip with the rest of my class and had quite a blast, to say the least. It inspired my work again and stirred the fervor within me that I had been lacking so dearly. What one does not account for, unfortunately is the consequences of my conscious decision to give up. Don't give up. It sucks.

So it's normal to have an imaginary friend, as long as others have the same one

It's been a while, dear readers, but now I think it is time to tackle some serious issues, and I look forward to the hate mail and dirty looks that this post (and blog in general) will generate. I'm going to be talking about something which many of us think about constantly (this excludes those who are too silly or naive).

Jesus Christ! That's a little joke there, but really, what's wrong with saying that? I had an imaginary friend when I was a kid. His name was Sock. He was a person, but he was great and funny and really helpful. Many of us can say that we had an imaginary friend as a kid, but most people leave them behind when they go to school. So why the belief in God and Jesus and that stuff? It's tricky to explain, and there as many reasons as there are people on earth.

A few days ago, a friend of mine called me over and showed me a novel she was working on. To say it was brilliant is an understatement. It raises so many issues that the educated amoungst us question so very often. Is there a God? If so, why do our dearest loved ones pass away before you're ready for them to go? Why do so many millions die of starvation? Why does AIDS exist? In this regard, there are more questions than answers. But the common 'excuse' for all this by the Religious amoungst is that God has a plan for everyone. Really? Then why does stuff go badly? Why do people fail and lose heart in their endeavors?

There is no one answer and there are no answers which will satisfy skeptics. But to take Bertrand Russell's theory of the teapot, Believing in God is similar to believing that there is a teapot which lies behind Mars and cannot be seen. The teapot is there, according to his theory and we should all believe that it exists. Like God, the teapot cannot be seen, yet it is believed to be there. If one sees religion in this light, it's nuts right?

Let's not give Bible-bashers a bad wrap here, that's not my point. I mean to question the sanity of the religious amoungst us because I am relatively certain that a large number of those who are believers exist in such a state because either: You were brought up that way or, it's somehow fashionable amoungst your friend group.

Now this isn't an Atheistic rant about how much I hate Christians. I am not an Atheist and I think hating on large groups of people is not a good plan (Look at what happened to Mussolini). I really just want people to sit down and think about what they are doing. It's rather important. Make your own decisions and live with them. If you think your prayers will be answered, then go ahead and pray. If not, well done to you, sir (of madam).

The end

I will stand up for my rights. I will stand up, as my great brother did so many years ago to fight the viscous monster of apartheid. I will fight with and I will go to prison for my beliefs. Is transparency not as important as saving your own bacon, Jacob Zuma?

You will never be my president. My faith in the ANC has gone. This is now just another African state destined for failure and collapse.

Let's be a bit sensible here.

So we all have problems that come up. I'm talking about arb stuff like a lost ruler or a broken window. So When we have these problems, we solve them in a certain way. You know what I mean, like we follow steps to get the desired solution. For example, when you break a window, you pick up the glass, chuck it away and call the glass shop, who come and put a new one in for you. Bam, problem solved.
But here's the odd thing. When we have problems with other people, we don't behave in the same way. We get angry, and we call people names. It's silly, really. On the flip side though, it does feel good to shout at someone who probably doesn't deserve it.
Anyway, I guess the moral of this post is that I hate it when people are unnecessarily rude and obnoxious, despite the fact that they know very well that behaving like a 13 year old girl isn't going to help, because generally when people get shouted at, they get pissed off and react aggressively. Think before you send a message on Facebook. Sometimes it's not the best plan.

Drenched in middle-class guilt

I've been thinking about something recently. So white people in South Africa have bloody strange habits. Before you go there, I would like to point out that I am no Samantha Vice. What I am referring to is our weird habits that we have pertaining to poor people. I have noticed a bunch of white people who hate beggars. Like HATE them. It's mad. So they will avoid them, not acknowledge them, tell them to voetsek!. the other day, I saw some preppy blonde girls, lekker features and all, but hell they had the collective IQ of a satsuma. This woman walks up to them carrying a baby and says something like "Hi, I'm selling cookies so that I can have enough money to feed myself and my child." Of course the reply is something useless like "Oh, sorry, I have no money on me. Tomorrow?". Sure. Then, a couple of days later, they will put pics of themselves on Facebook doing some kind of community outreach thing, you know, like planting tress, or playing soccer with some black kids. How strange is that? Are white people appeasing their conscience? But clearly they aren't so drenched in middle-class guilt that they will attempt to make an actually difference in the life of one, lonesome vendor.

Opinions are like arseholes...

So I haven't blogged in a while, so I though it would be time to churn out some sort of pseudo intellectual ramble that some people my consider reading at some point.

Something that has been grinding my gears recently is the way that people seem to think that media institutions are some sort of unbiased entities that have no corporate or commercial interests. Someone on Facebook said "It scares me how blatantly biased CNN and Sky are against the Wall Street protests! Thank-you RT for demonstrating true journalism". Well, I have news for you. Every single piece of news and media information that we consume is in some way biased and harbors some form of hidden agenda. Its our right to express opinions, but it is our responsibility to question everything we are told.

Some food for thought, I hope.

Sense and sensibility

So here is something I have been thinking about recently.

The ANC needs a united opposition, right?

So then why, particulalry over the municipal elections, are there so many independent candidates?

It doesn't make sense... All you people are doing is dividing the opposition, which is counter-productive.

Are you just power-hungry, money-grabbing thieves like the politicians that you are going against?

a word to the wise

The other night, I had the most incredible experience.

I managed to get a super pretty girl to come home with me. It sounds like nothing in particular, but we got on so well. We spent the night listening to Pink Floyd and mucking about.

When i woke up, she was gone. it was like an episode of How I met your Mother.

shit.

I ain't stooopid.

Its funny how people seem to treat me like an idiot. Quite frankly, it makes me quite irate. I mean, seriously. Why is it necessary to treat me like I am stupid? I have been around for a while and have a fair few experiences - more than most people my age. And yet people still speak to me as if I am a retard. Man. I have to have everything explained to me like I have no idea of context or protocol.

Stop it.

Home, kinda.

So. I'm back alive and kicking. Beating off first years with a stick. Any varsity student will tell you that going back is bitter sweet. No longer can I roll donw to the Pick 'n Pay with my mom's credit card and go bananas, yet I can come home, pissed as a newt and no one cares. I shall keep this short because, for starters I am tired and hungover.

This year should be a good one. I am now settled into the routine of varsity life and am comfortable with everything that is around me.

'Till next time, chaps.

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