The Cult of the Amateur! IS POP CULTURE CLOGGING UP THE WEB?

[Suki]

Yujike, I like the idea that you are a good cook. Lol. I have noticed that MANY people are not very good at it for some mysterious reason. I don't know why.

I am a much better swimmer than my husband for example. But, he is much better at coming up with solutions to problems that are kind of hard to figure out ( he is an endless sea of fresh and new ideas). My sister loves to Garden and her garden looks like something out of a magazine. I am no good at that either. He takes forever in the kitchen and what I can do in five minutes flat, it takes him half an hour or more. I am one of those people who visualizes what is possible and then gets it done quick. I wash clothes better too. Lol.

But my husband is just spectacularly good at listening to people and being friendly. Sometimes people speak to me, and unless I think what they are saying is riveting, I zone out and space them out completely. That is not polite!! I can't help it. Too many people talk about stuff that just doesn't interest me. Especially a lot of gringas with cotton and stuff in their heads....they ask me, "Does this color look good with my hair?", I feel like saying, "I don't care and don't ask me....I don't know and don't care." Some woman acquaintance the other day asked me in all seriousness, "I have too much cellulite in my inner thighs---do you know any food or exercise program to make it go away?". QUE SE YO DE ESAS COSAS? Nada.

Women at work at lunch today---one of them asked me---"You have been married a long time---how do you keep your man happy?" I thought "WHAT?" "Man happy?" and then she wanted me to tell her what I do in my bedroom to keep my husband happy. I don't discuss my sex life with some strange woman at work! I don't know about the social mores of people nowadays. Anything goes. My answer trying to not be impolite...."Don't concentrate on the physical aspect of the relationship. Concentrate on the emotional and the communication, the respect and the support part of it. The rest will take care of itself. If he feels you respect him and support him and you give him your emotional support and an empathetic ear in times of tribulation...everything else works itself out."

Yujike, I am bad at puzzles too!! I hate mystery novels of any type!! I have never read some "Harry Potter" book and I don't know why any adult would read it in the first place. I find many biographies of celebrities absolutely anathema. I avoided Nancy Drew books like the plague and I hate again anything of sleuth crap and if anyone wants to torture me force me to read one word of some mystery and I swear I will get in a mood to do harm to that person! JAJA. I hate shopping too Yujike. You know how some women say, "Oh, lets go to the mall or to shop! Lets have some fun at the stores...I want to look at jewelry, shoes, handbags, dresses, lotions, cosmetics, perfumes etc. etc....and their idea of a good time is to consume, and spend their husband's money and wander aimlessly through a store. I HATE THAT!! I HATE IT WITH EVERY FIBER OF MY BEING. If I did not have to shop because my last pair of pantyhose ripped and my last pair of shoes were worn out and so on....I would not set foot in a store. EVER. ME ABURRE. I never take more than 7-10 minutes to get ready in the morning. Those women who take 3 hours to get ready primping and fixing and so on....tampoco puedo tolerar por mucho tiempo.

Another thing we have in common, I worked during my university years and left without any debt either. A fine decision in my book.

[L_F_Miranda]

Suki said:

What you are is instructed in some field to be a good and obedient worker."

Suki, when hasn't it been like this? When?

When Public schools were first created back in the late 19th century the ideal behind their creation was a double edged sword. Yes, it was to give education to those who couldn't afford it. But Public Schools were also created to fill the needs of a booming industrial economy.

The expanding industrial economy of the time needed workers, thus an immigration boom was encouraged.

Then industry needed a tool to teach workers to be obidient,wake up early and be "responsible". Thus the strict policies of public schools were enforced. Cracking the whip on those kids who would not fall into line was tolerated and thought to be a good educational practice.

Next rudimentary skills in reading were needed. But not to read the NY Times or Shakespear, but to read basic instructions and signs like EXIT, BATHROOM, MONEY LENDER , BAR, CHURCH, POLICE, etc. Most kids dropped out of school by 7th, 8th grade or before to be employed all their lives in industry. Thus the 20th century worker was born, it was 1900!

When I left education in 2004 the situation hadn't changed. Schools were still educating kids for a 1900 economy, but the economy had changed dramatically, it was the XXI century!

Because the Puerto Ricans and Blacks were still being educated in schools designed with a 1900 curriculum, is it any wonder why a great majority can't read beyond 5th grade, the standard of 1905.

Today those who can't keep up are now tracked into Special Education, a sure way of creating more loosers.

Analytical thinking skills won't ever be taught in Public Schools designed for workers of 1900. What for!

MMMMMMMMMM Is this the illiterate style we notice among many of our people in the USA? Is this the style that permeates the internet groups geared to Latinos?

A quick glance at web sites populated in Spanish by Ricans from the island can immediately substantiate what I'm saying.

[Suki]

What is the difference between fact and opinion anyway? It is quite clear the difference. Opinion is open to interpretation and to personal subjectivity and fact is something that everyone that is an expert in that field agrees upon in a public way either based on scientific theory and or accepted scientific analysis and evidence, or on logic anchored in observable laws or phenomenon.

Also many people interpret history through a 'filter' the filter of who they identify with or who they might see as the identifying group.

Opinion is always strong and solid if the one expressing the opinion is good at communicating ideas, concepts and theories in a way that makes the reader(s) capture the essential thoughts and then want to respond. If it is opinion that is closed and too filled with prejudice and or self-absorption or self-aggrandizement it turns people off.

Suki

[L_F_Miranda]

The most accurate and concrete field in which most of humanity agrees upon is Mathematics, and even there, as we go into complex equations there are those who have opinions that differ.

Humans see life through the filter of their immediate culture, social class standing, education and experiences. They create their world view as they interact with their surroundings. That's why its so difficult to discuss with a Puerto Rican who has acquired a world view from living very closely with poor American Blacks. Their world view is filtered through the prism of a totally different world from that experienced by Puerto Ricans living on the island. Despite that we all come from the same roots, a shift has occurred, a parallel world has been created, nonetheless it doesn't mean we can't find common ground.

When we connect with web sites of Ricans from the U.S. and those from the island one immediately notices a difference. Its more than language. One web site, like this one might be exclusively in English, the other might be exclusively in Spanish. But there is something, something I can't put my finger on, a something that makes them different. No, this should not be taken as a value judgement, its just establishing a difference as I SEE IT! THERE IS A DIFFERENCE!

Suki, like you said, opinion, specially on politics and religion, is open to interpretation. And I add, its very hard to be completely objective on subjects dealing with these areas. The most we can have is a civil discussion and try not to get angry if we differ from one another.

What I think has changed with this new medium we are dealing with now is, that each one of us can express opinions, what ever they might be, and we can express them openly, as we do here.

Despite that few read our opinions, it still makes us feel good that we have let our thoughts out.

In this world of increasing isolation from one another, one can rely on a psychologist to talk to and express our feelings or talk to close friends if any are around, and then we also have the web!

Yes, you will find people filled with prejudice, self-absorption, self-aggrandizement and full of it here, but one can always tune them out and continue minding your own business.

[Suki]

Miranda said:

"Yes, you will find people filled with prejudice, self-absorption, self-aggrandizement and full of it here, but one can always tune them out and continue minding your own business."


As long as you have some discipline for those unwilling to let others have their say. And as long as you can use the ignore button in the right context. If one is self-assured one should not have to worry about what the opinion is of the next person that might be in total opposition to one's own.

I respect those who want to have a healthy exchange of information and are sincere in their beliefs. Regardless of where it comes from. Those who just want to deliberately hurt, and disrespect people, and have a lot of malice, and exhibit hatred, and want desperately to control others anyway they can---don't have my respect and never will have it.

People tune other people out for the wrong reasons too. Because they are eloquent, win an argument, and or disagree with their perspective. Because what they are saying is a threat to their 'bubble' or their 'paradigm' and so on. And on the web that is very common as well Miranda.

What is really relevant? Whatever makes things better and makes you learn and grow is relevant. Whatever creates stagnation and listlessness is irrelevant. At least that is what I think.