Philosophizing

I've been out of the Philosophy world for awhile now so I decided I needed to do a little philosophical muscle stretching. Included here are a few of my philosophies on ordinary things:

Stop signs in America - I was at a Stop sign today and for about 30 seconds no one, at any of the fou

r roads into the intersection, would go. It was clearly NOT my turn, so I wasn't going to go, but no one else seemed to either. It seemed completely un-American. We are not a country that encourages pauses, especially when there seems to be some advantage to be gained by going first! We're always pushing to get ahead, working harder than the next person, getting further faster. I mean think about the phrase "keeping up with the Jones'"! We're all about getting ahead...and yet these four cars sat and waited and wouldn't take their opportunity. It was so strange, and even stranger that I thought it was so strange. I wonder if a European, or even a Canadian, would even have noticed.

Lawyers - I don't really think you need lawyers to read through every legal document you sign to check for catches or terms that were sneaked in...what you really need them to do is catch what's NOT written in the documents. Lawyers have the ability to think of every possible bad outcome that is not specifically addressed, with a great attention to crazy details that you might think no one in their right mind would even notice, even ones you think might just be covered by common sense. Also, it is nice to have people around whose job it is to read through those boring documents all day so you don't have to! In a nutshell - lawyers are serious pessimists who make long, boring documents longer and more boring, but thankfully they keep us from having to deal with the longness and and the boringness!

Fast food - I know it's unhealthy and lazy and all sorts of other bad things, but honestly, I don't think it tastes as bad as everyone says. Would I rather eat at McDonalds than a nice steak house? Most of the time, no. BUT, fast food does fill a niche. Sometimes a Taco Bell burrito hits the spot, doesn't mean it's in the same category as a Cafe Rio burrito, or a homemade burrito, but you don't go to Taco Bell expecting a burrito like Cafe Rio or one from home. Fast food has it's place, and I say appreciate it for what it is! That said....there is some food that is just not meant to be fast - macaroni and cheese for example. That is a food that cannot be translated into fast food and still maintain and acceptable level of palatability. 

100 Posts!

I just discovered the stats information for my blog, not sure why I never bothered to check it before as it is kind of fascinating. I am well-liked in the United States and also apparently have a decent following in Eastern Europe. I suppose I'll have to keep my audience in mind more now that I know this, maybe I'll write about hockey or communism or something.

But, the most important thing I discovered is that my last post was my 100th, seems like a milestone worth mentioning. In fact, what I decided to do was go back and re-read some of the original 100, and at the risk of seeming self-indulgent and conceited, I have selected my top ten posts and listed them here. I don't expect you to read them, it's just a nice self-reflective exercise for me, and that's what this blog is really about anyway. That's right, I'll be honest, this blog isn't about you, it's about me. Blogs are inherently arrogant, to assume that details of our lives are worth sharing with the world, and even more arrogant that we think the world might really enjoy everything we have to say. I won't deny that I secretly hope people enjoy what I write, but having read back over my first 100 posts, I realize I don't care so much if other people are entertained, because I am completely delighted that I have these random thoughts captured so I can go back and remember things I never would have remembered if I hadn't had a blog to fill. I enjoyed the first 100, and I'm not sure how the next 100 can quite live up to the originals, but apparently a lot can happen in five years...

http://jenwest.blogspot.com/2008/10/byu-top-ten.html

http://jenwest.blogspot.com/2008/11/cave-person-day-at-palace-golf-club-and.html

http://jenwest.blogspot.com/2009/03/doctor-dread.html

http://jenwest.blogspot.com/2009/02/facebook-friends.html

http://jenwest.blogspot.com/2009/06/subjects-not-to-discuss-until-age-7.html

http://jenwest.blogspot.com/2009/07/paragliding-in-switzerland.html

http://jenwest.blogspot.com/2010/03/parker-deficiency.html

http://jenwest.blogspot.com/2010/05/hot-tub.html

http://jenwest.blogspot.com/2011/01/business-professionl-or-not.html

http://jenwest.blogspot.com/2011/12/wards-that-must-not-be-named.html

RIDICULOUS Extravagance

:

I work for a company that you might say is heavily involved with "leading" technology, so I know that many of my friends might see this as a hypocritical or ridiculous post...but I am having a moral dilemma about a very popular newish product that is often paired with our products. I'm not going to mention the name of this product, or the brand, because I respect the company, my friends who work there, and I respect the incredible technology that went into this thing. Here's my problem....the projector you see below costs $25,000. Yes, that's right, $25,000...for one product....one projector....for your home theater...just the projector...basically a TV, except you also have to buy the screen, so not even a whole TV.

And yes, I know that this projector has some really incredible 4k technology...it's ULTRA HD, not only can you see each individual blade of grass at the Masters with stunning precision and clarity, but you can see the ants and smaller insects crawling around the blades of grass with the same precision and clarity. I appreciate how cool that is, I do (although I think you have to draw the line at just how much you want to see...newscasters and other TV personalities can't be happy about the ever-increasing HD quality).

Anyway, I decided to make a list of other ridiculous extravagances someone could purchase for this same price, and contrast it with a list of just a few positive things that could be done with the same amount of money. I'll even subtract $8,000 (about how much you would spend on an incredible 70" LCD TV) and we'll just skip right over that level of extravagance - I recognize people spend a lot on these things, and I appreciate quality electronics so I won't pretend to advocate anything near a technologically celibate lifestyle.

Other Wasteful, Sickening Things You Can Buy for About $17,000:

•  A Hummer - that's right. The gas-guzzling, over-compensating monster vehicles that pollute the air and overstep parking spot boundaries everywhere they go. (I drove past a car lot today with a Hummer listed for $15,000 OBO, and it was this sight that made me realize a HUMMER could be purchased for less than this ONE PROJECTOR!
• Apparently you can buy ONE purse for $17,000...or you can just steal it like this guy
• You could buy enough cigarettes to smoke a pack a day for 10 years with $17,000. It's true, I found it on the internet!
• Let's not even THINK about what despicable goods and services could be had in Las Vegas for $17,000
• You could complete an entire Sundance Film Festival-worthy movie all about violence and brain damage for $17,000 

I could go on...but I won't. Now to all the positive things that could be done with the same amount:

• You could refund the donations made by all these people who believed they were helping a girl with Leukemia
• You could make 680 loans to individuals in need around the world through Kiva or other microfinance institutions. 
• You could provide 5 defibrillators to an institution of your choice.
• You could make a $17,000 donation to any NUMBER of great causes (cancer research, literacy programs, humanitarian aid, etc.)
• You could fly yourself over to Africa to help put up mosquito nets or educate people on good health habits (and you might even see some cool animals while you're at it!)
• Even putting money towards retirement or kids college funds seems like a better use of the funds.  

Ok I'm off my soapbox. I realize I'm in no position to condemn people who purchase these things - I have and probably will continue to make frivolous purchases (although not quite of the same amount) but that doesn't mean I feel good about it. So for myself, I am setting out to change my spending habits. For everyone else....buy what you want of course, but maybe now with a new perspective.