Theplaceswelive

Apr 1st, 2009 5:03:11 am - Subscribe
Mood: greedy

I discovered a website not too long ago that completely altered how I view my life and my state. I have always heard the cliches about starving kids in Africa and observed the commercials featuring the Ethiopian kid with the flies all over his face, forcing me to feel bad for a few minutes before Simpsons returned to make me feel better.

What can I say? I'm a sucker for great photography. After browsing the website for a few hours, observing the images of crowded homes, duct taped boxes housing several people, pots and pans hanging in alleys between appartments where several families reside in one room, I was humbled a little bit more, once again.

The website also features 360 photography of the homes, giving you a sense of being -rather than the zoo-like distance you feel from watching people starve on the TV.

After spending some time disrupting my naivity I went back about my perfect life, yet this time with a sense of modesty.

Not only have I made more of an attempt to not take my life for granted but I'm completely angered by people who do.

Immediately I began picking up on peoples' overreaction to minor conflicts. People become so angered by things that are in no one's control. Everyone expects the world to pick them up and nurse into a more cheerful state while they are faced with difficult times.

"My life sucks."

Oh really? And how am I supposed to change this? Is it really my problem? Is it really the government's problem? Who's fault is it that your life sucks? Because you were born into a country where, really, no one's life sucks.

As my mom always says: The worst ghetto in the United State is better than 90% of the world.

I'm sure she's off on her statistics but the idea is true. If you have a roof over your head, you are better than more than half of the world. It irks me greatly when my friends criticize Hays.

"Why would anyone want to live here?"

It's cheap, and it's not South America.

I'll get into why Hays is my choice of residence sometime later. I've been slacking in the blog department. Too much school and stuff.

But dude, I have a blog. I have a $1500 laptop to write my retarded troubled thoughts. I can afford to be angry and to allow the rest of the world to know how angry I am. And yet, I bitch.

It's too slow. The wireless isn't working. I left my charger at home so the screen is dark. I wish I had photoshop. Why didn't I just get a Mac. I spent way too much for this.

Right. I have a laptop, in addition to the roof over my head, and I still have problems.

My problems are petty. Your problems are petty. I don't want to hear about it.

I think with my new religion, I will opt out of complaining one day each week. That one day a week I will keep holy the day of silence. All my frustrations will have to wait to be released. No one will hear about my problems and I will hear of none from anyone else. I will be happy and grateful for what I have. I will not vocally address my hunger or annoyance.

This will not make a difference. It will be fun to try though.

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