Monday, December 29, 2008

Violence in the Modern Era

Are we really moving forward as people? This question came to my mind as I listened to NPR this morning and heard a French commentator stating that people in Europe viewed themselves as more modern, less violent and more solutions oriented than the US population that elected G. Bush twice. The commentator goes on to say that views of the US have changed since the election...But what caught my attention was the statement that equated modernity with being less violent. Usually modernity is equated with inventions, gadgets, or new customs. Usually those inventions are connected or become connected to violence--bigger bombs, automatic weapons systems. But equating modernity with something older, something I imagine mankind has wanted all along--peace, is truely interesting. But are we living in that sort of modern era?

The existence of a number of devastating conflicts occurring around the world--Israel’s recent attack of Palestine, Pakistan's set up of troops along the Pakistani-Indian border, the ongoing crises in Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, Zimbabwe...answers this question.

Is less violence really the same as more modern i.e. more advanced? This sounds logical and compelling. How do we create this more modern world? We definitely aren't already living in it.

never narrow minded,
Alegna

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Economic Woes

Just as most of the world has been wondering what the solution is to this economic crises, I've been thinking about the origins of this strange economy. As someone who is by no means an ecomonmist, one core question keeps coming up in my mind--Why do we have a debt-based economy? This to me doesn't make much sense. For whatever reason it worked but it doesn't work now and probably won't work in the future.

This time of economic "downturn" should be a time of economic innovation. All of the signs have been telling us to slow spending, conserve, and reuse more. Our enviromental woes and our economic woes are linked. If we continue to create, and create, and create we will continue to throw off the balance. We live in a giant fishbowl. We can continue to pollute but soon we will die from inhaling our own waste. There is no throwing it "away".

Unfortunately not enough people are paying attention to the signs. Everywhere you look people are trying to get you to spend. There is talk of another stimulus package for this upcoming tax period. Everyone is focused on spending and trying to encourage people to buy, buy, buy. In truth the answer is probably in an economy based on recycling, reusing, and some creating. We have to begin to think smaller and more locally. Innovation in the area of traditional systems that focused on small local trading are probably our best bet. I think of the success of private lending, where average people and small banks loan small amounts to small buisness people. Person to person should be our new mantra. In terms of locally, I do not mean shutting down the global market, that won't and probably should not happen. A reinvestment in local infrastructure, resources and small communities will probably enhance our trading abroad.

This movement towards buying local, small private lending, businesses based on recycling a local neighborhood's resources and the like may be the answer to our current crises. The era of the mega corporation is over. If we continue to try to bail out these large corporations who have mismanaged their resources, we will see little return on our investment.

Everything in our world is telling us to think smaller, conserve more, and slow down.
What we need is perspective and a new plan.

Never narrow-minded,
Alegna

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Race and Politics in this new era

It's funny. I've been obsessed with this election as most of America and the worls has been. I've written little on my personal blogs about it. Even though I ate, slept, and breathed all things related to this election. I said more on other sites than my own.

Now that it is over the obvious question is Now What? At school last week, I was amazed at how so many of the adults expected the students to be different, to walk in with a new consciousness. To be...different people. Of course they were the same...And I must admit I even spent some time lecturing them about being different.

Change is always small. It isn't until after all the little changes that we notice that there was a change. It is gradual...The key is to notice those small changes, to cultivate those small changes... This is where we can make a difference. This is where the difference is made.

Saturday, September 27, 2008

This made me smile



I saw this on racialicious. And it just made me smile. We need someone serious and smart. I'm PERPLEXED by the amount of regular people that support McCain. Isn't the impending financial crisis caused by republican policies like deregulation and "let the market control itself", and tax breaks or holes for the wealthy enough? I just don't get it. But like Chris Rock said on Larry King, "I trust the man with one house."

Please wake up.

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Politics as Usual?

Anyone else out there perplexed by the so called "close" election. I just don't get it. I'm hoping the pundits and so called news programs are just wrong and hyping up the tension just so they have something to talk about during this season. This administration has run the country into the ground. No one in his/her right mind could seriously be considering a self described novice when it comes to the economy and a weather girl from Alaska... Since when is having a Harvard Law degree something to hide or your resume...Where do we live? This can't be serious. The logical choice is obvious...

Should I make plans to move abroad?

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

On Another Tangently Related Piece--Beyonce

Recently, I have been thinking about dying my hair and going a little lighter and redder. Sometimes it takes me a minute to decide on semi-permanent moves like this one. Just as I was about to make that appointment, I bump into a discussion at racialicious about Loreal's ad featuring a washed-out Beyonce. I have to say this made me rethink. Why Beyonce, her mother, her handlers or even the people at Loreal would go forward with this vampirish ad is incomprehensible to me. But, there is something about the psychology we all live with about appreciating only certain features. Makes me want to check myself. Am I buying in? Or is it really about the grey and wanting a change? I'm still thinking this one through.


Maybe I'll go darker. What do you think?

Never narrow minded,
Alegna

Jay Z and Oasis

I recently read an article on msn about Noel Gallengher of Oasis making the comment that hiphop, in particular Jay-Z, should not be included at Glastonbury. I wanted to respond not because I am a particular fan of Jay-Z but because I felt offended by the comments as a member of true hip hop culture. I guess it's not really shocking because rockers have had a history of overlooking and not fully respecting hip hop. I can remember all of the controversy over wanting to be paid for sampling. It's disappointing because I thought that at least in Europe, there was a bigger appreciation for the genius of true hip hop culture.

Honestly, I accidentally bumped into the article and didn't know much about Gallengher, Oasis or Glastonbury. Even more disappointing is that all of the (albeit 2 songs) that I have been introduced to through this controversy are great. Can I like music by artists who don't appreciate my culture?

Yeah.

Never narrow minded,
Alegna