Vague Statements of Culture

I don't know if anybody actually reads anything I write, but in case they do I'll keep writing. I don't have much to say to be honest. I just feel obligated to write at the moment. Probably to give myself a feeling of purpose. Why don't I try talking about culture? The World Cup is going on, seems like an appropriate time to discuss the assortment of differences human society brings from different places. Culture is an odd thing. It gives people a sentimental feeling though. Like we belong somewhere. I personally am a white, Jewish-American. Even further so, I'm from the D.C. area, but have ties to both Ohio and New York. I'll go to Judaism first because I don't feel like getting into a rant about race. As a Jew I feel inclined to accept other Jews, and feel comfortable around them. Despite the fact that I am what they call a cultural Jew. Meaning I don't really follow all the religious aspects. Which would technically mean I am not a Jew because Judaism is a religion that I don't actually follow. Yet, by the very essence of me having a Jewish heritage, and my name being Jacob Cohen, I'm a Jew. Even though I don't believe in religion, I feel more comfortable with being in a Jewish setting than any others. This is because that's what I grew up with. Doesn't make any other cultures more right,wrong, happy, sad, or anything. It just leads me to be less connected to the other cultures, and more connected to mine. You can say similar things about nationality, race, gender, political affiliation, profession, or whatever. People create ties in their lives that give them sentimental value. This is what gives fulfillment, and what makes us feel important. Yet it makes me feel guilty that we build barriers around cultures like each person is supposed to belong to an individual culture. Hopefully people can be able to mix well, but there are obviously conflicting ideologies. And, if we only had one kind of person, then people wouldn't be unique or themselves. That's all the George Orwell stuff. So what can I say. We are people, we shouldn't be so quick to generalize, because even though we may be similar to each other, nobody likes to be part of a stereotype. Whether it's true or not. Sorry this is honestly not my best work. But, I am tired and I felt like writing.

Liberals and Conservatives. Fiscal Philosophy and Why the Political Spectrum is Dumb

There are three main groups in the political spectrum. There are conservatives, liberals, and moderates. Liberals on the left, conservatives on the right, moderates in between. Which am I? The write it in the blog and hint at a certain side but never give you the full answer kind of group. It gives me a sense of undeserved arrogance to do that. Anyway, the general opinion of most conservative fiscals I've seen, is that people should be self sufficient. The reason you're poor is because you didn't work hard enough. It's no one's fault but your own. Want to make money? Go get a job, work your way up. Liberals on the other hand think that a government is responsible for its people. Not everyone can find work, not everyone is rich, they believe the government needs to support those who need help. And moderates are too indecisive to choose a side, or just don't care. Nice to know these people get a vote. So what's wrong with the liberal side? You get people paying for other people's stuff. How does the government get money to pay for those who need help? Taxing those who don't need help. People hate paying for other people. That's the real problem. Plus with the government already in debt and having other financial obligations, can the government afford to pay for all those people? So what's the problem with the conservative plan. Well, if people can't afford to pay for their own food, shelter, clothing, medicine and whatever else, then who does? The conservative way is to not worry about these people. Which means you have a large number of people in your country who can't afford life. A conservative man would say there is equal opportunity, so they had the same chance as everyone else. Your average liberal would look at how poor families are educated and how much better the chances are for wealthy children to obtain success. What do moderates say? Probably something about how both sides have valid points and do a lot of things right, but also a lot of wrong. The sad part is that the latter group is probably right. However, that's a boring way to end an argument. So I will tell you that the truth is everyone loses. As long as people have to pay for each other, or if people are dying on the streets. One way seems less extreme, but who am I to judge. Just remember as long as you characterize people into specific groups or factions, nothing gets done. Other wise you get stuck with bi-partisan bullshit that just convulses everything. Congratulations America, we live in a country where everyone is wrong. None more than myself. Cohen 2016.

Intelligence VS Intellect

This is something I wrote back in the day.

To start by introducing myself is a very basic structure of setting up a story that will be about me. And to be honest, no matter how complex and interesting I'd like to sound, I'm actually very plain and boring. To get a true understanding of myself, one would have to observe and study me. Yet how could this truly be a conclusion of who I am? From what I can find from my own experience is that most of what man thinks is never truly displayed to the world around him, but this is based on my own life and feelings. For example, at this very moment, my mind is flooded with ideas of what should go on in this paper, yet only one of these thoughts can be pressed and displayed at a time. In fact, one thought I had was to not give an example, and instead continue to generalize my opinions. This is a contradiction in itself. I previously stated that although I have many ideas only one can be written on a topic; although my two statements were not simultaneous, they were different thoughts that were both written. This makes expression difficult because even though I can logically only choose one path of thinking, the mind flutters into multiple paths, that cannot all be true, shown, or even remembered. Man's intellect is how he thinks about ideas, man's intelligence is how he processes them. A man with a high intellect may be able to decipher things in the world, and understand what is going on around him, where an intelligent person is able to output through their understandings. So to put it simply, an intellectual is a thinker. They are someone who uses their mind to guide them and comprehend, to an extent, the life around him, where an intelligent person is one who one who is able to get something out of his thoughts and find fulfillment. This may differ from society's perception of the two terms, but perception is unique to each person. I find the intelligent man to be smart, someone who learns and gains. They problem solve. A smart man always knows how to benefit, whether he wants money, drugs, cars fame, love peace, war, knowledge, or happiness. A smart man doesn't always achieve his goal, but he's always working towards it. However, this talk of intellect and intelligence brings me back to the topic of thinking. See, the intellectual has knowledge. Observed knowledge. He can think for himself, and go into deeper aspects of every subject. An intelligent man always has an answer, even when wrong or indifferent. A person has two selves. An inner self and an outer. The outer self is what is shown and how a person acts toward the rest of society. The inner self, can only be known to the person. This is how and what the person thinks. Many ideas go through a person's head and this can only be shown to the inner self. Where the outer self will show the idea that is chosen to be the best decision by the person in accordance to how they think, and how they judge this answer is recognized by the environment. This is why, our actions are so highly regarded by those around us, because even what we may tell them we are thinking, may not actually be what we are thinking. So if you wanted to observe me, your report can only be judged by what you believe to represent me through my actions, and then use my actions to best determine my thinking process. When my actions may not determine my true thoughts nor feelings.

The greatest movie of all time

 Casablanca, Gone With the Wind, The Godfather. These are among many of the movies considered to be the best in the history of film making. But to me, there is one movie that stands alone. Since 1996, this movie has been underrated, and heavily under appreciated. With it's existentialism, creative one liners, humor, and adventure, it captures the full force of what every movie should have. This movie, is Muppet Treasure Island. Ha-ha-ha. Laugh all you want. Make your jokes, and think I'm just kidding. But I'm not. This movie displays one of the great stories of literature through comical writing then can be enjoyed by all ages. So many memorable lines, without any crude behavior. Perhaps, my opinion is influenced by being the younger sibling who follows every word his older brother says, but this was a movie for the Gods. Most Hollywood movies that are nominated for best picture try to hard. There goal is to win awards, not make a great movie. Gravity and American Hustle are both examples of this. There is so much drama, the sound effects are perfect, great visuals. The lines are perfectly said, great one liners, and great acting. But what's the point of these movies? What is the great meaning behind each. In gravity is it to teach us to keep doing your best even when things are at their worst? Or is it that it's important to have important experiences in your life, or important relationships? Or a mix of all 3? Muppet treasure Island is simple, consistent, and it's not over the top. It's clear that the story is about honor, friendship, and just good old family fun. Every movie should be a Muppet Treasure Island

Selfish Mind

Every day, every single day I wake up tired. No matter what time it is, no matter how much sleep I got, no matter what I did that day. I wake up tired, wishing I could sleep longer. Some days I force myself out of bed out of some obligation to do something. Other days it just seems like I have to get out of bed. When I'm in bed all I do is think. Constantly. About everything, or maybe nothing. It just doesn't stop until I am too exhausted and drown my thoughts with sleep. Sometimes I think about life, sometimes death. I guess I've been more optimistic lately, so more about life. I always ask why. I'm too afraid of how. Too afraid of what or when. It makes me angry, at life, but more at myself. I keep thinking about what's wrong with people, what's wrong with the world. When I finally find out what's wrong with me, I just ignore it. I usually think it's all going to be better, but it never is. I think nobody will understand. I think it's all in my head, and I just need to get over it. Maybe that's true. Maybe I just need to move on. But I dwell, that's what I do, that's what I've always done. Focus on what could have been better for me, what I could have done better, why they didn't do what would have been best for me. I want to help people. I want to understand the world from your perspective. Sympathize with your problems, and do everything I can to make sure you're happy. But I can't. Lately I've been trapped. I've been so caught up in my own pain. My own emotions. I can't even think about the pain someone else could be going through. I have pity for myself. For myself, what's so bad about my life? Nothing. I could be homeless, starving, diseased, dying, oppressed, or even a politician. But no, woe is me. To wallow in the emotions all people have. My will wants to move on, but my mind is stubborn and stagnant. I'm truly and deeply sorry to those who are worse off than I. To the people who are hurting. But action speaks louder than words. And what have I done to help. I am pathetic. And what do I write about? About my feelings. Not anyone else's, not something that could help someone else. I wrote about me. Maybe because I can only know my feelings, but still it's for my own benefit. How pitiful. And to think, after writing this I feel relieved. Like it's all out in the open. And all the people who need my help, still need my help. Well I will be here. Drowning in my sorrow, hoping that one day, I can help someone else.

Politcs

"Politics have no relation to morals."- Machiavelli
People are all very subjective. Politics is just the gridlock of opposing philosophies At least ideally. In practice, politics is people pretending to have control over life. Humanity is so barbaric, that we believe ourselves to have control over the environment around us. When it is the environment itself that truly shapes how we can live in society. If we believed we didn't have control, then it leads to the idea of anarchy, where there is no law and only nature. But it's the very idea that people need power that makes anarchy dysfunctional. It would allow for survival of the fittest, and a more  primitive lifestyle. However, the "intelligence" man gives itself allows the slicker thinkers to give themselves control because they may not have survived in a natural setting. Politics give man social control. Because we cannot control the nature, we must control ourselves. The only true role we have in controlling life, is how we react to the world. We cannot even control emotions. They are a set part of who we are. Politics rarely involve emotion. Politics are about power. Politicians don't care about social issues. Lincoln didn't need to free the slaves because it was the just thing to do, he did it to control the confederacy. Hitler's genocide was to control the masses with a common enemy. He knew the Jews, elderly, and gays were not inferior people, they were merely in his way. By turning the majority against them, he could control the army and the country. The political system never involves morals. From democracy to fascism, the executive or dictator is all about control. Democracy is more about what the people want. They elect a leader who campaigns on what people want, and then once in office use their own policies. Fascism allows for one person to take compete control without having to lie to anyone else. Yet, what Machiavelli's quote does not take in to account, is that morals are still related to the problem. Lincoln freeing the slaves and Hitler's genocide still connect to morals. Morality is just not the primary objective. Politics give us the perception of being in charge of our surroundings. But, true power is in nature.