Friday May 8th
It is now 5:05pm and I am in my friends house in Syracuse University (my alma amater). I would have never thought that this would arrive so quickly!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just a year ago I was organizing my room, preparing my cap and gown, and getting ready to embark on a weekend journey of commencement.
The experience is surreal. I feel like I am here physically but mentally and psychologically I feel detached like I am in limbo. I know it sounds obscure but I feel like I don't belong here. I mean that in the best way possible..nobody has made me feel uncomfortable its just that I dont feel the same connection to the institution compared to when I was a student here. Is that normal???????? Just a year ago I hit the post grad depression hard and all I could think about were all the social clubs I was involved with along with the friends and faculty I had forged significant connections with. Maybe its because I haven't seen any of my close friends yet or maybe its because thats how you are supposed to feel when you have surpassed a certain stage in your life.
The feeling is sort of indescribable...its a paradox, I feel like I belong but at the same time I feel like dont! Maybe in late June I felt like I belonged because I was a recent graduate but since now I am a year removed from the undergraduate experience I have emotionally distanced myself from the lifestyle and mind state of college. If people ask me would you do it all over again... I would empahatically say yes. Ohhh man what an experience, I cant begin to describe what an enlightening experience my time at Syracuse was. It was well balanced with work and fun and it also fostered my social, intellectual, and spiritual development. They say the people make the the place, that it is no more truer than at Syracuse. I met people that have shaped me as a person and I have learned something from every person I've had interactions with even if they were brief. Everybody I have met and all the experiences I have had (the negative and the positive), have made me a better person. From my freshman year to my senior year I grew so much as a person.
Sunday May 10
As the weekend progressed I began to feel more comfortable and I was able to successfully reassimilate to the college life. I began to feel like a "kid" again with no responsibilities. It was a beautiful escape from reality for three long days! Attending all the ceremonies and graduations was reminiscent of my own commencement ceremonies. Going to different functions and social events over the weekends also reminded me of what the college life was like. I basically relived the experience and pure nostalgia is all I could remember. Every time I would pass a dining hall or a place on Marshall street I would recall an event that occurred in that same exact place. The feeling was utterly indescribable. Again I reiterate, physically I feel like I was there but my mind and my spirit would wander. It was like a outer body experience. I know it sounds pretty outlandish. Well thats it. I saw the people that made a difference in my life and I bumped into people who's lives I had touched during my college career. I also saw one of my close friends graduate. It was a great time and I had a blast. I loved my experience at Syracuse and it made me a better person. I have now moved on but I will NEVER forget where I came from.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Intuition
What is intuition and who has it? How can you attain it or seek it if you don't have it? This is a burning question I have had for a while. Is intuition some kind of unforeseen secret that remains to be unraveled. Is it some kind of innate quality that only a chosen few have? Or is it something that everybody possesses but only certain people take the necessary time out to tap into this powerful force. Intuition is a treasure chest that can be unlocked. Of course you need the right combination or code in order to unlock it. But when you do the world as we know it is at your feet.
Intuition can be used in many aspects of your everyday life. I think it would be the most useful in decision making. You can utilize your intuition to guide you in the right direction and bring you closer to your goals in life. Intuition can help you defeat the odds and overcome any challenges that you may encounter in life. It can elevate your well being and broaden your horizons as well.
If you ask me everybody has intuition. Intuition is the voice inside your head that discerns whether something feels right or not. It is like a sixth sense that foresees the outcome of any situation and helps you judge any situation properly. Intuition is a special attribute that can also help you read people really well. You will be able to distinguish the people who have good intentions and those who have bad intentions. It can also serve as your personal advisor if you are having a dilemma in life. I believe that it is the most potent in situations that require split second decision making. It is analagous to a spider sense that provides admonishment and allows you to sense danger when its near. It may also predict when good things will happen.
Again I will reiterate I feel as if EVERYBODY has intuition. For some people it may be stronger than others and certain people may exercise it more often than others. Despite the fact that some people may choose to use it for malicious reasons or exclusively for self gains I think it still belongs to everybody. Intuition is a divine gift that you must firstly believe in before you actually unlock its secrets. Once you discover the immense power that harnessing your intuition can provide for your growth and life journey you will be one special person!
Intuition can be used in many aspects of your everyday life. I think it would be the most useful in decision making. You can utilize your intuition to guide you in the right direction and bring you closer to your goals in life. Intuition can help you defeat the odds and overcome any challenges that you may encounter in life. It can elevate your well being and broaden your horizons as well.
If you ask me everybody has intuition. Intuition is the voice inside your head that discerns whether something feels right or not. It is like a sixth sense that foresees the outcome of any situation and helps you judge any situation properly. Intuition is a special attribute that can also help you read people really well. You will be able to distinguish the people who have good intentions and those who have bad intentions. It can also serve as your personal advisor if you are having a dilemma in life. I believe that it is the most potent in situations that require split second decision making. It is analagous to a spider sense that provides admonishment and allows you to sense danger when its near. It may also predict when good things will happen.
Again I will reiterate I feel as if EVERYBODY has intuition. For some people it may be stronger than others and certain people may exercise it more often than others. Despite the fact that some people may choose to use it for malicious reasons or exclusively for self gains I think it still belongs to everybody. Intuition is a divine gift that you must firstly believe in before you actually unlock its secrets. Once you discover the immense power that harnessing your intuition can provide for your growth and life journey you will be one special person!
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Music
Music harnesses the unique ability of humanizing the human experience. It transcends any socioeconomic, cultural, racial, mental, emotional, physiological, or religious barrier. Music characterizes reality and helps people channel their own emotions, it helps embody any type of experience that any one us may have. It is also easily accessible to most of the public. Especially since mass media has expanded over the last 50 years and also since the advent of the the internet people can listen to all types of music. You can choose to listen to any type of music of your liking depending on your preference of genre. When people have nothing to relate to, and nobody to speak to, the music speaks for them and helps make their experience seem important enough for the masses to listen to. But what most people don't realize is that there are many people who are out there sharing that same experience who we might not get to meet face to face but the music allows us to make that intimate connection. This is the single most luminous aspect that music has to offer. It also helps personalize any intimate events that a person might not feel comfortable sharing with anybody else. Music pluralizes any humanistic dimension that otherwise might be seen as individualistic.
The other aspect of music that makes it so popular is a pseudo reality. It can materialize what otherwise maybe fantasy. For example the song "My life is entertainment" by TI talks about the glitz and the glamor of being a musician and other songs such as "Torre De babel" by Wisin y Yandel that takes you halfway across the globe to explore an unknown land. There are many pop songs that depict this pseudo reality where everything is fun, life is a paradise, and that our journey on this earth is worriless and care free. Kanye's album graduation is an album that perfectly characterizes that feel good pseudo reality type of music.
But is being a famous musician all it is cracked up to be??? Think about it. We've already discussed the facet of the pseudo reality of music but on the flip side lies the realism. Music also portrays the realism of the artists' experience. They show us the good and the bad, the right and the wrong, the pretty and the ugly. The music provides an outlet for artists to speak about their lives and get personal. To get intimate with the listener and expose their deepest insecurities! I believe this type of music evokes the most emotion because we can see how human and fallible a famous artist can be; they show us that they are not at all invincible. These types of artist generate the most diverse and broadest fan bases and also have the most mass appeal because so many people can relate to their message. The stark realism of any situation cultivates a following like no other theme. In the song El cantante Puerto Rican singer Hector Lavoe speaks on his struggles of being a famous salsa singer. In the song he sings about how he is rich and famous and that people pay to hear him sing nevertheless in that dark corner after his show he is an ordinary guy who has trials and tribulations and has happy and sad moments just like each and every one of us. Joe Buddens is one of my favorite artists whose subject material includes anecdotal accounts about how he overcame depression and how he once was borderline suicidal in the midst of battling other demons. He also speaks on his interactions with females and the turmoil in his life. Most people can relate to this type of music and can have respect for it. "Everything that glitters ain't gold". It couldn't be more true in show biz. Many people yearn to be famous and fall into the deceptive trap of wanting to live a glamorized lifestyle. But they have no idea what it takes to keep your sanity and to thwart the criticism and tolerate the press and to be scrutinized each and every moment of your life. You are constantly under supervision, from the time you leave your house to when you enter a bathroom!
Music also provides a safe space. It is nonjudmental, does not criticize you, and makes you feel perfectly normal despite your flaws or idiosyncrasies. What I mean by this is that when artists speak on a certain issue that is important to you or his/her lyrics are related to a secret that only your family and friends may know about or that only you may know about. Lets say an artist has a song about child abuse and somebody has experienced that in the past, this helps the listener overcome that situation and feel understood. When it comes down to it most relationships are built on the concept of being understood. So music's most powerful unifying factor is that most people that listen to a certain genre or artist all understand each other. They gravitate to music that resembles them in some sort of way, usually the similarities are not superficial such as he drives the car that I drive or he is Asian just like me. The semblances tend to be deeper like we share the same strengths and flaws, we have a similar upbringing, or I experienced the same tragedy in my past. This leads people to respect each other and where they came from.
Music can also be very dualistic in the sense that it has two polar opposite facades. It can either be very empowering or very detrimental. It can be used to kill or to procreate. Most people that listen to music use it lift their spirits and have good intentions but there is that small group of people that use music for the darkest of reasons. Music also has different effects on people. Other people use music to channel their different emotions. Some people may use music when they are angry to evacuate all the anger. Some people may use certain types of music to motivate them, other people may utilize music as a form of relaxation or to make them happier. It can destroy or cultivate, inspire or discourage. Music also conceptualizes your successes as well as your failures. Like everything in life music needs to maintain its ying and yang in order to be functional but I strongly believe that it has more positive uses in the world than negative.
Apart from the pseudo realities and realities music is UNIVERSAL. Music is life; a compilation of all the experiences, sounds, visions, and lessons that make us who we are. Music universally humanizes the all too real human experience. Music is the center of our galaxy that revolutionizes all dimensions!
The other aspect of music that makes it so popular is a pseudo reality. It can materialize what otherwise maybe fantasy. For example the song "My life is entertainment" by TI talks about the glitz and the glamor of being a musician and other songs such as "Torre De babel" by Wisin y Yandel that takes you halfway across the globe to explore an unknown land. There are many pop songs that depict this pseudo reality where everything is fun, life is a paradise, and that our journey on this earth is worriless and care free. Kanye's album graduation is an album that perfectly characterizes that feel good pseudo reality type of music.
But is being a famous musician all it is cracked up to be??? Think about it. We've already discussed the facet of the pseudo reality of music but on the flip side lies the realism. Music also portrays the realism of the artists' experience. They show us the good and the bad, the right and the wrong, the pretty and the ugly. The music provides an outlet for artists to speak about their lives and get personal. To get intimate with the listener and expose their deepest insecurities! I believe this type of music evokes the most emotion because we can see how human and fallible a famous artist can be; they show us that they are not at all invincible. These types of artist generate the most diverse and broadest fan bases and also have the most mass appeal because so many people can relate to their message. The stark realism of any situation cultivates a following like no other theme. In the song El cantante Puerto Rican singer Hector Lavoe speaks on his struggles of being a famous salsa singer. In the song he sings about how he is rich and famous and that people pay to hear him sing nevertheless in that dark corner after his show he is an ordinary guy who has trials and tribulations and has happy and sad moments just like each and every one of us. Joe Buddens is one of my favorite artists whose subject material includes anecdotal accounts about how he overcame depression and how he once was borderline suicidal in the midst of battling other demons. He also speaks on his interactions with females and the turmoil in his life. Most people can relate to this type of music and can have respect for it. "Everything that glitters ain't gold". It couldn't be more true in show biz. Many people yearn to be famous and fall into the deceptive trap of wanting to live a glamorized lifestyle. But they have no idea what it takes to keep your sanity and to thwart the criticism and tolerate the press and to be scrutinized each and every moment of your life. You are constantly under supervision, from the time you leave your house to when you enter a bathroom!
Music also provides a safe space. It is nonjudmental, does not criticize you, and makes you feel perfectly normal despite your flaws or idiosyncrasies. What I mean by this is that when artists speak on a certain issue that is important to you or his/her lyrics are related to a secret that only your family and friends may know about or that only you may know about. Lets say an artist has a song about child abuse and somebody has experienced that in the past, this helps the listener overcome that situation and feel understood. When it comes down to it most relationships are built on the concept of being understood. So music's most powerful unifying factor is that most people that listen to a certain genre or artist all understand each other. They gravitate to music that resembles them in some sort of way, usually the similarities are not superficial such as he drives the car that I drive or he is Asian just like me. The semblances tend to be deeper like we share the same strengths and flaws, we have a similar upbringing, or I experienced the same tragedy in my past. This leads people to respect each other and where they came from.
Music can also be very dualistic in the sense that it has two polar opposite facades. It can either be very empowering or very detrimental. It can be used to kill or to procreate. Most people that listen to music use it lift their spirits and have good intentions but there is that small group of people that use music for the darkest of reasons. Music also has different effects on people. Other people use music to channel their different emotions. Some people may use music when they are angry to evacuate all the anger. Some people may use certain types of music to motivate them, other people may utilize music as a form of relaxation or to make them happier. It can destroy or cultivate, inspire or discourage. Music also conceptualizes your successes as well as your failures. Like everything in life music needs to maintain its ying and yang in order to be functional but I strongly believe that it has more positive uses in the world than negative.
Apart from the pseudo realities and realities music is UNIVERSAL. Music is life; a compilation of all the experiences, sounds, visions, and lessons that make us who we are. Music universally humanizes the all too real human experience. Music is the center of our galaxy that revolutionizes all dimensions!
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Hard Times
At times it gets frustrating, you put sooooooo much in but get little out. Invest your soul and only get a remnant of your flesh back. Yeah it is my life that I speak of and struggles that I experienced. I question myself is my purpose in life as evident and as definitive as I think it is or is it just a fiction of my imagination. Being dedicated day in and day out is an arduous task when you do not reap the results you want. Your expectations are high but the outcome is dismal. Maybe other people do work harder maybe I am the hardest working person, either alternative is a plausible hypothesis. Maybe a self evaluation will do the trick. Who knows even that may not lead to a satisfying answer.
I try my best though, I honestly do....so for me to not perform is an attack on my personal character, it is also an assassination attempt on my work ethic. I invest my sweat, blood, and tears in order to reach that distant goal but nothing comes of it. I devote my time and energy but little if any of the desired outcome is produced. That leads to my next point maybe I am not supposed to do well on a certain test or in a certain field because my Creator has a bigger plan in store for me that I do not know of. The mysteries of life are revealed at times when we least expect it. That is why life itself is an enigmatic journey where we learn to be very cognizant of signs that point us in the right direction. It is by God's providence that I am where I am today and have the blessed opportunity and privilege of giving back to the community that gave me so much.
Life throws these curve balls at us but it is up to us to react in the best way possible. It is a testament to our character if we are resilient in the midst of stark opposition and grueling hardships or if we just languish in the shadows and yield to the opposition. I must remain strong and I must strive to find the positive in every negative or unfavorable situation. It is hard to achieve your goals when anything and everything is not working your way, but we need hope and faith to go the distance. Most of all if we are going to complete our mission in life we need to dig for that inner strength that defines us and also be guided by the divine inspiration inspires us!
I try my best though, I honestly do....so for me to not perform is an attack on my personal character, it is also an assassination attempt on my work ethic. I invest my sweat, blood, and tears in order to reach that distant goal but nothing comes of it. I devote my time and energy but little if any of the desired outcome is produced. That leads to my next point maybe I am not supposed to do well on a certain test or in a certain field because my Creator has a bigger plan in store for me that I do not know of. The mysteries of life are revealed at times when we least expect it. That is why life itself is an enigmatic journey where we learn to be very cognizant of signs that point us in the right direction. It is by God's providence that I am where I am today and have the blessed opportunity and privilege of giving back to the community that gave me so much.
Life throws these curve balls at us but it is up to us to react in the best way possible. It is a testament to our character if we are resilient in the midst of stark opposition and grueling hardships or if we just languish in the shadows and yield to the opposition. I must remain strong and I must strive to find the positive in every negative or unfavorable situation. It is hard to achieve your goals when anything and everything is not working your way, but we need hope and faith to go the distance. Most of all if we are going to complete our mission in life we need to dig for that inner strength that defines us and also be guided by the divine inspiration inspires us!
Monday, March 9, 2009
Product of your environment
Today I thought about people that I surround myself by and how they share the same goals, aspirations, and qualities as me. I guess the law of attraction is as accurate as they say it is. For some reason people who are like minded gravitate towards each other. I do not know if its because a particular group of people find a comfort zone with each other or if its because that cluster of people are more driven and focused by surrounding themselves with the same type of people. Every group has a stamp of generalization branded upon them. By this I mean a label that is convenient and adheres to the laws of social psychology. A prime example of this is when a group of people who are deeply religious travel together some people might call them the "church folk" or when a group of really smart kids travel in packs they call them the "nerds". These are classifications that distinguish different groups based upon the alignment of common ideologies.
It seems so cliche but its true, the people who you surround yourself with define who you are and vice versa. People's attributes rub off on you. For example if you surround yourself by intelligent people the the likelihood of you becoming intelligent is higher. A paradigm of this is in the IV league schools where the rigorous coursework and the competitive atmosphere breeds stellar students. This is not to say that if you do not go to an IV league school you won’t be a stellar student, but you have a greater chance of becoming a top notch student by attending an IVY League school where everybody competes to get the highest grade! Thus the high graduation rate at prestigious schools. On the other hand for people who do not value their education the same thing applies. A situation that personifies this concept is one where all your friends drop out of high school then you will be more likely to drop out of high school too. A result of this is the high dropout rates in teh inner city public schools. Social psychology theories explain how people are more prone to partake in an activity if everybody else around them is doing the same thing. This can be seen in an activity as simple as an audience clapping. When one person claps another person will stand up to clap and the rest of the audience begins clapping. This is a perfect illustration of how social psychology rules our daily social interactions and our human connection.
This is also seen when you are competing in a sport. For instance if you are a basketball player and you train with Michael Jordan this will make you way better than any other basketball player. Of course you need to have some raw talent the same mentality but training with him will give you an edge on the competition. Or if you train with a wrestler that is better than you, you will have a chance to improve your skills and compete at the highest level possible. Again it comes down to who you choose to be a part of your supporting cast. The same thing goes for negativity and positivity. When you hang out with people that have a negative mindset that attitude will surely permeate your life and influence your thoughts and actions. Positivity works the same way. If you are positive-minded the positivity will work out in your best interest and brighten up your day whenever you are feeling down or gloomy.
This is also seen in everyday things such as people that you associate yourself with repeating your actions or sayings. For example if I frequently use a certain phrase and I spend a lot of time around you, you will naturally start to use that same phrase, it is just human nature and its bound to happen! A scenario where this is seen often is with slang. If I greet my friend with "wassup man" everyday he will most likely start to use the same phrase. The same thing goes for actions and personalities. If I hang out with a person that constantly puts other people down then it is just a matter of time before I will surely repeat this act.
These are my thoughts on how you can become a product of your environment. Some people are able to resist the negative external influences. Some of these are the strongest people mentally; they are able to resist any actions that are not their own and tend to be negative they rather choose to embrace the positive influences! This is Arod signing off until next time!
It seems so cliche but its true, the people who you surround yourself with define who you are and vice versa. People's attributes rub off on you. For example if you surround yourself by intelligent people the the likelihood of you becoming intelligent is higher. A paradigm of this is in the IV league schools where the rigorous coursework and the competitive atmosphere breeds stellar students. This is not to say that if you do not go to an IV league school you won’t be a stellar student, but you have a greater chance of becoming a top notch student by attending an IVY League school where everybody competes to get the highest grade! Thus the high graduation rate at prestigious schools. On the other hand for people who do not value their education the same thing applies. A situation that personifies this concept is one where all your friends drop out of high school then you will be more likely to drop out of high school too. A result of this is the high dropout rates in teh inner city public schools. Social psychology theories explain how people are more prone to partake in an activity if everybody else around them is doing the same thing. This can be seen in an activity as simple as an audience clapping. When one person claps another person will stand up to clap and the rest of the audience begins clapping. This is a perfect illustration of how social psychology rules our daily social interactions and our human connection.
This is also seen when you are competing in a sport. For instance if you are a basketball player and you train with Michael Jordan this will make you way better than any other basketball player. Of course you need to have some raw talent the same mentality but training with him will give you an edge on the competition. Or if you train with a wrestler that is better than you, you will have a chance to improve your skills and compete at the highest level possible. Again it comes down to who you choose to be a part of your supporting cast. The same thing goes for negativity and positivity. When you hang out with people that have a negative mindset that attitude will surely permeate your life and influence your thoughts and actions. Positivity works the same way. If you are positive-minded the positivity will work out in your best interest and brighten up your day whenever you are feeling down or gloomy.
This is also seen in everyday things such as people that you associate yourself with repeating your actions or sayings. For example if I frequently use a certain phrase and I spend a lot of time around you, you will naturally start to use that same phrase, it is just human nature and its bound to happen! A scenario where this is seen often is with slang. If I greet my friend with "wassup man" everyday he will most likely start to use the same phrase. The same thing goes for actions and personalities. If I hang out with a person that constantly puts other people down then it is just a matter of time before I will surely repeat this act.
These are my thoughts on how you can become a product of your environment. Some people are able to resist the negative external influences. Some of these are the strongest people mentally; they are able to resist any actions that are not their own and tend to be negative they rather choose to embrace the positive influences! This is Arod signing off until next time!
Rulers and paradoxes.
Yesterday I was watching a special on the Holocaust. They depicted some of that atrocities that occurred during that period in history. Then it was mentioned that there was a rumor that Hitler's grandmother was Jewish and that Hitler was also part Jewish. Whether it is speculation, a rumor, or fact we will never really know. But the thought is bizarre and nebulous. Beyond everything it is extremely paradoxical. This would have depicted how we as humans embody self hatred and try to vehemently reject what we view as flaws. How can you oppress your own people or people that share your blood line? Since Hitler despised and oppressed the Jewish people maybe he didn't want his perceived weakness to be projected by any revelation of his Jewish heritage, so maybe the documents or any remnants of his ethnic history was eradicated before anybody could get their hands on it. He had a tumultuous relationship with his father who was stern and strict himself which could explain his inferiority complex and the voracious desire to be powerful and dominant. But to hypothetically think that he would enslave and kill his own people is self contradictory and shows how much we as humans subconsciously or consciously reject who we are and hate ourselves. It is a true a testament to the phenomenon of paradox that perpetually plagues the human existence.
Moving on to another nefarious dictator who's reign was concurrent with Hitler's is Rafael Trujillo from the Dominican Republic who ironically was born in my parent's hometown of San Cristobal. Trujillo is historically known to have a Haitian grandmother. The stark irony strikes again. He killed an abominable amount of Haitians in his day because he viewed them as inferior and thought they were damaging or polluting the race. Some of his legacy still lingers in DR ( Dominican Republic) as some Dominicans have animosity towards Haitians and vice versa. Here we see that he was trying to reject his Haitian heritage and what better way than to marginalize Haitians and massacre thousands of them. Trujillo was a heartless tyrant who killed anybody who opposed his regime not just Haitians. Before he ordered the killings of Haitians he covered up the fact that he was part Haitian. Trujillo had one of the longest reigns of any dictator and ruled Dominican Republic for 30 years from 1930-1961.
In both these scenarios we can see that both of these men have been afflicted by self hatred and seek out the entity within themselves that they hated the most and persecuted the entity to its fullest extent. But while they were killing the Haitians and Jews they were actually killing themselves. Now that is PARADOX and IRONY in nutshell. This internal conflict is not unique as we see in our everyday lives how people deny their own race or ethnic origin. It is evident in the Black and Latino community where some people hate themselves subconsciously because of the way they are treated! It is also evident in other ethnicities. Is this a plausible theory, you be the judge! This is ARod signing off!
Moving on to another nefarious dictator who's reign was concurrent with Hitler's is Rafael Trujillo from the Dominican Republic who ironically was born in my parent's hometown of San Cristobal. Trujillo is historically known to have a Haitian grandmother. The stark irony strikes again. He killed an abominable amount of Haitians in his day because he viewed them as inferior and thought they were damaging or polluting the race. Some of his legacy still lingers in DR ( Dominican Republic) as some Dominicans have animosity towards Haitians and vice versa. Here we see that he was trying to reject his Haitian heritage and what better way than to marginalize Haitians and massacre thousands of them. Trujillo was a heartless tyrant who killed anybody who opposed his regime not just Haitians. Before he ordered the killings of Haitians he covered up the fact that he was part Haitian. Trujillo had one of the longest reigns of any dictator and ruled Dominican Republic for 30 years from 1930-1961.
In both these scenarios we can see that both of these men have been afflicted by self hatred and seek out the entity within themselves that they hated the most and persecuted the entity to its fullest extent. But while they were killing the Haitians and Jews they were actually killing themselves. Now that is PARADOX and IRONY in nutshell. This internal conflict is not unique as we see in our everyday lives how people deny their own race or ethnic origin. It is evident in the Black and Latino community where some people hate themselves subconsciously because of the way they are treated! It is also evident in other ethnicities. Is this a plausible theory, you be the judge! This is ARod signing off!
Geographic connection to social class
I was thinking the other day about geographic location of cities and their connection with crime and demographics. I have noticed that the southern areas of most cities are the most poverty stricken areas. The Northern parts are usually the most affluent areas. If the dichotomy is not as polarized the northern and southern areas still tend to be demographically and economically distinct. Maybe it could be a conspiracy where the government or society subconsciously or consciously pigeonholed everybody from the lower economic strata in one area and it always tend to be in the south. Or maybe it just happened to be that way. But this within itself has some powerful symbolism. South represents down. So it can be either interpreted as society regarding these areas as inferior or the people who draw these district lines and set the geographic boundaries trying to keep the population in these "southern areas down".
Lets take the Bronx for example. The Bronx in general but more specifically the southern part of the Bronx in recent history has been the residential area for the black and Latino underclass. It was jaw dropping when I rode the train one day and had an epiphany. I was downtown around 42nd street and as the train's trajectory progressed uptown towards the Bronx more and more Whites and Asians got off the train ad more Blacks and Latinos boarded the train. I was in the awe at how polarized most neighborhoods and boroughs were. New York's segregation has less to do with race and more with social class. I believe the Bronx is the most concentrated borough in terms of the minority population or people of color if you will. This is also the borough with the lowest social class and is home to many blue collar workers. It has been like this since the 60s when the Bronx was in the worse predicament socioeconomically. Plagued by the crack epidemic, low employment rate, high crime rate, and landlords incinerating buildings to collect insurance, it was a city of chaos and turmoil and it was deemed as one of the worst national urban centers crimewise.
If you go to LA the southern part is also the worst part crimewise and it is what would be defined in slang as "the hood". The southern part contains Watts and Compton which are two districts that have highest crime rates in Los Angeles and possibly in the state of California. they also have the lowest income per household which makes sense, since there is a significant trend between crime ad poverty. These two areas are predominantly black and Latino.
Lets go to "Chi-town" Chicago. This city's southern quadrant also has the highest crime rate in the city of Chicago. This area is predominantly Black and also has a low median household income. Atlanta and Philadelphia's southsides are also the most impoverished areas in their respective cities. This is apparent throughout the Unites States not just New York City or Los Angeles. It is a ubiquitous problem.
The property value in these urban centers are also low which explains the poor surrounding schools and lack of resources. Now my question is: was this geographically constructed on purpose to isolate all the poor people in "the southern areas" to signify oppression and avoid the dissemination of the underclass? Or was it just set up like this subconsciously. I will leave that question for you to answer. Until next time this is ARod signing off!
Lets take the Bronx for example. The Bronx in general but more specifically the southern part of the Bronx in recent history has been the residential area for the black and Latino underclass. It was jaw dropping when I rode the train one day and had an epiphany. I was downtown around 42nd street and as the train's trajectory progressed uptown towards the Bronx more and more Whites and Asians got off the train ad more Blacks and Latinos boarded the train. I was in the awe at how polarized most neighborhoods and boroughs were. New York's segregation has less to do with race and more with social class. I believe the Bronx is the most concentrated borough in terms of the minority population or people of color if you will. This is also the borough with the lowest social class and is home to many blue collar workers. It has been like this since the 60s when the Bronx was in the worse predicament socioeconomically. Plagued by the crack epidemic, low employment rate, high crime rate, and landlords incinerating buildings to collect insurance, it was a city of chaos and turmoil and it was deemed as one of the worst national urban centers crimewise.
If you go to LA the southern part is also the worst part crimewise and it is what would be defined in slang as "the hood". The southern part contains Watts and Compton which are two districts that have highest crime rates in Los Angeles and possibly in the state of California. they also have the lowest income per household which makes sense, since there is a significant trend between crime ad poverty. These two areas are predominantly black and Latino.
Lets go to "Chi-town" Chicago. This city's southern quadrant also has the highest crime rate in the city of Chicago. This area is predominantly Black and also has a low median household income. Atlanta and Philadelphia's southsides are also the most impoverished areas in their respective cities. This is apparent throughout the Unites States not just New York City or Los Angeles. It is a ubiquitous problem.
The property value in these urban centers are also low which explains the poor surrounding schools and lack of resources. Now my question is: was this geographically constructed on purpose to isolate all the poor people in "the southern areas" to signify oppression and avoid the dissemination of the underclass? Or was it just set up like this subconsciously. I will leave that question for you to answer. Until next time this is ARod signing off!
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