I've been reading a few webcomics lately, among them XKCD and Cyanide & Happiness. There's a certain charm knowing that these comics are free, up-to-date, and beyond readily accessible.
I was speaking with my counselor the other day, and it led my thoughts to the concept of self-fulfilling beauty, or art for art's sake. Many of the things I find most satisfying in my life are branded as pop art, and while I don't know if it is our great cultural phenomenon, I do know that these are artists who appreciate the value of their work. They are my, our, lives drawn to page, and posted for everyone to see. And the best part? It is a secret everyone can share.
I'm reminded of Unbreakable, where the antagonist spoke of comics as an accentuated call to our ancestry and to ourselves.
For the sake of brevity this morning, however, I'm just going to list off some of the better web comics for anyone's particular enjoyment.
XKCD
Cyanide & Happiness
Achewood
Questionable Content
Chugworth Academy
Carpe Diem
Friday, October 31, 2008
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Eternal Transition
I watched one of the live-action Scooby Doo movies earlier. I was disappointed with how subliminally adult it was. In an early scene, Shaggy and Scooby were appealing to a group of Rastafarians surrounded by smoke. It seemed like an appeal to the newer generations of viewers. It was a pointless movie, and I'm glad I left before it was through.
I spent the other day reading through Ecclesiastes, or "The Preacher," the book that talks about the vanity of humanity. The read reaffirmed that Christianity is truly the primary source of existentialism; the idea that everything we do is for naught is isolating. It's no wonder people that think too much end up killing themselves, giving a new perspective on why "ignorance is bliss."
It also helped me rationalize the duality of the things that go on around me. Look at the pictures in the links below -- they are of the same scene. There is only about a month and a half between the two pictures, and they could not be any more different. There is something beautiful about superimposing the summer picture with the night-time winter one, something revealing and abysmal.
Summer
Winter
I feel again that college is just a pointless transition in the greater scheme of things; that I am bound for other things that do not include writing papers for arbitrary grades and critiques. It could be Seasonal Affective Disorder (I refuse to refer to its acronym), but I think depression in general is when we realize the starker nature of things.
So with that, I'll probably leave school after this semester, if I decide to stay that long. I'll pay off my loans, then move away from the grey Catskill Mountains. There's a big world that doesn't involve the frivolous ramblings between the hills.
I spent the other day reading through Ecclesiastes, or "The Preacher," the book that talks about the vanity of humanity. The read reaffirmed that Christianity is truly the primary source of existentialism; the idea that everything we do is for naught is isolating. It's no wonder people that think too much end up killing themselves, giving a new perspective on why "ignorance is bliss."
It also helped me rationalize the duality of the things that go on around me. Look at the pictures in the links below -- they are of the same scene. There is only about a month and a half between the two pictures, and they could not be any more different. There is something beautiful about superimposing the summer picture with the night-time winter one, something revealing and abysmal.
Summer
Winter
I feel again that college is just a pointless transition in the greater scheme of things; that I am bound for other things that do not include writing papers for arbitrary grades and critiques. It could be Seasonal Affective Disorder (I refuse to refer to its acronym), but I think depression in general is when we realize the starker nature of things.
So with that, I'll probably leave school after this semester, if I decide to stay that long. I'll pay off my loans, then move away from the grey Catskill Mountains. There's a big world that doesn't involve the frivolous ramblings between the hills.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Fifty Dollars and a Clock That Won't Stop Ticking
As much as I would have liked to see a secret welcome party for my induction into the blogosphere, I'm glad I'm writing my first post incognito. All I need tonight is the hum of my computer, Zamfir's wild pan flautistry (is that a word?), and a good chat online. Of course, my good chat has reduced to which games are worth their money on the current generation of gaming systems.
It seems like over the years, even the video game industry is plagued with consumerism, with charts and graphs determining why you should pick up every game manufactured. Maybe I wouldn't complain under other circumstances, but the prices of games have skyrocketed since I was a tyke. You might be able to buy a game for $50, if you can find a decent deal.
I sold most of my systems over the summer, in part to help pay for school, but more to show myself I didn't have an addiction to gaming. It was rough, and I therein proved myself wrong, but now I find myself to be a more fulfilled person without flashing projections beating against my retinas. In short, I've lost weight, my self-esteem has gone up, and I'm the light of the party when I show up to events these days. It's amazing what perseverance will ultimately reward you with.
By the way, none of these new systems are worth it. Save your money and wipe the dust off the Super Nintendo; everyone could use some nostalgia in their life. Or better yet, step outside and realize that you're living in something so vast and beautiful that no one can ever fully appreciate. And save that $50, you never know when you might need it.
It seems like over the years, even the video game industry is plagued with consumerism, with charts and graphs determining why you should pick up every game manufactured. Maybe I wouldn't complain under other circumstances, but the prices of games have skyrocketed since I was a tyke. You might be able to buy a game for $50, if you can find a decent deal.
I sold most of my systems over the summer, in part to help pay for school, but more to show myself I didn't have an addiction to gaming. It was rough, and I therein proved myself wrong, but now I find myself to be a more fulfilled person without flashing projections beating against my retinas. In short, I've lost weight, my self-esteem has gone up, and I'm the light of the party when I show up to events these days. It's amazing what perseverance will ultimately reward you with.
By the way, none of these new systems are worth it. Save your money and wipe the dust off the Super Nintendo; everyone could use some nostalgia in their life. Or better yet, step outside and realize that you're living in something so vast and beautiful that no one can ever fully appreciate. And save that $50, you never know when you might need it.
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