Why Americans (and then culture in general) Hurt My Head
I don't think that I will ever be able to actually enjoy my Anthropology class fully. My reasoning for this is that it is extremely uninteresting due to the professor. Or it could just be that she feels this strange need to treat all of us as though we were still in grade school. No chewing gum, assigned seats, and certain infractions (such as a cell phone going off, which I agree is wrong) end with you getting an X through your name on her lovely little seating chart. We also get quizzes every time that more than 10% of the class is missing. Which seems to be every single time these days. How much fun is that? Not a lot, I'll tell you now. You also cannot have laptops in her class. Okay, I get that one too. I mean seriously, half the time there is no need for them whatsoever. But sometimes it's easier to take notes on them. Or easier to get distracted than it is with only a notebook and pen. Not that I can't get properly distracted that way. A good five or seven of my Kaylee/River fics have been written while I was in that class. Not that I don't pay attention, because I do. Otherwise I would not be passing the class with a solid B. It'll get raised up by the next test, but right now that's where it is.
Now, if you follow the link, then you will find my mini-rant/thoughts on what we did go over in Anthropology today. And then more added in just because it fit so, so very well. A.K.A:
Let's begin with the English language in and of itself. Now I know that there are multiple ways to spell multiple words depending on which native-speaking English country you come from, or evern where you learned. A perfect example of this is 'gray' and 'grey'. Now both are acceptable, because both are referring to that paler version of black that seems to have a desire to overtake the clothing in my closet. One just happens to be used more in the U.S.A. while the other is predominant in places like England and Australia. No other spellings of the word 'gray' are truly acceptable because they just would not seem right. Other words inclue 'colour' which has had the 'u' dropped from it when used in the United States. There are several words for which this has happened, but I'm not about to go into that. It'd be far too long a list. That and it's a slight annoying. Yes, the u is silent, but the 'b' in 'lamb' is also silent, and has anyone taken that out? Nope, didn't think so.
Next we have words that do not rhyme even though everything in said words scream out that they should. Here is a perfect example: rough, cough, and dough. Now with the except of the letters in italics (the first letters) these words are spelled the exact same. But do they sound the same? No. As we are taught in elementary or grade school, words that are spelled relatively similar should sound the same. At least, that's how my teachers went about teaching me to remember spelling. Words with similar endings should just rhyme with one another and make it easier on all of our minds. It'd probably help improve the general population's ability, or lack thereof, to spell as well. Because let's face it, how many of you know people who can't spell with a damn? I know that I know plenty of them, and it makes me twitch no matter how smart they are otherwise. Ace math for all I care, but please please please learn how to spell 'compass' or which form of 'to' you should be using in that sentence. Even my Anthropology professor has issues with this. As in she cannot spell and yet she has a doctorate. Isn't there a requirement somewhere along the line that has you write a paper in which your spelling and grammar must be correct or you can't get your degree? I think it'd be a good idea... That way people like Professor Buckmaster and Sarah might not suck so much at spelling.
We are all also slaves to fashion. And don't any of you try to deny it, because no matter what it is you're wearing, in some way or another, you too are a slave to fashion. Just look at the facts and you'll see it. Like the average length of a skirt's hemline. Study it and you'll see that it goes up and down with a pretty steady consistency. You can also take into consideration those spindly heeled shoes with the narrow, pointy toes that force women's feet into positions that they were not meant to go in. Hate to break it to you, ladies, but your foot is not shaped like a cone no matter how much you want it to be. Yes, it looks lovely when women wear heels, but that doesn't really matter. I'm not talking fashion (even though it seems I kinda am), I'm talking facts. Those went out of style when the Women's Rights movement took hold. And guess what? They're back now because someone in fashion decided that they should be. Not because women as a whole decided that, that's not how things work. Culture is pretty much what decided it. No matter how in love you are with those heels (and some of you have some damn nice ones) you would have never even seen them had culture not decided to re-introduce them because it wanted to. The same with bell bottoms and flare jeans. Remember when those were things of the past? Culture brought them back. Individuals did not, culture did, and that's how it is. Our country may pride itself on individualism, but we have a culture stream that we all follow pretty steadily.
Now, here's one of my absolute favorites. Americans are all anti-septic to a fault, yet what do plenty of us keep in the house? Dogs. Yes, that's right, dogs. Not many of you seem a problem with that straight off the bat, but give me a bit to explain and you might see where I'm coming from. If you stuck an American in a third-world country where defecating in the middle of a public street was totally normal and acceptable, then they would totally freak out because it's disgusting, gross, and unsanitary. Now, if you took someone from a third-world country and put them in an American household where there is an inside dog, they would freak out because it's disgusting, gross, and unsanitary. After all, what kind of person would keep an animal that smells, brings loads of dirt into the house, eats things that smells, and does nothing extremely important in their house? Those of you who have dogs and let them sleep on your beds, how much hair do they leave there? (If they're the sort to shed) Probably enough so that you have to wash your bedding more than the typical person. There are loads of animals that we could keep as pets that would not cause near as much of a mess just by existing. Yet we keep dogs (yes, I know they're fluffy, adorable, and loyal etc. etc.), who are a sort of walking mess. And we're anti-septic as a general population.
Charts prove that we have more women than men in this society, yet the majority refuses polygamy as a viable marriage option. While I would never engage in it, not that my marriage could ever have reproductive benefits, there are reasons why it should be considered. Such as the simple part where we have more women than men. In the majority of societies where this is the case, polygamy is practiced and accepted. Yet our society and culture is very unlikely to ever do this. Why? We have an obsession with the idea that marriage should be between two people who love each other to the exclusion of everyone else. This is why we also do not engage in arranged marriages as often, although there are people who do exactly that though people think they don't. The United States has a very romantic air about it, which can be ridiculous and infeasible three-quarters of the time. How many of our marriages end in that thing called divorce? A hell of a lot more than anyone wants to admit. Because people fall out of love or want something else. Now while polygamy does not offer a solution to that (the situation just annoys me at times and right now happens to be one of those times, so I'm sort of just shoving it in), I still think that our culture should accept it.
Now, this is a culture in general thing that goes beyond just the United States. Cultures only accept things when they're absolutely ready to. I have examples of this in the past, and proof that it still happens all of the time now, although we really should have learned from these past mistakes and moved on. Leonardo Da Vinci wrote a paper on shell evolution, because he noticed that shells changed the further away from the seashore water line that they were. But has anyone read this paper? No, and if you claim that you have then you are really fucked up in the head. Because this paper was destroyed by the church. Eventually the majority of the population came to accept that evolution was indeed a viable solution. But until the culture was ready for it, it was denied to the point of being ridiculous. Same with Galileo and his 'theory' that the Earth revolved around the Sun instead of it being the other way around. You'd think we would have learned from these things, but no, far from it. We're making all sorts of denials and mistakes all our own.
Here's a good example. When gunpowder was first introduced to Japan in the 1600's by the Portuguese, it was eventually outlawed because of the threat it presented to the Samurai way of life. Japan then became isolated from the rest of the world so as to preserve their culture. They stayed like that for another 200 or so years, until they were forced to come into connection with the rest of the world. Now, while I see nothing wrong with the Samurai wanting to stay exactly as they were, it was still a denial that could not have held strong for long. Because it was gunpowder, and it was obvious that it was going to become a major part of the world. And it did.
Nowadays we have things like stem cell research, cloning, and denial of the occurrence of global warming. Stem cell research can do great things, yet so many people oppose it because our culture is not yet ready to accept it. Not because people as individuals are not, but because people as a whole do not seem to be. The same with cloning. The denial of global warming is another branch of it, but still the same. No one culture wants to fully accept that all the things we have done could be killing our home. If we would just remember all that has happened in the past with people and what they have tried to do, or to show us, then we would no longer have these problems.
Damnit people bother me.
~*~*~*~*~*
Now I know more about what happened last night. I passed out on the floor and Brad covered me with his jacket. For awhile, no one appeared to know where exactly I was. Then they discovered, and Ashley freaked out because I was actually asleep. Then Brad was declared the 'Keeper of the Katie', or something like that. Not quite sure whether that's a good or bad thing. When I'm not feeling top notch, sure it's plenty fine. And it's just a joke besides, so no harm, no foul. I do wish someone would have woken me up so that I could have taken part in the meeting itself. Pagan Moon has few enough members enough as it is without the members that do come sleeping through it. And everyone was looking at me strangely after Brad did wake me up at the end of the meeting. Like something was wrong. According to everyone I was just out of it, and I guess they're right. I'm still not fully back in it yet, but oh well, can't let that ruin things.
Ashley was worried, and I feel bad for worrying her, although I wasn't trying at all. She came down, got my things off of my loft, and made up the second bed for me to sleep in. Then she sent me to bed, and I went. Not that I fell asleep right away, that didn't happen until around three-thirty or four, but I tried and that's the whole point. Also got up for breakfast with Cyndi at eight-thirty this morning. As in I wa sup at eight-thirty and went to breakfast for my bagel and baby muffin at nine. And then it felt like my heart was trying to constrict itself in my chest. I think I'll skip breakfast every day from now on.
I will admit that I'm currently more than a little scared about all of this. There's no other way to put it. I am scared. Things like this just don't happen to me. I've gotten sick plenty of times in my life, and I've gotten really, really sick. Like to the point where even my mother wouldn't let me get out of bed when I wanted to, but this is nothing like that. This is worse in a very unique way. This is me forgetting what I've done or said, this is me feeling like my body is floating away while the world is set on a merry-go-round. This is me in a way that I very much dislike. And I can't go to the damn doctor until dad calls them and gets me my insurance card. My health is waiting on my father. I do not feel anything remotely close to safe and I wouldn't even if I was there to make sure that he actually did what he said he was going to for once. I'd call the health insurance place myself (all they need is information to prove I am a college student, but they haven't told dad (or he hasn't asked, which wouldn't surprise me) what that info is) and get it taken care of, if not for the fact that I don't even know the number because I don't have a card of my own.
~*~*~*~*~*
Sally was just in here. There is no such thing as a dull moment with Sally, I'm almost positive of that fact. It just is not possible. Even her hand motions when she's talking are entertaining and fun. We also discussed how I got rid of my blanket. Ah, yes. I have had a Little Mermaid blanket since I was like, four or five. I loved that blanket and swore that I would never get rid of it. Highly attached. Everyone said that I would not bring it with me to college, but I did exactly that. Then Ashley started talking about how I needed to get rid of it because I was far too attached, and I started listening. Then, one night last week while I was upset, I did it. Cut out a piece to keep and threw the rest out. Not so sure that I should have done it that way. It's kinda hard to sleep without it. Maybe Sally's right. Next time I'm going to make a decision as important as that, I should do it in steps. And I should go find her so that she can slap sense into me if it seems like I have none about me at the time.
Now, if you follow the link, then you will find my mini-rant/thoughts on what we did go over in Anthropology today. And then more added in just because it fit so, so very well. A.K.A:
Let's begin with the English language in and of itself. Now I know that there are multiple ways to spell multiple words depending on which native-speaking English country you come from, or evern where you learned. A perfect example of this is 'gray' and 'grey'. Now both are acceptable, because both are referring to that paler version of black that seems to have a desire to overtake the clothing in my closet. One just happens to be used more in the U.S.A. while the other is predominant in places like England and Australia. No other spellings of the word 'gray' are truly acceptable because they just would not seem right. Other words inclue 'colour' which has had the 'u' dropped from it when used in the United States. There are several words for which this has happened, but I'm not about to go into that. It'd be far too long a list. That and it's a slight annoying. Yes, the u is silent, but the 'b' in 'lamb' is also silent, and has anyone taken that out? Nope, didn't think so.
Next we have words that do not rhyme even though everything in said words scream out that they should. Here is a perfect example: rough, cough, and dough. Now with the except of the letters in italics (the first letters) these words are spelled the exact same. But do they sound the same? No. As we are taught in elementary or grade school, words that are spelled relatively similar should sound the same. At least, that's how my teachers went about teaching me to remember spelling. Words with similar endings should just rhyme with one another and make it easier on all of our minds. It'd probably help improve the general population's ability, or lack thereof, to spell as well. Because let's face it, how many of you know people who can't spell with a damn? I know that I know plenty of them, and it makes me twitch no matter how smart they are otherwise. Ace math for all I care, but please please please learn how to spell 'compass' or which form of 'to' you should be using in that sentence. Even my Anthropology professor has issues with this. As in she cannot spell and yet she has a doctorate. Isn't there a requirement somewhere along the line that has you write a paper in which your spelling and grammar must be correct or you can't get your degree? I think it'd be a good idea... That way people like Professor Buckmaster and Sarah might not suck so much at spelling.
We are all also slaves to fashion. And don't any of you try to deny it, because no matter what it is you're wearing, in some way or another, you too are a slave to fashion. Just look at the facts and you'll see it. Like the average length of a skirt's hemline. Study it and you'll see that it goes up and down with a pretty steady consistency. You can also take into consideration those spindly heeled shoes with the narrow, pointy toes that force women's feet into positions that they were not meant to go in. Hate to break it to you, ladies, but your foot is not shaped like a cone no matter how much you want it to be. Yes, it looks lovely when women wear heels, but that doesn't really matter. I'm not talking fashion (even though it seems I kinda am), I'm talking facts. Those went out of style when the Women's Rights movement took hold. And guess what? They're back now because someone in fashion decided that they should be. Not because women as a whole decided that, that's not how things work. Culture is pretty much what decided it. No matter how in love you are with those heels (and some of you have some damn nice ones) you would have never even seen them had culture not decided to re-introduce them because it wanted to. The same with bell bottoms and flare jeans. Remember when those were things of the past? Culture brought them back. Individuals did not, culture did, and that's how it is. Our country may pride itself on individualism, but we have a culture stream that we all follow pretty steadily.
Now, here's one of my absolute favorites. Americans are all anti-septic to a fault, yet what do plenty of us keep in the house? Dogs. Yes, that's right, dogs. Not many of you seem a problem with that straight off the bat, but give me a bit to explain and you might see where I'm coming from. If you stuck an American in a third-world country where defecating in the middle of a public street was totally normal and acceptable, then they would totally freak out because it's disgusting, gross, and unsanitary. Now, if you took someone from a third-world country and put them in an American household where there is an inside dog, they would freak out because it's disgusting, gross, and unsanitary. After all, what kind of person would keep an animal that smells, brings loads of dirt into the house, eats things that smells, and does nothing extremely important in their house? Those of you who have dogs and let them sleep on your beds, how much hair do they leave there? (If they're the sort to shed) Probably enough so that you have to wash your bedding more than the typical person. There are loads of animals that we could keep as pets that would not cause near as much of a mess just by existing. Yet we keep dogs (yes, I know they're fluffy, adorable, and loyal etc. etc.), who are a sort of walking mess. And we're anti-septic as a general population.
Charts prove that we have more women than men in this society, yet the majority refuses polygamy as a viable marriage option. While I would never engage in it, not that my marriage could ever have reproductive benefits, there are reasons why it should be considered. Such as the simple part where we have more women than men. In the majority of societies where this is the case, polygamy is practiced and accepted. Yet our society and culture is very unlikely to ever do this. Why? We have an obsession with the idea that marriage should be between two people who love each other to the exclusion of everyone else. This is why we also do not engage in arranged marriages as often, although there are people who do exactly that though people think they don't. The United States has a very romantic air about it, which can be ridiculous and infeasible three-quarters of the time. How many of our marriages end in that thing called divorce? A hell of a lot more than anyone wants to admit. Because people fall out of love or want something else. Now while polygamy does not offer a solution to that (the situation just annoys me at times and right now happens to be one of those times, so I'm sort of just shoving it in), I still think that our culture should accept it.
Now, this is a culture in general thing that goes beyond just the United States. Cultures only accept things when they're absolutely ready to. I have examples of this in the past, and proof that it still happens all of the time now, although we really should have learned from these past mistakes and moved on. Leonardo Da Vinci wrote a paper on shell evolution, because he noticed that shells changed the further away from the seashore water line that they were. But has anyone read this paper? No, and if you claim that you have then you are really fucked up in the head. Because this paper was destroyed by the church. Eventually the majority of the population came to accept that evolution was indeed a viable solution. But until the culture was ready for it, it was denied to the point of being ridiculous. Same with Galileo and his 'theory' that the Earth revolved around the Sun instead of it being the other way around. You'd think we would have learned from these things, but no, far from it. We're making all sorts of denials and mistakes all our own.
Here's a good example. When gunpowder was first introduced to Japan in the 1600's by the Portuguese, it was eventually outlawed because of the threat it presented to the Samurai way of life. Japan then became isolated from the rest of the world so as to preserve their culture. They stayed like that for another 200 or so years, until they were forced to come into connection with the rest of the world. Now, while I see nothing wrong with the Samurai wanting to stay exactly as they were, it was still a denial that could not have held strong for long. Because it was gunpowder, and it was obvious that it was going to become a major part of the world. And it did.
Nowadays we have things like stem cell research, cloning, and denial of the occurrence of global warming. Stem cell research can do great things, yet so many people oppose it because our culture is not yet ready to accept it. Not because people as individuals are not, but because people as a whole do not seem to be. The same with cloning. The denial of global warming is another branch of it, but still the same. No one culture wants to fully accept that all the things we have done could be killing our home. If we would just remember all that has happened in the past with people and what they have tried to do, or to show us, then we would no longer have these problems.
Damnit people bother me.
~*~*~*~*~*
Now I know more about what happened last night. I passed out on the floor and Brad covered me with his jacket. For awhile, no one appeared to know where exactly I was. Then they discovered, and Ashley freaked out because I was actually asleep. Then Brad was declared the 'Keeper of the Katie', or something like that. Not quite sure whether that's a good or bad thing. When I'm not feeling top notch, sure it's plenty fine. And it's just a joke besides, so no harm, no foul. I do wish someone would have woken me up so that I could have taken part in the meeting itself. Pagan Moon has few enough members enough as it is without the members that do come sleeping through it. And everyone was looking at me strangely after Brad did wake me up at the end of the meeting. Like something was wrong. According to everyone I was just out of it, and I guess they're right. I'm still not fully back in it yet, but oh well, can't let that ruin things.
Ashley was worried, and I feel bad for worrying her, although I wasn't trying at all. She came down, got my things off of my loft, and made up the second bed for me to sleep in. Then she sent me to bed, and I went. Not that I fell asleep right away, that didn't happen until around three-thirty or four, but I tried and that's the whole point. Also got up for breakfast with Cyndi at eight-thirty this morning. As in I wa sup at eight-thirty and went to breakfast for my bagel and baby muffin at nine. And then it felt like my heart was trying to constrict itself in my chest. I think I'll skip breakfast every day from now on.
I will admit that I'm currently more than a little scared about all of this. There's no other way to put it. I am scared. Things like this just don't happen to me. I've gotten sick plenty of times in my life, and I've gotten really, really sick. Like to the point where even my mother wouldn't let me get out of bed when I wanted to, but this is nothing like that. This is worse in a very unique way. This is me forgetting what I've done or said, this is me feeling like my body is floating away while the world is set on a merry-go-round. This is me in a way that I very much dislike. And I can't go to the damn doctor until dad calls them and gets me my insurance card. My health is waiting on my father. I do not feel anything remotely close to safe and I wouldn't even if I was there to make sure that he actually did what he said he was going to for once. I'd call the health insurance place myself (all they need is information to prove I am a college student, but they haven't told dad (or he hasn't asked, which wouldn't surprise me) what that info is) and get it taken care of, if not for the fact that I don't even know the number because I don't have a card of my own.
~*~*~*~*~*
Sally was just in here. There is no such thing as a dull moment with Sally, I'm almost positive of that fact. It just is not possible. Even her hand motions when she's talking are entertaining and fun. We also discussed how I got rid of my blanket. Ah, yes. I have had a Little Mermaid blanket since I was like, four or five. I loved that blanket and swore that I would never get rid of it. Highly attached. Everyone said that I would not bring it with me to college, but I did exactly that. Then Ashley started talking about how I needed to get rid of it because I was far too attached, and I started listening. Then, one night last week while I was upset, I did it. Cut out a piece to keep and threw the rest out. Not so sure that I should have done it that way. It's kinda hard to sleep without it. Maybe Sally's right. Next time I'm going to make a decision as important as that, I should do it in steps. And I should go find her so that she can slap sense into me if it seems like I have none about me at the time.