| Current mood: | contemplative |
| Current music: | "Generic Horror Atmosphere #1" ~ Maindrian |
Change of Style, But Not. Also, You All Suck.
Really, when I look back at entries around summer 2008, it turns out I've always done these sorts of posts. It must be some sort of existential funk* that's causing me to think I'm cutting down on delivered content by simply posting links every damn entry. It does occur to me that I should use this thing to write about my life. Its premise is that of an online journal after all. However, I get around to thinking about what I would write, and then I become disappointed at the lack of interesting things happening.
Well, it's not that my life lacks interest. I think it has more to do with less things being interesting to me, and that carries over to what occurs on this here webspace. There's another part of me that rages, "But of course, they want to read every miniscule detail of your life!" Then I remember that's why sites like Myspace and Facebook exist: to indulge in every mind-numbing minute occurrence of someone else's life to for but a brief moment escape your own. This is why you'll rarely see me update my status: I don't subscribe to the view that my hijinks are worth bothering people about. If I were a more arrogant man, I'd say my lack of status updates is more to do with not wanting to indulge others' passive, naïve curiosity.
However, this leads to other problems. The art of conversation is dying.** In a typical gathering, people seem more likely to indulge in whatever piece of attention-grabbing technology is in front of them rather than talk to each other. To put it diplomatically, you are more likely to fool around with your iPhone than talk to the person next to you. This leads to something very odd: people coming together to hang out, except they don't really interact that much. It's as if they are locating themselves in one place so that they can share circumstances rather than socialities. For example, if someone goes out to eat, hey, free ride and company! This is not people being selfish: this is people requiring an excuse.
Some activities by their very nature are passive ones (e.g. pretty much anything that isn't a sport).*** However, we're getting into this new period of social isolation in which we all occupy the same room but aren't talking, or if we are, it's only to exchange the odd quip and attempt to make ourselves look witty. If you've ever wondered about the trend that has happened to my quote posts (that every single one seems to revolve around a D&D game now), this is the main reason why. This is why I haven't posted the large amount I've gathered; I'm waiting for the everyday situation to churn something out other than people breathing and the sound of them staring at computer screens.
I imagine some of this goes along with a few of the splits that occurred in this group. In fact, one Cracked article nails some of it down, especially the bit about having to endure annoying friends.****
"So," you might begin, "why haven't you voiced this before now?" Well, for one, I've been caught up in posting links to Things Of Amusement and not really paying attention. For two, I do this sort of post way too often, even if "way too often" is once every year or couple of years. It makes me feel too vainglorious when I write these things since I'm essentially prescribing social ills without much more than observation and intuition. For three, I won't be seeing anybody this weekend due to a wedding, so people can simmer on it. For four, because of one, no one will see this coming.
You may now mentally demerit me as you wish. Or physically do so in the comments.
* If you haven't noticed by now, I really love that phrase.
** The art of endnotes, however, is thriving. And yes, I know this is an opinion. All of this is opinion.
*** Speaking of, multiplayer gaming has mostly died out as well in this group since some people can't seem to relax and just play the game without getting emotionally worked up. For example, Dan and Jon. I decided to name names since, well, I don't think being polite is the way to go here. This really became apparent to me when I played Halo 3 with Jason and Robert, and got my ass kicked, and no one ended up shouting angrily at anyone else, or storming off in a huff.
**** As it turns out, people that annoy you? They get less annoying the more time you spend with them. This is because of monkey-see, monkey-do: you take on some of their qualities, and they take on some of yours.
Also, let's all reason like Bayes!
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