oldjeans

Thursday, November 25, 2004

FRIENDS IN TECHNOLOGY AGE

I wrote this awhile ago. But I still think it's approprite to put it on here.

cyber world : what is real?

half a century ago, people socialized at school, workplace,clubs or other social events(wedding, funeral etc).

today, we still meet people through conventional way AND through going online. we show the world how socialize we are by showing how many friends we have on friendster, myspace, hi5 etc. we even store zillion of contacts in our AIM, Yahoo Messenger and MSN.

but do we realize that half of them, or sometimes more, we barely talk to. we just request for their approval in friendster and never say hi. we say to ourselves "man, i have lotsa friends that i don't even have time to say 'hello'"

so how real is this relationship? surreal or simply bullshit?

for me internet is making communication possible between two people or even more. it's a medium. i don't believe in cyber community unless each of us has become the byte that would compose kByte or MByte or even GByte. until then we're still human. drop a hello to your friends. just having them in your friendster list is not enough.

Dear Friend (who never forget to send me e-mail every other day),

I'm basically sick of people that I so-called know spamming me. Especially those who keep on forwarding junk e-mail.

Dear My Friend,

I know you care bout me. That's why you have to forward those bullshit (about a guy who woke up with only one kidney, bout rapist strategy and bout some bureucratic conspiracy). You know better than me the infidelity of the stories.

Dear, I know you love me. That's why you keep on sending me all these cute message; bout friends are forever and how much I mean to you. I'm here been waiting of when will you ever send me an e-mail just for me; not to everyone in your address book.

I also know you want me to be good citizen, by being like you, by spreading the good words.*Good News: Bill Gates wanna share his fortune. *Bad News: Yahoo gonna terminate your accout if you don't send the message to at least 5 people. *Just being good samaritan: Attach the name for some petition that has no real source. I know your intention is good, but those stuff are doubtful. They don't have return address for example.Thus, the petition is keep on growing, yet it's not going to where it come from.

Well my beloved friend, I appriciate all your love and care for me. Once in a while, I like to recieve that flashy friends-are-forever card. But as the cliche' go "the thought that count", and "quantity does not mean quality". I would like to know how you're doing more than I wanna know what's in your e-mail inbox today.Friend, I tried to e-mail you too. But your inbox is always full. Not that I never tried.

Sincerely,
the-one-who-always-here

Posted at 06:45 am by oldjeans
Make a comment

Tuesday, November 16, 2004

OBJECTIVE OR INDIFFRENT?

this would be my first real entry. took me a while.

These last few years I try to stay low profile. I don't participate in the class discussion anymore. I try not to point out what I really think on 'certain issues' when I'm with people I'm that close with. Why? I used to be strong with my opinion. Back in grade school people labeled me as 'the rebel' simply because I made some point opposing their arguements. But I realize why should I make my life harder with all these people when they don't even bother to hear my arguements.

I turned to be an observer. Trying to finding the Truth, with capital 'T'. But some part of myself still believe that in order to know the Truth I must raise questions. So I open myself for at least 2 sides of argument for any issues. Sometimes I tried to put myself in both sides' perspectives. But where does this lead me too.? Have I found the Truth ? Does it makes my thought objective? But it makes me think.

I don't think I am objective. I can never be objective. I'm human and prone to to some opinion and persuasion. I, like many of us, live in a world full of opinion and propaganda. Most of the thing that we know is from others' perspective. How do I know Russia is a cold place? I never been there but I know. I've seen the pictures, my friend who studies said Russia is cold. That's how I know. And how do I know Adam was the first man on earth. Not because I saw him, but because I've been told by many that he was.

Observing from many point of view turns me to be an indifferent person. I see everything as opinion or simply sets of numbers. Some say that we should learn from our mistakes, even wiser to learn from others mistake. But until I experience it or it has direct effect to me, then I can really understand it. Taking words from others confuse me. There's so many point of view, and it keeps me doubt even more. What if there is no God? If there is God, which God is THE God? Whose saying the right thing? The Palestinians are disturbing the peace in Israel , or is it the other way around? Is there life beings outside of this Earth?

I'm always so pissed at one-sided argument or dogmatic opinion. But when I think of it in different point of view. I am just like them. I also have some prejudice. I am prejudice againts people who are prejudice. Guess no one is going to win. And well, winning is subjective too. So it just leads me back to square one.

Posted at 03:32 am by oldjeans
Make a comment