DeDpoet|BuF
13th Aug 2003, 07:38 AM
I was talking to a friend the other day about a movie I recieved as a gift - a VHS copy of Ridley Scott's "Gladiator" from my grandmother-inlaw. I was blessed that she was thoughtful enough to get me something (I wasn't really expecting anything), and that she took time to find out my interests (oddly enough, I always wanted to get a copy of the movie, pref dvd - just never got around to it).
So here is a paraphrase of how my conversation went:
*friend notices gladiator VHS tape.
friend: "gladiator, cool! that was a good movie."
me: "yeah, I liked it." [thumbs up]
friend: "wth?! it's VHS??"
me: "yeah, well, it was a gift. I still enjoyed it."
friend: "whatever, i wouldn't even watch that crap. I'd throw it away and buy myself the SE dvd."
me: "hey, I know it's not as good, but still it was nice gift and very thoughtful of my grandmother."
*friend wrinkles nose in disdain.
friend: "I wouldn't have even watched it. what a load of crap."
*me rolleyes.
Thinking upon it later, I was struck by how spoiled the conversation sounded. Don't get me wrong - I'm not on a white horse 'cause I'm just as guilty as making arrogant statements like that in plenty of other situations.
[begin preaching] ;)
Compared to 90% of the world population, I'd say that we all most probably experience a very high level of decadence and prosperity. I mean, we can bicker amongst ourselves about what the best video or soundcard is - or try to get the best card for x$. We talk about the latest greatest or bestest processor there is. We can enter into debates about whether or not to allow gay marriage, abortion, or capital punishment. It's not like we're debating about how the government should ease our starvation. We're not sizing up rice vendors because that's all we can afford. We complain about the settings of the AC. Hey, we've got AC. We rolleyes over traffic (hey, we got a car!).
It strikes me as somehow supremely insolent to not take into account that we could have very well been born into a situation where we have no rights and no luxuries. I'm thinking 3rd world country, child labor/sweatshops, standard of living. I've been around to different countries and states. I am rich. Not by American standards. I don't have a 6-figure salary. But I have a good job, a good house, cars, a wife, kids. A nice computer, etc. We get so caught up in eyeing the few multimillionaires above us that we fail to notice the majority of the world. We are rich - in rights, freedoms, finances. We abound in prosperity, all of which is happenstance.
When I was stationed in the Philippines, taking a military flight somewhere - sometimes you'd fly over villages that are basically poor. Not that all the Philippines are, but there'd be kids outside playing with sticks who'd wave at us. They lived in huts, shanties, hovels (whatever you want to call them) and basically didn't have the conveniences that we take for granted.
So pause and take a look around every now and then. Think about what you do have as opposed to what you don't. Spend some time getting a grip on reality - your next meal isn't something that you are praying desperately for. That you have a couch, a tv, a PC, a VHS player, a Visor/Palm, a digital camera. That you are able to *covet* the latest video card or mobo - as opposed to a shanty that has a tin roof. Spend some time being grateful - as opposed to a spoiled brat.
:)
[end preaching]
...thoughts?
So here is a paraphrase of how my conversation went:
*friend notices gladiator VHS tape.
friend: "gladiator, cool! that was a good movie."
me: "yeah, I liked it." [thumbs up]
friend: "wth?! it's VHS??"
me: "yeah, well, it was a gift. I still enjoyed it."
friend: "whatever, i wouldn't even watch that crap. I'd throw it away and buy myself the SE dvd."
me: "hey, I know it's not as good, but still it was nice gift and very thoughtful of my grandmother."
*friend wrinkles nose in disdain.
friend: "I wouldn't have even watched it. what a load of crap."
*me rolleyes.
Thinking upon it later, I was struck by how spoiled the conversation sounded. Don't get me wrong - I'm not on a white horse 'cause I'm just as guilty as making arrogant statements like that in plenty of other situations.
[begin preaching] ;)
Compared to 90% of the world population, I'd say that we all most probably experience a very high level of decadence and prosperity. I mean, we can bicker amongst ourselves about what the best video or soundcard is - or try to get the best card for x$. We talk about the latest greatest or bestest processor there is. We can enter into debates about whether or not to allow gay marriage, abortion, or capital punishment. It's not like we're debating about how the government should ease our starvation. We're not sizing up rice vendors because that's all we can afford. We complain about the settings of the AC. Hey, we've got AC. We rolleyes over traffic (hey, we got a car!).
It strikes me as somehow supremely insolent to not take into account that we could have very well been born into a situation where we have no rights and no luxuries. I'm thinking 3rd world country, child labor/sweatshops, standard of living. I've been around to different countries and states. I am rich. Not by American standards. I don't have a 6-figure salary. But I have a good job, a good house, cars, a wife, kids. A nice computer, etc. We get so caught up in eyeing the few multimillionaires above us that we fail to notice the majority of the world. We are rich - in rights, freedoms, finances. We abound in prosperity, all of which is happenstance.
When I was stationed in the Philippines, taking a military flight somewhere - sometimes you'd fly over villages that are basically poor. Not that all the Philippines are, but there'd be kids outside playing with sticks who'd wave at us. They lived in huts, shanties, hovels (whatever you want to call them) and basically didn't have the conveniences that we take for granted.
So pause and take a look around every now and then. Think about what you do have as opposed to what you don't. Spend some time getting a grip on reality - your next meal isn't something that you are praying desperately for. That you have a couch, a tv, a PC, a VHS player, a Visor/Palm, a digital camera. That you are able to *covet* the latest video card or mobo - as opposed to a shanty that has a tin roof. Spend some time being grateful - as opposed to a spoiled brat.
:)
[end preaching]
...thoughts?