1. I somehow stumbled upon a quote from Gundam creator, Yoshiyuki Tomino [a.k.a. "Kill 'Em All Tomino"] where he stated in 2009 that videogames are "evil," do not promote any sort of productivity, and that a lot of electricity will be drained if we all jump on board and started playing. Of course, what do you say to that? Tomino's franchise Gundam spawned countless videogames, including the recently released Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 3. The Gundam series itself glorifies technology. I don't want to dismiss Tomino's argument here as just "pretentious director drivel," and as a guy who grew up playing videogames, I want to reassess things: did my gaming amount to pro-social behavior? I guess I can't really judge that for myself. I do much prefer playing videogames with people, in-person, and at an audible level where I can talk to them: otherwise, it feels like either masturbation or going to strip clubs.
While I do think it's kind of a messed-up sentiment, I do think Hideki Anno's point that the otaku lifestyle is kind of like "forced autism" is poignant.
2. Sometimes, you got to wonder if some people only have one setting: "ridicule mode." It's a sensibility of "fuck kindness, I wanna be funny." Everyone wants to be "Howard Stern," and I'm too crudmudgeony now to enjoy that 24/7. I suppose life without irony and sarcasm would be boring, but life with too much of it: well, that's where we're at sometimes. I've come to accept that some people are just going to insult you nonstop in conversation, but when it gets to that point: is that really someone you want to have around?
3. Having lived through the 90's with its extreme glamoration of sex, sarcasm, being "dark" and violence, nowadays, if you really want to have "shock value" and surprise me. . . be a sincere person. Do the right thing in moments when it matters, especially when it sucks. Go out of your way for people. Admit your fuck ups, and blame yourself. Don't get lazy, and this could mean whatever you want it to mean, but whatever you do, give a shit.
4. At the end of the day, for any revolution, all you need is for someone to say "yes." Whatever your "revolution" is, well, that's entirely up to you. As long as you've got people dumb enough or simpatico with your ideals, you pretty much can accomplish anything.
5. You can pretty much warp around anything ever said, and with everyone having their own unique persepctive, words like "good" and "evil" are just obscurred. It really is "shades of grey." Of course, I can't stop people from thinking about "evil" all the time; that it wears a top hat, wears a cape, and has a curly moustache.
6. I honestly don't want it ever to get to a point with people that if I wanted to see someone, I'd just turn on my computer and log on facebook.
7. Very few people are what they say they are. Everyone thinks they're different. Everyone thinks they're right. Everyone thinks they're funny. Everyone thinks they're wacky. Everyone thinks they're crazy. Everybody's hungry. Everybody poops. And it's all glamour. It's all a fashion statement. Because the truly out-there people I've met in my life are well aware that it's a blessing and a curse. And people buy into things; watch a movie and get a sense of entitlement because they were fed over and over they're "special." They want the lifestyle of the "other"; being against the mold makes you "special." And truly, everyone's special in their own way, and for that, no one is special. People may say I value things that don't perfectly fit a mold, but at the end of the day, I want to be a part of the human race. . . which is a neverending quest that is both joyous and depressing.
At the end of the day, if you are so concerned about being counterculture and snob everyone else that isn't, you really aren't changing the status quo of the culture that shunned you. To truly break the status quo, accept people.
8. I could never be vegetarian, but if I did, I'd imagine it'd be over my mom's fried vegetable lumpia. But y'know, if I were to go vegetarian, it'd make quite the fashion statement. . . kind like owning a blog. So much you can assume about vegetarians and bloggers when perhaps the only truth is that we'll never know anything about anyone at all. I firmly believe that nobody ever truly understands each other; not even husbands and wives. And this is fine. To truly trust, and to give in to uncertainty and the unknown; well I truly believe that is love.
