(NOTE: This particular blog has some mature content, but it needs to be shared. I just thought I would let you know ahead of time so you can prepare yourselves.)-Katie
Consumerism.
Think about it. I know you hear it all the time. Americans are a consumer culture. Americans born in the last 50 years have never known a life where they can't get exactly what they want when they want it.
Problem is, I don't care who you are, daily decisions YOU make AFFECT people around you.
What you consume... buy, eat, throw away, see, watch, sell, listen to... all of these things affect people whether you like it or not.
We consume much...and yet do we really know the reprecussions of our consumer mindset?
Doubtful.
And I am not trying to put myself up on a pedestal and pretend like I am better than you. Because when it comes down to it, I am just as guilty as the next person, but what I do have now is KNOWLEDGE. Ignorance is not bliss people, you may think it is, but when things are finally revealed to you, you realize how much you have contributed to the problem and have done NOTHING to stop and think about your normal everyday actions and what they may be doing in the world.
For instance.. lets start with music.
Everyone loves music. It's universal. I mean, you could hate a certain type of music, but just as much as you hate one type, you love another kind.
Here is the deal with music though...it can be used for good. or it can be used for lots and lots of bad.
I am not trying to diss a certain type of music because I do truly believe that every kind of music has some artists who weild their power well and others who do not.
Buttttt... Rap music is known for explicit and degrading lyrics. And before you start finding country songs about honky tonk badonkadonks (did I even spell that right? Holly and Andrea help me out :) let me just give you some examples and maybe you will understand where I am coming from: (MATURE CONTENT)
Bottoms up: Treyz Songz-
If A B**ch Try To Get Cute, I'ma Stuff Her.
Throw A Lot Money At Her, Then Yell "f*ck Her!"
f*ck Her. f*ck Her. Then Yell "f*ck Her!"
Then I'ma Go And Get My Louisville Slugger
No Hands: Waka Flocka-
I'ma sip Moscato
And you 'gon lose dem pants
Then I'ma throw this money
While you do it with no hands
Girl drop it to the flo'
I love the way yo booty go
All I want to do is sit back
And watch you move
And I'll proceed to throw this cash
Hot Tottie: Usher
Can you keep me faithful
Got a lot of girls
Got a lot of flava
That’s why when I hit ‘em they all need to return the favor
Miss Me: Drake
I hope one day we get married just to say we f-cking did it
and girl I’m f-cking serious I’m with it if you with it
cause your verses turn me on and you pants are mighty fitted
All of these songs are on the top 15 songs on billboard.com as of tonight. Isn't it crazy how awful those lyrics are, how degrading they are to people? Yet, when you put it to a catchy tune, somehow the meaning behind the songs just disappears. We keep listening to this stuff though and it bounces around in our heads. No wonder men no longer know how to treat women with decency and respect! No wonder women feel like they need to have power in relationships and dress immodestly to get attention! We are feeding into the lies of music.
And now you may be wondering... what does this have to do with human trafficking?
Well, if we stay on course, I believe we are only one step away from listening to songs like this and thinking they are fine:
White Slavery: Necro
Woman need to be loved, injected with needles and drugs
subjected to torture and kidnapped they need to succumb
it's proven, I feed em dog food, they prefer human
make 'em savagely beat each other bloody for my amusement
It's all fun and games, I keep 'em handcuffed in chains
sexually make 'em do the most disgusting things
starve 'em to cannibals, make 'em eat each others brains
changed and deranged, stores begin to seem like nothings strange
while retarded acquaintances get fist f***ed and raped
covered in lighter fluid, lit up and ingulfed in flames
sound proof walls guarantee to muffle your screams
What you do, what you think about, what you listen to, what you buy, what you eat, what you wear tells the world what you like, what you are okay with, what you support.
You have a lot more power than you think you do. Use it wisely.
October 16, 2010
Still Fighting it...
I really should be studying for the ridiculous amount of exams I have next week (thank you midterms), but this blog needs updated and I've got something to say...fo realllzz.
So this whole growing up thing can be really lame sometimes, but as I go I have realized that the massive amount of change that comes with becoming an adult can be ridiculously refreshing.
There is so much emphasis when we're young on being well-liked and having oodles and oodles of pals, but I have come to the realization that you can have all the friends in the world and still not have a single person that you can bare your soul to and be completely vulnerable.
God (I could say that I found these people on my own but I'd be lying) has placed people in my life who have made this struggle known as college completely worth it. I'm talking friends who grow with me. Each year we change and in a way become different people, but the one thing that is constant is that we're growing together. I do not need a million friends, I need those few who are struggling and changing right there next to me.
I watched two of my best friends run a half-marathon today and it was such a moment of pride for me. I saw two super dedicated women who were pushing each other and encouraging each other even when they wanted to vomit and their muscles could not handle much more stretching. Those are the kind of friends that matter...those are the friendships that will last. Don't fritter your time away on shallow friendships...find those people who are going to bring out the best in you and challenge you to be the best you can be...I dare you.
Brucie.
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