Achshav, Achsvah, B'eretz Yisrael!!!

In eight hours, I'll be off to the airport to catch my flight to NYC, en route to ISRAEL. As ususal, I'm not getting any sleep tonight. Needless to say I'm somewhat stoked. Woot.

Did I just say stoked? Wow. Hello 1980's L.A. Surfer-dude.

I find myself more excited, anticipatory, dreaming, CAN'T WAIT than last time. I guess now I know what to expect out of the amazing country that is Israel, and yet I can't wait to discover more about Israel that I never knew before. It is sure to be an experience like no other.

In NYC, Dave and I are going to go be Jewish and get dinner at the Carnegie Deli. Could we BE any more touristy? After I've spent the past four summers in New York, you'd think I could be a little more constructive. Guess not :-)

"Guess who eats together at the Carnegie Deli?
Jesse from Canada
and Dave Vaisberg (not Shelley)" - that's supposed to rhyme with Arthur Fonzarelli. Does it? Oh well.

So, while I'm off in the mother land, if you love me feel free to give me a ring a ding. I'll be carrying a cell with me all around the country. If you so choose to call and make me feel special, you can do it at the number below:

011-972-57-758-6507

You'll probably hear some Hebrew message like this: "Bruchim Haba'im L'Bezek. Welcome to Bezek. " Then it will connect to me.

Righto, so I'm off to finish packing - it's 3 am the day I'm leaving and as per usual, I'm not quite finished. I'll be posting pics and journal entries from Israel when I return. Until then,

Libi B'mizrach
My heart is in the East

Alright, Let's Get It On!

Jew-Ladies, and Gentile-men! Since the dawn of man, nay, since the dawn of TIME (magazine), December has pitted America's two greatest holidays against one another. In one corner stands Christmas (or X-mas for short), and in the other stands Chanukkah (or Hanukkah for short). Each year the debate is made, but a victor has never been crowned. That is why today, on this very webular site, I have been chosen as a non-biased jewish arbiter (or judge for short) to decide once and for all which Holiday is the the GREATEST OF ALL TIME!

DURATION:

Chanukkah: By definition, Chanukkah is 8 times longer than Christmas.
That's an extra WEEK of presents, dreidels, Jews, and gifts, and presents.
Christmas: 1 day. How fucking cute. Hey remember Christmas when you were 12? You should, it was only one day long. More like one day SHORT! Stick to praying, Christianity... Jesus Christ. LITERRRLLALAY!

POINT: CHANUKKAH (1-0)

SONGS:

Chanukkah: Umm... we got the one about the Dreidel... oh and a song or two about Judah the Maccabee. Sisqo's the Thong Song makes veiled references to the Menorah (Baby make your booty go Dunuh Dunuh.) But other than that, not much.
Christmas: I know it’s been said, many times many ways, but these songs (jingle bell jingle bell jingle bell) ROCK! Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, N-Sync! Everybody wants to sing these timeless classics! I know that I can't eat my morning chestnuts roasted on an open fire without thinking of that song about a partridge in a pear tree! On the first day of Christmas my true love would give me a CD! NOW THAT’S WHAT I CALL RELIGION Vol. 12!

Point: CHRISTMAS! (1-1)

FOOD:

Chanukkah: You gotta love a holiday whose food requirement is anything fried in Oil. Potato Pancakes, Donuts, Donut Pancakes, Potato Donuts, Potancake Donut Cakes. Docake Potatancake Oil Cakes, Dopancato Pakes, Christian Babies. You name it, we eat it!! As long as you name "Dopancato Pakes."
Christmas: I have NO idea what eggs are, and I sure as hell have no idea what nog is. I make it a point not to drink anything thick and yellow. What's that? Egg Nog is a drink, not a food? Ha ha ha, groveling will earn you no pity points Christmas....

Point: CHANUKKAH (2-1)

MOVIES:

Chanukkah: Lets see, there's 8 Crazy Nights... Um... Does Schindler's List count?
Christmas: Home Alone 1, shame on you. Home Alone 2? Shame on me.

Point: CHRISTMAS (2-2)

WHAT WOULD JESUS DO:

Chanukkah: Jesus celebrated Chanukkah. He was pretty good at dreidel but his potato pancakes were a little dry. You shoulda seen the expression on his face when his mother ate his latkes! LOL!
Christmas: Jesus didn't even know about Christmas when he was alive. Unless you think he's alive in all of us today, in which case you're wrong, he's not.

Honestly, he isn't.

POINT: CHANUKKAH (3-2)

SONGS:

Chanukkah: Yah I still got nothin.
Christmas: STILL enjoying them!

POINT: CHRISTMAS (3-3)

IT’S A DRAW! Or as I like to call it: A Drwanzaa! Thats right, there is a third party candidate we didn’t take into account and that’s Kwanzaa.

Kwanzaa was started at UCLA in 1961 by the military to help them communicate electronically. Today over 3 billion people around the world are online and chatting in different Kwanzaa rooms and using Kwanzaa to buy their gifts online. Consider yourself smarter. Because you can't pronounce EDUCATION, without the JEW!

Do this... post it as a comment

1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the sentence as a comment in my journal. Then do the same in your journal (post these instructions, too)
5. Don't search around and look for the "coolest" book you can find. Do what's actually next to you.

Here's mine:

But if the Truth was known
You ain't here nohow
And neither am I
Nor that cow and sow

~From Kerouac's "Poems All Sizes"

I've discovered the meaning of life

Yes, it's true! I have indeed discovered the meaning of existence, of life, and of all there is. Here goes:

When you're writing a paper and at first you had no clue what to write about, or where to go, or what your thesis is is, and then... all of a sudden... out of the blue it strikes you, and you understand... and then you write furiously for three hours. That's the meaning of life.

When you're talking with an upset friend and at first you're just saying things to console them, but then you listen to what they say and you truly start to understand their sorrows, and that makes you sad too. That's the meaning of life.

When you're at the gym working out, and you're sweating and tired and you feel like you can't go on anymore and then... BOOM... you get your second wind. That's the meaning of life.

When you watch your dog playing with her toy, and you stare in awe at the simplicity of being a dog and wonder what it's like to be a dog with no worries. And then your dog looks up at you, staring back - wondering what it's like to be human and able to reach the jar of dog biscuits. That's the meaning of life.

When you're standing in the middle of a forest and you look around, and the sunlight is streaming from everywhere and nowhere at the same time - you just can't pinpoint where it's coming from. That's the meaning of life.

When you're sitting in one class and what your prof is saying ties in completely with what you're learning in another class, and everything you've ever learned at school since you were five all of a sudden makes sense. That's the meaning of life.

When you're blogstalking people and you read what they have to say and you realize that although there's 6 billion people on this planet, a whole lot of them believe in the same things you do and understand life in the same way you do. That's the meaning of life.


What else is the meaning of life?

Countdown to Israel...

13 Days. I'm getting antsy!

fuck the man

"I never spent a single day in retail, telling people what they want to hear, telling people anything to make a sale"
~Barenaked Ladies

I wish this were the case for me. I absolutely hate working in retail. I don't enjoy capitalism, I don't enjoy the rich snobby brats who shop at my store, I don't enjoy the rich snobby brats that I work with. I hate that all people care about is that you work when they tell you to.

As of next week, I'll have only worked two shifts in the past month. While I enjoy the freedom, I think they're not giving me shifts in an attempt to get me to quit. Oh, I play the Disneyworld game where I'm all smiles while working, but I think they're on to me... they know I'm only in it so I can pay off my bills and then I'm outa there.

For these people I work with, it's like their whole lives revolve around selling things. The girls I work with spend half of their pay cheques right away on clothes EVERY week. Damn people, get a grip on reality and start realizing that there's more to life than posessions. Sheesh.

I want to move to a Kibbutz.

I'm published in the Toronto Star!!!

Hurray! Granted, it's only a letter to the editor, but let's hear it for democracy, freedom of speech, and my subtle humour througout the piece. The link to the article is below, along with my original, unedited version. At the end of the letter is a link to the original article to which I responded.

Hanumas... what a dumb name. It sounds more like a terrorist organization than a holiday.

Keep Significance of Holidays
Growing trend to combine Hanukkah and Christmas can have detrimental effects

Jennifer Bain reports on the growing trend in Canada of interfaith families combining Channukah and Christmas into a hybrid mishmash. While this may be a perfectly logical notion for some, it is important to note that there are detrimental effects of doing so. Ask my professor’s daughter who was taught to believe in the “Moses Claus” as a child, and now does not know what to believe in.

Channukah is called so for a reason - it is the Hebrew word for rededication. Channukah is the time when Jews celebrate and remember the rededication of the ancient holy Temple after its horrific destruction. To alter the word to "Chrismukkah," or "Hanumas," lessens the significance of the holiday. It erases the true meaning of the word, and presents a distorted version of the holiday.

While there is much that non-Jews can learn by celebrating Channukah with Jewish friends and family, and vice-versa regarding Christmas, it is of paramount importance to remember that Channukah is a Jewish holiday and Christmas is a Christian holiday. To combine them is to misrepresent the true meaning of each holiday.

To truly increase tolerance and knowledge of dual cultural heritages, interfaith families should learn about each holiday individually and uniquely, rather than attempting to assimilate them into an entirely new celebration which is no longer grounded in its true roots. This is especially true for interfaith families with children – let them be taught about each religion’s traditions rather than a new hodgepodge. Doing so will only breed a generation of children who believe in the Moses-Claus who comes down the chimney to light the Channukiah and eats the Latkes left on the table.

Jesse Paikin
Thornhill, Ontario

Here's the original article:
MERRY MISHMASHED HOLIDAY

Edited poetry - February 14, 2002

Sharp notes
Piercing the thick air
no set
time
no set
rythym
smooth
underneath,
carry on, flow through me

Stream of conscious writing - April 30, 2002

Cafeteria Study

Punk music. People staring. I'm supposed to be invisible.

She leans against the grate railing, sitting on the stairs, sipping her Coca-Cola, wearing a shirt with "skate boarding is not a crime" emblazoned across the front.

A girl, umbrella in hand, skips over the first two steps on her way upstairs. Blue puffy vest, curly brown hair with blonde streaks. A half smile on her face.

White shirt, black tie, glasses and curly matted hair, he runs down the stairs. "wuzzle wuzzle"

Jello, cards, and a spoon hanging out of her mouth.
"I'm smarter than you"
Two boy walk by.
"Go fish?"
My vision is blocked.
"How's it going Jesse?"
I'm supposed to be invisible.
"Good. I'm eavesdropping on people."
"Sounds like fun. Keep it up."
"Go fish."
"Shutup, I'm smarter than you."
"Sixes?"
"Go fish."
"Tens?"
"Go fish."
"Again!"
Spoon in mouth reaches for her Jello, then changes her mind, turning to the boy next to her. Spoon in mouth has lost the card game.

Edited poetry - February 26, 2002

It spurted out
an accident
a gushing fountain
I didn't mean to I didn't mean to I didn't mean to
I didn't want to
Yet it is
And I am soaked in the drenching aftermath
With the valve no longer shut,
The flowing surrounds me,
building up at my feet
my ankles,
my knees
my waist
If only I could shut of the tap,
stop the flow
my chest
a gulp of air
a sigh
my own fault
my own careless failt
my neck
and I am surrounded
Drowning in my mistake,
Clutching at the unclutchable in an attempt to
get me out
And it sinks in
That I will sink
And I do.

Edited poetry - February 22, 2002

The grape falls
from the vine
rolls along the ground to lay beside my foot
a step,
and its juices flow.
No longer a grape,
its essence seeps into the earth
to give birth.

Stream of conscious writing - April 29, 2002

Saxaphone. A saxaphone. The saxaphone. My saxaphone. Curvy. Waivy. Notes, piercing the thick air. The groove, penetrating bodies. The contact between my lips and the mouth of the instrument. Air flowing down its neck though its body. Out of it. And then though they air, through the clouds. And through time. Time signatures. Time to play. Play, play, play, play, play. Play the truth. Hear the truth. Listen to the truth. An 'S' shape, revealing so much truth. What an experience. My experience. For me, for you.

is blog-stalking a punishable crime?

It's 3:52 am, and instead of sleeping I'm blog-stalking various people I know and also some people I don't know. This whole blog business seems to keep going in and out of mainstream fashion. Six years ago I had a dead journal, then a live journal, then 5 years passed, and now I'm back at it again. Although this time, I think I'm journaling more for my own enjoyment than to update the public about Jesse-happenings. I used to write in my real journal all the time, but there seems to be little time to sit down and write these days; so this typing nonsense actually works out quite well.

Erev Channukah is tonight, and instead of celebrating freedom from enslavement for the next eight days, I will be enslaved in writing an essay on Simone de Beavoire and studing for my Political Philosophy exam. And then there's the Reason, God, and the Mind exam I've got after that. I could go into a diatribe about how I feel exams really don't tell you much. But I'm too tired.

Next term I've only got three classes. Plus jazz guitar. Plus Ruddigore rehearsals. Plus Tempest rehearsals. Plus work at the theatre. Plus work at H&M (unless I quit, which is becoming very tempting as of late). Oy. Oy. Oy oy oy.

I'm interested in people's perspectives:

Question: Should blog-stalking be a punishable crime, and if so, please devise an appropriate punishment for this "heinous offence."

stealing shamelessly from carly (who already stole from ben)

copycat is my first name.

so the (lifted) proposition goes like this. you (yes you) can ask me any 3 questions (as comments to this blog) and i will answer them to the best of my ability

I heart "I heart huckabees"

Wow - this film was Sartre, de Beavoire, Heidegger, and Neitzche collapsed into two hours. But it was so fantastic. If I had the power to scream to the world, I would tell all to go see this film. It's not life changing, because existentialism isn't about getting people to change, but it is so.... life-thinking. It lets you think. It basically made a lot of the past three months of my contemporary existentialism class a hell of a lot clearer. And I'm thankful that I still have one class left so I can talk about this movie.

It reminded me specifically of one experience I had when I was younger:

I was 5 years old and in my grade one class at North York Montessori. As best as I can remember, I was working on a math problem - in those days, I was excellent at math; how things have changed. At some point, I decided that I was finished, that I didn't want to work on the math problem, and moreover, that I was so overwhelmed that I wanted to stop thinking.

Never in my life had it previously occured to me that it was impossible to stop thinking. Needless to say, it was quite a shock to realize such a momentous reality.

I tried and tried and tried, and the more that I tried, the more I realized that it was impossible. At the same moment, I realized that it's possible to think more than one thing at once. You know when you're thinking a whole lot of different things, each thought flowing over, under, and through each other... but then on top of them all, somwhere in the cracks and crevaces of your mind/brain/thinking-thing you have this sly little thought that "hey, look at how many things I'm thinking of. I'm so smart!"

But then that thought gets run-over by something else.

But you still have the notion above all else that you're thinking about different things.

Well I only realized this at age five. Or maybe you could say that "Wow, he was only five and look what he realized!" I don't know.

The point is that "I heart Huckabees" resonated with me as such. It was very exciting. I sat through the whole film (and am sitting right now) with a huge smile on my face. Yes, the movie was hilariously funny, and wise, and witty, and smart, and philosophical. But above all else, it was exciting. It was... interconnected.

Somebody pound me in the face with a big giant red ball. I want to stop thinking.

left-wing socialists? I'm one of those

The York Federation of Students elections closed this weekend, and the results were announced yesterday. The progress not politics slate which I supported, along with everyone I associate myself with, did not get elected. Suffice it to say, the left-wing socialist side of York has resurfaced. NOW - here's the irony. I'm left wing and socialist! You think I'd be happy with the results. Sadly, I'm not.

I was having a discussion a few nights ago where I said that even though I'm left-wing, I don't associate with left-wingers at York - most, if not all, of them have extremely negative sentiments towards Israel. Most of them are just looking for an anarchic way to fight the man. I also don't feel that the left wing parties at York are well equiped to lead the school. Well, we'll see. As the progress not politics website is saying right now "You made your bed. Hope you can lie in it?" One thing is for certain - it's going to be an interesting semester.

Savage Love

This morning, I leave you with an article from NOW magazine. It's by Dan Savage. Normally he's all sexual and perverse, but I think he has some interesting stuff here:

Dear Dan,
I know your liberal heart means well, Dan, but the response you gave to SAUDI typifies much
that is wrong with the Western attitude toward the Middle East. While SAUDI is partially to blame for having the poor judgment to ask you about sexual ethics, your statement, "Unlike the country you left behind, there are no morals police in the part of North America where you live" smacks of haughty, imperialistic condescension. You totally ignored the fact that the values SAUDI was taught as a Muslim have a deep and completely valid cultural context that needs to be considered when dispensing advice. You reduced the conundrum of a devout man experiencing serious cultural conflict to the influence of the "morals police," and in quite a smirking tone. I don't care how progressive Canadians are. It is incredibly offensive to imply the superiority of morals in Canada to values taught in Saudi Arabia. To paraphrase Gandhi, have some goddamn cultural sensitivity, man.
- Sick Of Stereotypes

Dear SOS:
Did I imply the superiority of morals in Canada to values taught in Saudi Arabia? Jesus H. Christ, SOS, I feel terrible about that. So let me set the record straight: I never meant to imply the superiority of morals in Canada to values taught in Saudi Arabia. I meant to state, loudly and clearly and for the record, the absolute superiority of morals in Canada to values taught in Saudi Arabia.

Let us count the ways in which Canada is superior: equality of the sexes, political and religious pluralism, a little thing called democracy and, of course, the radical notion that consenting adults are free to have sex with other consenting adults without having to worry about being lashed or having their heads cut off in public. Canada's also got vodka tonics, BC bud and pornography going for it, along with Tim Hortons, pork-sausage gravy on fries and a just and equitable social-welfare system. Is Canada morally superior to Saudi Arabia? You bet.

It's also morally superior to the United States of America.

But back to the big SA. Unless you believe that cutting off the heads of homosexuals has a "deep and completely valid cultural context" or men treating women as their property is a "value," you have to acknowledge that Saudi Arabia practises and promotes a thoroughly fucked-up brand of Islam. Furthermore, Saudi Arabia's state-sanctioned "morals police" are not, as you imply, an imperialistic fantasy of mine. They are, sadly, a fact of everyday life for Saudi Arabian women, gays, atheists, moderate/non-Wahabi Muslims and anyone else who fails to live up to the pinched, sex-negative, deeply psychotic brand of monotheism practised there. To paraphrase the United Nation's Universal Declaration Of Human Rights, I believe that human
rights are universal, man. As Saudi Arabia exists in this universe, I think that the humans there – Muslim or not, liberal or conservative, male or female, gay or straight – are entitled to their full human rights. Until that day comes, SOS, I'm going to go right on thinking that Canada kicks Saudi Arabia's ass when it comes to morals and values. And bud.

dichotomous struggle

I'm not a doctor. . . Or a fireman. . . I work in the theatre. . .
Which is not to say that my work is unimportant. . . But it is not life threatening. . .It is not more important than spending time with my family. . .

~found this in somebody's blog. I like it. it resonates for me.

I had a dramatically theatre-filled day:

• I woke up to about 20 Jewish women in my living room courtesy of my mother, which is more than enough DRAMA, let me tell you.
• I went out for lunch with Dave and Natalia (both from the theatre)
• I missed Ruddigore rehearsal - causing great drama amongst the cast :-)
• But I missed it to do some lighting tech for a local community theatre - they were doing Shrek 2 - how cute!
• This evening, I applied for a position at Factory Theatre - this is very exciting for me! We'll see where it goes!

Anyways, yes we all know how much I love theatre. The thing that I struggle with a lot is that as much as I want to go to rabbinical school and become a rabbi, there is a huge part of me that wants to make theatre my profession. I'm so torn. I know that I can do community theatre even if I become a rabbi, but I don't know how fulfilling that would be.

I can envision myself as a rabbi and I worry that I'll lose all touch with theatre (aside from watching it). But then I envision myself as an actor/director/designer and worry that I'd be straying away from something that I've wanted to be since I was eight.

So there's the dichotomous struggle. I like that phrase - I used it in an essay last week. I also used the word "expunge," and that really impressed my prof!

Any suggestions? And please don't tell me I can do both, because it's really not feasible. And I'm not asking for people to tell me who or what to be, I'm just at a loss and I have been for a few years. Help?

Amen

You Should Be Jesus for Halloween!

What should you be for Halloween?

What's with this shit? I'm not even American!

You Are a New School Democrat

You like partying and politics - and are likely to be young and affluent. You're less religious, traditional, and uptight than most Democrats. Smoking pot, homosexuality, and gambling are all okay in your book. You prefer that the government help people take care of themselves.

What political persuasion are you?

4:00am - Philosophy on MSN - I think I'm saved!

I think I may finally have something to write my essay on! Cheers to 4am philosophizing on msn :-)


Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
unfortunately, modern socialism is becoming very similar to anarchism
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
"fight the power"
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
quite true
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
in any case, economically, I don't think comunism can work on a large scale..
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
its useful for kibutzim-style communities, but that's about it..
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
it takes work and a true understanding
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
it's easy on a small scale, but not impossible on a large scale
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
when you factor in human psychology, greed is always there..
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
truly, I don't expect it to ever work large scale
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
there will always be one person to screw it up
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
then you have the issue of people who work harder deserve more than those who don't work at all..
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
sadly, I don't see any political party attentive to the needs of canadians
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
(with exceptions of the disabled, etc..)
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
out of curiousity, what do u think about the issue of some people working harder than others?
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
do they deserve more?
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
depends on what you classify as working harder
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
if, for example, 2 people do the same job..
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
one does 20 hours a week, and the other does 50 hours a week
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
does the caretaker at york who works 10-10 everyday work harder than a neurophysicist?
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
should they both have the same standard of living?
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
well, that's what marxist communism about - standard of living
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
it doesn't say that everyone makes the same, it says that everyone makes what they need for their standard of living
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
a single maintenance worker has a lower standard of living than a married one, etc etc
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
so does it allow for people to have 3rd world standards of living?
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
no
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
or bill gates standards?
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
and no - bill gates lives far above the necessities of life
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
and undeveloped countries live far below it
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
ok.. so two single men, both work doing the same thing, but one works twice as long/hard as the other..
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
do they get the same 'pay'?
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
or does the guy who choses to work longer hours in order so that he can enjoy a big screen tv not have such an opportunity?
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
if you understand marxist communism as a contract system - you still need to work to recieve pay
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
understood..
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
but can I choose to go above and beyond because I enjoy more 'extravagant' things than others do?
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
no
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
that's quite clear
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
people won't be happy in such a society..
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
for example..
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
I'm happy eating pizza and fast food..
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
oh for sure people wouldn't be happy
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
its very cheap to produce, etc..
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
assuming food was an only factor..
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
but what if I'm not happy with our "democracy"
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
I'd be happy with pizza and pasta, etc.. but most people in today's society want more 'fancy' foods..
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
if they want it, they should be able to have it.. assuming they work that much harder for it..
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
ideally, such foods would be available not only to an elite
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
try telling a kibbutnik that there's a part of the kibbutz that only certain people can go to where there's better food and more commodities
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
but someone who wanted a steak would require that there be a guy who raises cattle, another who slaughters the cattle, another who processes it, and another who cooks it..
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
and that's how a kibbutz works
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
so u have 10 people working for the guy who wants a stake, but only 2 for the guy who wants some fries..
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
is that truly communal?
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
can I then ask, since I only eat (hypothetically) fries, that I have 8 servants working for me to make up the difference?
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
hypothetically no - you're entitled to the steak just as much as anyone else is. if you choose not to exercize your right, that's your own choice
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
this is where a financial based society would make more sence..
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
to some
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
it might be more ideal to try a spin on it..
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
give everyone $10000 / year.. spend it on whatever you want..
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
or again.. based on need
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
that would certainly be interesting
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
but then u end up again with lazy people who won't be productive in their jobs..
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
since they know they're guaranteed "pay", why should they care about their work?
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
for the betterment of society?
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
I know it's idealist
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
the point is, unless humans become like robots, there is no way that communism can work
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
the will of the human is higher than intellect..
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
and the will of the human is driven by the need to (what they believe is for the) improvement of themselves in one way or another
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
which means the human will always want more something
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
more money, more spirituality, more friends, more books..
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
knowledge..
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
if the will is higher than intellect, can one will to have mor intellect?
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
sure
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
that's one of my 'will's'
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
I believe some want more intellect and it is for them that communism wourl work
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
what if I want more intellect than others..
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
then you're a selfish bastard
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
not necessarily..
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
remember, people are competetive..
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
true
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
now you're getting into social contract theory
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
in the science world.. which I'm more familiar with..
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
which is about escaping the nature of humanity - hobbes, locke, rousseau - they all saw human nature as something to be escaped by entering into a social contract form of government
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
all important pieces of intellect are shared and published..
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
but, everyone competes to be the First to make an advancement in a particular field of science
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
right
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
if they're not the first, they don't get recognized for their work..
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
and as a result, they will to be the first..
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
you could consider it selfish..
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
but you could also argue that their work ends up getting wasted if they're not the first..
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
all true
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
I don't necessarily agree that democracy is the best way to go about things either..
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
in some cases, it is..
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
but in any case, its absolutley necessary to have an economic system that's somewhat based on capitalism
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
I don't think it's absolutely necessary in all societies - but I think for us, it's important to recognize that we are a capital based economy
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
as far as history goes.. it has always been a system based on how hard you work, or how much you earn..
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
ideally, you should be respected based on your talents and how hard you work..
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
not because of your money
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
so do we sit back and say "this is the way it's always been, so be it"
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
I don't like the status quo
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
do u agree that someone should be respected based on their talents and the amount of work they do?
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
or alternatively, that everyone should be treated equally, as a number, but not a face..
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
I think everyone has different talents
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
agreed..
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
and you should be respected based on how you use your own talents
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
agreed..
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
to me.. I'd be interested in meeting people with a certain set of talents to help me in my life.. but you'd likely look for help from people with a different set of talents..
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
which is normal.. otherwise, there would be no individuality..
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
for example.. I like a certain kind of music
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
and a certain type of food.. etc.
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
I wouldn't care to go to the person who makes the best steak..
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
not if suddenly.. everybody wanted a steak, there is more demand on the steak guy..
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
he has to work harder..
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
as a result, he deserves more respect for his hard work
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
otherwise, people won't get equal opportunity to their right to eat steak
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
since the steak guy will no longer have motivation to cook for a lot of people..
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
so.. what would a communist society do in such a scenario?
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
hmm
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
they could get more people making steak
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
but they're not necessarily talented doing that..
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
there will still be demand on this first guy
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
why should he have to work harder than everyone else?
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
it's a tough scenario
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
I'll tell you what I'd do..
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
tell everyone that if they want steak, they have to work as hard as the guy who makes it..
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
so.. as a result.. some people will decide they're not willing to do that..
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
the demand on the steak guy goes down..
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
and those willing to work harder will
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
what did we ultimately create?
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
an idealistic model?
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
if you call it that..
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
I call it capitalism
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
those who chose to work harder in order to enjoy those 'finer things' that are in higher demand.. do so
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
I just instituted a system of supply and demand
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
and a system of 'cost'
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
but there should still be a base line which provides basic needs for all
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
as well as inflation
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
ok.. so everyone gets shelter and 2 basic meals per day..
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
how do you guarantee that EVERYONE's basic needs are cared for?
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
but if you want a TV, you have to work
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
if you're talented like the steak guy.. u can get a big screen
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
so your basic needs are provided for by the government, but if you want more you need to work more for it
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
sounds fair..
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
no?
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
I never heard of any government saying that they should let the homeless rot on the street
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
but if they don't do anything to get them off, then it basically amounts to the same
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
not necesarily..
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
everyone also needs to have exactly the same opportunity to work more for more
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
which we don't have
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
if all the facilities are provided, and the homless still chose not to accept them.. what more can you do?
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
very few homeless choose to live on the street
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
agreed..
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
but those who don't stay in shelters, do chose not to..
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
if homeless shelters were rejecting people who truly needed it, I'm sure we'd be hearing about it..
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
they do
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
and we do hear of it - shelters are overcrowed - not nearly enough room or money
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
I'm not arguing about overcrowding and money
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
but do they tell people that they can't come in ?
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
sometimes
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
that needs to be fixed..
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
indeed
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
alternatively..
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
instead of having government run shelters.
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
BUT! more importantly - shelters aren't the same baseline standard of living that a home and money for food is
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
shelters provide home and food.. unfortunately, they're not up to the standard of living of an average family that makes $50000/year
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
exactly
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
but that average family works hard for it..
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
the argument really is how much should they get for free?
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
I think 50 square feet and 2 meals is enough to survive..
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
as well as some clothing.. in order for them to go out and make an effort to improve their standard of living..
Jesse --> 30 days to Israel!!! [phantomphilosopher.blogspot.com] says:
that's a whole separate thing
Mr & Mrs DJStealth says:
ya.. different path anyway..

America the beautiful? America the sexually safe!

The Republican National Committee announced that the Republican Party is changing its emblem from an elephant to a condom. The committee chairman explained that the condom more clearly reflects the party's stance today, because a condom accepts inflation, halts production, destroys the next generation, protects a bunch of pricks, and gives you a sense of security while you're actually getting screwed.

I'll be here (NYC) in a month! .....

En route to here!

you are here

"the story knows more than you do, let the story tell itself."

a quote from one of my favourite Daniel MacIvor plays. So - if the story (presumably my story, i.e the story of my life) knows more than I do and I'm supposed to let it tell itself - what's my place in this story - do I get to define my life, or does it just happen while I'm an impartial spectator?

Pardon my existential jabber, but my existentialism class has made me realize that there is a VAST amount of contradiction in existential philosophy. I'm still intrigued by it - I wouldn't call myself an existentialist, but there is a lot about it that I like - responsibility, freedom, etc etc etc. So if you're supposed to let the story tell itself - where's the freedom in that?

I'm leaving that as an open ended question right now. I'm not answering it. Maybe I'll answer it later.


My story right now is that I have a political philosophy paper to work on that was due last wednesday. I haven't really gotten anywhere with it, and it's really upsetting me because I'm engrossed in the class and the readings, but I can't get this essay to make any sense. I need to finish it this weekend, but it doesn't look like that is going to happen. "Ethical Leadership within Rousseau's Social Contract". It's incredibly interesting, it's right up my alley, but for some reason I can't get it going. And I'm not actively procrastinating (or maybe I am ???) so what the fuck.

I spent the morning watching "The Greatest Canadian" - George Stromboulopolus was arguing that Tommy Douglas (a premier of Saskatchewan - founded Universal Health Care) should be numero uno -- and I most definately agree. Go check out the site to see why: TOMMY DOUGLAS, GREATEST CANADIAN

I slept on the couch downstairs last night - couldn't fall asleep upstairs, not sure why. Or maybe I am sure why - anxious about this essay. most definately.

Let's see if I can get motivated and work on it.