The Internet and How We Destroy Ourselves

There is an issue that I wish to bring before you, dear people of the internet. An issue of great importance, yet, somehow, it seems to go unnoticed; accepted by society as the norm, this issue must brought to a head. Friends, strangers, acquaintances. We are doing it all wrong.

Horrifically wrong.

I have 2 stories for you to read. 2 heart-wrenching stories. This post will reference these as if you have them open, because I have them open as I write this. If you know anything about me, you probably know that I work in the theoretical, typically. I rarely cite specific sources. I never mean to pull attention away from the hard work of the creators of the works I reference, I merely work better by reading something, then letting it sit for a while before I create my own work. Regardless, these two posts, both by the same author need to be brought directly to your attention.

Before you follow me down the rabbit hole, allow me to provide some specific instruction. Read the first story, and then read some of the comments at the bottom of the page. You don't need to read all the comments, but I would encourage you to read enough to understand the gist of the argument. Following that, please read the second story. Then, return here and listen to my inefficient voice.

Click here for the first story.

Now for the second story, click here.

Have you finished reading both stories? In the order prescribed? Then let's have an honest discussion.

Are you crying? Did your heart break? Mine did. I couldn't get through the second story (the first chronologically), without crying. Do you know why? Because I read the most recent story first. I read as she sought to free herself from the oppression of the internet. Her fear, guilt, and sorrow. Her desire to be understood.

Then, I read the earlier article from her. I felt the mother's pain at the loss of her son. My heart ached to know of her suffering. The struggles that her family have gone through. I do not know this family personally. I was not privy to the story when it broke more than a year ago. Yet, I still suffer with her. I suffered more to know that, even after a year, the public still could not understand this mother. The collective people of the internet did not even know this heroic woman. She stood up and brought her life and the lives of her family under scrutiny. All of that was done that her life may act as a warning to the rest of the world. So I cried. I cried because I could sense her pain. I cried because the world had been cruel to her.

And then I made a crucial mistake. I finished reading her plea for understanding, and I shifted my attention to the comments below. As I grieved for this woman, I left myself vulnerable to the hate that came from the people in the comments. As the poisonous barbs flew, my grieving turned to anger. I quickly knew a new pain, and it came from the double-edged blade of hatred. Hatred, not towards the grief-stricken family of the brave young man. No. It was hatred directed solely towards the haters. The wicked individuals who sat behind their fortresses of solitude and spewed forth their toxic diatribe.

Where is Bellerophon and his Pegasus to slay this virtual Chimera. Alas, he doesn't exist. There are no heroes to save us from ourselves.

How could anyone say such things as this:

"As a gay man who spent three years helping men who were dying alone and in pain from the plague, I have no sympathy or forgiveness for her.

I feel disgust that she found compassion AFTER she drove her own son to death."

Or this:

"this woman deserves only contempt and disgust. "

And of course:

"God isn't using your story to build bridges for others. This God you worship doesn't exist, and the religion you follow has killed your child. If you really want to understand what happened and change for the better, start with realizing that God has no part in this."

Who ARE these people? This family has suffered so much more than I can possibly imagine. Unbelievable amounts of pain. Pain from the loss of their son. Anguish and guilt from the clear belief that they drove him away. The mother has spent years and years suffering from her guilt. Not only does she say as much, but you can feel the warmth from her tears in her words. Her blood has soaked the pages of both accounts of the events of her son's life.Yet. Yet, all she asks for is understanding.

Understanding that they were wrong. She acknowledges it. She believes it through and through. She comes to the public on her knees, a broken soul. The purpose of the account is to serve as a warning to the world.

Please, she begs, please do not do what we did.

But the world rejects her. Rather than see her as a grieving mother, who has made fewer mistakes than the rest of us, the world of the internet condemns her. They spit on sobbing soul.

Who are we.

Anger and Sorrow be unto us. For we condemn ourselves.

~tpp

Can I Get That Without The Bread?

...also can you wash your hands, change your gloves, use a separate pan, and hold the sauce.

I'm starting a new series! I might even start a whole new blog, although that is still just an idea.

The NEW SERIES (caps for emphasis, for some reason) will be titled "Can I Get That Without The Bread". It will focus primarily on the adventures that Sunshine and I have while discovering, together, what it means to be Gluten Free.

Being that this is the first entry in the series, it's probably a good idea to begin with an introduction of the topic. Gluten is a protein found in cereals that include wheat, barley, and rye death. Gluten is death. Well, not really. But hyperbole tends to attract attention. IT'S SO FLUFFY I'M GONNA DIE!!!! (see? Hyperbole sells.)

Over the last decade or so (give or take a few millennia), humans have been evolving towards extinction. It seems that every so often, we discover one more thing that is very very very dangerous, or it causes cancers, or it just kills you outright. Because reasons. Honestly, though, it seems that the more "enlightened" we become, the more dangerous living becomes.

However, I'm not here to list all the things that could kill you right this very instant. I'm here to talk about gluten. Scientists and doctors (who are really just scientists with a license to experiment on people), have figured out that some people do not cope well with a certain protein known as gluten. More specifically, or more commonly, they are referring to Celiac Disease. Which is essentially the inability to process gluten in the digestive tract.

This can certainly be very harmful to someone with the condition. Thus, a need to avoid gluten-containing products was created. This demand has, quite naturally, attracted new suppliers who wanted to create Gluten Free products for the individuals in need. Manufacturers can now have their products certified with a GF tag, that tells any given person that the food has no more than 20 parts per million of gluten in it.

Look for this on a product. It can be a life saver.

This is a great development. What's more, it is becoming increasingly easier to find producers that are dedicated about being gluten free. They have strict control over their facilities and do their utmost to eliminate cross-contamination, while making their food still taste good. It's a good thing.

What's not as good: At some point, it was determined that being gluten free was trendy. Part of this revolved around certain popular diet programs that attempted to eliminate carbohydrates by removing bread from the menu. The rest of it is just people being people. They want to jump on the bandwagon so there were studies that "proved" that gluten made you fat and gave you heart disease and what not.

The reason that this turned out to be less than ideal for the world of gluten free is as follows: the new trend flood the market with demand for products that were mostly gluten free. An individual who doesn't have to worry about cross-contamination or parts per million can be less discriminating with his diet. As long as it "appears" gluten free than the individual will be satisfied. Thus, restaurants developed gluten free menus, but they failed to train their staff to do simply things like smile and change their gloves when asked. (As an aside, there was once that a Chipotle employee nearly refused to change his gloves, despite a request to do just that. IT'S NOT FREAKING DIFFICULT TO CHANGE YOUR STUPID GLOVES AND STILL SMILE ABOUT IT. I WORK IN THE SERVICE INDUSTRY. IT TAKES LIKE 3 SECONDS AND YOU'RE JUST A STUPID SELFISH PERSON WHO BELONGS IN YOUR MOM'S BASEMENT FOREVER).

I digress. Back to the topic at hand!

So, there are now lots of products out there that claim to be gluten free or should be gluten free, but they aren't. For several reasons, a couple of those reasons have already been covered, and the rest seem to follow logically. However, the point of this series is not to get bogged down by a nitty, gritty analysis of gluten and what's ok and what's not. There are a lot of great resources out there. Blogs, books, cook books, and more.

I want this series to focus more on the abstract struggle of becoming gluten free in a world of processed goods, while having some fun in the process.

While I have mentioned Celiac Disease above, that is not actually the issue at hand. You see, Sunshine went to the allergist after having some serious problems with breathing. He ran a ton of scratch tests and, when the results came back, informed her that she was really allergic to rye and barley (there are a few other things on the list to, but those aren't relevant right now).

Now, to clarify: she's not allergic specifically to gluten. However, since both rye and barley contain the protein known as gluten, it is easier to tell someone that she has to be gluten free. Because who knows if something contains rye or barley, am I right? People are ignorant for as long as they can be.

But that's going to be it for this post. I got kinda wordy (that would surprise my middle school English teacher, but apparently no one else). I want to reiterate that I'm not looking to post recipes and dishes on here. While I may do just that from time to time, I feel that there are already a sufficient number of blogs that deal with that. The information is out there.

I really just want people to have the opportunity to connect with a couple that is learning all this in a hurry. It's been life changing. Definitely for Sunshine, and I would hazard to say that it's been very influential in my life as well. I will never believe that I have it worse than she does. But it is a difficult process for both of us. Still, I keep a smile on my face and try to keep one on hers too.

More to come!

~the piebald penguin

Generation Meh. Millennials FTW!

The Now Factor

 

    Millennials, Generation Y, The Whatever Generation. Our generation has been called by many names. Personally, I prefer to refer to my era of birth-mates as the "Now Generation". I have been accused of not caring about the world around me. I spend all my days cooped up in front of my computer, interacting with faceless profiles in a virtual setting. Sorry, I wasn't paying attention to all the horrible things you were saying about me. I was too engrossed by the flashy lights and sounds and oooh shiny! I have been told that I am part of a generation that doesn't want to give anything back. We just want to take everything for ourselves. Apparently, I'm a narcissist (and I didn't even know it!). I can't get a job because I don't apply myself; I spend too many years going to school and not working; I don't follow orders; and, most importantly, I can't listen.

    Newsflash: If I have exhibited signs of having poor listening skills, perhaps you should do your part to prevent global warming and shut your mouth. Do us all a favor and stop being boring. Please? See, I even asked nicely because I was learned (sic) my manners like a good little boy. I was taught that being polite and waiting for the right opportunity went hand-in-hand. Guess what? I reject your reality. There, I said it. I will be polite. I will also desire that everything gets done in the now. Let's discuss this in depth.

Why I want my life to revolve around the word "Now"

    The simple answer to the question of now or later is that it has to be now. Why must I be such a rebel? Why can't I see that it's better if I work long and hard for it? Why am I obsessed with the concept of instant gratification?

    Two reasons: Firstly, I want it now because I can have it now. Straight and simple. You had to wait several days for your letter to arrive before your lover could even think about responding. You had to sit in your room for hours waiting for that phone call, chained by the same cord that keeps your phone close to the wall jack. You had to wait to get noticed because that's how it was done in your time. However, I am not attached to the mailbox. I am not attached to the phone call. I am not attached to any location, time, or purpose. I have the opportunity to talk to someone in space as easily as I can talk to my friend in the next room. Why wouldn't I take advantage of that amazing ability? It's essentially a superpower.

    I can. I can communicate in the blink of an eye, receiving aid in a timely manner. I can change the world from my mobile device! I can manage my finances with the touch of a button. I can speak and have a computer transpose my words onto the computer screen, awaiting my command to save my thoughts for time immemorial. I can watch an astronaut perform experiments in space. Oh and I can ask him questions while he's running the experiments. Yep. Me. I'm a nobody. I don't work for NASA (although it would be so freaking awesome if I did); I didn't design a rocket. But I have the power to get noticed. Because that's the power of the internet. That's the power that I hold. I harness the storm of information and direct it from my fingers.

Because We Can.

    I want instant gratification because I can have instant gratification. I am despised because I have adapted to the change.

    Secondly (and really the most important point that I will make tonight (at least in the eyes of the author)), I have a desire to live in the now because I have to have it now. My desire is shaped by necessity. I don't have the luxury of waiting. You, the baby boomers, had that luxury. You were born into a world of peace and quiet. You were taught that the world will wait while you work your way to the top. Innovation is all well and good, but peace is paramount. The world was tired of conflict. It was tired of sacrifice. Hastiness brought confusion and action brought pain.

     I wish I could have grown up in that world. I wish my world was a different place. It pains me to say that all my wishing will not change anything. Why? Because your generation failed. You, baby boomers. You failed. You had a "Cold War" because you were afraid of action. You failed to change the world. Believing that it could wait. You fools.

    I no longer have an option to change the world later. I must make a difference now. You know that thing called global warming? It was a myth in your heyday. It is a reality in mine. We call it climate change. It scares me. However, I know that if I don't act, then my children won't have the luxury of seeing the sun rise in the morning. That is the burden that you have laid upon my back. You believe me to be disrespectful to authority. My generation "suffers" from Attention Deficit Disorder. You hide behind lies of disorders. You diagnose our "problems" at every turn, but you can't seem to recall that it was you who ruined this world. Your greed. Your deceptive nature.

    Are computers to blame? Is social media destroying our brain cells? Do we lack social skills? Who are you to judge? Your idea of a good time involved LSD and hate-filled anti-government protests. Woohoo there. I wish I had the time to relax and get high. I do. But you have taken that from me. You were irresponsible with your time on this earth. I must have everything now because I have no choice. You robbed me of the option to choose.

    In conclusion, I would like to point out that your parents placed the blame for your rebellious behavior on rock and roll. You have placed the blame for my rebellious behavior on computers and technology. However, I say that time will prove which rebellion was justified and which was simply selfishness. Do not envy my opportunity to live in the now, and definitely do not stand in the way of the work I have to do. Because I have to save this planet. That is not a choice I was given. If I don't act now, then there will be no later.

Just to end on a happy note. Boom! Instant gratification. It feels good.