How's The World's Culture Progressing This Year, 2022?

Before stepping into the last month of the year, which is a month I reserve mostly for celebrations to conclude the year, there’s something I’d like to do. I’d like to address where we are in terms of cultural progress.

Although I’ve written countless posts (here and on other sites) that revolve, relate, and refer to cultural progress, this would be my first time officially doing it as part of an ongoing series (and keeping the same or a similar format for it) to recap and summarize every year on this date. There will be years in which I’ll have more to say than in others, but I’ll still try to show up for it regardless.

My Personal Stance
As it has been from the very beginning, I stand for what is truthful, effective, and fair. I don’t yet have all the answers, but I do my best to consider and weigh different views and opinions to grasp the reality of the matter and find solutions to issues. Generally, I see that people are either ignorant, confused, misguided, malicious, pushing an agenda, or a combination of two or more of those. And I try to have patience but it can run out.

Cultural Progress in 2022
This year, after things got to such an absurd extreme that they cannot be taken seriously or given much tolerance to, I’ve seen many who have begun to stand up and speak up to bring things back to a more sensible medium. But just like the pendulum swings from one end to another, I’m also seeing many trying to reinvent the wheel and get us back to where we started or worse. As though things getting absurd automatically makes everything absurd.

Points
Browsing and scrolling, as well as being out in the world, online and offline, I’ve come across a few topics, and here’s what I’ll bring up:

• Sexism & racism
You can cite statistics or generalize based on personal experience and observation, ignoring sample size and other factors (e.g. history, conditioning, opportunities, etc.) that’d lead to inaccurate results, but no amount of confirmation bias will change the facts. Claiming that a certain sex or race is inherently superior to another and making quick judgments about everyone you encounter based on that, not only makes you rude - it makes you dumb. Yes, there are problems within specific demographics and the terms are thrown around without basis quite often. But if you’re assuming you know others and discriminate against them because of their sex or race, you’re not using your brain much. And can you guess what that makes you?

• Homophobia & transphobia
You don’t have to promote it, you don’t have to celebrate it, you don’t have to appreciate it, you don’t even have to agree with it - but, for various valid reasons, you must respect it. Your distaste for something is not an excuse to be cruel or downright atrocious to others. I don’t believe that homosexuality and transsexuality movements are flawless, nor that the individuals pertaining to these groups are perfect by default, but they deserve the right to at least safely explore who they are. Without being harassed or ostracized because of it. I’ve got a few opinions that can get me called homophobic or transphobic by some (e.g. wait until you’re older, say 21+ y/o and know enough of yourself and the world, to make any major life-altering decisions), even though I’ve been an ally since I could begin reasoning this stuff despite being surrounded mostly by conservatives, but ultimately, we’re all just people trying to learn to coexist in spite of our differences.

• Elitism & Classism
Look, I’m all in for having the freedom to hang with whomever you’d like to hang with, but some of y’all are way out of touch - whether you were born privileged or attained such privileges yourself. If you’re unable to see other human beings as equals despite your position, you lack awareness and may even be delusional. The worth of someone isn’t solely defined by how much society (or societies) have recognized and rewarded them. Actually, some of the most amazing people I’ve met are off the grid and would rather not play the game. There is definitely merit in seeking and having more for yourself by societal standards, along with the many benefits and capabilities that it brings, so I’m not discouraging that. But did you know that you can be glad and even proud of your attributes and accomplishments without forming a humongous ego over them? Overinflated egos are ridiculous and I won’t hold myself or anyone back from bursting them.

• Who’s paying?
It’s baffling to me that this has to be debated and disputed. It’s so effin’ simple. Yet, now you’ve got males whining about paying for females and females demanding males pay for them. Or males saying they would only pay for females if they subject themselves to shitty terms and conditions. It’s not about gender, godamnit! It’s about being a decent, courteous, and perhaps also generous human being. If you’re the one who suggests the activity, as an invitation, the onus is on you to pay for it as a way of treating somebody who’s humoring you. Unless you make it clear upfront that it is instead a request to be treated to it or that this will be a joint effort where bills are split, allowing the other to decide whether it’s something that they would enjoy or can afford. Furthermore, if there’s a significant wealth gap between you, the considerate thing to do (I’d even call it logical) is to not let the one whose pockets will be hurt pay and instead come forward, without making it awkward (let alone humiliating), to take care of it if you’re the more affluent. Don’t want to pay for others? Literally, have fun doing stuff alone or with people who don’t want or need you to pay for them. I’ll be having fun treating my friends when I can and being treated by them when they can. For real, some people are not just stingy, they are miserable.

• Pro-life vs. Pro-choice
No unwanted or unplanned child is likely to develop well. No child that grows up under unfavorable circumstances is likely to develop well. No child resented, neglected, or even abused by their parents is likely to develop well. More likely than not, they’re brought to suffer and made to deal with the psychological and physiological damage or lack that they suffered during their upbringing. It is not a noble thing to do to force yourself (let alone others) to carry on with pregnancy and birth that you’re not ready and wishing for. However, ending a life, no matter how small and prenatal, shouldn’t be taken lightly either. That’d be irresponsible and foster an uncaring attitude toward living creatures. So the least that you can do is abstain from or practice protected (as opposed to unprotected) sex as much as you can unless or until you’re ready and happy to have a child. If an accident still happens, that’s unfortunate and would call to make a difficult and conscientious decision. In addition to that, if men were more reliable as parents, maybe there wouldn’t be so many women reluctant or refusing to have children. Not me, though. Reliable partner or not, leave me childless. I’m fine with my nephew.

• Pedophilia
I’m relieved to see so many people fiercely fighting back against any attempt to push and normalize pedophilia. Being romantically or sexually attracted to a child when you’re no longer one and there’s a notable age difference is never okay or valid, even less so acting on those impulses. It’s messed up. If “childlike innocence”, read naivete, is appealing to you in those regards, it is a symptom of something rotten in you. And it’s you who must be fixed (or locked away), not people’s approval of it. Age gaps may be fine later in life, when all involved have matured enough to be able to be discerning and decisive, but not while someone is mostly clueless and prone to being exploited by somebody else that can and will take advantage of that. Even as a kink to roleplay with grown and consenting adults, it is disgusting and says much about you if you enjoy it. There are mature people with childlike features and traits, that are genuinely like that and are capable of entering relationships, and then there are literal children that must be guarded against gross predators.

That’s all for now. I may still sporadically engage and elaborate on various topics, but expect the continuation of this post next year. Stay lucid and keep improving!

Thankful for All of You!

I pondered whether or not I should be giving a full-blown thankful speech this year, considering that I’m not quite yet at a point where I can sit back and rejoice about my progress, but I do have much to be thankful for already and I’d be glad to have gratefulness at the base of what will be a period of many personal and artistic accomplishments.

Those who’ve known me for years are familiar with my “Exploring & Experimenting” era. Where I got to unlearn, learn and relearn plenty about myself and life in general. And those who’ve known me from even earlier are familiar with my “Workaholic to the point of Burnout and Collapse” era. Where I was single-minded to a fault in order to get myself out of survival mode. Those finding me recently are in for the “Unbridling & Sustaining Artistic Abilities” era. Where I integrate the lessons and aptitudes gained from the previous eras into a long-term project I am deeply aligned with. And I’m thankful for that!

It has been hard and difficult for me to get to this point, due to a number of factors. But I have others to thank, who have made it significantly smoother and easier…

I have a “behind-the-scenes support network” composed of incredibly good and great people that have been helping me tremendously. I might formally introduce some of them in the future. But for now, know that their kindness and brilliance are behind anything valuable and virtuous in me and I’m infinitely thankful to have them in my life! 😭 

More specifically, I’m also especially thankful for:
• The opportunity to live an authentic and fulfilling life.
• Family and friends that care and show that they do in their own ways.
• Dogs, cats, & other animals that bring much protection, comfort, joy, and/or amusement.
• Acquaintances and strangers that offer a hand, out of genuine concern, when you’re struggling.
• People working on themselves so that we all can break out of toxic and destructive habits, patterns, and cycles.
• Works that are there for you and reach you where and when no one else can or has.
• All the products and services available nowadays that make the ‘impossible’ possible.
• The many contributions, of different types, I’ve received so far despite everything!

I’m really and truly thankful for all of you! 💛