Sick, sick society.

It's a bad sign when you can't even trust the members of your own family. Stuff like this-- http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100125/od_nm/us_italy_stabbing --has been happening way too much. And it isn't just an American issue, as this article demonstrates. The pathetic thing is that this kid stabbed his dad over a VIDEO GAME, and not even a bad one like Grand Theft Auto. They were playing a soccer game, good clean fun, and the kid was getting out of control, so the dad turned it off. But what really makes this creepy is the way the kid washed the knife off in the sink afterwards. That's such a creepy and odd detail I would expect to find it in a Stephen King novel.

This kind of thing really, really makes me sad.

Painted on my Heart

Meet Ernest (13), Talauna (11), Carlita (7), and Demetrius (4), the newest members of the Devenport family. I don't want to get into to much detail, but these kids have essentially been abandoned by both of their parents. So here they are, living with my family, because my parents are noble like that.

I don't know how long they'll be staying with us. But they definitely show signs of needing a stable home. This whole experience has illustrated to me that the greatest tragedy of our superficial and selfish society is the children who grow up in broken families--who then grow up according to the example of their parents.

Children should not be subjected to the pain that results from the betrayal of their parents.

That's why it hurts me when Demetrius comes running up to me all excited because he saw his mom and she gave him a Transformer. . .

All I can think is "Kid, your mom is running away from you. The price of that toy seems to be the limit of her love."

Black Friday

Once again humanity has shocked me with its stupidity.

At the beginning of the season that is supposed to be the least selfish and the most caring time of the year, a time for many of us to remember our Savior, a mob of people killed a temporary Walmart employee. I can see it in my mind, the eager Christmas shoppers, each with a list of things to buy for their special person, a son, a daughter, a wife, or a husband, charging into the store, carelessly trampling the body of the man who opened the door for them. And then, when informed that they have to leave the store because somebody has just died they respond, "but I've waited in line since yesterday!"

I want to karate chop that person in the throat; which is shameful in itself, because I want to revisit violence upon a whole mob of people, most of whom are probably quite innocent alone, just self absorbed and oblivious.

Oh, the irony of the moment. There is such a juxtaposition of images and values here, the values that we should have been feeling at the beginning of this season, and the selfish and careless mob consumerism that turned over 2000 people into accomplices in a murder.

Truly, Black Friday is a fitting name.

Secrets of the Universe

I think I've had a rather astounding discovery. The other day in my Literature and Film class, we were talking about romance addiction--yes, you really can become addicted to the idea/feeling of romance. . . candlelight dinners, exotic beaches, having that picture perfect someone at your side. A strange topic, I know, but really we've been discussing the Western ideal of romance as found in mythology like Tristan and Isuelt--basically, love at first sight and all that stuff--which leads us to this problem that people have with romance addiction. So the conversation meandered along, and I was mostly asleep, but as the topic started shifting over to the idea of the fantasies that people create for themselves I became more alert for two reasons. The first reason is that as a self proclaimed writer, I deal in fantasy. I depend on my ability to create situations--romantic or otherwise--with my mind, so I started to wonder if maybe writers are perhaps romance addicts at heart (maybe not Tom Clancy, but certainly Nora Roberts and Stephanie Myer). But that's not really the heart of this blog, the second reason was because I had an epiphany.

I know why there is so much divorce and crime and stuff. I know why society is degenerating so quickly. It's because things are too good. People have too much time to indulge in their fantasies, but worse than that, people fantasize about things that are within the realm of possibility. You want a bigger house? You can get it. You want a supermodel at your side? Not impossible. Sure, you might have to sacrifice things like your family or your soul, but just about anything is possible these days. This is perhaps the only time in history where such social mobility is possible, and people fantasize about that. They always dream about how things could be better, and that's why things are so bad. Because they stop caring about now.

Let's rewind a couple hundred years or so. . . no, let's go even farther back. . . err, let's forget picking a specific time, but rather, let's pick a lifestyle. Farmers. Before all these technological creations that make farming much easier, farmers labored in the fields all day with their hands. Work started early, and ended late. Even the women worked hard. People were so involved in work they didn't have time to fantasize, and if they did, their fantasies just weren't possible. A farmer couldn't really fantasize about having an affair with a supermodel because they didn't exist, and it just wasn't possible. A farm wife couldn't dream about a romantic getaway in Tahiti because that wasn't possible either.

Worse, our society today capitalizes on this. Movies and books paint pretty little pictures about the ideal romance, the ideal home, the ideal woman/man, the ideal car, blah, blah, blah. Life and love should be fast paced and full of excitement. We are bombarded on all sides by these ideals that are possible, but not realistic. And so, people become disenchanted with the now. They cannot be satisfied with what they have, and they constantly believe that obtaining the next thing will make them happy. It only brings them misery, because they leave behind the things that are really important.

Yup, we're decaying because things are too good, and because we dream about how they could be better.

On Women

This is supposed to be the other side of my post "What Makes a Man?" I am not qualified to even attempt to describe what makes a woman, so this post will be more along the lines of what a "manly" man--errr, myself--looks for in a woman.

Probably the best example of this comes from the quote that I posted at the end of "What Makes a Man," by Loius L'Amour. I guess I'll quote it again, "A strong man need wish for no more than this: a sword in the hand, a horse between his knees, and the woman he loves at the battle's end." So here we have a man, who finally returns from his war, and there she is, the woman he loves. . . waiting for him.

A man can't fight, like he must, without a woman who loves and trusts him. A woman is the foundation that a man stands on to do his battles. . . that sounds weird, I know, but remember in Rocky III? Apollo Creed is trying to re-train Rocky so he can fight the man who previously humiliated him, but Rocky lacks the fire. Why? Because he didn't have Adrian behind him. But when she gets in his corner. . .

That's the first thing that a man wants in a woman. He wants her to be in his corner, to be his number one fan and best friend, he wants her to back him up, and if she does that, her man will charge hell with a bucket of water, he'll fight till the death--for her, because of her.

Another thing that Louis L'Amour talks about (is he really the source of all this?) is a woman who can "walk beside a man rather than behind him." I interpret this in the sense that a man needs a woman who is a warrior. I use that term loosely to describe a woman who doesn't give up, no matter how tough things get; she possesses an indomitable spirit. Sometimes things just don't work out when a man tries to carve out a living (or a home, his niche in the world, or whatever) with his hands, and if things get tough, a man needs a woman to stand by him; to support him even in his failures. . . and a man will fail, time and again.

Of course, the other side of that, is that the woman needs to be a lady. . . no matter how tough the going gets. Sophisticated, intelligent, and cultured. . . she is the main influence that keeps the children from turning into animals/barbarians (though the man should not shirk his responsibilities here either). Related to this is the special sensitivity to spiritual things that women have. . . this is a special gift that is being lost in this modern era because of the destruction of gender roles.

Perhaps I am being a little too idealistic here, and maybe somewhat old fashioned, but there it is. . . A true woman, a lady, is intelligent and beautiful, sophisticated and unbreakable, and ever so devoted to the man who trusts her with. . . everything.

Here is the ideal picture of the relationship between a man and a woman :)

Yes, I admit my bias here. . . but there is so much that is beautiful in ballroom dance; it encompasses the way the relationship between a man and woman should be. The ideal in every way.

This by the way is Victor Fung and Anna Mikhed. . . I've seen them a couple times in person, and they are exquisite.

And here are Urs and Agnes just as icing on the cake.

I'm not going to try to explain the wonder of Ballroom Dance here. If you aren't familiar with it, I suggest you give it a shot.

Anyway, I don't think I talked about everything that I wanted to mention, but this is good enough for now. Hopefully I didn't come across as chauvinistic or anything. All I'm trying to say, is that a man and woman are equal in their respective spheres. There is nothing wrong with being a true lady. . . or a true man.

What Makes a Man?

Our society kills men and thinks that it is doing the world a service. I'm not talking about actually killing men, I'm talking about taking a MAN and turning him into something much less. . . a man. There is something to be said for the stereotypical western gunfighter--as portrayed in writing by people like Louis L'Amour, or in film by John Wayne. These were men who pitted themselves against nature, who didn't back down from a fight, who worked with muscle and sinew, and never cussed in front of the ladies. Our society, where men try to become women, and women try to become men, doesn't even seem to know what a man is. There is a gradual blurring of the lines of the traditional gender roles that is gravitating our society to one gender, neither man nor woman. Our society wants to domesticate men, it kills their adventurous spirit, it expects them to be passive, subservient, even effeminate. It is taking away the claws and teeth of a bear and putting him in a cage. And there is a world of difference between a bear in this state, and a bear in his natural element.


A MAN is meant to be a little rugged. They are built for this purpose so they can do what they are meant to do, work, and fight. But they also have an intense love for nature. Nature, the frontier, or the unexplored, is something that constantly calls to a man. It is a challenge, but a challenge that offers a hint of a reward. So men pit themselves against nature, they ache to cross the mountains that dominate a horizon, the sea is like a temptress which sings an alluring song, and the pursuit of an adventure is always on a man's mind. They do this because of the reward that is offered, beauty. Men love beauty, even though they are always a little at odds with it. Men aren't beautiful themselves, so they seek to experience beauty in any way possible; they immerse themselves in nature, seek the company of women, and even strive to create beauty with their hands, because when a man finds beauty there is something in his soul that resonates with it, and for the moment, he is at peace.

The ultimate beauty, so I am told, is a wife and kids.

But society distorts this by promising something different, the idea that men should be beautiful themselves. The result is men becoming women, whether figuratively or literally, which is evidenced in today's society.

A MAN is also meant to be a worker. He is ruggedly built with muscle and bone so he can strive against the elements and provide for his family. "By the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread," God said to Adam, and thus has it been through the course of history. A MAN is meant to sweat. But today, men are becoming lazy, while women are working harder. A true man is happiest after a hard day's work, when he can come home and bask in the beauty of his wife and children.

A MAN is also a warrior. There is something inside, a trigger, that once tripped sets his blood boiling and prompts him to violent physical action. A man is meant to have this type of aggression, it is necessary to defend his family and sometimes even his ideals. But this should also be controlled, which men today can't seem to do very well. Thus, the opposite trend of men becoming effeminate, is those who become brutes. These men are animals, not knowing how to properly channel their aggression they lash out violently at women and children. They destroy whatever beauty they find. Why, I do not know. This is a sickness that kills.

A MAN also respects women. He treats them as if they are divine, because they are. When a woman is present, a true man stands straighter, he talks cleaner, he defends her honor, and he treats her with respect in every way possible. There used to be a time when a fight would start if a man cussed in front of a lady, but now men are just as vulgar in front of women as they are away from their presence (women are also quite vulgar these days, but the destruction and masculinization of women is a completely different, but interconnected topic). Today, women are an entertainment for men, an object, which stems from the idea that a man's pursuit of beauty is somehow connected to lust, which is something entirely different. This skewing of a man's duty around women is a result of this de-genderification that is happening in our society. Why should a man treat a woman with such respect if they are essentially the same?

There are two worlds that are completely different, but our society is trying to make them the same. There is a mistaken idea that a woman can enter the world of a man, and a man can enter a world of a woman, but there are aspects of each world that the opposite gender will never understand. A woman will probably never truly understand a man's need to continually cross over to the next horizon, or use lethal violence to defend his ideals, and likewise, every aspect of a woman's world is completely beyond the comprehension of any man.

Christ was the perfect MAN. He was a carpenter who worked by the sweat of His brow, He defended His ideals with both word an action, and He treated the lowest of women with perfect respect. He was a God, who was compassionate, merciful, and loving without ever being effeminate. And He was bold, strong, rugged, and determined without ever being vulgar. These are the attributes that men (and women) should pursue. Christ shows that it is possible to have character traits that are commonly associated with each sex without adopting that persona. He is who men should emulate.




A strong man need wish for no more than this: a sword in hand, a horse between his knees, and the woman he loves at the battle's end. ~Louis L'Amour

Some Modest Plans

I have decided that I am going to start, at some random point in time, a colony. A place where I will be master, the people will be happy, women will be safe, and children won't be cute little vicious vipers. . . they'll just be cute. How will this happen? Well, there will be a few rules/laws that will be in place that will ensure that my kingdom will be a utopia.

Rule Number 1: All citizens of Devenportopia will be required to become ninjas or samurai. Actually the fighting class really doesn't matter, they could be summoners or black mages for all I care, as long as they have some sort of serviceable self-defense ability. The reasons for this stem from a crime TV show that I was watching the other day. People in our modern society are too vulnerable to those who prey on weakness, especially women. The solution? No more weakness. The people of my kingdom will be lions, especially the women, who will beautiful, graceful, and deadly--like the above Israeli military woman with a rifle. Children in my schools will have ninja lessons every day instead of recess. The result will be a society where everybody can kill each other, which would effectively reduce the opportunity cost of crime; it just wouldn't be worth it. And the best part? If somebody did get kind of crazy the result would be a spectacular ninja battle with people crashing through windows, running up walls, high kicks to the head; it would be spectacular.

Rule Number 2: All buildings will be built with the same architectural themes: sweeping arches, fluted columns, graceful spires, all built from stone. Nobody builds with stone anymore. Why? Look at all the ancient civilizations: Egypt, Rome, China, the Mayans, they all built with stone and guess what? Their stuff is still around to look at. Stone lasts; it's almost permanent. Therefore my cities will be built from stone, preferably black stone because that would be cool, dramatic and ninja-esque. This would be a city that says, "we're sophisticated and dangerous."

Rule Number 3: No obnoxious status icons. You won't catch anybody in my kingdom sporting a Hummer just for the sake of having a Hummer. If they need something that big and obnoxious for a legitimate reason then that's fine, but otherwise if you want a status symbol it will have to be sleek and sophisticated, like an Aston Martin, black of course.

Rule Number 4: Every man, woman, and older child would be self-reliant. That means they clean up after themselves, do their jobs, etc . . . . If they break something, they fix it. They dirty something, they clean it. They offend somebody, they apologize--which would be advisable since the offended person could kill them. Basically they take responsibility for their actions. What a novel idea!

Rule Number 5: They wouldn't have to obey me. I'd probably try to make them anyway, but because they would all be ninjas and sorcerers they could ignore me if they want too. Of course once issues of national Utopian security--do utopias have to worry about that?--arise, then I rise in status to super-chief-of-battle ninja and everything I say is law.

Amendment A: People would leave me alone because they would govern themselves. All I want is to take care of the magnificent garden in my back yard and watch my kids play in the forest, I don't want to babysit a bunch of whiny citizens. My concerns are with threats from the outside, I can't help it if my people destroy themselves.

Anyway, those are some of the things that I thought of for my new colony. It would be a good place to live. Want to join?

An observation of Humanity and my resulting Ire

I was sitting by myself at a table in the Terrace (a segement of the food court in the Student Center of Brigham Young University) yesterday working on an application on my laptop, when I was joined by a small group of people. I didn't really think much of it, and for the most part ignored their converstaion. I little while later a girl, whom I know, walked by. She apparently, knew one of the other guys at the table. After a"Heyyyy," he stood up and gave her a big hug. They small talked for a minute or so and then she left and he sat down. I don't think she even noticed me, which isn't surprising; I don't draw attention to myself. I thought about talking to her, but I didn't. Once she was gone the guy she had been talking too turned to his friends at the table and said, "I hate that girl. She's really annoying. I'm only nice to her because I like her friend." My Blood began to boil. How shallow, how thoughtless, and how juvenile. I can't even come up with words descriptive enough to convey the contempt and anger that I began to feel at this point in time. For the whole rest of the day, and well into the night this event was in the back of my mind. The really sad thing is that I didn't say or do anything; I didn't even challenge him to a duel. I just sat at my computer and smoldered.

I don't know where I am going with this. . . I guess what I want to express is a desire for people to be better and more devoted friends, to be less shallow, and more forgiving of things that we consider flaws in other people. That is my moral thought for the good of humanity.

Thanks for listening.