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Lets not be Dicks



Alright. I might swear in this one, but here it goes.

This entry really stems from listening and reading the news too much this past week. A major theme / question arose as I heard about all the major goings and comings, the actions, the conflicts, and behaviors of individuals, our institutions and political figures. Why can't we stop being dicks?

For example, one can hear about the conflict in Syria. At least 3,500 people have been killed. Assad is probably going to be overthrown eventually. He could surrender, escape with his life, but no, he's brutally suppressing his people; he's being a dick. Why can't he choose to not do so?

You hear about Egypt and the one year anniversary of the uprising that brought down Mubarak. Women in Egypt still get sexually assaulted quite casually and frequently. Now I'll admit, I too like breasts. But one must remember, we're part of society, and we're actually in the 21st century. Based on these precepts, it's actually quite unclassy, disrespectful and inhumane to grope people against their will. Sure, you can easily get away with it in Egypt, but you're still being a dick when you do so, and maybe you could choose to stop. You might even feel better afterwards because you can think to yourself, "I'm not sexually assualting people anymore, I'm not being a dick, and I feel better, because of this."

We've been hearing a lot about the presidential nomination and our upcoming election. Maybe some people find Mitt Romney to be handsome, I don't always. Regardless of how handsome and wealthy he might be, I don't want to keep seeing and hearing things about him. I don't want this process to be so damn long. I just wish everyone would shut their goddamn mouths about it. I'm sick of the hundreds of millions of dollars that get spent in these campaigns, truly making a run for major political office inaccessible to those with out significant financial means. I'm sick of hearing the talking heads constantly going back and forth over every minute things. I'm sick of experiencing this while knowing these candidates have jobs as governors and members of congress and should be fulfilling their duties. Our election process should not be so intense, expensive and last so long. So I say to politicians, media moguls, state official who make causcuses and primaries so early, political consultants, and whoever else is involved in ruining everything... let's calm down. Someone step up and do something to make this nomination and election process more reasonable, and let's stop being dicks.

I don't want to hear about this guy anymore.
Mind you, so much of consciouness is now wired and focused on these bloated, bombastic, and bantoring presidential candidates that I need to write about them and maybe be a little bit of a dick in getting sucked into this process. To Mitt Romney, I'm glad you've made so much money, and it's neat the way in which you worked as the head of a venture capitalist firm. It's neat that you're so wealthy and I am very confident you've worked incredily hard for it. I'm not disputing that. Nor do I think you've done anything illegal. You're probably way more conscientious, organized, and well-kept then I'll ever be. I know too you're getting called names like a "vulture capitalist" and now people are hyper-focused on the low rate of taxes you paid in 2010. Newt says things too a lot. Some of this might hurt. But how about this Mitt. Let's stop being a dick.

Now it's great that you've hoarded so much wealth and found ways to pay less of it to "the government", and I'm sure you've done many noble things, but really... stop being a dick. The millions of dollars you've made is great, and it's real neat you get to have plenty of homes and mansions, and it's so nice that you paid millions less in taxes because of the rate at which dividends are taxed and hey, you can say "It's capitalism, it's what we're suppose to do." And yes, I agree people should have to work hard and earn for themselves, but what I think is starting to become apparent that you should see Governor is that so many people don't have the opportunty to enter the ballpark of the American Dream that you have achieved.

There is so much that people don't have, that you yourself needed Mitt, to make it.  Everyday in America, people don't have access to reasonable health care, they work hard being paid very little, or simply can't find work. Everyday people are being drowned in debt or can't begin to afford a college education that is more necesarry for todays workforce. Lots of families send their kids to schools that are pretty underfunded and sub-par because that's all that's around. Many families can't really get out of a lot bad situations (both physical or financial) because they don't have the means.  Everyday lots of people can't meet their basic needs and actually live. Millions of Americans are pretty stuck.  This often, is not due to to lack of hard work. It's due to lacking any semblance of a foundation from which to start. I'm pretty sure you weren't stuck Mitt.


So Mitt, I actually like you're health care law that you helped pass in my state, and you seem more reasonable then a lot of other people, but think of how much you have (and yes you worked hard for it), but think about how much a small fraction of your wealth would make in the lives of millions of other people. Maybe a million of your dollars could renovate a school, or send people to college who can't afford it and don't recieve enough financial aid. Or it could provide medical care for people in desperate need and lacking insurance. But rather than advocating for our status-quo tax policy which you have nicely benefited from, stop hoarding you're wealth, and invest most of it in communities, institutions and people that really need it; stop being a dick. Please.


Newt, Speaker of the House, you wily devil of a man. I can't believe you talked about establishing a colony on the moon. I don't know what to say to that. I'm actually speechless. A moon colony. Yes you talked about that. You talked about the potential of this colony reaching 13,000 people and then becoming a state. The 51st state. I feel like I'm taking crazy pills. The fact that you said that and might be our president is simply stunning. But a moon colony? That was talked about in the 50's I think, but that was 60 years ago... A moon colony. We have trillions of dollars in debt, you don't like taxes and are ranting a  lot about government spending, and yet you talk about a moon colony (I then actually read that you intend for the private sector to finance much of it, but still). For the love of god, stop being a dick. I remember just being so dumbfounded during the Bush administration when Bush Jr. talked about going to Mars. We were struggling then economically and in the middle of two wars, and we're still struggling now. Why should we divert hundreds of billions of dollars to do these stupid fucking things? Stop being dicks... everyone.


In my city, I wish things would get more affordable and accessible, but the price of renting an apartment is extremly high. Sure landlords, you guys can do this. Despite Boston's epic level of unnfriendliness, confusing roads, bad drivers, bad climate and overall temperament, a lot of people want to live here. There are a lot of jobs here. That demand is great, but, maybe stop being so dickish. Make it so people can reasonably live in our city and you might find that people who move here and begin to contribute actually stay. I've heard many friends comments "I would stay here but it doesn't make sense with how much goes to rent". Let's do the right thing, keep housing accessible (while still adhering to principles of the free market and making profit) and stop being a dick.

Now many people, including me, can and will be dicks from time to time. Sometimes, the devil inside of us get's the best of us. The culture that we're in might make it hard to not be a dick. If everyone's a dick around you then you probably will too. I'll first say, that it's always possible to improve on not being a dick. With effort, maybe some thoughtfulness or reflection, you can be less dickish. You can make some real leaps and folds in reducing dickishness like Scrooge did in "A Christmas Carol".


Really Became Less of a Dick


I dunno just a thought. Let's all together, work harder, at not collectively being a dick.


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