ideas on life

Having been out in the workforce for only a wee bit thus far, I can easily see why so many folks are jaded and tired of life. There are many screwy things in this world, and there always have been and probably always will be, but one of the screwiest is people's ideas of life and it's value.

Just reflect for a moment on the history of the world. For thousands of years since the beginning of the world, almost without exception, people have longed for a time when they could see all of their children grow to adulthood, or perhaps they have wished to live long enough to see their children have children. Up until the last century, the average life expectancy was approximately 40 years (give or take) for a few hundred years, and in the middle ages was somewhere in the 30s. The most obvious reason for this was that nearly half of all children under the age of 5 would die from one cause or another...no one bothered with birth control or abortion because they simply went against the instinct of preserving the race, which seemed to be in danger of extinction. I speak here of the natural reasons against it, not the moral implications. Now, I have met so many people who don't want kids, or who have one but don't want another, or who meet me and find out I have 7 sibs and ask "is your mom on crack?" why would they think that? It has simply become unpopular to have children. The popularity of life is obsolete. Overall, I think most of my peers and coworkers would not act or be like that if it didn't seem to be the "thing to think." Amazing how strong peer pressure is. It is downright foolishness to put such a cheep value on life... we are horrified at slavery, that one person could own or put a price on another, but we do it all the time, in our thoughts, in our heads, we classify them as far as their worth or value. I don't think this is natural at all...despite the fact that everyone does it. I think it is depraved.

Braveheart

Having finally seen this epic film, the film which has been praised to the skies and supposedly represents the pinnacle of manliness. While I found it engaging and a lovely story...I was a little disappointed. Such a "great Catholic movie" full of adultery, vulgarity, and crude jokes just kinda numbed me up a bit. Yes, here is a man willing to give his life for freedom. He is an educated man, fluently speaking the language and the mind of the church, and also well versed in the manly arts of farming, fighting, and loving, which are certainly good things. Also, even though I am a little melancholy, I was a bit upset with all the sorrow in the movie, that his wife dies the very next day, etc. Strong story, but almost overwhelmingly sad. Fight scenes are excellent and exhibit the spirit as well as the ingenuity of Wallace.This is s a man who is strong, honorable, witty, and very intelligent. And then, he shoots all of that from the skies by sleeping with the queen! Sure he's a manly man, and she is the neglected wife of a fruitcake...but none of this excuses their breech of Christian virtue.

So therefore, I have been slightly disappointed in this movie. I liked it overall, but the fact remains.