Cottleston Pie

Let me start my blog assignment with a bit of honesty. I went to buy “The Tao of Pooh” with every intention of reading it then returning it the next day. However, upon reading it, my mind was quick to change. I absolutely loved it. It’s such a clever idea, teaching people about Taoism through a children’s book character. In my recent personal life, things haven’t been exactly where I want them to be. I’ll spare the details; all that’s important is that this book gave me some amazing insights on how to handle and how to see the situations I find myself in. So much so that I have talked my father into reading the book as I think it will help him as well.

            I loved how the author used actual examples from Winnie the Pooh stories, it showed that he wasn’t just using the character to gain some recognition, but that he actually understands Taoism enough to connect the dots and make it simple. His book was an easy read, but not to the point of down talking his readers. All in all, the book is now one of my favorites and is happily among my collection.

            While I do understand the point of the Busy Backsons, I do have to say that I don’t 100% agree. Some individuals do take their business too seriously and let the important things slip, but others are just motivated and actually enjoy working and achieving success.

            I think there is a solution for us as a people in this book. It’s important that we start taking life for what it is and stop magnifying it and tearing it up. The idea of seeing something as it is, as a simple problem, and letting the answers come naturally rather than forcing them or pitying oneself over them it one that I believe a lot of people could really use. The chapter called The Pooh Way is my favorite among the book. That is because I think it holds the most useful information on ways to handle circumstances. Pooh Bear is definitely an amazing example of Taoism, or at least what I understand so far of the idea.

Buddha, Buddha, RA RA RA!

Buddhism Blog Cartoon Showing Stereotype - Click me for picture, please.

     Stereotypes are everywhere. There’s one for every type of person. I don’t see the big deal. A lot of people get offended, and while I understand getting irritated after hearing the same one over and over again, I think it’s important to be able to laugh at yourself and your situation. For example, I am a woman with big boobs and a bad driving record, stereotype being I’m an idiot who can’t drive. I get it, and I laugh at it! So for this blog, it wasn’t hard at all finding stereotypes on the subject of Buddhism. The picture I chose is, I suppose, a negative stereotype, but I feel it does it in a way that isn’t vicious, its honest fun. I feel that the picture sort of pokes fun at the religious views of Buddhists, given how grand the ideas of reincarnation are shown. I think it’s a fun stereotype because it does make the Buddhist look ridiculous, it shows through the dialogue that it’s supposed to be taken with a grain of salt and a sense of humor.

     On a slightly different note, Zen Wrapped in Karma Dipped in Chocolate is an amazing book. The author is incredibly hilarious and I’m enjoying it thoroughly. In reading his chapter entitled, “Where Do We Go When We Die?” I think he writes some pretty amazing lines. Seeing as my cartoon deals with reincarnation, I figured this chapter would be the best one to quote from. As stated on page 56:

            “Yet I do know where my mom went when she died. She didn’t go anywhere. She’s right here, typing this, reading this, getting confused after having read this as to what the hell the author was trying to say. That’s because my mom was a manifestation of the eternal present. So am I. So are you. So’s this book. So’s the toilet you’re sitting on while reading it. There is nowhere for her to have gone. There’s nowhere you can go after you die either. There’s only here.”

     I love the views on how to experience the present, the here and now. Spending so much time focusing on how to be reincarnated as something better than you already are seems ridiculous.

Liberate Yo' Finances!

WEALTH
The Beatles, "Money (That's What I Want)," Rock, 1963.

Fifty Cent, "Straight to the Bank," Rap, 2007. *WARNING* (This song contains unfriendly words. You have been given a head's up.)
Nickelback, "Rock Star," Rock, 2006
Bruno Mars, "Billionaire," Pop/Rock, 2010
The Beatles, "Baby, You're A Rich Man," Rock, 1967


SALVATION
Creed, "Higher," Rock, 1999.

Switchfoot, "Dare You To Move," Rock, 2005.
Conshafter, "Only Thing to Save Me," Rock, 2004. (This band is pretty local to Richmond, so no music video)
U2, "Elevation," Rock, 2001.
Evanescence, "Wake Me Up Inside," Rock, 2003

As it was with the first assignment, one aim was easier to locate songs for than the other. More songs are written and sung about making money, having nice homes/cars/ladies/everything than about feeling saved and/or liberated from something. And, as it was true with the first assignment, I don't see this as a bad thing. I understand why the weathly songs are more popular, it's because people like to hear about them more than people like to hear about someone's experience in feeling saved or freed. Most of the songs I found about salvation or liberation all had a sort of religious undertone, at least in my understanding. I think that's because people do genuinely feel "saved" by their faith. As far as worldly success goes, easy peasey. People want to be rich, and if not rich, they want to be comfortable. Especially during a time when a lot of people are unemployeed, these songs have become quite popular. I think that a lot of the time we connect what we have in the bank to what our value as a human being is. When people are loaded, they have more, they do more, and they seem to have more fun living as opposed to those of us scraping by.

Enjoy Youselves and Your Community

Community

1. Powerline, "Seeing Eye to Eye," Pop, 1995. (See Above for Video.)
2. The Beatles, "With A Little Help from my Friends," Rock, 1967. Click for Video
3. Coldplay, "Fix You," Alternative Rock, 2005.Click for Video
4. Hanson, "Where's the Love?" Pop Rock, 1997. Click for Video
5. The Beatles, "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," Rock, 1968.Click for Video

Pleasure

1. The Beatles, "Hold Me Tight," Rock, 1964. (See Above for Video.)
2. Blondie, "I Touch Myself," Pop, 1990. Click for Video
3. R.Kelly, "Bump and Grind," Rap, 2002.Click for Video.
4. 'NSync, "Digital Get Down," Pop, 2000.Click for Video
5. InXS, "I Need You Tonight," Rock, 1987. Click for Video

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Obviously, finding good songs about sex, drugs, and rock and roll is much easier than finding songs that sing about helping out your fellow man. I don’t believe that it’s because we, as a whole, don’t care about anyone other than ourselves or that we’re a filthy generation, it’s just because we all enjoy enjoying ourselves and have become more open about it. Music has become a way to express how we’re feeling, and sometimes that feeling is sexy, and sometimes that feeling tells you to help a friend out, but most of the time it’s just sexy.  I don’t really feel like I was overly surprised at any aspect of the assignment. I knew it would be more difficult finding songs that preach about the importance of community as opposed to the songs that sing about ways to find and take part in pleasure. I did however have a lot of fun looking through my iTunes for ideas, I didn’t know how many different types of songs I had and how many could apply to the Hindu goals. I feel that the Hindu view of pleasure is more about a special union or a special situation and it seems a whole lot more about the experience and the company, whereas the pop music today is all about getting down and dirty and it doesn’t always sound  as romantic as the Hindu goal seems to be. As far as the songs about the community, I feel that any song dealing with helping the world rather than yourself is going to fit pretty well into the Hindu goal. There aren’t too many different ways to express your want to help someone out, so if a song is written with that intention it’s going to be obvious.