Life here at Miami reminds me of that all to familiar game Simon Says. Simon says jump and we jump. Do we not live our lives in a similar fashion? Society gives us orders and we take them. Society says weighing 85 pounds is attractive and girls starve themselves. Society says weighing 385 pounds can also be attractive and McDonalds get swallowed whole. Society says if you want to be sexually promiscuous, but don’t wish to hold yourself accountable for your actions once you get pregnant (both male and female are at fault here), abort the baby. Is it just me, or do we not think for ourselves anymore?
People here at Miami and in America in general remind me of birds. They flock wherever the wind, and in this case the media and society, tell them to go. We roam around aimlessly like a child in need of a parent, like desert animals in search of water. We have become a remote controlled society that fancies instant gratification. We are obsessed with sex, money, power, popularity, food, exercise, success, ambition, hate, envy, and greed (just to name a few). We think about cell phones, cars, clothes, how we are perceived by others, music, ‘having fun’ (whatever that means), being desired, and ‘falling in love’.
You know what we are really into? Brace yourselves, this may shock you: OURSELVES. I mean after all, what could possibly be more important than us right? This is the problem, we only care about the here and now and how it effects us. We have no foresight because we can’t see past our wants and desires. We can’t see past our condom boxes and skimpy clothing, and so we are unprepared for the obstacle course of life that nears us.
In short, we are morons. Webster’s Dictionary defines a moron as: “a very stupid person; adult with mental age of about 8-12.” We’re morons because it is easy. It’s easy to skip class, to be dishonest, and to be self-indulgent. What we seem to have forgotten is that anything worth doing in life is difficult. It is hard to study before going to class, to refrain from eating that extra piece of cheesecake, and to turn off the Sony PlayStation.
Point of fact: Our lives are more defined by what we deny ourselves, more so than what we permit ourselves. Society will tell you differently, but I’m curious, what do you think?
Cameron Browne is a junior majoring in international studies and political science. He can be reached at hurricanecam82@aol.com