Manifesto

Today, a girl, a fairly friendly one, was talking about the fact she was going to drink alcohol over the weekend at a party. I don’t usually get involved with these things, but today was an exception. A person she was speaking to said to her, “Drinking is bad. You’re not even twenty-one. It is bad, right Michael?”

Generally speaking, I think people in this class see me as a person with sound morals. I don’t know what this person in particular meant when they addressed me, whether it was an attempt to mock me or a request to me to give an endorsement of this opinion. He’s quite respectful, but still…

The fact I see myself as a person who has good judgment is why I somewhat regret what I replied. “Drinking at all is her decision. A stupid one, yes, but still hers.” And then continued, “Honestly, I wouldn’t be comfortable putting anything in my body that has the potential to impair my ability to think.”

Looking back, I probably should have pressed the issue further. I know the kid who addressed me knows others who take illegal substances, which is what makes the whole situation so funny–my whole environment, school, is filled with friends whose actions would normally make them enemies. I should have said my philosophy on alcohol: why would you want to put something in your body for the purpose of impairing your judgment, possibly harming you in the long term? I do not only believe it is her decision, but that she is doing this not because she enjoys it or appreciates being passed out, but because she and everyone like her looks cool for breaking a social taboo.

The whole mob mentality, a need to impress others, is present in them at such a young age, my curious reader. But then, what adult would willingly give up being their own person?

In my last entry, I know I said I would stop writing about my environment, but I feel now, as I type this, that I can write more about my life and the meaning I can find in it than I can in technology. My environment made me, and the purpose of this blog should be a glimpse into that environment, how I became what I am.

I know I am at risk of boring some of my audience, but at the same time, my curious reader, I think that this is something I can write about best. If you do decide to continue reading if this interests you, please, try to understand what goes on and what makes it so important–everything that I write in here is written with you in mind.

~ by Michael on February 9, 2008.