Hmmmm...I was reading a little of Denise's post about life and the degeneracy of the world. Why do we think this is? Why has sex become a tool of exploitation and social pressure? Why has education been slowly declining in importance among people? Why does the world today seem to be so corrupt and seething with the filth that civilization has to offer? The answer: Advancement. These things are all the inevitable result of an advancing, technological, centralized culture. Surely the cultural debauchery and decline of North America can once again be compared to that of Ancient Rome. Well, this is my answer to this whole problem: will power. How do you survive when you are being constantly pressured to have sex and to do drugs and view a world which is seemingly less than freindly: will power. You just have to look past it and realize the stupididy of it all. Sex isnt as magnificent as its made out to be on the television. Several people I've talked to who have had sex say that it didnt really feel like much at all because the first time was awkward. If you ask me, sex is merely a temporary pleasure which doesnt need to be done if you dont want to do it. Drugs are the same way. Drugs are for weaklings, people who cant handle life or who need to take drugs to feel important or to enhance this worldly experience. Trying it a few times is no big deal, I'm talking about chronic drug users, and the same goes for alchohol. Why is will power so important? Because you can choose to be as strong as you want to be. Every human has the potential, and it can be tapped. Let me give you an example: during a protest against the Vietnam war, demonstrators were drawn to a group of Buddhist monks who entered the square, one of them sat down in a meditative postition as his fellows dowsed him with gasoline and lit him on fire. He didnt flinch or cry out, he just shrivelled and burned to death.

http://www.geocities.com/culexous/DJ/monk01.jpeg
Surely this is the perfect example of human will power, sacrificing oneself so selflessly and bravely in the face of excruciating pain. Yes he was a monk and probably had a special training, but still, no training can adequatly prepare a person for such an experience who doesnt accept it willingly. This person is no more a superhuman than any of us, and if he can acheive something like this, then surely we can achieve what we truly wish to. Ultimatly, we have to find that power within ourselves. In this world, we need to be strong emotionally. Fortitude is a virtue not to be overlooked and I dont doubt that the people who read this blog have that quality. But personally, I think Fortitude and Resliliance go nicely hand in hand. Being able to come back after many blows and many disapointments and truly feel alive. I hope that everyone who reads this will realize how lucky they are to be alive, because being born into the privileges you have is in itself, a miracle. Thinking of this fact has made me realize how foolish we all are to have taken so much for granted in this world.