Vibe Out in the New Year

I know most citizens of the United States are broke right now, and yeah that sucks, but you know things could be worse. I'm not hear to bring everyone down, I'm actually here to bring everyone up. Like Obama said, "it's time for a change."

This morning, I read something truly inspiring and I'd like to share it with you but some background information is needed. Excuse me while I take care of this now.

Plenty of people have this fear of 2012, and they say it'll be the end of the world. I'm a bit more optimistic and only say that it is an end to the world as we know it. I believe it is an end to the "cold" worldview that many seem to think is only possible. A "do no evil" policy seems to be upon us all. I see evidence for this in nearly every sector of "American Life."

Obama's slogan "change, we can believe in" to Google's dominance in the stock market, are pieces of this new mentality.

Our President-Elect is also a symbol of this new wave. He ran (and won!) with a campaign that ultimately said "yes, we can." The emphasis on "we," that somehow no matter how different we are from one another we are tied together and our fates are intertwined. And now that the majority has ruled, 58% of the voting public believes in this same ideal. Together, we will shape Washington; more importantly, together, we can do anything we choose to do. And it isn't just political.

The businesses have invoked a "new" capitalism, if you will, a holistic approach. A capitalism that is driven on the product and not the profit. Virgin is steady gaining speed in the States, and they're philanthropic tendencies are infectious. Apple, now at the height of its success, is lending a hand to those also reaching for the brass ring. There are countless developers making over $250,000 off of iPhone apps and cost at next to nothing to produce. Google's Android OS looks to do the same thing, but their helping hands can be seen elsewhere--YouTube is one example, their environmentally friendly offices is another. [What I'm calling a "new" capitalism, is actually a retrograde to what capitalism originally was but I'll save that for another post.] Yes, companies are failing and falling but when examined, those companies were desperately trying to grind out a profit instead of a good product.

Even Iron Man, the comic book character, is an example of this. The billionaire war monger takes it upon himself to suit-up and "protect those that he put in harm's way." This idea and character resonates with viewers but Marvel's recent success, I'd argue, can also be attributed to their attempt to put forth a positive image in the movie industry. Making decisions about product before profits has lead them to be a successful new start-up. Not to overshadow that fact that they were first to receive the Environmental Media Association stamp, at the end of the Incredible Hulk. They've become the new standard, and it stretches beyond the film industry.

[Sorry the extended tangent, but I felt that it was needed.]

It appears to me now, the only way a company will succeed is when that company relies on its content and not it's potential profit. Though profit is not to be ignored, we are after all a capitalistic society, success is measured by a brand's core values. Also necessary, is a way of giving back to the world. Using their own profits to help others in need, I believe, is a trend that will not fade.

<SocialVibe>

SocialVibe is program/app used in conjunction with your social network. You advertise a brand you like and every time someone visits your page, that brand donates to a cause of your choice. You help them advertise, they donate for you. This program is a pure example of what I'm talking about. Not only does it let "broke" people donate to their cause, it promotes a brand that is willing to lend a helping hand. The brand's kickback is an active advertiser, but also a positive outlook.

But that was the inspiring thing I saw yesterday. Today, I read something different. One of SocialVibes newest member said this:

"I'm supporting my cause because I feel that I am privileged to be able to sit at home and be on Facebook or MySpace and that someone else can benefit from it as well"

That just warms the heart. His cause is the Starlight Children's Foundation and he's my kid brother. That's the future, the world after 2012, that I see. He and his friends are an inspiring example to us all.

You can visit his SV page. Help him and his cause by visiting his Facebook, and find your cause here.

ps... you can find me too.

Poverty

There was a question about Healthcare, whether or not it was a privilege, right, or responsibility, in the second Presidential Debate on 10/07.  I will not tell you which way to vote, I have faith in you to guide this country.  I do want to highlight something Obama said, "I think it should be a right, for every American.  In a country as wealthy as ours, for us to have people who are going bankrupt because they can't pay their medical bills, (removed Obama's personal mother story), there's something fundamentally wrong about that."  Now there's an idea here and it relates intimately with poverty, in this country and ultimately, around the world.  It's "raising the bare minimum" and what we believe is acceptable.

Here, in the United States, we use our Declaration of Independence to define what we all are entitled to.  "Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" is what that document states, and in its vague terms we understand universal truths.  Every American must have a chance to live these ideals, our laws and rights are built to ensure that.  Programs like Medicare, Medicaid and Wealthfare promise that we will not stand ideally by--while others struggle to live.  Healthcare (prevention, treatment, and management of illness) must be included, because everyone deserves a fair chance; without it, citizens cannot pursue their dreams or breathe their lives.   You've heard the cliche "we are only as strong as our weakest link," if its true then America isn't as strong as we once assumed.

That document also states "all men are created equal;" in that, regardless of what state flag one pledges allegiance to, s/he is entitled to a number of things because they are human.  It is a little known idea that America likes to spread its idea of democracy.  And lately, to say the least, it's put us in a little bit of trouble around the globe.  But the people protected by the border of the United States aren't inherently different than any other in the world.  If they are "created equal" and entitled to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness", than the rest of the human race deserves the same.

It isn't a question of means because we found out what we were capable of during 1942, it is a question of whether or not we choose to act.

Survival of the Fittest

I apologize for being absent the last few weeks; other things have been occupying my mind. Nothing anyone really cares to hear about so we’ll just skip the small talk. Although real estate would be a nice introduction…

“Survival of the Fittest”
The phrase I've been pondering is from Herbert Spencer’s 1851 work “Social Statics.” Many people have made the correlation to Charles Darwin’s idea of “natural selection.” I’d like to just focus on the phrase itself for a moment. “Social Statics” was about free market economics and primarily about a company’s ability to survive. “Survival of the Fittest” meant “adaptive,” “most suitable,” and/or “most appropriate.” Meaning the company that had these attributes was in the best position to survive, so not-so-much “best physical shape or condition.” Although Darwin does use the term in his work and gives full credit to Spencer when talking about it, in Spencer’s definition no words about phenotype or genetics are discussed. I ask the question can “Survival of the Fittest” still apply to beings, beyond companies. I suggest we adjust (but not ignore) the meaning of “Survival of the Fittest” and its relation to physical features. Maybe survival depends less on “how much strength you have over another” and more “how well you can co-exist.”

Naturally, talking about extinct animals seems appropriate, so… think of some of the animals that are extinct or near-extinction. How many of those are loner creatures? The Giant Panda, an animal near extinction spends most of its life alone, only meeting during breeding season. I’m sure the consistent threat of poachers doesn’t help (habitat destruction doesn’t either), but with the removal of these threats I wonder if the panda bear would even survive. I’m not suggesting that humans aren’t responsible; I’m just saying maybe there’s another factor we’re not thinking about.

If one believes in evolution then perhaps survival depends on a species social ability, or how well a species can interact and co-exist with another of its kind. Maybe cavemen survival doesn’t entirely depend on having bigger skulls and/or being bi-pedal. Cockroaches live by the millions, even billions, and I don’t see them going extinct anytime soon. And this is playing with “united we stand, divided we fall” mentality, but maybe the only way to insure survival (for all) is to co-exist with others of our species. And I don’t think survival depends on number of people at all, who’s to say the people of China have a better chance of survival than tribes of Africa. Perhaps survival of a species is dependent on how well the species can work together.

And if that’s the case then, the threat of global warming and the impossible of world peace have a chance of being overcome… if it is understood that it depends on our co-existence.

***

The reason I thought real estate could a good introduction is because one thinks of what they need and comparing it against the typical American Dream (steady income, good health, family, white picket fence and a two car garage). Architecturally, I've been looking at Single Room Occupancy (SRO). Living in a single room, sharing kitchen and bath with someone, may be the answer against the threat of increasing density. Maybe the old American Dream and consistent needs (food, water, and choice) contradict chances for survival, in terms of life on a global basis. Maybe the neo-American Dream should be living in a major city, providing for the next individual, and functioning with the rest of the species… to insure human survival.

Do Good

It’s been a while since I've written and I apologize for that, I've been staying pretty busy. I put down couple of concepts for movies and kicked off a few things. The start of school is just around the corner and I see that train coming when I close my eyes, the only thing I can do is knuckle up and prepare. So, consider this the calm before the storm, a little ode to education.

I read a quote today… well I read quotes everyday, but I’d like to share this one. “The eyes of the future are looking back at us and they are praying for us to see beyond our own time.” [Terry Tempest Williams] Take a moment to digest that… I should repeat it for good measure, but that’s not necessary. I kinda handicapped myself, because the point of a quote is to state your claim in one shot and not have to say anything else. But I vow never to be speechless so…

In whatever you choose to do in life, think about the future of this world. I was having a discussion with one of my friends… about something materialistic, commenting of the value of a product and the company it represents—it was about clothing, anti-sweatshops and buying genuine. And my other friend, not the one I was directly speaking to, says “Carl, you complain too much.” I’m aware of this, I know… but it’s because I see so much room for improvement, so much potential never actualized. It’s really quite depressing when I think about it, so maybe my defense mechanism is to complain. I ended up responding with “The world isn’t perfect.” And he quickly said “exactly!” I looked at him and said “how can you expect to change anything when you don’t know what’s wrong?” My choice of words may have been a bit off, perhaps “wrong” was not the right word to use. But that’s what I said and there was no conversation after that. And I chose not to follow through.

That choice… well let’s just say it’s lost potential. I wanted to look at him, like I was burning a hole past the innocently guilty, and beg for him to believe he can change the world. I’d never ask anyone to be on a mission alone, and this “change the world” is no exception.

At the Chicago Architecture Foundation, my 9-to-5, we took the internship high school students to the Apple Computer store on Michigan Ave [they intern at Architecture Firms, some pretty big names too]. They gave us a great lecture of business and design, how to integrate both. It was good for the students, to finally realize when a client approaches them with a design problem and how they convert that into Architecture. The presenter left us with a commercial and I’d like to share it with all of you. [Thanks for the great network of www.youtube.com for this one]



I’d like to highlight that last bit… “Because the people, who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.” Many wishfully look to the heavens and say “Save Me” [to the tune of Cartel’s song of the same name], but instead of waiting to be saved why can’t you be a saviour to the future, and the rest of this world.

Hunger

As you probably [hopefully] already know, a great number of intelligent beings have graced the surface of this planet. [Galileo, Newton, and Einstein, just to name a few (not undermining Copernicus, Descartes, Freud, or anyone one else for that matter)] Each of these great individuals has left something behind. It is within human nature to record what we discover, cave paintings and this blog is pure example of this.

Some people have made the comment: there is nothing left to build because all the styles in architecture have already been processed. Furthermore, some people have said that there is nothing left to discover, because someone has already discovered it. This is when innovation is of the utmost importance. As an argument for the attainment of knowledge, by knowing what has already been done can we truly reach a higher tier. Often times, the student surpasses the teacher; after learning everything the teacher has to offer, isn’t it just obvious that one would reach beyond their scope? Socrates was a great teacher, but Plato was a great student. All great scholars left text, records and materials. Why do we have history courses? Why is it that in every course of study taken anywhere, on anything, we study the past? In physics, we study Newton’s three laws. In philosophy, we study Aristotle’s Ethics. Our nation (and all nations), poised in a position to grow, must learn the teachings of the past.

Why? Because we have this luxury; in America, and other first world countries, we are not concerned with our basic survival. Here, it’s almost taken for granted. The majority of us don’t need to worry about our next meal. America’s biggest question is… should I go to McDonald’s or Burger King. In hopes to help our fellow human race, we must understand the conclusions made in the past and move forward through innovation. I may have not figured out why we need to be together, but I believe to fully reach our potential as a human race we need to be on the same page. I believe there is one goal, and it requires one team... or else we’re just competing against ourselves.

A part of a whole [Part 2]

Throughout the course of this blog, there have been plenty of posts that transmit this overall idea of oneness. This consistent message that everything is better when we work as a whole and understanding that everyone is human has always been apparent in this blog. This “a part of a whole” series consists of rather long posts and I apologize for this, this topic tends to be a lengthy discussion.

Understanding everyone is human is a difficult task on its own, but further to understand that everyone is trying to do the same thing that you’re doing is something altogether completely different. Everyone is trying to live the life they want to live; bare bones, that’s what it is. I don’t believe any rational person wants to live the life that they hate, it’s just not… rational. Why is the CEO/Chairman an ass to the rest of the employees? Because s/he wants to be a leader to company that in all aspects is the best it can possibly be. Why is the neighbor so quick to object to “noise pollution?” Because s/he pictures her/his home/neighborhood in silence. Or maybe, the only type of music s/he wants to hear is the music that s/he enjoys. This is where the conflicts begin; we all don’t have the same ideal of life. My ideal life is probably different than yours. [And everyone needs to get on my page, just messin’] When everyone understands this, then this idea of oneness is much easier to comprehend.

I believe through and through that this is the answer to all of our difficulties and problems. Why do countries go to war? Because one country/leader wants something of its people and it conflicts with what another country/leader wants for theirs. Why do we have the highest car accident rate in the world? Because someone is trying to get somewhere to do something that will make their life closer to their ideal [going to work, going to the park, going to a girlfriend’s house, whatever] and someone else just happens to be doing the same thing and taking the same path. And here, we collide. Why is it so difficult to find a lasting relationship? Because for a [hopefully] long period of time, two ideal lives that two individuals want to live is one in the same or concurrent with each other. [When dating a girl… if you didn’t already know the right page is hers, and she’s already on it so you might as well just get there. Cuz she ain’t jumping onto yours or compromising… hehheh] But seriously, life would be much smoother if everyone took the time to understand the person next to them. Wanna know how to make a relationship work? Ask questions. Plain and simple, no magic tricks, acts of god or planets on silver platters. Two people just have to ask each other one thing, “What kind of life do you want to live?” If the lives sound the same, then together the two of you don’t have any problems [unless of course, the ideal of lives two people want to live are: to be alone and without attachment]. If they conflict you have two options… work it out or walk away. Simple.

[This post is about to get real sour, you have been warned]
It may seem like I think I have the answers to it all, but I’ve never claimed this. Oneness, it’s great and all, but what happens after all that? What’s the purpose of all human beings banding together? For what? If you don’t already know, I believe in purpose. I believe there is a purpose to my life, there’s a reason why I’m here. But is there, can there, be a purpose of all life? Is there a purpose to life as a whole, as a human race? Is it merely for evolution? Or is it a movie for stars? If you’ve got an answer to this, than you’re smarter than me because I’ve got nothing. [If you’ve got it, please comment… I’m begging now because this is something that needs to be answered] I know, as a human race, we are better together; I just don’t know why we need to be like this. What war are we preparing for? [And yes, this question haunts me at night.]

A part of a whole [Part 1]

Wow… I find myself apologizing every time I come online to post on my blog. It’s like I’m not fulfilling my part of the deal, my honor to have a blog and a microphone to speak from. I can only apologize, it’s not like I’m not thinking… it’s just…. Never mind, there are no excuses.

The topic for today is an issue that’s been swirling around in my head (this is only the tip of the iceberg; there will be more on this as it develops). Many of the stuff I’m integrated in have brought this to my attention. During a discussion in one of my classes, I was getting the tone that most everyone was rather afraid of being a part of a whole. The question was posed “are we losing our sense of region?” Basically, are we losing the sense of a Chicagoan or New Yorker? Rem Koolhaas [OMA Architect] has stated that we are losing the sense of Urbanism. The skyscraper is making all the cities look the same and there’s nothing unique from city to city. I would ask, what’s wrong with being a globe and not just cities. What would happen if there were cities that ran the world as a cohesive unit, together? What’s wrong with the idea of “World City,” coming full circle? Imagine if there were a number of cities that literally ran the world, kinda like offices in a worldwide corporation. What would we be divided by then? Beliefs… if we are going to have a division, I say have the division on trivial beliefs. Something as small as, I am a White Sox fan vs. I am a Cubs fan. These are beliefs we cannot go to war over. [Possibly, a small step toward World Peace?] The only problem with having to come to an agreement on big issues is always a problem. Recently, the question of abortion was voted on again: Pro-Choice vs. Pro-Life. Whether you want to believe it or not, there are advantages to both sides. I always find the answer is always somewhere in the middle. [We’ll talk about abortion some other time, gotta refocus.]

I’m a Buddhist, and for the next part of this blog, I feel I need to provide a little background information. Over time, there have been two separate ideas for Buddhism. The general goal is enlightenment; this is where the division comes. Some people in enlightenment for the individual, others believe in enlightenment for all. I am a believer in enlightenment for all. As I understand it, if we [as humans] are all trying to get to one place (whatever you wanna call the place, enlightenment or heaven) why can’t we get there, together; that’s my justification. Furthermore, whatever I do in life let it be for the good of all. Here’s how it fits into my argument for globalization.

If the cities/countries that have power, and make the selfless act of helping another city/country then we’ll all get to where we are trying to get to [enlightenment or heaven, there’s more… I know]. Things like AIDS awareness, are steps in the right direction… making things a world problem, world issue. Banning together to achieve a goal, “Together we stand, divided we fall.” Remember, we’re all on this planet… all part of a whole. I have no problem with lending a helping hand. Others will argue, we have our own problems to deal with; this is true, we do have problems, but with this design wouldn’t we be able to help each other? Some countries are hungry; some countries have an abundance of food. Keep your eyes on the goal. Then some would argue “that’s their problem, we shouldn’t make it ours.” Can you hear how selfish that is? Here we are with the tools we have to save another, yet we don’t act. Makes us look like a real hero, Superman should be jealous. Yeah, Superman… [In the comic world] an individual that saves the planet that he’s not from, a planet that would exile him if the majority knew he didn’t belong. He completes a selfless act every time the planet is in need.

Now, people would question, “what about the guy you wanted to remove from architecture school.” Furthermore, “if you have the have the tools to help someone, why don’t you?” There are some that don’t want to grasp the picture that I’m painting. Those individuals I cannot help. There are those that are trying to grasp that same image, I question if they’ll get the image before it’s too late or grasp the image in its entirety. I believe in the human being, the ability to change is phenomenal. I partner those that are willing to achieve the same goal that I am trying to achieve; I would hope that we are on the same page. How do I know my goal is right? Is my goal noble enough? Is helping somewhere else when I am most fortunate, is that noble enough? Then people always ask, why aren’t you helping now… why are you spending your money to go to school and all this other jazzy stuff. As long as it is providing me with more tools to achieve my goal, then I must give my time for it. A samurai doesn’t run into battle with just a sword and expect to win. To answer the first question I would respond, if the individual is inadequate then their help would only hurt; we would take steps backward, because the job of an architect is very powerful—thus, it has many of responsibilities. [Things like protecting people from the weather while they try to achieve their goal, and assisting people to their job, those are just a small taste.]

Others would then question, what about losing culture? What about Globalization washing the sense of region? Here’s where the job of the architect is most evident. When an architect designs, the architect would need to worry about where the architect is… pay tribute to the location… if the architect is in Paris, the design would reflect the culture. If the architect is in Tokyo, there should be evidence of that in the design. Don’t just pop-up cookie cutter buildings that have no references. If a building were to be relocated, then the building needs to feel out of place. How you express this as an architect that is your style.

Now you always have those individuals that say “Hey, if you’ve got this great idea… then how do we get there?” I answer with a simple quote: “Be the change, you want to see in the world” [Gandhi]. I believe it… and honestly, how hard is that?

Fort Minor, Black Thought, Styles Of Beyond - Right Now

Early post today… FORT MINOR… THE RISING TIED is here. I got my package yesterday… and this song is so dope, I just had to post. I haven’t gone through the entire CD yet… but I’m postin’ the lyrics for this one.

Fort Minor, Black Thought, Styles Of Beyond – Right Now

Fort Minor [Mike of Linkin Park]:
Someone right now / is leaving their apartment
Looking down at the street and wondering where their car went
Someone in a car is sitting at a signal
In front of a restaurant / staring thru the window at
Someone right now with their finger in their teeth
Who could use a little floss / right across the street there’s
Somebody on the curb / who really needs a jacket
But spent half the rent at a bar getting plastered
Now he’s gotta walk / 14 block just to
Work at a shop where he’s about to get fired
Someone right now / is looking pretty tired
Staring at a laptop / trying to get inspired as
Somebody / living right across the street
Just wrote the best thing that she’s written all week
But her best friend is coughing up blood in the sink
He can’t even think what happened / feeling so confused
And he knows it looks bad but there’s nothing he can do
I wonder what it’s like to be right there in his shoes
But
Yo I’m just taking it in
Out the window of a hotel bedroom again
Tomorrow I’ll be gone / I don’t know when I’ll be back
But in this world everything can change just like that
Like that

Ryu [Styles of Beyond]:
Somebody right now is dropping his vote inside a
Box and trying not to get shot in his throat for the act of freedom
Right now / Somebody’s stuck in Iraq
Hoping that he gets shipped back breathing
In a war but he’s not really sure the reasons
So we show our support when the press mislead him
Though we mourn / remain proud / salute the troops
Get some / I know you boys got some work to do

Tak [Styles Of Beyond]:
Meanwhile / right now someone’s 25-to-life-ing
Standing on a corner with their thumb up hitchhiking
Scratching off a lotto ticket hoping for a real winner
Sneaking through the border just to work and eat a real dinner
Right now someone wishes they were you and I
Instead of second-guessing fatal thoughts of quiet suicide
But right now I’m staring out the window at a fiend
With holes in his arm and / holes in his jeans
He pulled out a cigarette and sparked a light
And walked right around the corner just out of my sight
But
I’m just taking it in
From a second story hotel window again
The T.V.’s on and my bags are packed
But in this world everything can change just like that
Like that

Black Thought [The Roots]:
Yeah / right now somebody’s sittin’ in the darkness
Tryin’ to figure how to put some heat in they apartment but
They got a little mattress / little carpet
And they appreciate it ‘cause some people on
a park bench
You see ‘em when you rushing to get
To the office
Wife ride by ‘em when she comin’ from the market
Right now somebody comin’
Out the pocket
Tryin’ to dump that rock / they
runnin’ ‘round the block with
Same time the cops is
raisin’ the glock
With aim to fill your legs
And your back with some hot shit
Right now somebody’s struggling to stop this
Man that’s kicking
And punching and
Cussing at the doctors
Down the hall a child is takin’ its first breath
The doctor’s ain’t even passed
Him to the nurse yet / yo
I wonder if he understand what it’s worth yet
Life / the time spent while we here on the earth yet
The answers to the questions we all seek
Can be found / it depend on how free y’all think
Right now / it’s somebody who ain’t eat all week
That would kill / for the shit you throw away in the street
I guess one man’s trash is the next man’s treasure
One man’s pain is the next man’s pleasure
One say infinity the next say forever
Right now / everybody got to / get it together man
I’m just taking it in
In another strange hotel lobby again
With my luggage on my back / I don’t know where I’m at
I’m in a world where it all change like that
Like that

Man… there’s so many thought right now… racing. It’s blur in my head… “Thinkin’ ‘bout nothin’ more than life, what else?” [50 Cent – God Gave Me Style]. There’s so many things I wanna say about this track…about the world… about our society… when things die down, I’ll say something. This track is on repeat right now… and “I’m just taking it in”… Damn… the PIANO!!! I’m like speechless… wow… MADD Props! Get the CD… download that shit… whatever… hear that shit! I’m Out… ‘til the fog in my head gets a little clearer.