Laettner Shot 92’

On March 28, 1992, Duke University played the University of Kentucky in the East Regional final of the 1992 NCAA basketball tournament. It is widely regarded as the greatest college basketball game of all time. Led by their charismatic and controversial leader, center and power forward Christian Laettner, the Duke Blue Devils found themselves in a tough spot. In overtime, with only 2.1 seconds left on the clock, the Blue Devils trailed the Wildcats. Kentucky point guard Sean Woods had scored a one-handed 2-point shot only moments earlier. Duke’s now retired legendary head coach Mike Krzyzewski called his final timeout. Krzyzewski drew up a final play, in hopes of a miracle at the buzzer. Duke had practiced this same exact play and ran it once before in their loss earlier in the season against Wake Forest, but it had been unsuccessful. Everybody in attendance and watching on national television, including almost everyone on the Duke bench, assumed that Duke’s mission to repeat as national champions had fallen far short of lofty preseason expectations.

Well, everybody except for Christian Laettner. Laettner had led the Duke Blue Devils to a National Championship in 1991, a season in which he was selected as the NCAA tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. That season, Laettner and Duke had managed to knock off the defending national champion UNLV Runnin’ Rebels. In a rematch of the 1990 NCAA National Championship Game, in which Laettner and the Blue Devils were blasted by that same UNLV team by 30 points, Duke ended the fourth-longest winning streak in NCAA Division I basketball history. UNLV’s 45-game winning streak during the 1990-1991 season has understandably been widely recognized as solid proof that the UNLV team of that season was the greatest team to never win a national championship. And now, in 1992, Laettner and his Duke Blue Devils, loaded with two future 1st round NBA draft picks in Grant Hill and Bobby Hurley, were eyeing a second consecutive national championship.

Unlike Wake Forest earlier in the 1992 season, Kentucky decided not to guard the inbounds pass, instead electing to pit an extra defender on Laettner. Laettner’s performance up to that point in the game warranted such attention. His performance in this game is viewed by many as one of the greatest in NCAA tournament history. He was perfect, going 10 for 10 from the field, and 10 for 10 from the free-throw line. During the second half, Laettner was assessed a technical foul for stepping on the chest of Kentucky forward Aminu Timberlake, an action some believed should have resulted in an ejection. Upon replay of the foul, Laettner’s antagonistic image is aggressively championed. His antics could have cost his team a shot at a consecutive national title. However, to the dismay of the Kentucky Wildcats, Laettner remained in the game.

Duke’s small forward Grant Hill, whose father was a legendary Super Bowl champion running back for the Dallas Cowboys, was responsible for inbounding the ball following Woods’ made floater. What occurred next was a sequence of magic. A sequence that has been played repeatedly, on various media platforms, for nearly four decades. It effectively elevated the status of Christian Laettner, already a highly polarizing and villainized figure, to almost mythic levels. It elevated the Duke Blue Devil brand to beyond merely just a college basketball cinderella story. A neat, feel good story about the rise of a small, secluded, wealthy private university in North Carolina. Led by a disciple and protege of the controversial, legendary basketball coach Bobby Knight. What occurred next not only kept Duke’s 1992 championship hopes alive. It helped establish Duke as a legitimate college basketball dynasty.

Hill launched the basketball almost 80 feet across the court, which was caught by Laettner near the opposite foul line. Laettner then dribbled once to his right, turned back to his left, and shot a turnaround jumper over Kentucky forward Deron Feldhaus just as time expired. The ball swished through the net as the buzzer sounded, giving Duke a 104–103 victory. Laettner exploded in joyful bliss, as the Duke bench erupted in astonishment and euphoria. They toppled and collapsed over him in celebration, some even in tears. The Kentucky players and coaches, staring on in complete shock and disbelief, many with their mouths fully wide open. March Madness in its purest form.

Duke went on to defeat the Fab Five and the Michigan Wolverines, featuring future NBA stars Chris Webber, Juwan Howard, and Jalen Rose, to capture the first back to back national championships since UCLA accomplished the same feat in 1972 and 1973. Today is my 34th birthday. Born on March 29, 1992, I drew my first breaths outside of the womb only hours after this iconic moment in sports history. It was a play that I would always see on ESPN’s SportsCentury or on CBS during its coverage of the NCAA Tournament when I was growing up. It is a magical sequence that I have grown to appreciate. Laettner’s immortalized heroics are a powerful reminder that even when hope seems all but lost, miracles do happen.

All For The Love of Flow

It is common for people to say that swimming is a healthy exercise. However, it is fair to question if they truly understand what they speak of. I swim everyday. I routinely fluctuate between the freestyle and the breast stroke. As soon as the cool, chlorine water strikes the surface of my flesh, I instantaneously connect to sensations that I have no words to appropriately characterize or adequately describe.

I began swimming at a time not of my choosing. I can’t remember. I do vaguely remember my grandfather throwing me into the waters of the Gulf of Mexico, not far from my grandparents’ home in Freeport, Texas. From age 8 until age 13, I attended Camp Longhorn every summer for three weeks. It is an aquatic-themed summer camp. Most of the activities that we participated in as children were in the man-made lake that our cabins bordered. From jumping on the wet blobs and gliding down the zip-line of the “Eyeful Tower”, to shooting down the long water slides and canoeing alongside the springs of the green-colored lake, Indian Springs was an aquatic mosiac. A kind of man-made water park.

At times I have been convinced that the lack of maintenance with respect to the man-made lake, with its grimy and nasty appearance, contributed to me contracting Kawasaki’s Disease at camp in the summer of 2003. With all of the positive recollections that I have of those warm summers in the early 2000s, they must be viewed in unison with all of the nightmarish trauma of that summer in 2003. A summer during which, for me, that lake at Indian Springs turned into a red bloodbath of horrors.

I played as a member of my high school’s water polo team during my freshman year of high school. However, after this short stint, I didn’t swim at any serious capacity for several years. In fact, over a decade had passed before I resumed swimming regularly. I had moved to Atlanta, Georgia to earn my MA in History at Clark Atlanta University. Jun, my foreign roommate from Japan, was studying English at Georgia Tech. One day, he took me along with him to Georgia Tech’s Aquatics Center. It was a day made in heaven. The unforgettable moment, that I dropped my numb body into the lap pool, was timeless. It was as if I had been resurrected like Lazarus, all in an instant. It was as if, after sleep walking like a zombie throughout my late teens and young adulthood, I had finally been awoken from the dead. I swam, in a state of unparalleled bliss, for a few hours. I had been set straight.

Since that day in 2019, I have swam probably a vast majority of the time. It is a vital, undeniable part of my identity. Even perhaps the most important characteristic of my genetic makeup. I flow forward, at remarkable speeds. From freestyle to breast stroke. Consistent fluctuation from one technique to the other. I become an aquatic masterpiece. The flow is a realm within which I can gather my thoughts. Affirmations flow through my mind, spirit, and body with ease. My youthful flesh is enhanced. My creative spirit glides and soars. My magical imagination has been unleashed and is limitless. My North Star is firm and resolute. I am unapologetically on full autopilot. I trust the supernatural forces that guide me. My culture is contagious. My confidence is infinite. Anything in close proximity to me benefits, even if those things lack awareness of my value. I know who I am. I am the King of Flow. All for the love of flow.

The Magic Within Our Imagination

Every human child is thrown into this madness called Humanity, against his or her own choosing. No one chose to be born. Regardless of the specific environment that child is born into, he or she is exposed to some form of education that is intentionally designed to groom them and provide the child with the skills and information that they need to merely get by within their society. From a purely systematic and bureaucratic perspective, the intent does not come from a place of truthfulness or goodwill. We are born into insane degrees of indifference.

Lacking the acute awareness of a full grown adult, we ignorantly develop habits and ways of thinking that are inherently self-destructive. We mistakingly trust those who we should not and become dependent on the source of our own torment and destruction. We become tools or puppets of our greatest enemies, and not of our own self-loving dreams and aspirations. I know because I have the SCARS TO PROVE IT.

Through supernatural forces, that were never meant to be explained by even the most advanced and modernized neurological technology, we can elevate ourselves out of the limitations and despair of the human flesh. We can emancipate ourselves from the filth that is the Devil’s Playground. ABOVE & BEYOND the urban jungle, forever cursed with unfathomable degrees of wickedness, twisted in ways even more distorted than our worst nightmares.

As I recently discovered within my own human experience, once we make a conscious decision to fully walk away from any dependency on the external world, once we dare to have the courage to fully walk away and claim full independence from society’s hold on our views towards ourselves, others, and the universe around us, we can then claim immortality. We can then lean into the God within us, and become all of what God has intended for each of us individually. We can then reclaim our title as children of the perfect and ultimate being.

The fear of uncertainty cripples most human beings. Our fear becomes our own worst enemy. Because without uncertainty, there can never be any room for growth or excitement towards the future. Without uncertainty, any room for creativity and imagination is brutally eliminated. What a shameful waste that would be. And unfortunately, many have chosen a life certainly destined to be limited and unsatisfactory.

Physics is a burden. It is naturally designed to be our limitation. The human body matures, ages, weakens, and dies. Its fate is certain. The body’s ceiling and capabilities are fixed and predictable. If we dare to leave behind our obsession with and reliance on the physical world, we can then unlock our naturally-ordained imagination. The physical universe is simply a tool of the metaphysical. Our vast universe consists of endless depth, fully exclusive from the physical realm. Our minds and spirits are independent from our physical bodies. They can create magic. Our creative spirit has no ceiling. A free human consciousness is cosmic. If we choose to be courageous in the face of the unknown, we will be rewarded in ways once thought unimaginable.

As someone who has earned their own Red Badge of Courage, I can confidently say that walking away from my own societal grooming has allowed me to soar like a bald eagle. I had to re-groom myself through the profound spirit of self-love and everlasting imagination. I chose to accept and embrace uncertainty, as well as my physical limitations. Once I did that, I was finally able to see above and beyond the modern-day superficiality of social media and Hollywoodesque standards that once tormented me and clouded my horizons. I now understand and respect the intensity and scope of my imagination. Regardless of the entirety of all of the negativity that exists on Earth and within the Universe at this precise moment, we can always trust the magic stored within our imaginative spirit to carry us to our most treasured fantasies.

A New Season, Another Shot at Harmony

Life can be a real bitch sometimes. Really disappointing things can happen in life. However, life must go on. But honestly, that’s the pure beauty of life. We can choose to focus on the excitement around what has not yet happened. Excitement around the endless possibilities of what positive things can happen. The personal goals and dreams that can be accomplished in this new season. All with the strong faith and genuine belief that great things are right around the corner.

Today’s world is filled with chaos. Whether it be the troubling instability of the current political climate, the around the clock dysfunction of social media, growing economic uncertainty, or the ongoing phenomenon of human mass globalization that was initially facilitated by industrialization, there are plenty of things to be stressed and unhappy about these days. That is precisely why it is imperative for all of us to turn off the outside noise and look deep within ourselves for our North Star.

Personally, I’ve had my own outside noise to tune down. However, despite all of the negative developments that surfaced in my life last year, I always knew that I could fall back on my foundation when adversity seemed to greet me at every turn. My tenacious spirit, my support system, people who I consider part of my tribe. Those things got me through. We need to look at what we have as opposed to what we are lacking. This past season taught me to love and value what I’ve had all along and to never take those things for granted.

There’s not anything about the past to get excited about. However, the future has endless possibilities. If we set well-defined goals, and work towards them with serious intent and commitment, this new season will be full of colossal breakthroughs and achievements. Faith in each of our individual journeys is really the key to our success. We need to trust the process that the Universe has chosen for us.

The plan that has been set forth for us lies within our core. It lies within our naturally-ordained instincts. It lies within our gut. We just need to trust it. It has nothing to do with anything external. It has nothing to do with anybody or anything else. We must look deep within ourselves. Into infinite layers of depth. We will find our creator’s divine plan for us there. We need to believe and understand that faith moves the mountains. We must listen to our heart, it whispers.

In 2026, this new season, regardless of what happens in our own lives or in the world around us, if we commit ourselves to having faith in the feelings and the divine plan sealed deep inside our internal spirit, our goals WILL be met this year. Our faith will not only move the mountains, but it might also have the effect of bringing us honest joy and true harmony. Let us DREAM FORWARD with the highest hopes this new season of 2026.

Gaslight Society

In the United States of America, one thing is always true. The TRUTH WILL BE BRUTALIZED. The elephant in the room will be ignored. A society built on not acknowledging the obvious, even to the most absurd and ridiculous extremes, makes for a very surreal and uncomfortable environment. When discussing issues of race, cultural philosophy, and class this disorienting reality is unavoidable.

“The Leader of the Free World” is faltering these days. And the most obvious reason why is tied to its bleak, hideous past. Racism and bigotry were the root facilitators of legalized slavery in the Antebellum South, the American Civil War, and the establishment of Jim Crow America. With the rise of white nationalism during this second Trump Administration, the elephant in the room is expanding and occupying ever more space.

As a man of African descent, born in the largest former Confederate state, the great state of Texas, I know all too well the everyday denial. The tightness that I felt in my stomach as a young boy, in direct response to being stared at by whites in the neighborhood I grew up in as I walked from my parent’s house in Houston, Texas to Dan’s Smoothie House where I loved woofing down my favorite smoothies in the Houston area, is unforgettable. The awkward silence, the weird vibes, the unspoken word. On this planet, one’s blackness follows them wherever they go.

In today’s era of social media, more than during any previous period, humanity’s obsession is concentrated on the most popular thing. It is about both racking up followers and following the “coolest” or “most attractive” people out there. The degree of shallow fakeness within the society that we currently live in is unprecedented and sickening to the extreme.

There was a time before smart phones, social media, XBOX gaming systems, and even the World Wide Web. A time that felt far more real than what we are usually accustomed to experiencing during our current everyday lives. One that younger generations largely have not and will not ever experience as we move forward in time towards an increasingly digitalized existence dominated by Artificial Intelligence.

During these past eras that pre-dated the popularization of the internet, the authentic way was the only respectable way quite frankly. The Civil Rights and counter-cultural movements of the 1950s and 1960s, the punk and hip-hop movements of the late 1970s and 1980s, and the grunge movement that blasted into mainstream consciousness during the early 1990s all rested on a solid foundation of true authenticity and brutally honest creativity.

The Baby Boomer and X generations were collectively spoiled by arguably the most memorable and influential cultural renaissance in human history. A cultural renaissance led by the likes of famous icons including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, John F. Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, Stokely Carmichael, Muhammad Ali, Huey Newton, Jimi Hendrix, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Elvis Presley, Sidney Poitier, Michael Jackson, Prince, John Lennon, Kurt Cobain, Oprah Winfrey, Spike Lee, Tupac, Freddie Mercury, David Bowie, and countless others. However, the rapid sophistication of human technology during the second half of the twentieth century played a significant part in facilitating their reach into millions upon millions of living rooms across the globe.

The growing popularization of television, which emerged during the decades immediately following the end of the Second World War, altered the course of human history forever. During the years prior to and after the emergence of cable networking, television broadcasting allowed for the iconic individuals mentioned above to reach large segments of the human population, leaving an undeniable impact on communities and societies across the globe for seemingly endless generations to come. But despite many of the positives that might have accompanied this development, negatives must be acknowledged as well.

The undeniable success of television heading into the final decade of the twentieth century could be felt throughout human society, and the United States was the epicenter. America was ground zero for the cultural explosion during the 1980s that was MTV. The new cable network defined the childhood and early adulthood of Generation X. But the 1990s would be a very unique decade that built upon the Tech boom of the 1980s.

The rise of the internet in the mid to late 1990s, along with the rapid evolution of video gaming in cultures throughout human society, pushed younger generations more towards life indoors. Increasingly, younger people began to allow themselves to become consumed by toxic cultures and subcultures that discouraged individuality and healthy philosophies towards life. By the end of the decade the rise of gun violence in schools, as most popularly epitomized by the Columbine shooting massacre in 1999, had many blaming the increasing violence noticed in video games from that era. Ultimately, by the time that social media arrived at the beginning of the 2010s, the days of authentic thought and creativity in mainstream culture seemed to be far behind us. Those decades of the late twentieth century that were so influential culturally can today feel like largely forgotten relics of the past.

In 2025, it is like living in an entirely different universe from that of the 1980s or even the 1990s, especially from a cultural standpoint. It is all about clicks. It is about shallow, superficial phenomena, and not of things that are characterized by any degree of substance or depth for the most part. And that is where I have naturally found myself to be a complete outcast. As a young black man in America, who does not like most contemporary rap music and who can only seem to identify with dead icons from dead cultures, I do recognize my obsession with the past. And this obsession most certainly expresses itself within my passion for history as represented through the advanced degree that I earned in History and the professional work that I have done thus far in my young career.

I do hang my hat on being real. On not only staring at the enlarging elephant in the room, but yelling out loud about the presence of the elephant at the top of my lungs. I have realized that many, if not most, people in today’s American society will call me crazy or act as though they cannot hear my voice at all. However, their decision to gaslight me or to ignore my existence all together will never overshadow the ever expanding shadow casts by an enlarging elephant that embodies our current American culture of dysfunction, racism, and sheep mentality. A culture built entirely on fear. On the fear of being judged. Once our young people, in this nation and across the globe, truly recognize that freedom from the everyday anxieties of external judgement lies within internal courage and Nirvana, they will acquire the self-confidence and inner harmony that they have always longed for.

When Adversity Strikes

We’ve all been there. We’ve all been put in challenging situations that have tested our confidence and purpose. Situations in which we’ve had to take a step back, and honestly reevaluate our lives and what we should be doing for ourselves. How we respond to this adversity will ultimately determine our fate and the level of success that we experience during our lives.

The other day, I watched my beloved Texas Longhorns football team give perhaps the worst offensive performance that I’ve seen in my over 25 years of watching football. Arch Manning, the most recent generation of the Manning quarterback legacy that began with his grandfather Archie Manning in the late 1960s at the University of Mississippi, gave an historically disastorious performance against an University of El-Paso defense that lacks the natural talent and athleticism boasted by several defenses that the Longhorns will face later this season within college football’s Southeastern Conference. While watching the national broadcast of the game, it was apparent from the beginning of the contest that Manning was totally overwhelmed and noticeably demoralized while operating Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian’s pass-heavy offense. Most of his throws were inaccurate and completely off the mark, failing to even give his receivers an opportunity to make a play on the ball.

In the lead up to the beginning of the 2025 college football season, Manning had been excessively hyped by mainstream media. He had been marketed as the next great Manning quarterback. The nephew of two Super Bowl winning quarterbacks in Eli and Peyton Manning, Arch Manning was expected to be the leading candidate for this season’s Heisman Trophy and the starting quarterback for a Texas Longhorns football squad that was expected to compete for a national championship.

To largely the surprise of not only the Texas Longhorn fanbase, but also to the American public at large, Manning has played exponentially below preseason expectations. During the Longhorns’ opening game of the football season, playing on the road against the defending national champion Ohio State Buckeyes, Manning seemed shellshocked. A formidable Buckeye defense confused the young quarterback throughout the game, notably denying a quarterback sneak by Manning on a fourth down goal line stand at the Ohio State 1-yard line. During the following week’s home opener against a much lesser opponent in San Jose State, Manning struggled once more but gave a better performance that gave many the false impression that he was on track to significant improvement. However, Manning’s dreadful performance yesterday against UTEP was a drastic setback. At one point during the second quarter, Manning threw ten consecutive incompletions, including an interception. He finished the first half of the contest by only completing 5 of his first 21 passes. Arch was booed by a dissatisfied and infuriated home crowd at Darryl K. Royal Memorial Stadium on a blistering hot, September afternoon in Austin, Texas.

Manning, in the wake of his nightmarish performances thus far this season, has much soul searching to do. Things have most certainly not gone according to plan. Adversity has struck the young Texas quarterback. And it has struck mercilessly.

Each of us, male and female, young and old, wealthy and poor, of all races and creeds, face adversity in our lives. We are pushed into an uncomfortable, and sometimes even frightenening, corner. And we are forced to be decisive. We are forced to make difficult decisions. It is within these trying situations that we find out what we are made of.

I would argue that these episodes of adversity are blessings in disguise. These are moments in which we can prove, most importantly to ourselves, that we are made of “the right stuff”. That we do have what it takes to overcome great odds and emerge as better, improved versions of ourselves. That our enemies and doubters were wrong all along. Adversity is truly a blessing.

Arch Manning, like all of us, is facing some major adversity as a young man. Hopefully, he can look deep within himself, and discover a pleasant surprise. That he can take all the negativity of the present moment, and transform it into an asset and a strentgth. Into something that he can look back upon, as a more mature version of himself perhaps years from now, as a watershed moment that propelled him to his most treasured dreams and aspirations. One can only hope.

The Beauty of Existence

I sit here, two weeks out from my 33rd birthday, and I am mesmerized by the magic and remarkable beauty of this existence. When I look up at the star-filled night sky as I walk towards my black, 2012 Infiniti, preparing to visit my girlfriend on a Friday night, or whenever I drive back home from a pleasing hour long swim on a Sunday afternoon, and look up into the cloudless, blue sky, brightened by the Sun’s yellowish rays, I just can’t help but feel an enormous sense of gratitude. Life is precious. It is all we have as biological creations.

The last couple of months have reminded me of the randomness, imperfection, and even indifferent cruelty of Mother Nature and our unimaginably vast Universe. Why do horrific things happen to innocent, decent people? It is a question that even the brightest minds, and the most ancient and revered religions, will always fail to answer. I reminisce about my own personal struggles in a distant past. About adversities that have occurred in the lives of people I know well. But also about tragedies experienced by complete strangers. At times, I find myself almost overwhelmed with sorrow and confusion in direct response to this dilemma of human flaw and mortality.

However, in the midst of profound levels of bewilderment and sadness, I come back to my immediate sensual experience. To the smells, sights, sounds, and sense of touch. I connect with the moment. I recognize the intense beauty of what I cannot describe adequately through human language or through conventional forms of communication. I realize that what I am experiencing is a gift that was never meant to be understood or explained. It doesn’t need to be analyzed. It just needs to be acknowledged and appreciated. It needs to be loved and embraced for all it is worth. Something purely extraordinary that should be greeted with a tremendous degree of love and gratitude. Beautifully enough, I have the great fortune of being a part of it.

Our Place In The Biosphere

Modern humans are members of a diverse and vast community of organisms. Together, they make up what we know as the Animal Kingdom. A hierarchal structure based upon the process of natural selection. Only those genes that are deemed biologically fit will be passed on from one generation to the next. Death by violence and illness, as well as an inadequate level of reproductive success, are the most common eliminators of those deemed as unfit. Over the past several million years, the bipedal apes have managed to position themselves at the top of this unbroken food chain of unforgiving brutality and bloodshed. A hierarchy divided strictly into hunters and prey.

Humanity reached this feat through an unprecedented explosion of intelligence, the development of speech and diverse cultures, as well as its capacity to create increasingly sophisticated tools over a lengthy period of documented history. However, none of this would have been possible without the development of bipedalism among several extinct species of ape. Dating back to Australopithecus africanus, the original bipedal ape, humans have developed an increasingly upright anatomy. This long and ambiguous journey from primitive ape to fully modernized man is best known as the process of human evolution. It is a puzzling lineage with twists, turns, and dead ends. Eventually, one of the branches of this large and extended family of bipedal apes led to us.

The Industrial Revolution accelerated the impact of mankind on ecosystems across the globe exponentially. A current mass extinction period, known as the Holocene extinction, has wiped out countless species of plant and animal for the past few centuries. The Great Acceleration, known as the period of unparalleled human population growth during the 20th century, has only increased the rate of mass extinction. This development adequately demonstrates the role than mankind has played within the biosphere. As the hunter gatherer. As the most ruthless predator of them all. Undeniably the most dangerous game.

We are known for our large and complex brains. Our collective consciousness is something unseen throughout the Earth’s vast biosphere. Although other apes, like the chimpanzees for example, have demonstrated impressive cognitive abilities, the concept of thought as we understand it is uniquely a human phenomenon. Man’s journey of conscious discovery has led him to even venture off this planet and into the Cosmos. Our desire to study and explain our existence and its meaning is one of the characteristics that distinguish us from the rest of Earth’s living organisms. We wonder if we are alone in the universe, and strive to answer this question through a large and complex system of organizations and entities, ranging from anthropology and space exploration to philosophy and cinema. Humanity is the cultural ape. The one that creates customs and codes of behavior. And also one willing to engage in fierce conflict with itself over these behavioral concepts.

As a direct consequence of the industrial revolution, the burning of fossil fuels has created the environmental phenomenon of global warming. Mankind is strangling the natural equilibrium on Earth. Uniquely human issues, like economics and foreign policy, are far more relevant areas of concern to many people. The environment routinely takes a back seat. However, environmental disasters have increased significantly over the past several decades, and shows no signs of diminishing. An uncertain and frightful reckoning with Mother Nature awaits us.

Throughout history, humans have championed their role as guardians of the Earth, emphasizing their impact on the environment through agriculture and domestication. Many of us look to religion as a means to explain our natural place in the biosphere. However, we must be honest with ourselves about our true nature as the top predator on this planet. We must acknowledge our ruthlessness. The behaviors and characteristics that we’ve needed to exude, throughout the countless generations of human existence, in order to gain and maintain the upper hand over the other beasts. Perhaps then we can achieve the level of self awareness needed in order to unlock our highest potential and purpose.

Why Is Love So Complicated?

Everybody needs love. Not everybody gets the love that they desire. In a world full of aesthetic standards and sexual complexity, we humans try to make sense of it all. While also trying to understand where we belong within the collective chaos that is society.

Love and intimacy is what adds to the complexity of human existence. Our need for each other as social beings is the very thing that has contributed to the success of humanity on this planet, dating back to prehistoric times. It has also contributed to our hatred for the other, fueled by sexual selection and competitive fury. It’s fair to say that love can bring out the best and the worst of human nature.

Humans are one of the few species in the biosphere who engage in sexual intimacy for pleasure rather than solely for reproductive purposes. Other apes, including Bonobos, are known to use sex as a means for settling conflicts. However, humans are also notorious for their violent behavior. Unquestionably the most warlike species, humanity has been plagued by violence, domestic and foreign, for as far back as the human mind can reminisce. Love and passion has aided this violence through the ages. As romanticized by ancient mythology, large scale conflicts have been fought in the name of love.

Today, human beings are presented with an environment that romantisizes intimacy, while also regularly presenting the impediments to achieving healthy relationships. Social media, and dominant culture as a whole, promotes the toxic side of our nature. This development makes our interactions with potential mates more complex. Gender roles are routinely debated. Such an environment further complicates the dynamics of love.

In Western society especially, socioeconomic stressors highly influence the politics of intimacy. Males are pressured to appear as the strongest and wealthiest, while females are routinely judged by standards of physical attraction. Values built around a code of ethics have largely been thrown out of the window. Superficiality largely defines relations with the opposite sex.

Therefore, true love is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Sexuality has been deprived of its monogamous image. After events like the Sexual Revolution during the countercultural revolution of the 1960s and 1970s, and the decades that have followed during years of profound technological and social advancement, human sexuality has morphed into a vast universe. The expansion of the LGBTQ communuity has instilled these cultural developments into many of our societies across the globe. We live in a world of evolving sexuality.

While norms and customs associated with sexuality have transformed over the generations, a lot of people walking this Earth lack any meaningful intimate relationships. Many of us lack confidence or struggle with dietary and health issues. Those of us who fall within this demographic can sometimes isolate and even self-destruct. However, love can be overrated. All of us have demons. All of us have our flaws. Intimate relationships can make life far more stressful and complex. Relationships can even prove to be deadly. The most important love that any human being can experience is the love for oneself. Self love is truly the key to success in any of the relationships that we experience with others.

Conclusively, love is something that all humans need. As sexual beings, we crave intimate relationships with others. These relationships can be healthy, but they can also prove to be toxic for either or both of the parties involved. The most successful relationships that we create in our lives with others will always be aided positively by the healthy feelings that we experience towards ourselves. Humanity is unique in terms of its sexual and intimate nature. It is what fuels our existence through sexual reproduction. The lense through which we view sexuality and love goes a long way in determining our social experience and is reflected in our relationship with ourselves. Peace with ourselves goes a long way in determining the health and quality of our intimate relationships. So let us strive to love ourselves more than even those we love with great passion.

Tina Marie Bell: The Queen of Grunge

When people hear the name Tina Marie Bell, they largely are unfamiliar with the name. Those who are familiar with the famous Seattle music scene of the 1980s and early 1990s are often oblivious to the name of the woman, as well as her significance to the popularization of the Seattle sound. Much of this is a direct consequence of her sexual and racial identities.

Tina Marie Bell was born in Seattle, Washington on February 5, 1957. By all accounts, Bell devoted her life to music at a young age. In fact, Bell was a singer at a baptist church and first performed at a theater, both in Seattle. After meeting guitarist Tommy Martin, Bell soon married and gave birth to a son in 1979. In 1983, the couple formed a band named Bam Bam. This development was the beginning of something bigger and more majestic than Bell and any of her bandmates could have ever imagined.

With her small frame and low, unapologetic voice, Bell set the pioneering groundwork for what would become known as the Grunge Movement. Bam Bam became a well-respected band within Seattle’s local community during the mid-1980s. Even a teenaged Kurt Cobain, the future Nirvana frontman and generational icon, was a fan of the group. As a Black woman, Bell often faced racial and misygonyist attacks while performing on stage. However, Bell’s awesome charisma, talent, and fortitude shined through.

However, as far more popular grunge bands began to ascend in Seattle’s underground scene during the late 1980s, like Soundgarden and Alice In Chains to name a few, the band began to decline. Members left the group for more promising opportunities, and Bell made the risky decision to relocate the band overseas in London, with the hopes of better luck. The gamble failed, as Bell recognized that Bam Bam was not being received nearly as well as she had expected. And even more disheartening was Bell’s decision to walk away from Bam Bam and music entirely in 1990.

Under the colossal shadow casts by the Grunge Movement’s meteoric rise in the early 1990s, Bell’s personal life experienced great setbacks. After divorcing her husband in 1996, Bell fell into great obscurity. Severe depression and alcoholism consumed her later years. In 2012, Bell succumbed to a severe liver disease, before a planned documentary film and memoir on her life could be directed by her only child, T.J. Martin. The details of her death are heartbreaking to say the least. Her full career of creative work, and other personal belongings, were thrown away after her body was discovered weeks after her death. Martin would soon go on to win an Academy Award that same year, becoming the first black director to win an Academy Award for a feature-length film.

Despite the deep sorrow that surrounds her untimely death, today Bell is acknowledged by several successful grunge pioneers as one of the best that Seattle has ever produced. Matt Cameron, Bam Bam’s original drummer and also widely known for his work as a member of two juggernaut grunge bands in Soundgarden and Pearl Jam, has praised Bell for her talents as a singer and songwriter. Her story reminds us not only of the price that must be paid by the overlooked, but also of a humbling truth. That history is not always written by the victors.

So Much At Stake

The American presidential campaign of 2024 has been absurdly unique. From failed assassination attempts to presidential debate meltdowns, this election has been one for the ages. It’s been ugly, dirty, and downright hateful. The divisiveness of this election is an extension of the long saga of Trump madness that began back in 2016. A saga that was arguably inspired by the election of Barack Obama in 2008. A development that changed American politics for good, and that inspired the birth of an increasingly radicalized Republican Party.

I lived in and around Washington D.C. for two years working for a nonprofit civic education organization. I often worked on Capital Hill, outside the White House on Lafayette Square, and at the War Memorials across from the Washington Monument. It was there that I was constantly reminded of who truly built and sacrificed for this country. Of who labored under inhumane conditions and who were excluded from notions of “We the People” and the American Dream for countless generations. It might be time for someone who looks like they did to rise to the most powerful stage in the world.

Vice President Kamala Harris was thrust into the spotlight after President Joe Biden decided not to run for reeelection earlier this year. Harris, a woman of Afro-Jamaican and Indian descent, formerly a successful district attorney of San Francisco, and also a former attorney general and U.S. Senator from California, has galvanized the democratic base in ways comparable to Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign. Celebrities and public figures alike have chosen to back Harris’ campaign since Biden’s withdrawal. From Barack and Michelle Obama to Dick and Liz Chaney. From Beyonce Knowles to Bruce Springsteen and Taylor Swift. The stars have aligned in support of a campaign that seeks to prevent a second Trump presidency. A frightening thought that looms large over the American people like the eye of a fiery, category five hurricane.

The daily attacks coming from the Trump campaign are relentless and totally unfiltered at this point. Since two failed assassination attempts on the former president’s life, Trump has become increasingly unhinged. His narcissism, misogyny, racially insensitive rhetoric, and unrivaled obsession with power at the expense of the country’s public institutions and foundational democratic principles, has collectively struck fear throughout the American populace. It has pushed several Republican politicians to back the Harris campaign, a development that is unprecedented to say the least.

I couldn’t stress more the urgency for Americans, of all walks of life, to exercise their right to vote. For much of American History the poor, minorities, and women were violently denied this basic American right. Now, as Americans, we must push past the idea that our votes don’t matter. They do matter. And in an election with so much at stake, in an election in which the longevity and hopes for a successful American experiment hang in the balanced, we must not be so ignorant and indifferent. We can’t make excuses for sitting out an election that will alter the trajectory of this country forever. That will impact the lives of young and future generations of Americans.

History will be made Tuesday night. We should brace ourselves for outrage and even more political violence. January 6, 2021 can most certainly happen again. Something even more frigthening may await us. We must prepare, as best as we can, to live and coexist within a new America. For better or worse.

Red River Shootout

Each year, on the second week of October, on the grounds of the State Fair of Texas in Dallas, in the iconic Cotton Bowl, history is made. The University of Texas and the University of Oklahoma have been at war with each other on the college gridiron since before Oklahoma became an American state. Since 1900, Texas and Oklahoma have clashed for bragging rights, recruiting supremacy, as well as conference and national championships. With 11 national championships between them, its safe to say that both schools have blue blood football programs and iconic brands that have helped build college football into the American sensation that it is today. From the decade of dominance by Oklahoma head coach Bud Wilkinson’s legendary football teams of the 1950s, to the introduction of the wishbone offense by Texas’ Emory Bellard in the late 1960s, and Barry Switzer’s near perfect utilization of the wishbone offense during the 1970s and 1980s, both schools have undeniably left a lasting impact on the sport and have also been two of the most influential programs in college football history.

The great players and coaches who have played a part in popularizing the rivalry is like a whose who of the sport. From James Street and Earl Campbell to Caleb Williams and Adrian Peterson. This rivalry has historically been a game where young men have made a name for themselves. And on several occasions, someone who nobody would have expected to. A recent example of this trend is the 2021 game, in which a largely unknown backup quarterback named Caleb Williams introduced himself to a tuned in national audience against the Texas Longhorns. After trailing 28-7 early in the first half, Williams led Oklahoma to an historic comeback win over Texas that all but solidified his status as one of the best quarterbacks in college football. Williams went on to win the Heisman Trophy in 2022. Another fine example is James Brown. One of Texas’ first starting black quarterbacks, Brown got his first start against the Sooners in the 1994 edition of the rivalry, and did not disappoint. In a game that was decided in the final seconds of regulation, on a famous goal line stand by Texas defensive lineman Stonie Clark, Brown led the Longhorns to a gritty 17-10 victory over their hated rivals from North of the Red River.

The Red River Shootout has had its fair share of controversy. As Texas began its domination of the college football landscape with its revolutionary wishbone offense during the late 1960s and early 1970s, other powerhouse programs scrambled to catch up. Luckily for the Sooners, Texas’ legendary head coach Darrel K. Royal was excessively generous with other programs by gifting them with the deep intricacies of the wishbone offense.

Probably the greatest beneficiaries were the Oklahoma Sooners. Royal played quarterback and defensive back at Oklahoma for his mentor, the legendary Bud Wilkinson. Royal’s strong ties to Oklahoma likely played a significant part in facilitating this development. However, after Barry Switzer, another legendary Oklahoma head coach, was hired by the University of Oklahoma he was accused of spying on Longhorn practices by Royal. Although Switzer denied these accusations, he has long acknowledged that the spying of Texas practices by Oklahoma did take place. Just not under his watch as head coach. It turns out that spying did in fact take place under his predecessor’s time at Oklahoma. Nevertheless, the suspicion and hate between Texas and Oklahoma might have been at an all time high.

The 1976 game was the culmination of this tension. President Gerald Ford attended the game and walked with Royal and Switzer onto the field before kickoff. As President Ford unsuccessfully attempted to reconcile the hard feelings with small talk, both coaches were silent and locked into what would turn out to be a 6-6 tie. Ultimately, Royal felt antagonized and even betrayed by his Alma Mater. 1976 would turn out to be Royal’s final year of coaching. Switzer was in the middle of Oklahoma’s “Sooner Magic” era, in which they claimed three national titles in 1974, 1975, and 1985 under Switzer’s leadership.

In 1984, Texas and Oklahoma clashed in a struggle between the two top ranked teams in the nation. Texas came into the game ranked #1 in the country, and Oklahoma #2. In a rain-soaked, sloppy, back and forth contest, the game ultimately came down to an official’s controversial call. In what should have been ruled an interception of Texas quarterback Todd Dodge by Oklahoma defensive back Keith Stanberry at the corner of the end zone, Stanberry was ruled out of bounds and Texas was able to immediately kick a 3-point field goal to tie the game 15-15 in the closing seconds of the game. Switzer, wearing a red hat that read “Beat Texas”, confronted officials after the game, visibly infuriated by the outcome of the game.

On Saturday, the Texas Longhorns will walk down the Cotton Bowl’s iconic tunnel, onto the field as the #1 team in the nation once more. Oklahoma will be playing the role of the underdog, currently sitting at #18. In the two programs’ first matchup as members of the Southeastern Conference, the game is guareented to have a massive impact on the college football playoff race. Starting quarterback Quinn Ewers returns from injury to lead the Longhorns against Michael Hawkins Jr., the first true freshman quarterback to ever start for Oklahoma in the rivalry, and a stout Oklahoma defense. Viewers should expect the unexpected. This has always been a game that has been decided by the most physical and disciplined teams. Turnovers and explosive plays will likely decide the outcome of this year’s edition of the Red River Shootout.

And finally, this game is special to me. The first Red River Shootout I attended was in 2000, the same year that Oklahoma won its last national championship behind quarterback Josh Heupel and an underrated supporting cast of players. As a lifelong Longhorns fan, the 2000 edition of the rivalry was heartbreaking, as Oklahoma overwhelmed and routed Texas, 63-14. I attended the next three matchups, and learned to love this rivalry. From the pleasing smell of fried foods, of all varieties, that fills the air above the Texas State Fair grounds, to the deafening sound of a packed Cotton Bowl, the fans split down the middle at the 50-yard line. Burnt orange on one side, crimson and cream on the other. From the joyful smiles and sobbing faces of young children passionate about their favorite team, to the startling explosions popping off from Smokey the Canon and the RUF/NEKS ceremonial shotguns. This game has it all. I expect the 2024 edition of the Red River Shootout to be no different. Both teams will give it their all, for sixty minutes, to have bragging rights for 365 days. To earn the Golden Hat trophy, which is rewarded to the winning team. This game is always like a mid-season national championship matchup. This game has the organic electricity that seems to always give me the butterflies. All I have to say is Texas Fight, and OU sucks.

Jimmy Carter: A Life of Service

President Jimmy Carter, the oldest living U.S. president, turns 100 today. Arguably America’s most successful one term president, Carter dedicated his life to service. Service in the United States Navy, graduating from the Naval Academy in 1946 and working in the submarine services during the years immediately following the end of the Second World War. Service for his home state of Georgia, in which he served as a U.S. Senator and Governor of Georgia after reviving his family’s peanut-growing business. And then service as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. What followed were decades of diplomatic and humanitarian work. An evangelical Christian, Carter has always believed in service in the name of Jesus Christ. He crafted his career as a testament to his commitment to serving humanity, all as a reflection of his Christian faith.

James Earl Carter Jr. was born on October 1, 1924 in Plains, Georgia. The son of a World War I-era veteran who served stateside in the Georgia National Guard, Carter grew up as the eldest of four children. His family made a hard living as peanut farmers. Although his father was a pro-segregationists, Carter still developed friendships with many of the black farmhands’ children, perhaps influencing his views on Civil Rights throughout his career.

He was a fine student who dreamed of attending the United States Naval Academy. Carter’s dreams became a reality. It was there that he met his wife of over 70 years, Rosalynn Smith. He graduated in 1946, and married Rosalynn soon afterwards. Carter launched a promising naval career that ended abruptly in 1953. The unexpected death of Carter’s father that year changed the course of the young man’s life. Carter felt obligated to return home to Plains, Georgia and take the reigns as the family’s patriarch.

Life was hard for Carter, making the transition from the Navy to life as a agribusinessman. Great sacrifices were made in order to stay afloat, including taking classes and studying agriculture, while his wife did her best to help Carter with the peanut business. Over time, the Carters succeeded in growing their business into a successful brand.

Carter began his political career with a desire to help the local African American community. Racial tension was high in the years that followed the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision. Carter was a staunch integrationist, but recognized the unpopularity and trouble that would follow him for vocalizing his beliefs within the deep, American South. He was careful not to offend his segregationist colleagues. Despite his appeal to racism at times throughout his rise up the political ranks in Georgia, Carter ultimately believed strongly in civil rights and racial equality. When Carter was sworn in as the 76th governor of Georgia, he declared in a speech in 1971 that "the time for racial discrimination is over" to the dismay of several within the crowd and many segregationists who supported his campaign. But Carter was serious about Civil Rights. He added several black state employees and paid tribute to black icons like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., which angered the local Ku Klux Klan.

Ineligible for reelection, Carter set his sights on the White House. In 1976, Jimmy Carter was a political outsider. This image of Carter as an everyday Joe helped him during the post-Watergate era. Voters were looking for a candidate who they could relate to. President Gerald Ford gave a valiant effort with his campaign. However, Carter was able to narrowly edge him out for the presidency.

One of the first actions taken by President Carter was the fulfillment of a campaign promise by issuing an executive order declaring unconditional amnesty for Vietnam War-era draft evaders, Prolamation 4483. Inflation, an economic recession, and the 1979 energy crisis were all serious domestic problems that Carter faced during his time in the White House. However, the Iranian Hostage Crisis would prove to be his greatest challenge. This, coupled with the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan, ultimately contributed to his defeat against Ronald Reagan in the 1980 presidential election. Probably the crowning achievement of the Carter presidency was the Camp David Accords in 1978, which ended the war between Israel and Egypt. This event highlighted Carter’s abilities as a skilled diplomat, and briefly inspired confidence in his efforts within the Middle East.

After leaving the White House in 1981, Carter became more of a diplomat, traveling across the globe and visiting with world leaders on behalf of succeeding American presidential administrations. Carter has also been a champion of human rights. His humanitarian efforts include hurricane relief projects after major natural disasters such as hurricanes Katrina and Harvey, as well as the creation of the Carter Center in Atlanta, Georgia. The Carter Center is a non-governmental and non-profit organization, with the purpose of advancing human rights and alleviating human suffering. These themes speak to his evangelical Christian faith, which also expresses itself in Carter’s public and controversial criticism of Israel over its policies in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Despite being attacked as an anti-Semite, Carter has not shied away from his belief that Israel’s policies are the primary cause of conflict in the Middle East. Nevertheless, Carter will go down as one of the most successful ex-presidents of all time.

Despite health scares, including a cancer diagnosis in 2015 and injuries associated with his older age in recent years, Jimmy Carter is still taking things one day at a time after entering hospice care in 2023. After 77 years of marriage, Rosalynn died later that year. Now the oldest living former president and longest-lived president in American History, Carter can say that he has made the commitment to not only his country, but to all of humanity. I had the pleasure of shaking his hand back in 2017, while working at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library. It’s powerful knowing that I’ve crossed paths with arguably one of the greatest public servants in American presidential history. A man who believed in public service throughout his illustrious career. A man who still believes, to this day, in service all in the name of Jesus Christ.

The Thing About Fake People

In a vast world, human beings have an inherited desire to be social. It goes without saying that we are social beings. During our self-development, especially throughout our earlier years, we want others to be accepting of us. We want to be able to rely on them. However, we must not be so naive. We must not fail to acknowledge that there are others who desire to take from us. To take advantage of and eliminate those they deem as unintelligent or psychologically weak. To hurt those who they fear.

Sincerity is a coveted virtue. Most people want friends and romantic partners who they feel that they can trust. However, in a society dominated by the internet, and especially social media, that can be like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Scammers and con-artists exist at all levels of society and can be closer to home then you would typically imagine. “Frenemies”, and resentful family members or spouses, are synonymous with domestic disputes which characterize our human relationships. Ingenuity has always been a human flaw, but in a world where the population is encouraged to communicate through more contemporary means, that flaw is significantly magnified.

Artificial Intelligence is a highly advanced technology that has the capacity to dramatically alter our perception of reality. Such a tool must be handled wisely and responsibly. However, such expectations are unreasonable at best. Aside from being a thorn in the side for the masses, AI poses a major national and international threat to organizations, businesses, and governments worldwide. Corrupt leadership, based at the top of political and corporate hierarchies, will only increase AI’s potential to create havoc within both the domestic and foreign spheres.

The thing about the fakeness of humanity is that nothing can be done to permanently address the issue. It’s a key element of the human condition. It is a preferred way of conducting business and gaining a greater following, both professionally and unprofessionally. Politicians build successful careers from it, and media profits from deceptive propaganda. Many fear that there is a personal liability in making the decision to be honest. That being real is dangerous.

Ultimately, I believe that fake people are doing what they feel is in their best interests. Whether that turns out to be self-beneficial in practice is debatable. What is abundantly evident is that their intentions are not ethical. But do we truly value ethics in our society? Don’t we actually live in a culture polluted by toxicity? Where toxic behavior is rewarded.

Our political universe is dominated by characters who strategically utilize falsities as a means to pick up more votes and maintain a competitive edge over their political rivals. As a contemporary model, Trumpism is one of the most obvious examples of this phenomenon. However, in a world also dominated by social media, basic human interactions have beared the brunt of this fog of fakeness that humanity is struggling mightily to navigate through.

Our human interactions are being undermined by fear. We fear how others might perceive us. We fear the repercussions of being forthcoming and even vulnerable. Our fears are controlling our decisions and limiting the potential of our relationships. I understand that we have passed the point of no return with technology. Artificial Intelligence and social media are here to stay. However, if we at least tried harder to resist being controlled by our fears and insecurities, then perhaps we can create a culture that is genuine, but not naive. One in which people ultimately feel more comfortable being themselves.

Humans aren’t going to be perfect. We’re going to lie and attempt to deceive. It’s in our DNA. However, I believe that we can collectively give more of a concentrated effort to be reasonably sincere individuals. Those of us who are capable should not go out of their way to mislead another person who might not only be sincere, but who might also be naive. One who possesses the strength and inner security needed in order to be sincere. We seem to forget at times that honesty and vulnerability are indicators of great strength. As the saying goes, “the truth shall set you free”.

What’s So Magical About The Eighties?

On December 31, 1989, there was a general feeling that something different and historic was on the horizon. 1989 was a year full of international revolution and resistance against the status quo. The Tiananmen Square demonstrations in China, and the fall of the Berlin Wall in Germany that November, were solid indicators of the imminent fall of the Soviet Union and the birth of the “New World Order” only a few years later. Back then, the 1990s were thought of in almost utopian ways.

But how about the Eighties? Why was it such a unique and fondly remembered decade by so many people? Well, the decade began with the assassination of music icon John Lennon and the election of Ronald Reagan over Jimmy Carter in the immediate aftermath of the Iranian Hostage Crisis and the failed “Desert One” military operation. The early years of the decade were marked by a major economic recession. Crime and poverty was widespread, especially in struggling urban communities. President Ronald Reagan survived an assassination attempt in 1981 and faced tremendous challenges at home and abroad. That same year in media and popular culture, as cable television became increasingly popular, MTV debuted. It would transform the entertainment industry and become the center of music culture during the decade. In fact, young adults who came of age during the decade would come to be known as the “MTV generation”. Although the network was reluctant to feature minority artists, reflecting the blatant racism that was prevalent at the time, the talents of transcendent black artists like Michael Jackson and Prince could not be ignored. New Wave music took over the sound waves in the early 1980s, and inspired the aesthetics that largely characterized the decade.

In cinema, youth culture took Hollywood by storm. Teen films like Back To The Future, The Breakfast Club, and Ferris Buellar’s Day Off captured the imaginative, yet cynical, and often rebellious attitudes of Generation X. A generation that would make an even larger impact on American culture and society during the early 1990s. Films like 1987’s Wall Street spoke to the socioeconomic ideals of the times. Financial greed and power were symbolic with the decade. Reaganomics and mass consumerism defined an era, while long-simmering social issues were largely ignored.

1980s America was often described by President Ronald Reagan as a “shining city upon a hill”. His past career as a Hollywood movie star solidified his almost mythic persona, especially in the years that followed the assassination attempt on his life in 1981. He was the ex-actor, turned president, who was going to bring the Soviet Union to its knees. Reagan decisively won reelection in 1984. A political juggernaut, Reagan’s brand of conservatism was truly an embodiment of what we think of when we look back on that decade. However, behind the Hollywood-like aura that characterized the decade, there lied the ugliest and most grotesque of horrors.

AIDS and the crack epidemic haunted the American public throughout the 1980s. AIDS exposed how removed society was from accepting homosexuality and the LGBTQ community. The Reagan administration largely ignored the lethality of AIDS and viewed these matters in what can be best described as unempathetic and indifferent. Over 100,000 Americans died of AIDS during the decade.

Crack was arguably as deadly or even worse than AIDS. It was a deadly street drug that ravaged Black and Latino communities, and it also significantly fueled the unprecedented gang violence that developed within these communities. Police activity increased dramatically in response to a “War on Drugs” that was at its height during the 1980s. Police brutality and misconduct perpetuated against minorities skyrocketed and defined the relationship between law enforcement agencies and the minority communities that they were tasked to serve and protect.

So then what was so magical about the 1980s? I’d say that the decade spoke to the possibilities. Especially for often excluded and misunderstood groups. Icons like Michael Jordan, Oprah Winfrey, Freddie Mercury, Madonna, Arsenio Hall, and Spike Lee emerged during those years, creating an opening for historically marginalized groups to break into American mainstream culture by the early 1990s. Despite how exclusive, and at times even strikingly divisive the decade was, the 1980s produced a culture that even the youngest generations today can still relate to. From Michael Jackson’s moonwalk to the Super Mario Brothers. Sure. Today we have the internet, social media, and live streaming. But the 1980s were truly the beginning of the world as we know it. It was the decade synonymous with the Tech Boom. When personal computers, home gaming systems, and the VCR first debuted. I, a traditional millennial, and your average teenager of today, could both sit down and watch The Breakfast Club, and find something authentic and relatable about it. Much of the themes present in that film still echo well into the 2020s. I don’t think you’d find that in a movie from the 1970s, for example.

I suppose that’s what gives the Eighties their appeal. It was a very new time, especially for artistic exploration and experimentation. From early hip-hop artists to alternative rock legends. A newness and changing cultural landscape was aided by transforming norms and attitudes. Much of this explosion of human creativity can be credited with building the society that we live in today, for better or worse. Nonetheless, I can see how someone can listen to Tears For Fears’ “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” and sense something magical about it. Although I was born over two years after December 31, 1989, I can still feel the magic. Without the Eighties, I wouldn’t be who I am. That’s magical folks.

Are We Truly Self Aware?

We like to think that we know what’s going on. We like to think that we know who we are and the environment that we inhabit. However, we sometimes make decisions and reason in ways that undermine such beliefs. Humans derive much of their understanding of themselves and the world from external sources. We fail to look within ourselves for the essential answers.

Self-awareness is defined as one’s ability to perceive and understand the things that make them who they are as individuals, including their personality, actions, values, beliefs, emotions, and thoughts. Individuality is dependent upon our ability to be present. To be locked into the moment. In 2024, we have a hard time blocking out the endless distractions. Whether it be our social lives, the responsibilities of daily life, the pleasures of modern technology, or an increasingly polarized society, we struggle to achieve the psychological concentration and focus needed in order to develop a strong sense of self-awareness.

It is upon us to recognize our distractive tendencies and habits, which we have adopted, largely subconsciously, throughout our development. We must begin our journey towards greater awareness by recognizing that our bodily senses serve as a vehicle towards our understanding of our environment and especially ourselves. About what we are, where we come from, and the true meaning of our livelihood.

Meditation and other forms of mental and physical relaxation are frequently emphasized as effective practices geared towards acquiring deep levels of self-awareness. Although these can be helpful, much more is required in order to be successful when partaking in such an endeavor. We must think about our individual journey. We must think deeply about our past, present and future. How did certain events, valuable in our minds, affect us and other’s perception of us. Ultimately, how did we respond? In what ways were our attitudes towards ourselves and the external world impacted? How did these events mold us into who we are today and who we want to be in the future? These are the type of questions that we must ask ourselves in order to make the great leap from obliviousness to self-awareness.

Once a person dedicates their time towards self-analysis, they enable themselves to acquire genuine self-awareness. A development which allows them to direct their authentic feelings and attitudes towards external stimuli. One of the goals of every individual should be to become knowledgeable and alert, allowing their instincts to help guide their decisions. Another goal should be to translate awareness into sound judgment. Our collective humanity makes this a difficult and ongoing dilemma. Some of us are better at this skill than others.

Nevertheless, each of us has to decide. Do we want to be the best version of ourselves? If we sincerely do, we have nowhere else better to look then within.

Are We Truly Self Aware?

We like to think that we know what’s going on. We like to think that we know who we are and the environment that we inhabit. However, we sometimes make decisions and reason in ways that undermine such beliefs. Humans derive much of their understanding of themselves and the world from external sources. We fail to look within ourselves for the essential answers.

Self-awareness is defined as one’s ability to perceive and understand the things that make them who they are as individuals, including their personality, actions, values, beliefs, emotions, and thoughts. Individuality is dependent upon our ability to be present. To be locked into the moment. In 2024, we have a hard time blocking out the endless distractions. Whether it be our social lives, the responsibilities of daily life, the pleasures of modern technology, or an increasingly polarized society, we struggle to achieve the psychological concentration and focus needed in order to develop what can be considered a strong sense of self-awareness.

It is upon us to recognize our distractive tendencies and habits, which we have adopted, largely subconsciously, throughout our development. We must begin our journey towards greater awareness by recognizing that our bodily senses serve as a vehicle towards our understanding of our environment and especially ourselves. About how we are what we are, where we come from, and the meaning of our livelihood.

Meditation and other forms of mental and physical relaxation are frequently emphasized as effective practices geared towards acquiring deep levels of self-awareness. Although these can be helpful, much more is required in order to be successful when partaking in such an endeavor. We must think about our individual journey. We must think deeply about our past, present and future. How did certain events, valuable in our minds, affect us and how did we respond? In what ways were our attitudes towards ourselves and the external world impacted? How did these events mold us into who we are today and who we want to be in the future? These are the type of questions that we must ask ourselves in order to make the great leap from obliviousness to self-awareness.

Once a person dedicates their time towards self-analysis, they enable themselves to acquire genuine self-awareness. A development which allows them to direct their authentic feelings and attitudes towards external stimuli. One of the goals of every individual should be to become knowledgeable and alert, allowing their instincts to help guide their decisions. Another goal should be to translate awareness into sound judgment. Our collective humanity makes this a difficult and ongoing dilemma. Some of us are better at this skill than others.

Nevertheless, each of us has to decide. Do we want to be the best version of ourselves? If we sincerely do, we have nowhere else better to look then within.

Political Tornado

Ever since the now infamous debate blunder by President Joe Biden almost a month ago in Atlanta against former President Donald Trump, it feels as though the nation has been spinning at speeds reminiscent of a high speed tornado. The period has had its violent moments, especially when considering the assassination attempt on Trump’s life. But also moments of hope and much fanfare. The Republican National Convention in the wake of Trump’s near death experience, along with the elevation of Kamala Harris to the top of the Democratic ticket following Biden’s reluctant but thoughtful withdrawal from the 2024 presidential election, vividly come to mind. When and how exactly this storm will wither away is anybody’s guess. We should be prepared for the tension that has characterized this summer to extend far beyond election night.

An incoherent and despondent President Joe Biden frightened his democratic base and emboldened the GOP during a highly-anticipated debate in late June. The foundation of not only Biden’s campaign, but of the Democratic Party as a whole, was rocked to its core as the current president struggled to answer basic questions and respond decisively to Trump’s political attacks. A tsunami of politicians from the Left began to withdrawal their support for Biden almost immediately, as his elderly age and questions about his mental and physical capacity to lead America for another four years became a colossal liability in the minds of many Americans. It was a clear victory for the Trump campaign, despite the many falsities that characterized arguments made by the unrivaled Republican nominee during the debate. A debate that the Biden campaign believed it could use to help separate Biden from Trump as the more morally-competent and seasoned candidate. Instead, the Biden campaign found itself mired in a kind of media and public relations armageddon not typically seen during any election cycle.

But in a stroke of magic within the past 100 hours, Vice President Kamala Harris has completely flipped the script on Trump. Raising over $100 million in donations, benefiting from the endorsements of President Biden and the Democratic leadership, and also earning enough delegates to clinch the nomination, it's safe to say that Harris has brought a level of energy and hope that has never been seen so swiftly in American political history. Her legal experience as a district attorney and prosecutor makes her well-suited to exploit Trump’s legal woes. Although a debate date has yet to be determined, Trump is itching for the opportunity to attack Harris on her track record over the past three years. Immigration is largely viewed as her greatest liability, and one that the Trump administration has already begun to attack on social media and back on the campaign trail.

A heated, American political twister is about to accelerate in its speed and furiosity, mercilessly destroying anything lying in its wake. Highly sensitive topics like reproductive rights, race, and sexual discrimination will bring out the lower underbelly of our society, and might even lead to more political violence. Those of us who are politically conscious and active have an obligation to at least participate in the political process by exercising our right to vote. A constitutional right that is currently under attack, as it was six decades ago. Four months away from election night, Kamala Harris is soon to be officially selected as the Democratic nominee. She must find a way to separate herself from Trump by earning the trust of independent voters and winning over the hearts of young voters. She’s already on the right track with the latter, and will have an opportunity to appeal to suburban voters in the coming weeks and months.

The question each and every American should struggle with, to some degree, is whether our political community can achieve something reminiscent of a more peaceful time? A political scene that reflected the less complex days of the American political experiment. Days that were not without their violent instances of human disagreement and conflict, but that at least encouraged bipartisanship and the greater good. However, I fear that we might have already passed the point of no return. Years from now, looking back, perhaps I can then say that my fears were justifiable for the moment as opposed to indicative of a sad ending.

Reckless Judgement

A federal bump stocks gun ban, put into effect by the Trump administration following the deadliest mass shooting in American history, was rejected by the Supreme Court on June 14, 2024. The Las Vegas mass shooting occurred on October 1, 2017. It killed 60 people and wounded several hundreds more. The question that must be asked by all Americans is if those who hold some of the greatest powers within the American government really care about the safety of their fellow Americans.

Mass shootings have been an ugly stain on American domestic life since the late 1990s. The deadly Columbine High School shootings of April 20, 1999 shook the nation and blasted America into an era of profound grief and fear. Since 1999, conservative America’s stubborn defense of their gun-friendly attitudes, and ultimately their emphasis on the powers of the 2nd Amendment, have undeniably applied a firm grip on the minds of the Supreme Court. Their rejection of the Trump-era bump stocks gun ban last Friday is indicative of not only the political bias among the justices towards the Far Right, but also how little they care about the risks associated with their judgement. Judgment that can be considered reckless at best.

A bump stock can be defined as an attachment that enables a semiautomatic rifle to fire faster. This was the device of choice during 64-year old Stephen Paddock’s gruesome assault on humanity at the Route 91 Harvest music festival back in 2017. Paddock fired more than a thousand rounds that bloodbath of a night. In 2018, the Justice Department used its authority as part of the executive branch to ban the devices. Now that the Supreme Court has rejected the ban, the door is wide open for mass shootings even deadlier than the one in Las Vegas almost seven years ago.

In a political climate that seems to be increasingly inflammatory, the current behavior of the Supreme Court is alarming. In the wake of the overturning of the historic Roe V. Wade decision of 1973, and in light of recent judicial improprieties involving longtime Justice Clarence Thomas, the Supreme Court projects a degree of unprofessionalism and partisan bias that should disappoint and concern all Americans. Members of the citizenry who expect the most powerful court on the planet to make healthy and reasonable judgements, and who respect the freedoms and ethical dignity of what is often described as the leading democratic society in the world, are faced with an uneasy reality.

The Supreme Court’s rejection of the federal bump stocks gun ban of 2018 should be interpreted as yet another blow to its legitimacy as a guardian of American justice. The frightening cries and screams of innocent victims, which best characterize the form of domestic terrorism that America has wrestled with for the past twenty-five years, will continue to haunt this nation until its leadership gets serious about gun regulation. Despite the pivotal role that gun ownership has played in constructing America’s identity throughout its history, the most powerful and influential elements of our government ought to recognize the clear threat that a rogue gun culture poses to all Americans’ right to live in safe and secure communities. Reckless judgment can undermine our society and embolden disturbed individuals to unleash death and chaos in a future not too far off, and perhaps deadlier than anything we’ve seen thus far.

The Significance of Interoception

Recently, scientists have discovered the awesome significance of how our internal anatomy communicates with itself. Interoception is defined as a deeper understanding of how we sense and use signals from inside our bodies. These internal signals might even give the scientific community a better understanding about what drives human consciousness.

A heartbeat-evoked response is a great example of interoception. Abbreviated as (HER), internal signals from the heart to the brain prompts a neural reaction that can actually influence what is experienced in the external world, scientists say. Tests have proven that HER has the capacity to impact our eyesight, memory, intuitions, decision making, and emotions. However, the wiring structure that describes how these signals of information are transported inside of our bodies is still largely misunderstood.

Although an understanding of interoception has helped alleviate mental disorders, including anxiety in certain individuals, some scientists believe that interoception serves an important role in human consciousness. Through experimental testing with both human and non-human subjects, these scientists champion the idea that self-awareness and consciousness rely heavily on internal body signals. Despite the vast ambiguity that surrounds consciousness, perhaps interoception provides some useful insight.