What could really happen?

What Really Happens

By Tristian

I've been out of the works for a while traveling around the US seeing different things I couldn't see from being stranded in Grand Junction, Colorado. I wanted to know what could really happen if I wanted to be a drifter in the classical sense of the word. I didn't know what I would find until I tried. So I guess I didn't really travel the US, more like a few states here and there.

Colorado is beautiful. It has this majestic sense to it that I can't seem to find anywhere else. I would talk to people in gas stations in just about anywhere I went in Colorado to see how they felt about the way certain things are. To my surprise I found that people who live in Colorado don't actually like Colorado all that much. Sad! I also learned that you couldn't buy scratch tickets all over the place.

I learned that supporting myself was harder then I thought. I would stay with friends I knew from Grand Junction, and traveled by bus. I was using the money my parents saved for me since I was little. Grand Junction to Denver was easy. You just hop on a bus, or train, or tiny little plane and get there within a matter of hours. I never really traveled far from Denver before, and that's where I had the most trouble. First, I couldn't find my motel. Everything in Denver has a name that implies some dead president or some kind of nut, or club hopper. Then they have sideways streets that have numbers that turn into names, which turn back into numbers.

I found myself at the 16th street mall. Lots of people were playing some kind of instrument on the corners whether it be a saxophone to something vocal, to some trashcans. Very clean. I got hit up for money four times while only walking a few blocks though. The homeless in Denver are a lot different from say New York, or California. In Denver they don't look like those stereotypical homeless who push around shopping carts full of fallen dreams. They ware suit jackets, and are rather clean-shaven. It's like they do it for fun. In California most of the homeless (to me anyway) were higher society: prostitute like.

From the 16th Street Mall, I met up with my friend Paul, who said he would show me the nightlife. We first went back to his loft located somewhere where you had to make three rights, which normally makes a left except in Denver, and ended up in this parking garage that had more areas to park then there were apartments in the building. We came across a website called, Milehighnights.com which shows all the hotspots of Denver.

We were waiting until nightfall and hit Blake Street. Blake is filled with lots and lots of different restaurants, clubs, hookah bars, and just an overall party theme. To bad I wasn't old enough to enter the door of any of these places though. While walking the street I got hit on by anyone and everyone cause alcohol filled the air waves so thick you could get tipsy just by breathing to hard. So we met a few folks who seemed to be pretty sober. We asked them how the felt about the Denver nightlife. According to them, it's one of the best times of the week and it is what made Colorado so great.

We stopped off at a local coffee house that stays open all night. They had concoctions of all sorts of different drinks, and really comfortable seating. Paul and I just sat there and talked for hours with the owners about how business usually runs and how the setting never really changes. Apparently Denver isn't as dangerous as everyone makes it seem. There hasn't been anything consistent since they owned the place and all the time they worry more about someone loitering then they do anything else.

The more you know the less it tries to hurt you, is a motto I like to follow, and in this situation it worked out great. Paul and I walked back over to his place for a well-deserved night of rest. Overall, a perfect first stop on my journey, and I never did find that hotel.

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More Than a Justification of Materialism?
Current mood: confused
Category: Goals, Plans, Hopes

More Than a Justification of Materialism?

By: Andrea

Maybe it's just the biological age that I'm at, but I use to feel a huge need to travel and experience the world.  I wanted to sell everything I had, travel to a distant country, and learn and do everything I could without abandon.           

I still feel that urge.  But lately I also have the urge to settle down, find a nice town to live in with a nice community, a nice church.  I want nice kitchen wear, nice furniture, a nice guy (yes, that scares me too that I put him in that list with the material things).  I want a comfortable place that is securely mine.  I want a quiet place where I can go home to read and do crafts at, have dinner parties, and get a full night of sleep… a place that feels like home.

            I worry I'm getting more materialistic.  I worry that getting comfortable isn't necessarily a good thing.  Everything is temporary.  I don't want to become attached, especially to superficial things.  I thought that maybe I was giving up on my dreams- that they scared me more than I am willing to admit.   Maybe my change of priorities might keep me here. 

Then, and I realized this is connected- I have developed ridiculously maternal reactions to babies and men who needed my help.  A male friend asked me to mend some pants for him since his mom wasn't there to do it for him.  I was so happy to take that role on and do whatever he needed.  I also sent him away with lunch and some extra food for later.    Babies will distract me more than anything else.  If there is the most exciting concert I've ever seen and a cute baby, my eyes will wonder to the baby.  The urge to boop noses, tickle toes, and pet soft baby hair is intense. 

Maybe materialism is human nature.  Maybe it's a desire to set up a home that will feel like a home for your babies.  Maybe the desire for security isn't that selfish.  I don't want my kids to have to worry about housing.  I want somewhere safe and comfortable for them.  I didn't have the security desires as much as I do now, but at that time, I didn't have the same maternal feels as I do now.    It's possible to be non-materialistic when you have kids, but it must be harder.  I think biology and mother nature tells us what we should do.  When we get hungry, that's our body telling us to eat.  When we get horny, it's our bodies telling us to breed.  Men have a need to protect things, that helps society.  Women have a need to nurture, that's good too.  Babies are cute so we will take care of them.  The dream to explore teaches us about the world, and should be ignored.  So, maybe now, the urge to nest and collect excess has a purpose, to provide for future dependent people, also, should not be ignored. 

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Debate: Contraception for Married Couples?

Debate: Contraception for Married Couples?

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Volume 5 Article: 1

The Path to Change Starts with, What?

by Tritian

The world as we know it is full of changes. Different presidents, weather changes, wars, crimes, birth rates, bus schedules, cities; they're all changing. Everything is full of never ending changes. So here is the question I pose, "If everything will eventually change, how does the change happen, is it from protests? Natural selection? Or something else?"

I'm not going to answer this question, but I can speculate a few issues. Let us go with slavery. We can all agree that it wasn't going to last forever. Even if the African Americans were not liberated, they would eventually have been replaced by machines and let free in society. Yes, through the crimes and punishment, it would have eventually ended because society is constantly changing.

Society's changes can be influenced, this is a fact, but is it by a person or a group. People say if it wasn't for Martin Luther King Jr. or Gandhi certain moments in life wouldn't have happened. If there lives were not gone the way that they did, we would still be living with selfish moments? So does a selfless act show more to change society or is it the courageous courage like Alexander the Great or Brutality of Hitler?

All these questions can be pondered, but an answer will can't be given because the facts don't show what the single event was. Why did the Roman Empire fall? People speculate it was destined to fall. I don't believe in destiny. I believe in the facts. The facts gathered over the years state that the Roman Empire fell because it was doomed to fall. This makes more sense because when people get too big for their future or move to fast, it will fall.

So let me bring a few pieces of the scattered puzzle together. No one can pinpoint the domino that started the horrible event that can change society. Saying Hitler was the cause of the holocaust is a bit much to fathom. To say Martin Luther King Jr., began the end of slavery is just wrong. Certain events had to happen for another and combined they bring about change. Maybe, just maybe, if the right events were to happen, there would be another event that would cause the world and all its inhabitants to die, or maybe, lead to a better future. So sense no one know what these occurrences are, people just keep protesting, and trying to make their cause heard.

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The new system.

Sorry folks but The green pill has been going under some new management system. You're going to see some new writers and new ideas brought forth.

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Debate: Abortion

Lately, we have had some conversations/debates that we thought we should turn into articles here.  Ideally we would have them publicly or on tape, but since this is a written thing, we thought wed stick to that for now.  We welcome any comments here and/or on our group page- The Green Pill Group. 

Debate Topic: Abortion

Mathew: One of the political topics that I personally care about the most is abortion, so I picked that to be the topic. 

Andrea:  Its an important topic

Mathew:  I think it is murder, no matter the circumstances. 

Andrea:  What if the baby has serious birth defects? 

Mathew:  If it seriously risks the mother or the baby wont be able to make it to term, then abortion is more ok.  But, even if the baby has birth defects, it still has the right to live.  If God didnt want that baby to be alive, then it wouldnt be alive. 

Andrea:  You cant look at it from just a religious stand point though. 

Mathew:  How else is there to look at it?

Andrea:  From reality.  Not everyone has the same religious views.  Not everyone thinks its morally wrong.  Its a fact of life that there are unwanted pregnancies.  Abortions happen, we need to make sure they are legal and safe. 

Mathew:  Religion is reality, it gives us guidance and understanding.  Nothing is separate from religion.  Abortions dont have to be just a fact of life.  If people didnt have pre-marital sex, waited until they were ready for marriage, and were responsible for their sexuality- then there would be fewer unwanted pregnancies.  And when an accident happens- theres always adoption. 

Andrea:  What if the woman is pregnant because of rape?  The women did nothing wrong- should she be punished by nine months of pregnancy and child birth because of it?

Mathew:  A child shouldnt die because of the sins of others.  True, its not the womans fault, but its not the childs either.  If the mother aborts the child, she is committing murder.  If she carries the child to term, then she is giving the child a chance at life.  Shell be blessed in her life for the good act.  So be a sinner for aborting, or give the gift of life to an innocent child. 

Andrea:  Take it out of the religious context thought and it looks unfair.

Mathew:  Unfair?  A child never getting a chance at life is unfair.  When you take the religion out of it its the same deal.  Its unfortunate that the woman was raped.  She is either giving that innocent child a life or not.  Whats the non-religious right thing to do?  Its not a punishment for her to give someone life. 

Andrea:  I think youre presuming that the fetus has a soul.

Mathew:  I think it does.  And even if we dont non-religiously know when the soul enters the body, but we do know that it does eventually.  That fetus will become a person, whether it is or isnt at that stage of development.  Its a persons chance at life.

Andrea:  So, lets say that abortion stays legal- do you think that men have a right in whether the woman gets an abortion?  What if she doesnt know who the father is?  Or a teenage mom needing permission from her parents and boyfriend.  Theres a lot of problems with that. 

Mathew:  The man and the woman- Lets not sugar coat it.  Youre really asking if the father of the child has a right to say whether his child lives or dies.  First- its hard to think about since I think abortion should be illegal, but since it is legal, I do think that the father should have a say.  First, people shouldnt be sleeping around so much that they dont know who the father is.  And people shouldnt be sleeping with people they dont trust enough to tell something like that to.  You are risking your body and risking possible pregnancy.  (One of the arguments is that its the womans body, so she should have the choice- but these women are out there risking their bodies knowing the risks) Why do that with someone you dont know or trust.  And the teenage mom shouldnt be having sex until shes ready.  If people didnt have sex before marriage and didnt marry until they were financially independent and ready, then we wouldnt have that problem.  And parents should know.  A pregnant teenage mom is in a very vulnerable state and needs guidance from someone older.  And there are issues about abusive and unsupportive parents and not being able to tell them, but once again, not having pre-marital sex solves that one too.  

Andrea:  So, everyone should stop having sex because of your religious views? 

Mathew:  No, people dont have to do it because religiously I think they should.  And they dont even have to acknowledge any possible religious repercussions of their actions.   But, people should be responsible for themselves.  If youre going to be having sex, do it responsibly so you arent causing yourself or others harm.  Be responsible for your actions and your biological realities.  If you have sex, you might get pregnant.  Be responsible.  That is your child- religion or not.  You created it by your actions- knowing the possible consequences of your actions.  So, either dont have sex when you arent able to be responsible for it, dont have sex with people who wont support you in that risk, and if you do get pregnant- be responsible enough to give that child a chance despite your previous irresponsible behavior.      

Andrea:  Alright, I agree with you somewhat on that.  People should be more responsible and think more about the consequences of their actions.  But I think it should still be legal and up to mother to decide, based on her own beliefs. 

Mathew:  Thats fine.  I believe abortion should be illegal unless it jeopardizes the mothers life or the baby has no chance of surviving.  I dont think laws should be up to the individual to decide for themselves.  We dont let murders kill people if they choose to because they thought it wasnt wrong.  We know its wrong- so its illegal.  I dont know why abortion should be any different.   

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Two new writers!
Current mood: excited

We would like to formally introduce two new writers for The Green Pill:

Andrea-

Andrea received her associates degree in sociology from University of North Carolina.  She is now a student at Mesa studying art.  Some of her interests are world cultures, sociology of family, anthropology, and human relationships.

Lisa-

Lisa is currently a sociology major.  She is interested in social psychology of religion, mass media, gender, and other topics.  Shes also interested in philosophy, world cultures, history, and various kinds of activism. 

9:00 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Volume 4 Article: 2
Current mood: peaceful

Abstinence: More Than Good Birth Control

Thoughts by Andrea, written by April

In high school, we constantly heard about how abstinence was one of many good forms of birth control.  Thats true- it is a good form of birth control.  There is so much more to it though. 

            About two years ago, I started seriously thinking about abstinence.  At first it was just a passing though, just an idea.  I thought about what it would be like to be pregnant at this stage in my life.  Thats a scary thought.  Theres so much I want to get done before I have kids.  I also dont think any of my previous boyfriends would have been ready for kids at that point in their lives.  I thought about how horrible it would be to get an STD.  I thought about how sex connects people, especially girls.  I thought about the heartbreak Id experienced because of my attachments to those boyfriends and to other I could have been as attached to.  I was fortunate to see through many occasions of guys trying to use me for sex.  I could have been attached to them too, with absolutely no return. 

            I decided to make a list of pros and cons of why I should be abstinent.  I came up with literally over a hundred reasons to be abstinent and only a few reasons to be abstinent (which were easily countered).  I bought a book soon after called Sensual Celibacy.  Its a great book.  It had a few reasons I hadnt thought of and gave me inspiration to think about abstinence more seriously.  The book recommends deciding for yourself when its appropriate for you to have sex (ex: flings, serious relationship, marriage, etc.).  Before, I had believed it was ok to have sex with serious, committed boyfriends.  But, looking at my list, I realized that truly, the most emotionally and physically secure time to have sex would be within marriage.  Here are some of the reasons why I believe this:

1. Sex can create babies.  This is a no-duh statement.  Abortion, adoption, or raising a child are all huge decisions that will forever change your life, your partners life, and the life of your child.  A married, prepared couple is the best situation for a child to be born into.  I want that for my children.  I dont want my selfish desires in the moment to get in the way of our futures. 

2. Sex creates bonds between people.  Sex is an extremely intimate act.  Its the closest two people can physically be to each other.  Its a beautiful, spiritual experience.  Two people are totally exposed and vulnerable to each other.  Trust, closeness, love are shown during sex.  It shouldnt be shared with just anyone.  If someone can share that with just anyone, than they have lost that special-ness that sex is.  Sense sex is a way of creating babies, which creates families, breaking up with a lover is like losing a family member- which is so much worse than losing a boyfriend or a girlfriend. 

3. STDs.  If people only had sex with their spouses, the occurrences of stds would go down drastically.  Not totally, since there are already diseases out there, and since not every person can be faithful.  Sex is risky.  You never know who is infected.  Is it really worth risking your health?  Is it worth risking your future spouses health?  I dont think so.

4. There are many broken homes because of irresponsible sexuality.  Society needs stable families.  Children need mothers and fathers.  They need responsible parents who want them.  Society is hurt by teen pregnancies, unexpected pregnancies, dead beat dads, and single parent households.  These issues are caused by more than just un-wed sexuality, but it could cut down on these issues too.

5. There are spiritual and religious reasons to not have sex.  I saved this for last, since it doesnt apply to everyone.  Many religious commandments are there to help society and individuals.  They arent arbitrarily made up.  Its usually good advice.  Who you want to share that spiritual connection with, is also, something think about.  Monks give up sex to focus on more spiritual things.  Others give it up so they can focus that energy on things they need to do (ex: missionaries, sports players, etc.). 

I could go on for pages about all the reasons I think abstinence is best for people.  But, I think these are some of the important reasons.  After two years of abstinence, in the prime of my college years, I have to say that I am thankful that I made that decision.  Ive met many guys who are willing to wait and respect my choice.  They do exist.  I have more self-respect, more emotional security, less stress, and Ive learned to look for entirely different and more quality guys. 

5:45 PM - 1 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment