Because every day of my epic life is worthy of celebration, I'm not really into observing holidays anymore. Plus, time is real slippery in my parts; I don't have much use for calendars and dates. I do, however, have a sweet spot in my heart for Festivus.
For anyone unawares, the creators of the TV series Seinfeld shared this non-commercial holiday with us in an episode from 1997, and my family has observed it ever since - complete with Festivus Pole, the Airing of Grievances, and Feats of Strength.
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While my mother still puts out tens of Christmas trees of all sizes, my father erects a Festivus Pole every year, sans distracting decorations.
In honor of the holiday, I shall now observe the Airing of Grievances.
"I got a lotta problems with you people, and now you're going to hear about it!" -- Frank Costanza
While I'm generally extremely pleased and grateful for the rewards you have bestowed upon me and my community @gardenofeden, Steemit whales you have not appropriately rewarded @everlove, who is inspiring an entire outpouring of artistic expression through her Collaborative Art Journey series. She posts one of her original pieces and asks any and everyone to riff on it to their heart's content. Some of the results are quite lovely, and those Steemians are being rewarded, but our dear Shellie is sitting on less than $2. NOT COOL. Lots of you actually met her at Steemfest and saw what a divine ray of light she is, yet you're still not upvoting her influential art. She is pure creation - the very definition of ART - but her posts are languishing in the annals of the blockchain. Even @sneak's ridiculous McRib rant link received almost 5 times the post rewards that @everlove's did...funny as that is, an oversight of @everlove reflects poor values.
Speaking of poor values, you really didn't give @quinneaker proper respect, perhaps because you were busy spending your votes on pictures of someone's sushi dinner at a wasteful, petroleum dependent restaurant and other frivolities, and now you may have lost your chance because he's focused on changing the world from other arenas. I wrote this off to the fact that even in real life, people can't handle his power, but I expected more from the revolutionary brains around here. When you meet him, you will see. Steemit was created for his new paradigm; your processors just can't handle it yet. I realize how this may sound to someone who has never even met the man, but I speak Truth and only Truth. When you're ready to have your mind melted and your entire world shifted, give him a holler.
Also, you're like a moody girlfriend, Steemit. One minute you're all over me, and the next minute you're giving me the cold shoulder. In the past month, my post rewards have ranged from $0.48 - $207.57. Is this what it feels like to be a weak guy - to never know what you've done to please/displease? Can I get some feedback, por favor?
I'm told that there's a work order for adding notifications to Steemit for new followers and replies and whatnot, so I'm not going to complain about the lack of that here. I'm actually quite looking forward to it - way to go!
And on a slightly less personal note, to wrap it all up I will drop more gold:
taxation is theft,
circumcision is barbaric,
shitting in clean water is unbelievably wasteful,
shopping at stores supports airstrikes on babies,
eating at restaurants endorses petroleum &
the global military industrial complex that extracts it,
vaccines cripple children,
viruses are manmade,
chemotherapy is biochemical terrorism,
school is systemic indoctrination to create complacent slaves,
selling your limited life hours for minimum wage is prostitution,
mainstream media is scripted,
pharmaceuticals are a scam,
the Big Ag food supply is poison,
fluoride is intentionally added to water for mind control,
the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA is a private corporation,
chemtrails are real + the powers that be disclosed that they
use weather modification and geoengineering as weapons of war,
cannabis is the most useful and beneficial plant on Earth,
who is going to stop Pizzagate?,
modern man is disconnected and incapable,
and most people are delusional. Some of y'all walk around like none of this is happening or that it's OK!
Jeebus, I feel SO. MUCH. BETTER!
On to the Feats of Strength!
"Festivus isn't over till you pin your father!" -- Estelle Costanza
My father lives in another state now, and you are unlikely to wrestle him under any circumstances. However, for my own enjoyment, I regularly invite all who come to the Garden of Eden to challenge @quinneaker to Feats of Strength, as I find it highly amusing. Therefore, until someone can pin (undefeated champion) Quinn, I will consider Festivus open and active, and I retain the right to exercise the Airing of Grievances at any time I see fit.
I hope you enjoy and appreciate this post in the Festivus spirit in which it is offered.
💛 Sara!
Oh my Sara!!! Another awesome post! Thank you for sharing all your insight--well, at least some of it. I love it that you just lay it out there like it is. You're so clever, witty and funny, and also direct and right on target!! I am grateful that you are you and that I get to laugh with you EVERyday. And I'm glad that we are aware of so many of the same things and that we are holding ourselves and each other accountable to being the change. What a joyous existence!!!
Oh, and I very much appreciate your appreciation and your unwavering support. I love you @saramiller! <3
I am following you for awhile now @everlove - Sara has got your back lol. #AllSaraAllDay
Oh @barrydutton I am glad to see you on @saramiller's blog again. I can tell you appreciate her wit, intelligence and boldness. ME TOO!! I am blessed by a Sara backing! She's a really good one to have back there. I keep appreciating her over and over and over and over.... Thank god for @Sara!!
How I feel when I go a day without Sara:
Hahahahaha--good one. Love it!
What a joyous existence indeed! Thanks for laughing with me. I love you too @everlove! 💛
EVERyday!
Group Hug lol
Given and received!
💛
Wow @saramiller, the arrogance of this post is almost stellabellian in the heights and depths of its righteous indignation! I see a bright future for you in shaming people into do things your way (just kidding, I think that you will find that might not work).
(I am so grateful for your feedback @onceuponatime! I was hoping for some, as I thought it might push buttons. Thank you!)
Oh, good! Next time I won't pull my punches :-)
You say that because my words struck you, you wish to strike me? Powerful words I string, indeed. A primo Festivus gift I lay at your feet, to witness such reactive force. 😜
First we had Stellabelle the Incorruptible, and now we are going to get Sara the Incorruptible?
The Revolution will Not be Centralized, Sara, not even around Garden of Eden or @quinneaker - and that despite the admirable talent and energy there. Or it will fail as have all in the past.
"you really didn't give @quinneaker proper respect"
"Steemit was created for his new paradigm;" Oh? Do tell.
And unless you walked on water to get to Steemfest, maybe you telling others that "eating at restaurants endorses petroleum &
the global military industrial complex that extracts it" is just a wee bit over the top, wouldn't you agree? Or is your taking a fuel guzzling airplane all right because of your motivation? How do you know what is the motivation of someone eating in a restaurant?
As I said - the arrogance!
Yay! Let's get into it:
https://steemit.com/philosophy/@quinneaker/what-is-sustainability-and-why-is-it-so-important = $5 or so in rewards, for one example, when frivolous posts got upwards of hundreds. Not only is valuable content overlooked in this case, but Quinn's dedication of rewards towards feeding, clothing, housing, and educating more people is disregarded as well. 99% of other people's expenses go back towards supporting the system that destroys the Earth. Truly, @gardenofeden is the only place I've experienced that provides a way out of that cycle. I would love to know about more examples.
We're not the only way, but it's the best way I've found. If anyone else has a viable solution for creating a better world, let's collaborate! My list of grievances, to me, are pretty obvious choices that cannot be sustained and I call attention to them so maybe people consider their options. At least we can start a conversation if it's addressed!
In the new paradigm, everyone takes responsibility for their own actions, thoughts, feelings, reactions, and dysfunctions, as you and I are doing right now. Steemit was created for us to interact, exchange, learn, and grow from each other. There are plenty more motivators (explicit and implicit) behind its creation of course, and once we all get together here in beta and create something more glorious than any of us had alone, there are even more benefits/reasons that emerge...someone is probably falling in love right now, someone is buying their groceries with earnings right now, etc...Steemit was created so you and I could have this exchange right here and now! It was made so we could shine the new paradigm of respect and honor and responsibility in every interaction on the blockchain.
That's huge, and a real blessing, and I intend to honor it.
You judge me and label me arrogant, but that is not absolute fact. Others reading this post thought it was funny, but you are moved in a different way. That proves it is only in your perception that I am arrogant (some might agree, but again it's not absolute truth), and your perception has very little to do with me - it is a collection of everything you've experienced in life. If you are insulted by my words, truly they are only letters on a page.
I can take it personal and get defensive, but that's just gonna lower my vibe and I'll get argumentative. OR I can be excited about the conversation it will blossom, and the deepened respect I have for you for at least speaking your mind. I can thank you for bringing it to my awareness and getting me excited about a dialogue. That's the new paradigm - choosing an elevated way to look at every interaction and focusing on the most benevolent outcome for all!
I have flown in airplanes, and I have ridden in cars this year too. I could say yeah well at least it's a lot less compared to someone else! But that wouldn't be super responsible of me. Projection and blame are not new paradigm! I can justify it as you say by saying my motivation was honorable in getting to Steemfest, but justification and excuses aren't new paradigm. I could just admit that I'm not completely removed from the unsustainable system. It's still true that restaurants support petroleum, and taxation and regulations and usually Big Ag; my flying in planes doesn't change that.
Seriously, I think this is a perfect Airing of Grievances!
Thank you so much for the dialogue, @onceuponatime!!! This is one of the many glories of Steemit.
Stellabellian is a magnificent word!
The Airing of Grievances is righteous indignation - hence its entertainment value.
Festivus is a ridiculous catharsis.
You're hilarious @saramiller. I appreciate your sense of humor.
I have tried to wake people up and gather the facts and present them to people many times, sometimes reaching a few, most times not. I feel the values are "programmed" wrongly for a long time now, and trying not to be a jerk to people but like you - see the waste and destruction of people, the planet and resources.
When you said this, it summed it up nicely --
I call for a revolution in values,
Yes it is true, people only know what they know and and only see what they can see. That goes for all of us!! Acknowledging the poor values on which we base our lives can give rise to great change. But that is only the first step--though an essential one. Cognitive dissonance is rampant--as you say--"programmed"--can be quite challenging to overcome, if not impossible. I love how @saramiller just spells it out. It's quite a lump to swallow in and of itself, and then on top of that to take responsibility carries great intensity. It's not easy to share as it touches some very vulnerable and sensitive places within. I'm appreciating your comments @barrydutton. A revolution of values is of high order!!! AGREED!
Here is a very brief excerpt of something I said to a friend online today on FB.
....After the campaign, I INVESTED time looking into the issue that I was not that comfortable with. But as someone more concerned about TRUTH than being RIGHT --- I owed it to myself first and humanity 2nd. ....
Basically I had learned too much to go back, and INVESTED the time looking into several key issues of the day and the related police state/statist/gov't lies and cover ups and ever since -- been targeted for speaking truth. I have honestly put my time and money publicly where my mouth is and been harassed and attempted to be silenced thru selective enforcement many many times. You can see it online if you search my name.
Have a nice day!
Yes @barrydutton. Once you know, you just can't unknow. And then once you know, it feels ridiculous to live anyway else and pretend that things are otherwise as we once believed them to be. Those who are vocal about the truth are often treated with disrespect. People do not like to be called out! It's a very fine balance. But once you know, it feels dishonorable to the self and to humanity to keep it in. The only option then is to share what you know with the greatest of intentions, and more importantly, live it!! Thank you for doing what you do. I appreciate your speaking the truth. Blessings to you.
I need all the help I can get, believe me.
TY for saying the things I feel inside, for years. It means a lot to me.
People often express that feeling when coming through the @gardenofeden. They can finally talk about the things they have been feeling, and their words do not fall on deaf ears. It can be difficult to even exist in the realms of the "normal" world, where all of these things are denied and bringing them to light is not appreciated. So that leaves many in a very precarious place of feeling and knowing something on the inside, and having to live contrary to that knowing on the outside. I am grateful everyday for @quinneaker who holds space for not only the awareness of such, but for the integration and daily experience of an upgraded existence. Glad to see you are doing the work @barrydutton. You are not alone!
We need to balance everything out in our society and advance our technologies to assist us in a better understanding of our sustainability and evolution as part of this world, as this is the planet we have and there is not a plan-b scenario, This can only achieved by scientific research though slightly more focused in non profit researches that are hard to funded from big funds industries. @onceuponatime I think is trying to point that out. This will happen through blockchain technologies in a decentralized way. Let's say if tesla was publishing for steemit his research would still be with us. Humanity we are still infants in a greater time scale, we need to wait and see how things will evolve. Exponential growth needs more energy than we can currently produce, we should be looking at Nuclear energy more serious. If it can power the universe it can power us too its a subject of morality to be evolved in humans too, you can make a weapon with a rock too.
Less war more science, I hope for the best. I am sure we will head in the right direction as a whole, even if that means we will bypass statism to get there.
Thanks for your input @skapaneas! I agree that we need balance, and I for one am very much looking forward to bypassing statism to get there.
As you say, this is the only planet we have - to me, it is imperative that we redirect our focus from activities that destroy the earth towards those that build it up. I disagree that nuclear energy is the way, as it's not going so well for Fukushima.
I agree! We have used our "superior intellect" towards death and destruction, and as you say it's time to reign that in. I call for a revolution in values, and @onceuponatime reminds us that the revolution won't come from one single authority that has the answers. The revolution will come from decentralized individuals waking up, throwing off the status quo, and choosing something more beneficial to all!
I enjoy your posts, this was a beaut. On many levels incl. and not limited to your rant on the post payouts lol, I am glad others feel this way too, like I said the other night, I just don't get it either.
I work hard on my posts and just do not get the views I would like to see, even just the memes to give people a laugh! I digress. That nite I was chatting with you and was saying I had all 3 posts hit in one day, was neat, some stuff I really strongly believe it, which made it satisfying.
So for this post and that wrasslin match, I bestow 2 of these belts - one for you and one for Quinn.
Thank you Barry! It's definitely a super blast to be on Steemit; I guess the ups and downs are sometimes part of the fun. I don't feel entitled to anything, and I am grateful and appreciate that I'm doing (relatively) well on this platform. But what I would like to know is why is there such variance among the post rewards I'm bestowed. Content? Timing? Something else? Without feedback, how do I know how to improve?
As far as rewarding @everlove and @quinneaker, I solemnly declare that there is NO ONE on this platform more deserving of complete and total support than them! Shellie and Quinn are muses in the deepest sense of the word. To overlook what they bring in favor of something trivial like dinner pictures...like I say, that's poor values.
Ideally, respect will always be paid where respect is due. @everlove inspires CREATION!! That is so hugely powerful, and worth recognition. And Quinn is on a completely different level!!! He has dedicated his life to being of service, and is making a profound impact. While I'm
cracking skulls for Christmasairing my grievances for Festivus, I feet like pointing out that Steemit really just didn't recognize.You regularly say things literally word for word I am thinking or wondering - honestly. You did it again here - things we discussed the other nite in PM.
Content? Timing? Something else?
I don't know that much about you but you seem to be on a different level of consciousness to some extent that I cannot explain but that I definitely feel and I told the GOE page similar recently too.
To answer you on one point, a pretty competent page somewhere on here this week said the most active time to post by their metrics was 12 noon UTC and here where I am that is like 5 am so nope lol
If that helps you at all, I am glad to pass it along. I found that odd, that time
Thanks for everything - I am learning as much in your replies here and there as I do reading posts on things TBH. And that is your time invested so for that I say thanks again.
What a courageous post, and funny too XD
If they throw me off the Steemship, I guess I'll just teach yoga on the beach for the rest of my days!
Suggestion: post content people want to read. Do not post complaints about what people did or did not vote on. Extra do not accuse people of being shitty ("poor values") because they didn't vote on content you liked.
It is a big stretch to assume that someone has poor values simply because they didn't do what you wanted them to, and it certainly doesn't make people (myself inclined) to upvote your complaints and accusations.
Thanks for your feedback @sneak; it is greatly appreciated!
To me, the Airing of Grievances is a time to rant, and the "righteous indignation" (as @onceuponatime most accurately called it) is exactly what makes it funny. Frank Costanza's emotional attachment to things that only bother him at the expense of everyone else's comfort is amusing to me, and (I think) that's why Seinfeld fans like his character.
That aside, I do see voting choices as a reflection of values - everything is a reflection of values. My sense of humor reflects my values. I do think that most everyone have skewed values; the majority in this society supports consumerism, for example. To me, framing my opinions of values as an Airing of Grievances makes it a humorous and approachable way to open a discussion.
My point is only halfway that this content wasn't upvoted, and the other half is what IS actually being upvoted. Sustainability is overlooked in favor of posts that (maybe unconsciously) promote waste - that is where poor values are apparent to me. @everlove's collaborative art journey is not upvoted, although the creations she inspired is. Overlooking the muse is silly to me.
I believe to create the most beneficial community for everyone, each individual has to address their own beliefs and values and align them with the highest good of all/find the community where they are aligned.
One of the beneficial but sometimes uncomfortable parts of living in community for me means that we point out for one another when standards fall below par, and that is my intention in calling it out here in - for readers to check their heads and see where they're coming from. I thought I did it in a way that was entertaining and less threatening, but maybe you disagree if you take it personally.
I think criticism has to be addressed so we have the opportunity to learn and grow and adapt. I believe that's the intention behind your comment as well, so now we have an intentional conversation where everyone wants to bring their best!
That's completely legitimate.
To accuse people of having poor values because they did not upvote something is where the problem lies. People have many reasons for not upvoting, including simple ones like "didn't see it", "too busy spending time with their families", et c. You don't get to make the logical leap to "poor values" because of something they didn't do.
If that were true, I could blame each and every American for the deaths caused by their country's military abroad simply because they didn't raise up with force and put a stop to it. That's absurd and it's not how the world works.
Inaction is still an action; it's still a choice to not do something.
Perhaps voting is more automated than I realize, but I don't understand how @everlove for example is not seen when the posts she inspires (that are rewarded) acknowledge her.
But never mind my personal/Frank Costanza-esque irritation; let's just put that aside for a moment because it's not really the root of what I'm trying to get at. There are X amount of votes in a day, and if they are going towards the problem rather than the solution, that to me is poor values. I open a conversation because many people are completely unconscious of how socially accepted behavior actually contributes to the death and destruction of our planet. Shopping at stores and eating at restaurants supports the global military industrial complex, regardless of how uncomfortable it is to look at that. And there are many upvotes going towards perpetuating it!
Every American IS responsible for it! These acts are being carried out in our names, and that's dishonorable. I totally think that people who do not oppose the military are supporting it. I don't think everyone needs to rise up with force, but at the very least dissent! Taxpayers have a blind spot towards what they fund, or they have poor values. I believe everyone should focus on better systems.
That's not how it works. Desmond Tutu is wrong, and he applies volition where there is none in effort to assign blame. I can relate, but I cannot agree.
I think to look away from injustice is an endorsement for it to continue, which is a choice and an action. Karma racks up for it; it has an effect in the world.
I believe he says this to encourage responsibility in individuals rather than to assign blame. The maybe subtle difference in intentions is where I think values really live.
Two out of three ain't bad.
Two out of three?
Pizzagate is Fake News by the way. I'm shocked at how many Americans are swallowing this nonsense.
I'm shocked how many parents sever their son's penis
Totally agree with that one. Circumcision should be banned.