Category Archives: Uncategorized

SOCIAL MEDIA: It Was Supposed To Be A Party.

September 30, 2016brain research, commentary, dance, drama, human behavior, humor, musicians, performance, photos, prose, psychology, social commentary, sociology, Uncategorizedambiverts, blocking on social media, extroverts, introverts, keeping up with the Joneses, social media, THE HUFFINGTON POSTruth ann scanzillo

Dear Social Media:

[The ones who haven’t hidden my posts.]

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It’s been 7 years. Is this the itch?

Here’s what I think of our relationship. (Like a good therapy patient, I’ve made two lists): Good Stuff and Not So Good Stuff.

Good Stuff:

Re-acquaintance with old friends, remote family, DNA determined ancestors, and former students;
New friends, some special and close;
Community Bulletin Board announcements, including:

a.) “In a ‘relationship'”; b.) marriages, c.) births; d.) pet acquisitions; e.) deaths;
Photos and video of fine art, music, dance, soccer goals, and drama;
Promotion of performance based events;

Not So Good Stuff:

False picture of the social landscape in the real world;
Subconscious drive to “keep up with the Jones’s”;
Political proselytizing, not always fact-based;
Passive-aggressive verbal warfare;
Flat out braggadocio;

Consequently, each of us has unwittingly submitted to a cinematic characterization of ourselves that distorts public perception.

The Introvert, Extrovert and Ambivert: It’s a @#$% Party!

Introverts rarely post; they read, and draw conclusions. Extroverts enter one liners, then leave the house to actually go and be with their people. Ambiverts, caught between creating in print and communicating with intent, post excessively – leaving themselves wide open to extrapolation and interpolation, only to wonder why cliques shun them in public.

The Interpretation

We have come to interpret reactions to our persona on social media with far too much of the alternate angst, delusion, and regret. The Blocking Feature has been deadly, cutting off all hope of public reconciliation; it’s as if that 3 foot barrier in three dimensions has taken on an anti-gravity shield, distinct from any currently being employed by the alien civilization presently closest in proximity (sic) to earth.

And — how many of us knew it was just a @#$% party!?

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© Ruth Ann Scanzillo 9/30/16 – All rights those of the author. Thanks!

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Walking Dead.

September 29, 2016Deep Questions, grief, human behavior, memorials, political commentary, psychology, social commentary, sociology, Uncategorizedcalculated risk, civic mentality, compassion, Jimmy Carter, one fatality = acceptable loss, statistical probability, THE HUFFINGTON POST, The Walking Dead, war mentalityruth ann scanzillo

A moment ago, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie presented his portion of the 2:00pm EST press conference, following the deadly commuter train crash in Hoboken.

During his speech, he declared: “The silver lining? Only one fatality.”

And, furthermore, “due to injuries caused by debris”.

A woman died. A woman, whose name has not yet been revealed, pending notification of next of kin.

Her only defense: standing on the platform, waiting for the train.

Soon, we may be permitted knowledge of her identity.

And, perhaps there will be a retrospective of her life, aired by the media.

But, a word, please.

The world of statistics. Those who live within it are to be pitied. Theirs is a realm of calculated loss, some mumbling about “the greater good”. Oh; and, a mentality that is fed by tactic and strategy.

This is a war mentality.

It is not civic minded. It is not compassionate. The value of human life is reduced to a numerical equivalent, like the toluene levels in drinking water. Acceptable, or not. One death, equating to some notion of Acceptability.

I suppose we should all thank our God that we were not standing on that train platform at 8:45 am this day. And, we might pray for the family who lost a beloved sister, daughter, perhaps mother.

I know that, at my own mother’s death, she lay in her own bed in her own home, the sun streaming in to receive her soul. As for those to whom her death was merely a calculated, statistical risk, who administered the treatment protocol that did nothing to save her life, I wonder how long ago their own souls left their bodies.

The walking dead. They are among us.
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© Ruth Ann Scanzillo 9/29/16 – All rights those of the author. Thank you.

littlebarefeetblog.com

FEAR.

September 24, 2016Deep Questions, Deep Thoughts, human behavior, love, slum culture, social behavior, social commentary, Uncategorizedbeing afraid of people, being afriad of people who are different from us, black people afraid of white people, black suppression, compassion trumps aggression, fear, fear driven aggression, Jimmy Carter, labeling people, Omeleto, police brutality, powerlessness in society, white people afraid of black peopleruth ann scanzillo

By now, every civilized person who has ever been to a counselor or read a self help book knows: the emotion behind anger is fear.

Fear drives anger.

And, anger is usually expressed as aggression.

Hence, aggressive behavior is fear-based.

Sometimes that fear is rooted in a need to protect self, or those loved by self, or things owned and treasured by self.

Other times, that fear is rooted in a perceived threat to power or control.

But, fear is at the root. And, the consequent behavior is: aggression, sometimes brutal.

Enter the system of control in place to enforce laws intended to maintain order.

If there is fear driving a threat to a loss of that system of control, those in place to enforce its laws will behave aggressively.

The result: police officers, on the offensive. Ready to use their power, aggressively.

I believe that, in America, white police officers are afraid of black people, and black people are afraid of white police officers. Now, fear drives both. And, the behavior of both has become aggressive.

Those with official power behave aggressively; those who feel powerless behave passive-aggressively. Both are simply afraid of the other.

In America, white people who are afraid of black people were taught to be afraid of those they do not know. Black people were taught the same thing. Many white people who actually know black people, and many black people who actually know white people, have established trust one with another. And, even love.

And, I was taught that perfect love casts out fear.

Jimmy Carter should be consulted, and others like him should be running our country. Individuals with genuine compassion for the downtrodden, the powerless, and the fearful.

We need to start over. As simplistic as it sounds, we need to dig up our forgotten ability to pour out authentic love for one another. If we do not, we are doomed to destroy ourselves.

Dear Social Media:

[The ones who haven’t hidden my posts.]

.

It’s been 7 years. Is this the itch?

Here’s what I think of our relationship. (Like a good therapy patient, I’ve made two lists): Good Stuff and Not So Good Stuff.

Good Stuff:

Re-acquaintance with old friends, remote family, DNA determined ancestors, and former students;

New friends, some special and close;

Community Bulletin Board announcements, including:

a.) “In a ‘relationship'”; b.) marriages, c.) births; d.) pet acquisitions; e.) deaths;

Photos and video of fine art, music, dance, soccer goals, and drama;

Promotion of performance based events;