07.05.08
Posted in Society at 2:08 am by Bily Xiao
We don’t like to work for things anymore. Well maybe no one ever really liked to work for things, to begin with, but our younger generations are much less willing to.
We are ruled by the “everything, now” mentality. Instant this, instant that. Instant noodles. Instant downloads. Instant messaging. The power of our mental facilities has allowed it.
As man found more ways to empower himself in his works, more time was freed up. In the early agrarian societies it was the move from manual labour to guided labour by domesticated animals. Later it was the beginnings of mechanization, followed by industrialization. Today automation grows and grows and sooner than we think: robots will be in our home.
Each stage of these kind of developments are not only tremendous milestones in the growth of civilization but were catalysts for societal change. The growing efficiencies of early civilizations freed time for people to think: to grow in the arts, philosophy, science and so on. Industrialization stimulated rapid urbanization and the past two decades of technological advance have led to a new levels of interconnectedness, accessibility and overall globalization.
Things became faster, more accessible, more varied, more fun. In lieu of free time put to learning and the arts there is an addiction to entertainment. Everything needs to be here, now, and for me. We’re a lazy ands self-seeking generation. In a society where so much is done for the self and comes fairly easily, it’s no wonder that we grow up this way.
These ‘advancements’… there’s good… and there’s bad. It seems to me like the more advancements there is outside ourselves, the less advancement there is inside ourselves.
Permalink
06.08.08
Posted in Society, life purpose at 6:30 pm by Bily Xiao
Read a few Urbana articles which came in my email today. More and more I find my concern for social welfare and justice growing. My compassion for the poor, weak and needy is stirred more frequently and more deeply.
Yet that compassion is oft numb. Paralyzed by the overwhelming media coverage we have. I found this article convicting and really hit home on that paralysis: Who is my Neighbour? Paralyzed by CNN: Dealing with Compassion Burnout.
The second article I read, entitled Evangelism and Social Concern, also resounded with my growing concern beyond the spiritual needs of people. Since becoming Christian I have believed it most important that we reach out to people for their spiritual needs. Not for the numbers on some misled religious conversion crusade but out of love, consistent with the truth I honestly believe, I put my focus on where it matters most: the spiritual health of people.
Read the rest of this entry »
Permalink
04.11.07
Posted in Society at 3:45 am by Bily Xiao
Scandal Puts Spotlight on Christian Law School
Regent University school of law mission to train Biblically-minded christian conservative lawyers to, in their part, change the world.
Used to be that the school accepted and churned out very poorly qualified individuals, with much not even passing the BAR exam.
The recent scandal spotlight is there because since 2001 Bush administration came in place many of the less-qualified new graduates with little to no experience were put into very significant roles within government. Of particular notice is one alumni who works with attornety general Alberto Gonzales, who, himself, has come under the limelight in great scrutiny of late.
A good read. A Christian school needs to still uphold very real worldly levels of competence. It had me reflecting on how, in many ways, good intentions is not enough.
Fortunately, in recent 5-10 years (I think around there) it’s improved drastically and has in certain areas/competitions rivaled Ivy league schools.
Permalink
03.08.07
Posted in Society at 1:15 pm by Bily Xiao
::edited Mar 8, 2007
::original Feb 22, 2007
I watched Blood Diamond yesterday. A terrific movie.
Intense, RIVETING (ha!), disturbing, stirring.
Portrayed in the movie, the rebel groups know no limit in their exploitation of children and ravaging of settlements. The government itself may be working to fund the rebels in their corruption. The general public are too scared or too weak to fight back, or are even brainwashed into joining forces of madness.
We know so little of what goes on over there… so little of what goes on over here. So little of all the wrong that really goes on in the world. A world of pain which we are far far from, the fullest extent of which we hardly fathom. We know so little of how our economy and our very lifestyle whets the greedy capitalistic appetites of people all around the world. There are secret dealings on both sides of the world and by both the wild buck and the corporation executives. It’s staggering…
I missed a CCF last term when a guest speaker from International Justice Mission (IJM) came to speak on the sex trade… many had their eyes opened to the world of evil in which we live. I’m glad I watched Blood Diamond: not the first I’ve heard of such injustice, but certainly a vivid and jolting one.
Read the rest of this entry »
Permalink
Powered by FireStats