Judgment and Stereotypes

People judge and stereotype each other often and unfairly!  Why do people have the need to put others down?  Why do we stereotype?  Does it make us feel better?  Does it make us feel that we are above commoners?  Does it make us feel smarter? I believe that it is all the above and then some. By stereotyping people and grouping it becomes easier to compare to us and justify our shortcomings.  The skin color, spiritual beliefs, academic education, place of origin, ethnicity, and financial stature are some of the most commonly used stereotypes!  However, none of these stereotypes truly validates our opinions of others or provides a framework of reference to our quest to appear better than others.  A true measure of who we are and the most valid stereotype is the quality of our soul!  Interestingly enough, our soul has no color, religion, money, education, or a country to call home.  Our soul is an abstract idea of who we truly are as human beings.  Our soul is a measure of our kindness, compassion, humanity, concern, and consideration of others!  In the end this is all that counts.  How do we tread and care about others is a measure of our soul.  So, if you want to stereotype do it based on the measure of your soul.

Merry Christmas

Christmas is good!  People are generally happier, more receptive, passing love more freely to their fellow human beings, their spouses, and their families.  The surrounding environment puts a smile on everyone’s face.  The lights, the decorations, the music in the air give an upbeat vibe to everything that moves.  During Christmas we understand and appreciate other people’s problems better and in some cases we even rush to help.  We kind of feel guilty to have so much fun, spread so much happiness, share so many smiles, and spend so much money while others suffer.  It makes us feel better if we share! Christmas makes us almost better people as if we change, who we are, for three weeks every year.  If it weren’t for all the materialistic craze which has no logical underpinning I could say that December is the best month of the year.  But this race to buy everything freestanding drives me nuts.  I do not understand why people exhibit a purchase behavior which defies all common sense!  They behave as if they start a shopping list beginning in January of every year and in December they go shopping.  Give me a break!  What a waste!  My suggestion is for the government to regulate all expenses for the month of December to a maximum of 20% of each person’s income.  This way, people will make more rational purchase decisions and come January they will not need to consume antacids to deal with their debt indigestions.  BTW, the suggestion about regulating spending is a joke, so if any government technocrats are reading the page do not get any brilliant ideas.

Public figureheads and accountability

There are several and easy ways to filler buster any act of accountability but the brave, ethical people who love their country stand up and face the music. Easy to say but extremely difficult to find these type of people, because people willing to be accountable for their actions are a species on the endanger for extinction list. I am appalled with anyone passing the puck but I truly dislike any public figurehead who uses the public airwaves to avoid any responsibility or accountability.  Why the heck do we vote for these people at the first place?  Do we do it just to secure a comfortable income for them or to put them on a pedestal? It seems that it is the case, because as citizens we do not react strongly against the political bull shit.  The empty promises, public resources mismanagement, and negligence are treated as if it is “comedy central”.  The common theme for politicians and other public figureheads is that “they will have a meeting to discuss and plan on how they will address a specific problem”!  How about doing their job and implementing existing legislation by holding people accountable for their actions and most importantly holding themselves accountable as opposed to hiding behind “busy work” and “bulls shit fill blah blah”. Citizens should wake up and smell the coffee and realize that political figureheads are accountable to us and we should hold them to the highest standards and expectations.

Curiosity

The trouble with normal is that it always gets worst. Who wants to be normal in life!  What the heck is normal anyway!  By definition being normal is boring because the majority of people in this world are normal. I think someone who is considered to be normal follows the rules as they are set by the societal norms of where this person makes home.  The more these norms are followed the more boring it becomes and as a result it gives the perception that it always gets worst even though it is the same. So, the saying that goes like “the same old shit” is fit for normal people. How do people change, become innovative, create knowledge, question their surroundings, and in general become active participants who force change in the societies where we live? I have one word which when understood and embraced is a virtue; curiosity!  Curiosity is the single most important attribute a human being can posses.  Encourage your kids and people around you to acquire, nurture, and master this attribute.  Individuals, societies, states, governments, businesses, organizations and all other elements which comprise our world will be better off because of that.

On my last party

Just so there is no misunderstanding I want to have this in writing... When I die, not that I wish to die but I do know that some day (hopefully not soon) it will happen, I want everyone to wear yellow shirts!  I do not want the boiler plate discussion about not being appropriate! For things which concern me I define appropriate.  If it is true, as I hope it is, that our spirit stays alive after our physical self becomes obsolete it will make me smile to see everyone happy on that particular moment! On the other hand, if everything is gone along with the physical death, and my spirit cannot "feel", then who cares if it is yellow!  Anyway, the point is that I want people to celebrate my life, not mourn my death.  Also, I want music! The music can be a medley of 4-5 songs from various artists such as Aerosmith, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Creed, and maybe some contemporary songs of the time! I want at least one Greek song as well.  But I want the full songs! Please do not mix them in the middle.  Ok... That's it on the subject! Cheers!

Government, self determination, and reality

I do not understand how people think most of the time.  Imagine how diverse we all are to have a need for so much regulation and laws just to be able to function.  Society would collapse if there was no legal framework.  That is the loudest example that humans cannot just get along!  Unless life is regulated, society cannot function.  Is that a sign of individuality which as some say makes us special and differentiates us from animals OR is that a sign that most people are assholes and they are just troublemakers and cannot get along?  I hate to disappoint you but I truly do not know the answer!  My gut feeling is that moderation is the key! It seems that the mantra of democracy saves us from ourselves; Personal democracy and freedom stops where someone else’s personal democracy and freedom starts!  If we adhere to this basic rule we will do fine.  I will discuss how regulators fuck up by not using this basic mantra when they regulate with a separate note.  

The role of government

The role of government should be simple!  Ensure the well being of its people and get the fuck out of the way! Unfortunately governments do not do that.  Governments assume the role of a guardian and they believe that unless they get deeply involved in our lives we will not make it.  Bull Shit!  Governments’ job is basic in that they should provide security and the framework/facilitation for job creation.  The guardian mentality trickles down to government employees as well. Some people working in government fail to realize that their job is to facilitate citizen requests and ensure that the government responsibilities towards its people are carried out. As a result, citizens, public employees, and the institution of government should work in accord to benefit a nation and its individual inhabitants. Most fail miserably in this quest!  

Simple recipe for a successful long term relationship

Most of the time all relationships start with love! Most times but not all because I have seen relationships which start because of money or other “like” irrelevant shit involved. However, in the end what counts is that when the initial floury of love, excitement, and sex passes and life becomes a routine, and responsibilities come to play, how does this relationship evolves? Does it become a mature relationship where the parties in the relationship help and support each other and draw a common road map or do they begin to argue, disrespect, and ignore each other? In most cases the later happens and that is the reason I suggest that sex, even though important in a relationship, is not the most important pillar which makes a relationship successful and fun! In my opinion the most important attributes in a relationship are respect, honesty, truth, honor, support, and common goals. When people achieve these six principles in a relationship then I guaranty to you that sex will be wonderful, exciting, great, and crazy for life and not just for the first few months. If those six principles cannot be achieved then better do not have a relationship, better go pay for sex and go home without any worries (assuming sex is important to you)! Anyway, most relationships never achieve a comfort level, commonality, or the road mapping essential to building a successful and fun relationship. I have a philosophical question for you; how many couples can tell each other what they really think about their partner’s haircut, weight, dressing habits, cleanliness, intellectual capacity, opinions etc in a mature way where there is no fighting or bitterness? I will submit to you that the answer to that question is “Not many”!

Relationships with the opposite sex and physical contact

I watched a movie called "The 40 year old virgin" the other day and it was one of the funniest movies I have watched in a long time. The story is about a 40 year old guy who is still a virgin and when his co-workers find out about it they try to "help" him overcome his "predicament". This movie even though made me laugh for a couple of days, it also made me think about a lot of issues. One of these issues was the issue of sex and how important it is in our lives or not. I had some discussions about the issue with friends and a common response (or opinion) I get is that ... "If an adult is not interested in sex it means that he/she is gay and they just do not want to look reality in the face and accept their sexuality"! I strongly disagree with this opinion. My theory behind it is that, even thought sex is good, enjoyable, fun, makes you feel alive, brings you closer to your companion (with the exception of compensated sex or casual sex which I do not condone) etc., it can lead to tremendous problems and responsibilities. For one, when a human starts having sex the childhood innocence which is so nice is done! Sex can also lead to other unexpected problems such as disease, unwanted pregnancy, violence, confidence problems, academic trouble, friendship, and society adjustment issues. My suggestion to kids is wait! Enjoy at least the first 20 or so years of your life without the burden of sexual/physical contact. You will have the rest of your life (on average the next 50 years of your life to mess with sex. Imagine 50 years of sex.... I guaranty that no matter how great sex is, doing it for 50 years will become boring.... so wait. There are so many other fun things to do the first 20 years of your life. Second, introducing sex into a relationship at the early stages does not allow the relationship to evolve and mature because the only thing people think about is sex! It becomes an obsession as if it is the most important thing. To the contrary, if you want a relationship to grow and flourish look for the following six principles; respect, honesty, truth, honor, support, common goals! OUT!

On the subject of drinking and smoking....

Drinking and smoking are some of the worst habits a human being can have.  They are bad for your health, they are bad aesthetically, and they are bothersome to other people next to you. Do not do either of them.  At least try to avoid these two habits.  I do not see the smoking thing at all, but if you must drink for some reason (especially people socializing for work etc might find themselves in such a predicament) do it in moderation.  Always be aware of your surroundings and be in control of yourself.  Maintain your dignity at all times.  It is extremely difficult to control how alcohol affects one’s body here are a few guidelines; drink extremely slowly, always drink lots of water after each drink, never drink more than 3 drinks (absolute maximum), go out in the open air only when at least 30 minutes passed after the last drink, move around when you drink, and always be ready to say no more when you do not feel good even if you only had one drink. Respect your self all the time and do not put your self in a compromising situation.

On the subject of employment....

If someone chooses to make a leaving through the education route i.e. go to college etc., there are three professions I could recommend to anyone; Law, Certified Accounting, and Medical Doctor (for people or animals)!  All these jobs provide an opportunity to secure a comfortable living for many reasons.  First, these jobs are difficult to “learn” and therefore there is a short supply of these professionals in the market place which allows them to command any compensation they choose.  Second, the lawyers make the rules of the game of life, the accountants count the money, and the doctors fix us!  People need all these professionals and there is usually no option to skip their services. So, if you have a choice, learn and do one of these three professions.  Otherwise, open a restaurant with good quality food and atmosphere!  If it is not a restaurant and you choose a different route make sure that you are your own boss!  That is the only way to control your employment and wealth future.

On the subject of kids........

Kids are the bomb! They rule!  They are the engine that makes the world go round!  Of the human race, they are the most interesting to talk with, listen to, and observe!  I do have kids (kiddens as I call them some times) and I simply adore them!  That word is all inclusive for me and it says it all.   Once a human being has children the life equation changes!  They are a wonderful challenge, but they are a tremendous responsibility.  I am trying my best to help my kiddens grow to become the best possible members of society.

On the subject of people........

Beware of who you trust as friend! During the first 37 years of my life I was naive enough to believe that people are true and loyal friends for no reason but I was proven wrong so many times. So, keep in mind that people are not as pure as you wish them to be, rather, people have their own agendas and true and honest human beings whom you can count on as true friends are very few in this world. Make good choices, be trusting, but be smart.

On the subject of respect........

Respect every culture and every human being even when they are assholes to you! How you behave as a human being should not be defined by how people treat you or by your social environment! Having said that, don't be stupid! No excuses for assholes! Stay strong and lead your life with dignity!

On the subject of a good juicy steak........

There is an argument on what is the best cut of meat for steak! In my opinion the best piece is a nice and healthy 1lb 3/4 of an inch thick porterhouse. Make sure that you buy it fresh and let it seat in a cool and dry refrigerator for 24 hours before you grill it. Marinate for 3 hours before you grill, with some salt, pepper, and soy sauce. Make a hot fire (400F) and grill on one side for 30 seconds and then turn and grill the other side for 3 minutes, and then again back to the first side for 2 minutes. Do not cut it and do not poke the stake. Let it seat off the grill for 2-3 minutes before you cut it. Drink a nice cold beer while you are grilling! This way you will have a nicely cooked and juicy steak. Enjoy!

On the subject of work...

Work is an honor and respect for yourself! There is no shame in any type of work as long as you respect yourself and you do not allow people to take advantage of you. Some jobs are better than others, and some jobs are easier than others! The general rule is that the harder you work in getting a job, the better job you will have. Do your job and always think how you can improve what you do! Think positive!

The Standards of society which we must follow

These standards bother me a lot.  There are certain standards in each society which “normal” people must follow!  I am not referring to the written law of the land, I am referring to “the things we should do or shouldn’t do” according to what society considers as a norm or a standard.  I dislike that a lot.  Who sets these standards and with what authority and why should we follow them? I do not like to conform with this bullshit!  I guess that will make me a non conformist.  For example, why should a person have to be dressed nicely for a meeting?  What purpose does it serve?  Why must people be married when they live together for a long time and especially when they want to have kids?  What purpose does this serve?  Why can’t we tell someone in their face when they are lying (when we do it is considered impolite)?  What purpose does this serve?  It is ok for someone to lie but when caught it is impolite to tell them?  Does not make sense to me! Who defines a “bad” word?  I find some of these “bad” words to be extremely expressive and I want to use them!  We give meaning to words and after we brand them as “bad”!  What purpose does this serve?  I want to eat a stake in the morning and breakfast at night!  It makes more sense to me to do that but it is not proper, it is not normal.  Why? I will address many more issues later because there is a lot………..

On the subject of politicians...

What is the deal with the politicians?  Have you noticed that the majority of them are lawyers and they lie?  They can actually lie with a straight face.  I think that is one of the reasons the majority of them cheat on their spouses.  They become experts at lying and they are using the expertise they acquire to cheat.  They have an opinion about everything even though they have no formal training, knowledge, or expertise about 95% of the issues they talk about.  They cannot keep their mouth shut especially when there is a camera in front of them. They also do not keep the promises they make before they get elected.  They know they could not possibly keep their promises but they make them anyways because they know that nobody will truly hold them accountable. What a shame and what a waste!  I wish we could have honest politicians.  Life would have been so much better.

On the subject of Relationships...

Where can I start with relationships?  They are complex but my one suggestion is: DO NOT HAVE ANY EXPECTATIONS FROM ANY RELATIONSHIPS! This will help you maintain happy relationships.  You will loose some and you will win some.  Just know that you will not have many unconditional relationships in your life. When you find any of those type of relationships do all you can to keep them.  They are better than all the money in the world.

On the subject of marriage...

What can I say about marriage?  Do not do it until you are ready to commit with clear head and when you are not thinking with your groin.  Have as much fun in life as you can possibly have and make as many mistakes as possible before you take a step. Also, take care of your career and the financial issues.  Once you are married do it for good especially when you have kids in the middle.  If your marriage has problems do everything you can reasonably do to save your marriage.  I am not an expert on this issue but marriage can make or break your whole life in a lot of different perspectives. General rule: Do not do it before the age of 27!

On the subject of truth...

The truth will set you free!  There is no point in lying for any reason.  If you tell a lie you will most probably have to say another lie to cover the one before and you end up being in a vicious cycle with no end.  At some point you will have to go through the embarrassment of revealing the original lie.  So, there is not point in suffering through this negative cycle which is full of stress.  Save yourself some trouble and tell the truth always no matter how painful it seems to be.  

On the subject of religion...

Religion was created to explain the unexplainable!  Faith gives hope to all of us when we are struggling with negative issues (usually difficult to understand or difficult to justify).  We also use faith to explain things which we might deem unfair or unjust!  I see faith and religion as a way to put an order in our otherwise disorderly world.  Religion provides some ethical guidelines which allow us to structure our world and make it a better place.  In short, religion, faith, and hope are humanity.  These qualities are different from the people who represent and personify religion. I do not like these people because most of all they assume a position of infallibility, they use their respective religion to profit, and they do not truly serve the people they are supposed to support.  So, religion and faith to the values and ethics personified by the respective scriptures is good!

On the subject of leadership...

I believe that leaders should exercise their leadership by accepting responsibility for their actions. Their concern should be the well being of the people they are elected to represent and lead. Their personal interests should be sacrificed to the attainment of their call to duty. Societies can do without "leaders" whose primary interest is their own advancement and well being.

Basic Rules to leave by......

Honesty - Truth - Respect - Honor - Knowledge - Commitment

On the subject of education.....

What can I say about education other than, it is the most important thing in life anyone can do other than breathing! Education gives you confidence to take life face on! Education is an activity that never stops regardless of how many degrees you hold. You must educate yourself constantly and try to stay fresh on what is going on around you at many different levels. Learn as much as you can and try to correlate what you learn, with your environment.

On the subject of friendship.....

A true friend is someone who is there for you when you need him/her without expecting anything in return. It is extremely difficult to find a true friend because there are not many people willing to sacrifice their time and energy for nothing. Offcourse the return from a true friendship is not nothing! There is a lot to gain from a true friendship. Knowing that you can talk to another human being about the things that bother you without having to worry that this person will repeat everything you have trusted to them , or knowing that this person will give you a truly honest feedback, gives you peace of mind!

Semi Governmental organizations in Cyprus tick me off.....

Semi Governmental organizations in Cyprus tick me off…..
What is up with these so called companies supported by public finances and protected by monopolistic markets?  Not only do they receive millions of pounds in government grants they also operated for many years under monopoly market protectionism.  As a result they overcharged, under managed, over expensed, and they filled their financial coffins with overpriced services.  In addition, they have been practicing unfair hiring practices from their inception.  They basically practice a sort of hiring inbreeding strategy.  They hire relatives and children of current employees blocking the way to possibly more qualified people.  Transparency in all internal practices is non existent.  As the market is opening up to competition they now want to privatize these companies which were established, grew, and prospered financially with public money (taxpayers’ money).  Privatization is good and welcomed however not to disseminate equity to the employees only.  If they do that these employees benefit from both their lucrative and in some cases unfairly secured positions as well as equity ownership.  Where does this leave the taxpayers who have been supporting these companies’ inefficiencies for the last 40 years?  Enough is enough!  People should wake up and demand transparency and stop trusting the various governments and technocrats blindly.  Ask questions and demand answers.