The Meaning Behind Every Holiday

Holidays are culture. They allow us to celebrate the important aspects of our lives that we oft take for granted. In a way, they're what remind us throughout the year that we're human beings who live for each other.

Each and every holiday has a rich history and a very special message behind it, so I'm going to run down some of the reasons why we celebrate. Let's start with the beginning of the year...

When Authors' Names Are Bigger Than The Book's Title

Whenever I walk into a bookstore like Barnes & Noble, I look around at the piles of books in the "best-selling authors" section and I notice the same thing every time:

The authors' god damn names are always bigger than the book's title.

Seriously, every cover just looks like:


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DAN BROWN. I'M DAN BROWN. 

I'M A FAMOUS AUTHOR PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE ME

By the way my book is called Angels and Demons.

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I mean, I get that it's about self-promotion, but come on. Have some integrity. It makes novel writing as a whole look like a gigantic jerking contest.

We Are Not Being Microchipped

I normally like to write my posts in a calm and neutral tone, but I'm honestly just frustrated, sick, and tired of this tin-foil hat conspiracy nonsense. I've been hearing for YEARS that we're going to be microchipped by the government and that it's a sign of the coming of the anti-christ, and it just frustrates me to no end that perfectly rational and intelligent people are confusing their beliefs with this madness.

Should Tipping Be Necessary?

Tipping at restaurants is a practice that involves rewarding a server for their excellent service. Here in the U.S., it's a social convention you get crucified for not following. So, at the risk of being judged, I'm going to go ahead and say that I'm not a huge fan of the gratuity system. Now, when I say that, I am in no way claiming that waiters shouldn't be paid for their services. I'm critical of the current system, which is to say that waiters should not have to rely on public charity to earn a living. 

Examining Asian Stereotypes

As an Asian American living in the United States, I find myself dealing with prejudice and stereotyping on a near-constant basis. It's a weird thing with Asian people; despite my being completely American in terms of culture, I'm still viewed as a foreigner. I've learned to tolerate it over the years, but there's the occasional person who just doesn't seem to have a care about being ignorant.

We can't just tell these people to stop generalizing, but what we can do is feed them the knowledge they need to stop assuming the wrong things. In order to shed some light on the origins of Asian America's most prominent stereotypes, I thought I'd try my hand at explaining them one by one. By doing so, I hope to help people understand why certain stereotypes exist, and why they couldn't possibly apply to everybody.

Don't expect anything too in-depth; these are just my thoughts. If you are a fellow Asian American, feel free to contribute. Also, note that I'll mostly be discussing stereotypes associated with East Asians. Now, to begin with...

Pokemon: Old Gen vs. New Gen

I grew up with Pokemon, just like every other human being from my generation. At its peak, it was just about the biggest thing ever. Everybody with a Gameboy played the games, and everybody with hands and feet had a collection of Pokemon cards. It got so ridiculous that by the second year of the craze, my elementary school banned Pokemon cards from school property. Nowadays, most people look back with extremely fond memories of the early days of Pokemon. Then there are people like me, who never lost their childhood spirit and still play the games.

Now, as an adult Pokemon player, there's one thing that never ceases to bug me.

Axe Commercial is Beyond Ridiculous

This is a recent commercial for Axe body products that has been on TV lately. Go ahead and watch it if you haven't already. Done? If you didn't find anything wrong with that, consider yourself a simpleton.

Axe commercials have always been known for being a bit sexist, but this commercial is just a step beyond ridiculous. For me, it's not even that it's blatantly misogynistic. What really drives me over the edge is just how idiotic and misinformed this commercial is.

The views we have right here, right now are going to be true forever. Right guys?!

"Girls are getting hotter"? Seriously? How about, society's perception of women has changed over the years? People used to value a different type of woman back then. Just look around for pictures of models from around a century ago. Or perhaps some Ancient Greek statues of women. What we consider "hot" now has only been the status quo for a few decades. Beautiful women from the past would be considered "fat" in modern society. 

But to the people at Axe, none of this obvious information even exists. Honestly, I find it hard to believe that the people who make these commercials are even human adults. I wouldn't be surprised if they were teenagers, or monkeys. 

Does Batman Need a Robin?

I'm no long-time fan, but I absolutely love Batman. I love the comics, the animated series, the games, and the movies. There's a lot to like about Batman, from his dark, psychological inner-battles to his enormously intriguing gallery of rogues. But mainly, it's his humanity that sets him apart from other heroes. The fact that he accomplishes what other superheroes can't without actual superpowers just appeals to me. But...this post isn't about Batman.

5 Technology Myths (We Have Got To Stop Believing)

I've already done a post about some popular old wive's tales, so I thought I would go over some of the most popular myths about technology that are completely untrue. Modern technology like laptops and smartphones are a common part of our daily lives, so we're bound to have handfuls of misconceptions flying around. I'm writing this post primarily because too many people seem to be misinformed about certain technology "facts". I can't stand watching people do completely unnecessary things, so let's put some of that to rest.

The MSG Allergy Myth

Chances are, if you've ever had MSG come up in a discussion, it was about how bad it is for your health. It really gets a bad rap, especially in the U.S. This reputation is completely undeserved, however. Next time, take a moment to question whoever thinks MSG is bad for you; can they even name any specific reasons for why it's unhealthy? Most likely, the answer is no.

Sweden: Socialist Paradise

Some of you may shake in fear at the sight of the word "socialist", but no worries: Sweden's economic system is not entirely socialist. Just like every other country on Earth, it is a mix of everything. However, many cite Sweden as being the ideal socialist paradise. Before you start pointing your patriotic missiles at me, let me tell you a little about life in Sweden.

Don't Take Things for Granted

I'm still pretty young, so there's a lot about life that I don't know about. I've yet to experience anything beyond an education, and I've never had to worry about the essentials like food, shelter, or even money. My family has had plenty of financial issues stemming from our immigration status, but I was always too young to understand the struggle my parents were going through.

In the end, it seems I was spoon-fed through most of my life. I guess it was good parenting on my mom's part for loving me and caring for me so much that I didn't even realize how much my family was suffering. Though, at the same time, I never learned how to appreciate what I have. Even as a young adult, I find myself having trouble doing the simplest tasks.

My point is, if there's any lesson I can share with the world, it's that you should never take things for granted. Just because people love you and care for you, doesn't mean they'll always be there to hold your hand. People come and go. It's up to you to take care of yourself.

If there's anything I'm good at, it's taking things for granted. I take my terrific home life for granted, my education and opportunities, and even my loved ones for granted. Keep sitting back and letting others live life for you, and you'll end up confused and miserable. Trust me, good things never last.

Today is Valentine's Day, so even if you're single, just take the time to think about what your loved ones have done for you, and how your behavior might impact them. The problem with most people is that they don't do this quite enough. Don't regret growing old and finding out that in the end, they were the only parts of your life that really mattered.

Phones are Terrible

I don't know about you, but I'm a little ticked about the state of the modern telephone. It's just god awful. Before you say "What?! The telephone is one of the greatest inventions in human history!", just hear me out. I'm not talking about the telephone as an invention in general. I'm talking about the state of voice quality in modern phones.

"It's up to you"

Everybody should be familiar with this one. You're with a friend or a group of friends, and you ask "what do you guys want to eat?" At that moment, there will undoubtedly be a person that says "I don't mind anything, it's up to you". At first, it might seem like they're just being open-minded and polite, but that's just wishful thinking on their part. In truth, "it's up to you" basically translates to "Don't ask me, I don't feel like deciding". It's dismissive; an avoidance of responsibility. It contributes nothing to the situation; if anything, it makes everything more frustrating.

It doesn't just stop there, either. There are people who say "anything is fine", only to shoot down every suggestion you give. It makes absolutely no sense. If you have a preference, just say it! I've actually seen people get mad about a decision after specifically stating that "ANYTHING is FINE". Please, just try and help make a decision. Don't try to hide your indecisiveness with this pretentious bullshit. You're basically just dead-weight in a survival situation...or an asshole.

Not Dressed for Winter

It's currently 20 degrees Fahrenheit. My college campus is up on pretty high hills, so it feels closer to 10 degrees. It's so cold that my face hurts. It...it just freaking hurts. A lot. No amount of bundling up seems to be enough to stop this blistering pain.

So I'm walking, and everybody is covered in parkas, scarves, and hats. Then there's that one guy who's wearing a T-SHIRT. I see this constantly. My question is, what is wrong with these people? Do they have super-human abilities? Are they poor? Is that why they don't have a jacket on? It's a college campus, these kids have parents. There is no way that money is an issue.

Therefore, the question is still in the air. Why do these people choose not to dress appropriately for winter? It's really just beyond me, and I haven't been able to understand for years... 

Paparazzi are Shameless

I don't think I need to explain to you why paparazzi are garbage, so just watch this video. If you're particularly stupid, you'll be thinking: "Wow! Leonardo DiCaprio is a douchebag." See, this is what paparazzi do. They harass celebrities in order to incite (hopefully) a violent response, and if they succeed, they get to post videos with titles like "Alec Baldwin is crazy, breaks camera".

This is how shameless their profession is. Their job revolves around smearing famous people and reaping the benefits of negative attention. Are angry celebrities really assholes? Of course not; how would you feel if you were greeted with flashing lights and cameras every time you walked outside? I think any sort of response is an acceptable one.

They think they're "exposing" the ugly sides of celebrities when the truth is, they're just being human. Even the most patient people would eventually break from the frustration. As I said, paparazzi are shameless people with a shameless profession. They're no better than criminals, as far as I'm concerned.

What Causes School Shootings?

School shootings are a topic of much fascination in the U.S. They invoke such an impetuous media circus of 'why's' and 'what's' that there's often little time to even mourn for the victims. Perhaps it's the immense shock that comes from the idea of our youth shooting up their peers indiscriminately, but it is a fair question nonetheless. What causes school shootings?

"Finish Your Food", or Overeat?

I'm not sure if this varies from culture to culture, but the general rule at the dinner table seems to be "finish your food". Your parents encouraged (or strictly enforced) it from an early age so it's likely been ingrained into your eating habits like a tumor. As a result, you've probably had numerous meals where you forcibly shoved food down your throat just to clear your plate. The main reason behind this form of parenting is obvious: wasting food is inconsiderate to those who are less fortunate. This is a perfectly acceptable cause, but being who I am, I couldn't help but question it a bit.

5 Popular Misconceptions (We Have Got to Stop Believing)

Lists about common misconceptions and myths are so overdone, but I'm making one anyway because I honestly can't believe people still have to be told about some of the most common urban myths. I'm going to run through the myths I still hear on a daily basis. Hopefully, this will stop at least one person from saying stupid shit.

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5. "Hair grows back darker and thicker if you shave it"

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"I'll Pray For You"

"I'll pray for you". If you are surrounded by enough Christians (or go to church), you've probably heard this sentence uttered countless times. Now, this isn't a post about religion. Rather, it's a post about people and their social habits. You see, whenever someone claims that they'll pray for you, they're really just trying to avoid the situation altogether. It's kind of the equivalent of saying "Alright....well good luck with that!" The picture really explains it all. Whoever bothers saying "I'll pray for you" simply doesn't care. They don't care enough to actually do something to help, so they just try to get away with pretending like they care.

Obviously, there might be an occasional person that actually does end up keeping you in their thoughts, but how often does this actually happen? I'd rather have them put some actual effort into helping me. I guess this is what you would call an empty promise. It's like when someone says, "Just let me know if you ever need something". They don't actually want you to bother them, and they definitely don't want to do anything for you. It's an empty gesture.

Maybe it's just simple etiquette and I shouldn't be complaining, but I find the whole thing completely disingenuous. Nothing bothers me more than people who are fake, so obviously it irks me when someone says "I'll pray for you", only to do absolutely nothing forever. If you're going to say anything, just say "I hope it works out". Say something meaningless rather than lie. Trust me, it's the right thing to do. Maybe... What. Hot dogs.