An 18th Century View

In today's society you can change laws, but changing views takes far longer.

We see ourselves today as a progressive society.  Our 21st century views in many cases would seem foreign, and unheard of back and in some cases scandalous in the 18th and 19th century, and yet some prejudices still remain to this day.

 

Daybreak this morning asked the question "Can women who are drunk or flirty ever be blamed for being attacked?"

 

How can it be that this question is still being asked, let alone why anyone would ever say yes as an answer. 

 

      If a house is burgled, is it the fault of the home owner for having a nice house?

      If a drunk man with his top off walks in front of a group of gay men, is he "Asking for it"?
 

      If someone steals money from their employer, is it the fault of the employer for having a lot of
      money?
 

      If a man is robbed in the street, is the first question "But had you been drinking sir?"

 

These questions are never asked, purely because a) They are nonsensical and b) The answer is either no, or "Why are you asking irrelevant questions?".

No will always be no.  Let's treat victim blaming as what it is.  An archaic view that has no place in society.

Eaten by the Internet

When does social networking move from pleasurable to a pain?  When did it change from something that you nip onto in a spare five minutes, to being something that you constantly maintain and check?

I first entered the realm of social media with Myspace.  It is so long ago now I can't even remember what I did there, but it wasn't anything that was particularly addictive, or fun.  From Myspace I was encouraged by a friend to move to Facebook.  So it began.

Fast forward through to 2013 and I have Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus and a blog.  How did that happen?  I'm not even sure myself but I know that a chunk of my time is taken maintaining or checking these sites.  How profitable is it to me however?

Looking at each one and the reasons I am there, it becomes easier to see how you can get caught up.

Facebook is used to catch up with friends.  It was the first of the social networks to go global and it is still the most popular, thereby being the one that you can still catch up with most people you know on.  It is however also massively irritating, although more down to the things people post as opposed to the site itself.  Baby pictures, quotes, it's just not interesting enough to hold my attention.

That took me to investing Twitter.  I joined Twitter to find like minded Formula One fans.  It has grown into an addition that I don't want to quash.  I love my Twitter and I'm keeping it.

 

Google Plus I was forced into having when I changed my email to a Gmail Account.  I ended up using it for blog purposes but don't use it for any other reason.  I see fail to see the point of it but somehow, I still end up having a look 2-3 times a week.

 

The last of my online addictions is of course this blog.  This is the place that I spend most time on and many many hours have been spent in maintaining and adding to the blog.  I don't regret these hours however as the blog gives back to me as much as I give it.

 

This is however how you end up with so many internet commitments.  I have managed to justify all of mine, quite easily.  I think that as long as it doesn't interfere with your working life, and you have a social life outside of cruising around Twitter, there isn't a problem.

 

This said, I have just got my claws into Tumblr.  Goodbye social life, it was fun xx

 

 

Sarah Connor v Holly Golightly

You know that saying, “Some days you are the pigeon, some days you are the statue”.  I hate that saying.  It’s basically saying that some days you crap on people, other days they crap on you.  That's a dog eat dog world I'm not interested in.

I have my own version.  I’m more, “Some days I’m Sarah Connor, whilst others, I’m Holly Golightly”.  Yes, I did just use The Terminator and Breakfast at Tiffanys as references.  I identify with them both.

The Sarah Connor days I am strong, I can deal with whatever is thrown at me.  I have vulnerability, but I’m comfortable in my own skin.  If you screw with me I’ll fight right back.

The Holly Golightly days, I’m bravado.  I’m scared, unsure, I run a mile at the thought of exposing my heart, but I put up a damn good front.    It’s the mean reds. I let myself be Holly when I need to be, she did in the end, overcome her fears and go for it after all. 

Today, I’m Holly.  Hopefully tomorrow I’ll be Sarah.  One day, hopefully I’ll just be me.