MUSIC
From Issue #20
Faze Guest Columnist: Bif Naked
Happiness is a Choice (& Stop Whining)
I am here to complain about
complainers. Complainers suck. I guess
complainers are, ultimately, whiners.
They are the same. They are both weak.
We live in a victim culture. We are encouraged and expected, by society, by
our parents, and by the media to
complain and whine about any
grievances we have. If we feel we’ve
been wronged or slighted in any way, we
get to use that as an excuse to be lazy.
“Oh, she got bitten by a classmate in
the nursery, so now if she doesn’t want
to eat her vegetables, go to soccer, talk
to humans, read books or refuse to
sleep in her own bed… she doesn’t have
to.” Get over yourself!
Ever heard of the Sudan? You don’t
know what hardship is. Our so-called
issues perpetuate our unwillingness to
move forward, rise above adversity or
work hard. We are coddled like infants.
And, what’s worse, this is preferred to
hard work.
It is your responsibility as a global
citizen to educate yourself and gain a
perspective about issues affecting the
world. How can you possibly appreciate
the rad new DC skate shoes you are
wearing, when it does not occur to you
that most kids your age, everywhere
else in the world, aim-not to be rich or
cool-lookin’, but to be safe.
Let me remind you that more than 840
million people in the world are
malnourished and 1.2 billion people in
the world live on less than a dollar a
day. Somehow, our problems with
getting the car for Friday night seem
extremely shallow and unimportant.
Why not feel lucky to be alive instead of
thinking that we are more important
than anyone else? Our society has
raised us to believe we are unique and
special, in the same way it encourages
us to hold and cling to our
“victimization.” We aren't special;
we're lucky to be alive at all. Make up
your mind.
What a society of weaklings we are! We
should be ashamed of ourselves! We
need to stop living in the past, clinging
to our inflated perception of our little,
fragile, so-called important selves.
We should, instead, strive to be leaders.
Strive to become strong, confident, and
competent people who are happy and
healthy, and contributing to better
the world.
Our ability to cope and rise above is
probably a direct reflection of our
intelligence which cannot always be
measured in the standard grading
system. Take, for example, Individual A,
who gets straight A’s but behaves like a
whining, sniveling, and immature
ingrate. Individual B squeaks by on B’s
and C’s, but feels happy and satisfied
because they are trying their very best,
and, not surprisingly, giving their 100%
effort to all areas in life (school, family,
exercise, nutrition). Which person do
you think is enjoying a better quality
of life?
Making more of an effort to be a
happier person creates infectious
positivism. It will affect every area of
your life. Increasing your efforts will
create habits and increase self-esteem
that will stay with and help you for the
rest of your life. Besides, TODAY IS THE
FIRST DAY OF THE REST OF YOUR LIFE!
Bif’s Favourite Activism Sites
www.ruckus.org
The Ruckus Society provides environmental
and human rights organizers with the tools,
training, and support needed to achieve
their goals
www.earthfirst.org
Earth First! is a front-line, direct action
approach to protecting wilderness
www.researchpubs.com
Your essential counterculture library, which
seeks to maximize creativity and freedom in
a world of consumerism and control
www.greenpeace.org
As a global organization, Greenpeace focuses
on the most crucial worldwide threats to our
planet’s biodiversity and environment
www.thehumanist.org
A zine of critical inquiry and social concern
www.idealist.org
A directory with more than 33,000
non-profit and community organizations
in 165 countries
Photo courtesy of Hype Music and
Her Royal Majesty’s Records
