It seems the only thing anyone believes anymore is that life without trite controversy and arrogance is life not lived.

I’ve grown up watching my friends, family and peers become more and more cynical to the point of breaking. Either we create controversy or we have a good time watching other people go at it.

A guy in one of my classes is viciously Christian, and at every given opportunity, he brings up his faith and tries backing it up with his “superior” intellect. However, anyone actually paying attention will immediately notice he uses pastoral clich‚ and basic logic rules he probably learned freshman year.

Of course, anyone who second-guesses him is either biased against Christians or just plain “doesn’t get it.” It seems like this guy doesn’t really love Jesus — he simply loves being a brainy Christian in a backlashing American society.

On the other side of things, a guy in another class of mine is fiercely atheist and a half-assed intellectual to boot. His favorite thing to do is point out how wrong everyone else is.

It goes without saying that his own ideals don’t apply to himself, just to those he’s trying to make fun of. He gets one of those patronizing smirks on his face every time someone proves him wrong as if to say, “You wish you were smarter than me.”

I’d say he doesn’t really hold any of his beliefs strongly, but just strongly enough to make you look dumb.

That way he can change what he believes whenever necessary in order to mock someone else. However, humility suits intelligence better — he’s really not convincing anyone.

Then, of course, there are always those who like to sit back and let the sparks fly while getting a good laugh out of it.

I’d like to be able to say, “Back in the day, people helped each other out.”

However, I don’t remember that ever being the case.

Why can’t we all just grow up?

Or maybe, since really young children are the most honest people I’ve ever met, some regression is in order.

David Yoshimura

Junior

English