Things Just Are

The one T.V channel I can't stand is Disney Channel. Paraphrasing an excerpt on My Ishmael, humans are stuck between two kinds. They are superior to animals but inferior to angels. At least that's what most humans think, including the creators of Disney Channel. Disney stories highlight humans as superiors. "In The Little Mermaid", Ariel wants to be human. "In The Lady and the Tramp", living with men is the best thing that could happen to a dog. In one way or the other, humans are practically worshipped. This is scary, considering we heard all these stories when we were little. It's similar to what they do in A Brave New World when they brainwash kids at young age.

A few years ago, Disney Channel released a new series with the name "Why Me." It's about a girl who questions every bad thing that happens to her, as if someone had chosen her on purpose. I've seen this show, (not proud of it) and I can tell you the things that happen to her happen to absolutely everybody. She's a typical 10 year old girl, embarrassed of her parents and bothered by her older sister. Then of course, as almost every person in this world, she feels self pity.

There's an addicting webpage, fmylife.com where people post bad things that have happened to them. Under the post, you can click on two tabs. Either, "I agree your life is sucks" or, "you totally deserve it". Contradicting the show "Why Me?", this webpage shows bad things can happen to everyone. It's not like the universe conspires against you and is dedicated to make your life miserable.

It's amazing how unlucky we think we are. Why me, why me, we often ask ourselves. When Billy Pilgrim is taken by the Tralfamadorians, he asks this. They respond:"Well, here we are, Mr. Pilgrim, trapped in the amber of this moment. There is no why." (PDF) Things happen just because. We're taught since a young age that things happen for a reason. For example, Lucy's parents might say: "You don't get cookies because you behaved badly." What if Lucy wasn't misbehaving? What if it was her sister? She'll automatically think, why me? These examples plus others shown by the media make self pity inevitable for us. We always think there's a reason why things happen.

"Why me? That is a very Earthling question to ask, Mr. Pilgrim. Why you? Why us for that matter? Why anything? Because this moment simply is." (PDF)

The next time you ask yourself, why me?, just remember there is no why.