Coopernundrums

Tomorrow is my birthday.  I am not a big believer in things either lucky or unlucky so the fact that it falls on Friday and is the 13^th day of the month really doesn’t bother me.  On the contrary it sort of excites me because I love to see people’s reactions when I try to have birthday celebrations on a Friday the 13^th. This year had no less than THREE Friday the 13^th’s in it. 

     I looked it up and there are several possible explanations why the day is interpreted as being unlucky or having a bad omen on it.  All of them are inherently silly like the belief that there is something wrong with the number 666.  Here are just a few for your brain to ponder.

-          Several theological scholars believe that Christ is thought to have been crucified on a Friday, which was a rather popular execution day among the Romans. (Yet, Christians don’t call it Bad Friday.)

-          Friday was known in Britain as Hangman’s Day on which execution by rope hanging were carried out.

-          In numerology, the number twelve is considered the number of completeness, as reflected in the twelve months of the year, twelve signs of the zodiac, twelve hours of the clock, twelve tribes of Israel, twelve Apostles of Jesus, twelve gods of Olympus, etc., whereas the number thirteen was considered irregular, transgressing this completeness.

-          There is also a superstition, thought by some to derive from the Last Supper or a Norse myth, which having thirteen people seated at a table will result in the death of one of the diners.

-          Friday has been considered an unlucky day at least since the 14th century’s The Canterbury Tales, and many other professions have regarded Friday as an unlucky day to undertake journeys or begin new projects.

-          Black Friday is a term that has been associated with stock market crashes and other disasters since the 1800s.

-          All the Knights Templar in France, a monastic military order founded in Jerusalem in 1118 C.E., whose mission was to protect Christian pilgrims during the Crusades were  secretly arrested Friday, October 13, 1307 – Friday the 13^th

     No matter how you interpret this it is still a pretty silly belief.  Although this one, unlike some others I won’t go into, is pretty benign.  In fact it’s pretty humorous.  Now go walk under some ladders behind black cats and don’t forget to throw some salt over your shoulder while you do.

It really pains me to admit this.  I seem to have fallen into that social group that has to check their social networking websites daily.  A very interesting phenomenon has caught my attention.  People whome you know or knew in the past,  initially accept your “friend” requests and then once they get wind of anything about you they no longer like they “DE-friend” you.  This is such a funny occurrence that it made me laugh and laugh once I figured out it was happening.  It’s not just an issue with myself. I have spoken to many others that have had the same thing happen to them.

   I am not blatantly out to offend by any means but, I am quite the outspoken critic of organized religion.  So much so that I have atheistic catch phrases and blurbs on my social networking profiles.  This is usually the source of the tumult when it comes to folks that no longer want to be my “friend”.  I realize that my belief systems run contrary to the southern norms.  It just amuses me to see how small a box some people live in and how they keep the “big bad world” out of their lives by cutting off any hint of things that they dont agree with.
   I dont blame the people themselves either.  It has never ceased to amaze me how many parents brain wash their youngsters into their own belief systems without ever giving the children a chance to form their own opinions or ideals.  Most of the people that have “DE-friend-ed” me were people I went to school with or people i knew from the different places I have lived. They were endoctrinated into such beliefs. People seem to be ”pals” as long as  no ones opininon conflicts with the “moral majority” Most adults they find it easier to tune these kind opinions out.  Funny funny.
   If you have any friends like this, take pity on them. They will probably never know what its like to break out of the confines of the little shallow worlds they have built for themselves.

  I myself have never been and never will go to college.  I am a FIRM believer that wanting a college education means only one of two things.  You are either a narrow minded individual with grand aspirations of wealth, glory, and fame, or you are a gifted individual with the need to further your studies in hopes of acquiring a job in a vocational, business, engineering, or technical area.  I see no benefit in anything colleges offer these days for average Joe’s like myself, other than that elusive paper document that MIGHT get you more cash in your next dead end job.  That being said, my real target today is college admissions.

  Has there EVER been a more elitist practice in this world?  To be told you are not good enough to even LEARN is pretty discouraging, don’t you think? All too often the college admissions process comes down to another human beings impression of you instead of your academic abilities.  That last bit is a gripe I have that I will save for another blog, another time.  How did we ever get into the position where one school is better than another thus compelling people to turn college admissions into a competition?  Did you read that? People are COMPETEING to learn?  What a backwards premise. What a demoralizing prospect to have decent grades and be an intelligent person and STILL be told, “sorry your not good enough..well for US, anyway.”

  When the institution of college was first invented it was intended to complete or improve upon the skills learned in elementary and high schools. It was suppose to refine and enhance what you already learned.  You could tell a person that had attended a “college” from one that had not.  These days that last statement is a joke.  Any jerk with enough cash or stamina to outlast the tremendous debt can get a degree.  I have seen too many of my peers waste their time and money on “degree” and come out making either less money than myself or being stuck doing something they hate.

  I just feel that its become more of a game to get into and complete college and I think it’s a system in dire need of reform.  All people should be entitled to the SAME education if they desire it.  NO ONE should EVER be told that they are not accepted to ANY school teaching what they desire to learn, EVER.