Life's Purpose

I wasn't planning on writing a blog entry tonight. But my friend and former coworker published a new entry in her blog: heidiannehood about Life Purpose. She invited the readers of her blog to answer the following questions:

1. Do you think you have a Purpose… a Unique Purpose?
2. What do you think it is?
3. Did you do anything special to figure out the Purpose, or is it something that you have just known all your life?
4. What do you do to fulfill your Purpose?
5. Do have doubts and insecurities regarding your Purpose?
6. Do you think I am completely mad and there is absolutely nothing to the idea of Unique Purpose. We are here to exist, the end.

Here are my responses to her questions: 

1. I believe a do have a unique purpose! The problem is it is like a jigsaw puzzle to me. I can see part of my purpose, but some of the pieces are still missing. I have found that my purpose or calling is being slowly revealed through the course of my life. I suspect other individuals have a unique purpose too. In John Irving's novel, A Prayer for Owen Meany, Owen Meany firmly believes that his life is leading up to a critical pivotal moment where he realizes his purpose. He knows it involves being tossed up in the air by his best friend, Johnny Wheelwright. He does not know for what reason that is, but is certain his purpose will be revealed at the right time. That is the best way I can describe it. 

2. Fortunately, some of the pieces of my purpose in place already! I know my purpose involves people: comforting them, and helping them to learn and to grow. I also know deep down, when I am at my best, I seek Truth. I seem to always dig below the surface searching for philosophical truth and wisdom. Over the years, my connections with people have gone beyond the United States and I am now communicating with people all over the globe. 

3. I spend some time each day in the morning reading scripture, playing the guitar and reading devotionals. I like to wander away in nature and spend time just watching and listening. Lots of people come and go in my life and I feel like each one teaches me something. I hope I do the same for them. As far as the second part of the question about knowing something about my purpose, I would say no. I was a bit of a mess growing up. 

4. I connect with people and listen to people. I pray. I read scripture. I listen to music. I pay attention to nature and animals. 

5. I used to but not anymore. The is a mysterious large phenomenon in space called the Great Attractor. Astronomers do not fully understand it, but it is pulling the Milky Way Galaxy and many other galaxies too it. My life has a Great Attractor. That is God to me and his Son Jesus Christ. I am being lead somewhere. I know that much. 

6. No, you are not mad. Would I be answering these questions if I thought you were. 

Rage against Facebook

Ever experience Facebook fatigue like I have? I think of Facebook as this artificial world of friendship created by Mark Zuckerberg and his team, where family, friends and acquaintances can share pictures, make personal comments and "LIKE" all kinds of third party content, like quotes, political talking points, boilerplate political zingers, smoothie businesses, and cute cat pictures.

Facebook is an artificial world similar to the arena in the "Hunger Games" where outside game masters control the playing field, the atmosphere, and the surroundings, yet when one logs onto Facebook, one is in no danger of being stabbed, blown up, impaled or shot. However, there is an audience that watches the Facebook users.

 I am not referring to the friends or friends of friends that see ones. posts, comments or "LIKES", but rather Mark Zuckerberg and and his corporate cronies at Facebook who monitor users words, posts and activities, keeping record of what you like, who you like and the keywords one uses. Facebook then uses the data and meta data gleaned from all this activity and sell it to companies wanting to market products to  specific demographics and psycho-graphic profiles and interests.

In other words, if you use Facebook, YOU are the product they are selling!

Also Facebook provides a convenient one stop shop for the NSA to keep tabs on all of us #hipster social media users. 

Occasionally, the controllers of Facebooks artificial world are not satisfied with some aspect of activity relating to one user or many user, these controllers will nudge the users into doing something they want. 

For example, I sometimes get an email or notification from Facebook with a message like: "Why not post something on Joey Smitherbee's Wall? "

Such types of suggestions or nudges from the Facebook overloads are irritate me to no end. 

Another thing, among many things that irritates me about Facebook is when people post a controversial comment related to some political position. In the past I would take the bait and post a dissenting but respectful comment. 

More often than not the person will take offense at the comment and that users Facebook friends will circle the wagons around their friend posting inane and facile retorts against my comment. It doesn't take long before the thread grows to 50 to 70 comments and the only people that care are the ones commenting. 

I once saw a cartoon where one of the characters in the strip made the comment. "Something is wrong on the Internet!" referring to an perceived need to hold up his side in a comment melee. 

There are some that consider Facebook to be their personal blog. That is fine I guess, but I prefer to keep it real on my own personal blog!

Finally, enough with the "slactivism" or "LIKING" causes on Facebook in order to save the world without leaving ones couch or PC. 

Yes, I would love to leave Mark Zuckerberg's fake friendship world except it does offer medium to communicate with people I wouldn't be able to otherwise. So I guess I will visit the Facebook arena now and again, but I have dreams of leaving and there will be a day I do.