MODERATION:       


(First and foremost, I'd like to amend one of my initial statements for this blog - a post might not be up on the daily, but rather, as often as I find something to rant about. This rids me of the guilt of not posting anything for a couple of days because of writer's block or sheer laziness.)

In this virtual era of lightspeed lifestyles and constant consumption, I can say without a doubt that the days of moderation are far behind us. People are becoming less and less edified in the art of being temperant. Today's standards follows a pseudo-Coldstone Creamery set of terms like "want it", "need it," and "gotta have it." There's such an emphasis on instant gratification that we've come to depreciate the value of what we already have, and rather focus on the next big thing. I attribute this to a depletion of moderation practice. So few can say that they are able to restrain themselves from their impulses. Nowadays, you see twelve-year olds with iPhones and iPads. And while we can blame the parents for introducing their preteen with such addicting technology, we also have the current mindset of our era to blame. I suppose it's just one of the repercussions of The Digital Age. We grow increasingly more attached to our belongings in a true Huxleyan fashion, to the point where I've seen folks at restaurants avoid conversation by incessantly texting with their phones.
    Aside from the technological spin on moderation, I've recently been suffocate by its absence in a verbal sense. Allow me to explain - some friends are needy. Too needy. Needy to the point where they need to be conversationally maintained on a day in, day out basis. I resent that notion greatly. As good as a friend as I am, nobody enjoys conversational overload. In short, I've been pestered every day for the past nine days via Facebook. Heck, I don't even chat up my best friends the way we've been communicating. And what irks me is that the topics are always the same, and my responses become shorter and shorter as my attention span depletes. I have no problem with said friend in person, but he virtually, he requires too much attention. Speak IN MODERATION. It's the summer; you should be out doing things of your own. And it's an inevitability that you'll run out of things to talk about when you're constantly in contact with someone. It's like a married couple who just so happens to work at the same place - they have little to talk about when they get home, because they already know everything that went on in the other's day. You have to give people some time to miss you, I believe. Otherwise, conversations run drier than Sarah Palin doing stand-up. Furthermore, my previous take on technological moderation also comes into play with this predicament - Facebook now allows you to see if the person has read your message, which I find invasive and annoying, to be honest. Due to the ever-present urge to stay relevant with what others are doing and writing on Facebook, I find myself losing practice of moderation, as I impulsively give in to the modern notion, which leads to me being spotted, then chatted off a cliff. There's always the option of blocking him, but he'd notice and be very offended. Oh, well, you can't please 'em all, right? I'll have to exercise that thought with much moderation.