Just a Hallow, Lying, Bad Tasting Shell

So, I was watching a movie today, and this line came up: "A true story about fortune cookies. They look Chinese. They sound... Chinese. But they're actually an American invention. Which is why they're hollow, full of lies, and leave a bad taste in the mouth." Yes that quote is from Iron Man 3's very own, The Mandrin. What're you gonna do, judge me? Well before you do that, I only just jumped on The Avengers band wagon at Christmas time. I've had a lot if movies to catch up on and not much time to do it. Alright?

Anyway, that isn't my point. What I did want to talk about is the quote itself. Because we're Americans, supposedly we're hallow, full of lies and distasteful. Well, there's a nice thought. But it got me thinking about my own life and my own hallow shell - which, at the moment, is burned to a frickin' crisp from being in the sun (but I was on vacation, so it sucks to be you). 

The first point The Mandrin mentions if hollow-ness; the fact that all Americans seem hollow. But that can't be true, because my friends, family and I aren't hollow, right? Well, upon thinking about it, I began to think that maybe we are. I mean, aren't we all in this world to be successful, to be happy, and to make a name for ourselves? Doesn't that seem to be the current pressure society places on human existence? I think that in order to be not hollow, we have to start thinking about other people, to start being humble. But being humble doesn't mean that we put ourselves down constantly: that's low self-esteem. What being humble is is caring about everyone, your neighbor and yourself included, equally. I think trying to practice being humble is the first step to becoming in-hollow. 

Now the second point The Mandrian made was that Americans are full of lies. And don't I know that to be true. Look at it: "free healthcare for everyone", "land of the free and home of the brave", "we're nice to everyone", "let freedom ring", etc. we're full of it. And yet, I can't help but jump to my country's be dense on this one. Now, I'm ine of those odd Americans who, and yes we do exists, that thinks there country isn't the best around. I'm not saying that I think America is the absolute dump or that I'm not patriotic every now and again, but what I am saying is that we have a lot of flaws that need to be fixed. And I don't just think that America is the only country that lies. But that, again, isn't my point. What I'm trying to get at here is that everyone lies, it's a sad fact of life, and saying that only Americans lie is a very big understatement: yes, we lie, but have you looked at yourself? I'm not trying to make lying seem acceptable, but I'm trying g to shift the view a little. Lying isn't acceptable, but it's also something that everyone deals with. Does that make sense? Lying sucks, but putting all then lying blame on America sucks too. And that's all I gotta say about that. 

Now the "leaves a bad taste in your mouth" I definitely don't have a problem with. I think that America does leave a bad taste in people's mouths. Why? Because it leaves a bad taste in my own mouth most of the time. There is a country (Switzerland, maybe? It's somewhere in Europe) who had totally eliminated human trafficking from their country by putting a crack down on pimps and creeps. And yet, here we are in America, letting it grow at a sickening speed. In America, we take money away from the food stamp program to make sure we can feed our kids two meals at school so they can get at least two meals a day, but then we're also spending millions of dollars a year in a war that ISN'T OUR PROBLEM! (There, someone finally said it). Oh yeah, and we're trillion upon trillions of dollars in debt. 

Ick. Thats definietly all I have to say about that. 

So what can we do? People are seeing Americans as a group of terrible people filled with nasty stereotypes, some of which I think we love up to or even exceed. But there has to be a way to change that. And, this may seem cheesy, but I think that's exactly where the God piece comes in. Without God, we're a bunch of broken people, who deserve to live up to the shitty stereotypes (all of us, not just Americans). But that's why we have a perfect God to follow and be like. 

Talk about the ultimate tape measure fail right there (hence, my blog title). But that's why we have Jesus, a totally human-God to look up to, marauder, and be like. 

So, I'm reverting to the classic christian answer for this one: be more like Jesus. But hey, if that's not going to change anything, I don't know what will. Let's at least bop 'em on the head with something they aren't expecting. 
-Carly

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