The second library design I had the good fortune of working on as an architect (around 2001) received an additional building plaque upon the building's completion. This bronze plaque was a tad bit smaller scale than the standard plaque (which sat adjacent), and it was cast in honor of the director of the library system herself.
The library system that we worked for relative to designing the building had lost their director to cancer just a few months prior to the building being completed. I'd only worked with her for a few months during the planning phase prior to her getting very sick and having to forego her work as director. This woman was young. If I had to guess, I'd say around my age today (47) or younger, and like every librarian I've ever had the privilege to work with, she was articulate and intelligent with so much steadfastness.
Yesterday, I went to a park in Jackson to run, and due to the superb Spring weather, there were Jacksonians everywhere walking, running, and talking on their pocket computers (all at the same time). Obviously since I was in Jackson, most of these people were black which left me in the minority as a white man, and this got me thinking about blacks in relation to COVID-19.
The aforementioned library system director, Rose, was black. In fact, she was the first professional black woman I'd had the privilege to work with here in Mississippi (which was very cool). After she died, I came across some research that detailed how blacks are more prone to succumb to illness than other races. Illnesses like cancer, heart disease, diabetes type 2...the incurable, life-threatening ones. And this was due to the fact that their bodies don't respond as well to typical forms of medical treatment.
I remember how sad this made me for Rose as well as the entire black community. Especially considering that so many blacks live here in Mississippi. Having grown up here, it was eye-opening to learn this about their race. Because whites and blacks stay so segregated from each other here in Mississippi, it's hard to be sympathetic at all due to the distance that's always there between our two races.
And of course, this got me thinking about the current pandemic, and how perhaps the black community may be more at risk than other races to suffer more / succumb to the virus. Or vice versa. Scary, macabre stuff, I know, but it's difficult not to think about the macabre these days.
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I recall, many years ago, the first commercial air flight I took where the majority of passengers had a tablet device with them. A new friend, sitting adjacent, had one, and he was excited about "HBO GO" or somesuch app that had recently come available. He talked (believe it or not) briefly about recently finalized / concluded HBO programming which he'd obviously enjoyed immensely. Based on what I understood, the HBO GO app would now allow him to seamlessly take the content with him on the go.
When I was a teen, HBO was Home Box Office. It was film content (all PG-rated before 6 PM during weekdays) with some Fraggle Rock thrown in for good measure. HBO was "premium TV programming", and as such cost as much or more than all your other cable programming combined. Hence, few families (here in MS at least) purchased it back in the '80s.
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Terminator was the first R-rated film I believe I screened (in its almost entirety), thanks to HBO (at my best friend's house - one weekend). I vividly remember sitting adjacent to my friend's older sister (she was 16), and having her detail the following commentary to my 14 year-old self as she provided visual aids with her hands.
"I bet his dick is this long."
Even today, whilst recounting that moment, I feel dirty inside. Knowing full well that I shouldn't have been watching due to the corrupting impression that was occurring in real time.
But what was I to do? How could I possibly look away / leave the room?
I was simply too vulnerable to resist.
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Hollywood is owned by the public. The companies that make films, small screen programming are publicly owned. Therefore, they answer firstly to their shareholders. And their shareholders are concerned with nothing more than market value and dividends. Therefore, Hollywood entertainment studios push the boundaries constantly in order to grab as much of the public's attention as they can. And more often than not, that content is hyper-sexualized due to the fact that so many of us are vulnerable to it.
They do not concern themselves with whom is watching. They do not see that as their business.
There's big money to be made in Hollywood. At the expense of so many.
But, as we know, the accumulation of material wealth is first and foremost within the minds of men. People will do just about anything to get rich.
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Where are you vulnerable? Do you know? What steps have you taken to protect yourself? What did that first foray into filth look like for you? What were the specific circumstances where your young eyes were taken advantage of? I believe it's important that you document that to yourself in order to attempt to make peace with it if you believe you'd benefit from it. And finally, are you willing to add to Hollywood's coffers when they refuse to take anyone or anything but their balance sheets into consideration?
A new Samson Society friend told me recently that he'd given his television to a brother in Christ for safekeeping. I thought that was so brave of him to admit to. Especially considering the fact that his employer is partially an entertainment company. Sure, it sounds extreme, but I would argue, during this day and age, extreme measures are needed if you're serious about protecting yourself from your own personal weaknesses.
Put yourself first in this regard. Always. Don't pretend that we're all hardwired the same. That's what our culture (& Satan) attempts to use to deceive us all. Either that or he whispers in our ear that we deserve to be entertained with salacious material. And we all know that's nothing but a crock of shit.
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