Life, Monetarily Speaking

So check this out:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080710/ap_on_re_us/value_of_life

Apparently, the value of American life just isn't what it was used to. It made me laugh out loud mainly because I didn't know the government statistically evaluates in monetary value the worth of a person's life....

According to the article, the government does this to figure out if we are worth it for investments in projects for things such as, oh, pollution control. I guess since our value as people have decreased due to a recent configuration of our net worth.....we just aren't worth it (right now) to care.

Just because the dollar's worth has went down, did not mean so should we. There are critics who are upset with this (and in my opinion rightly so) that the Bush administration asked for this recalculation for political gain....they just didn't want the Environmental Protection Agency to be spending so much on "useless" projects.

I mean, if we have to figure this out according to our budget and how much money we really have to allocate for things, I understand. But it is funny to see how it somehow correlates to our worth in human lives....which it does! But isn't it sending out a signal to everyone that they just don't care? (And is anybody really surprised?)

Time for Change?

I am contemplating a major overhaul of my blog. I want to create a more thematic element to it instead of its episodic randomness. I may even change the address to this blog to fit the subject matter.

I am not so sure what I want to make it into. During this summer, I have been spending a lot of time studying religion, mainly because there never seems to be enough time set aside in my life for it. I end up being too busy due to classes, events, or just life. But the thing is, religion is so essential to a person's life, to the point where it shapes who you become or want to become.....how is it possible that anybody should be too busy for it? Or at least to understand what you are following?

I had a conversation with a friend of mine, and she and I definitely came to the conclusion that too many people out there robotically follow the mantra of what they believe in, but never actually checked out the references to realize why they do that. Why do you follow the religion you believe in? It makes sense to you right? Or is it because so far it just works for you until something better comes along?

There could be so many different reasons, but at least by setting aside time to authenticate your religion for yourself, you could at least authenticate yourself as an individual.

Anyway, that is what I am going through this summer. My eyes are opening up to a whole new world of hidden mysteries and sometimes it is a little scary. To think that sometimes I take at face value what people around me say without really figuring out where it comes from. Sometimes.....these people don't even know.....they never looked themselves......but would rather live an easier life of not knowing than discovering possibilites that they never knew exist for them.

Comfort in familiarity can only last you so long. In the end, what is familiar can be detrimental to society and you as an individual. Sometimes, when you become brave enough to discover what you are looking for with an open mind to allow yourself to be wrong.....you find out that life was supposed to be easier. Humans have a strange way of making life complicated.

So with that, I am almost scrapping this blog and replacing it with one with a more religious undertone. I just feel like exploring my views on it, but with the world. I feel that my personal life and nuances may just have to stay to myself (unless you truly want to tune into it, you are just going to have to email me....).

Anyway, I believe this summer was well worth the effort in independent study in Islam and I feel it would be a shame if I left it to myself. Or I could just start another blog with that theme....hmmm. I have too much to think about right now.