Be That Sore Thumb

Written By: Troy Harris

"Individual liberty is individual power, and as the power of a community is a mass compounded of individual powers, the nation which enjoys the most freedom must necessarily be in proportion to its numbers the most powerful nation." -John Quincy Adams

You ever wonder why America is becoming less and less powerful in the world everyday? Or why we can't seem to break this cyclical process of our ignorant tradition? Why are so many of us afraid to be different? Why don't people take pride in their gifts and other things that make them differ from the flock? Why does the "system" teach us to conform at all costs to increase our chances of success? Doesn't this seem wrong?

So the true question is.... Why don't people do anything about it? (

Breaking a habit takes work and most people don't like doing work. Trying to stop or start doing something that you have or haven'y been doing all of your life is difficult, so most people consider society's oppressive nature to be less harming than the difficulties of turning over a new leaf and starting something different and they are content. What we fail to realize is that without conflict, growth cannot and does not exist.

Now, there are a lot of people out there who are aware of this unfortunate predicament we, as Americans, are in. Sadly, the people who want to break away from the norm become discouraged because of the lack of support (family, encouragement, money, etc.) they would receive for their actions (I've fallen victim to this as well).The reality is that the way our society has been constructed, whether right or wrong, can completely dominate our options, opinions, lifestyles, careers, decisions etc. to fit the skewed, lopsided, and clouded version of living what we like to call "The American Dream". So, naturally, when people's ideas don't align with this standard, they get discouraged and often times fall back "in line".

Imagine this:

What if the stigma around "sore thumbs" was altered to that of a more desirable position in society? One that showed what it TRULY meant to find yourself, recognize your individual differences, and fortify them for the utmost benefit. The result would be awesome. There would be so many "sore thumbs" that eventually the regular "thumbs" would feel the need to conform (which is to NOT conform in this case) and things would undoubtedly be better.

At the end of the day, you truly can only control yourself. The central theme of the quote above is that a country's power is directly related to the amount of individuals within that country who aren't afraid to be themselves. Simple enough. It starts with YOU. Start something today. Most people are really just afraid of what they are capable of and it takes a brave someone to affect their environment with individualistic positivity to spark the "snowball effect" of unconformity.

"Dream big. And when you wake up, make it happen."

The Necessity of Counterbalance: Mental Stability

Written by Gabriela Blanco:

I was up late last night doing research on what balance meant and what counterbalance meant. I even spent all day observing my family and my interaction with them and vice versa.

After a day of hi and lows, after looking up the definition of both words, and testimonies through the blogs of others, I've come to one conclusion; chaos is absolutely necessary for the survival of mankind; therefore, mental health is the key to this locked door of survival.

Mental stability exists in everything we do, whether it is school, career, romantic relationships to friendships, and even in self-validation.

For everything that goes up and down, the option of going left and right exists.

For everything that is black and white, people can still see things in bright colors & dull colors.

For everything that is good and bad, there are justifications for it all.

So why is this? Why does contradiction exist? Do people not understand how much confusion is cause in the thought process because of it?

I believe it is because the power of CHOICE is what ultimately defines who you are and that power in the wrong hands is self-destructive. I have struggled with choosing and honestly, I have picked up the poor habit of being indecisive. Luckily, I am taking steps everyday to change that by simply reminding myself, "make the HONEST choice." It helps me to focus on what my heart and mind agree on. Helps me trust myself.

How often have you heard a loved one say, "I didn't have another choice..." or, "What else was I suppose to do?" Of course, we have probably said it ourselves to others. Now how often have you gotten upset because of their choices? How often have you been your toughest critic because of the choices you've made?

Being mad, angry, upset, or simply feeling let down is all a part of our brain activity. Though it is natural and normal to feel those things, if not treated properly, it can lead to major (or minor) mental disorders. Anxiety, stress and depression run DEEP in the black community; however, people do not speak about it to each other because they do not want to seem weak or like something is wrong with them. Yet, people get upset when something happens to their family or friends because that person decided to not speak up. BAM! Negative counterbalance.

The statistics are very much right in front of you, therefore do not hesitate to talk about what is right or wrong. Respect what other believe in because although you do not have to agree, you should always be understanding. Never know when judgement day will come for you. At the end of the day, it isn't your life they are basing a decision on, it is theirs! You must be understanding of the journey people decide to take with their lives. Life isn't personal; and if the choices others make are or seem that way, it is out of your control anyway, so why stress over it?

Counterbalance is an equal amount of force coming back. Feeling challenged? It is only because you are going back on what you have already made a choice on. Stick to your original plan; Follow through; TRUST yourself! The balance you create in your world is the one that is in tune with your mind, heart, and spirit! Don't contradict your own beliefs if you do not have the mental stability for it. Try new things, yes! But do not change the way you narrow you choices and make a decision just so you don't seem like a hypocrite. What others think about you isn't any of your business anyway.

Stay happy, emotionally, spiritually, and mentally. It's key to surviving.

What was Buddha Talking About Anyway?

All that we are is the result of what we have thought. If a man speaks or acts with an evil thought, pain follows him. If a man speaks or acts with a pure thought, happiness follows him, like a shadow that never leaves him.
Buddha

All things appear and disappear because of the concurrence of causes and conditions. Nothing ever exists entirely alone; everything is in relation to everything else.
Buddha

All wrong-doing arises because of mind. If mind is transformed can wrong-doing remain?
Buddha

He is able who thinks he is able.
Buddha

He who experiences the unity of life sees his own Self in all beings, and all beings in his own Self, and looks on everything with an impartial eye.
Buddha

I do not believe in a fate that falls on men however they act; but I do believe in a fate that falls on them unless they act.
Buddha

Just as a candle cannot burn without fire, men cannot live without a spiritual life.
Buddha

The mind is everything. What you think you become.
Buddha

When Adversity Becomes Your Inspiration . . .

There’s a line in a Quest song that states, “When adversity becomes your inspiration, a MAN will arise.”

That line is very powerful because the only thing that is promised on this Earth plane when going after a goal is FRICTION and ADVERSITY.

This adversity comes into your life through situations and obstacles that will challenge you and force you to get around them in order for you to get closer and eventually acquire or achieve the goals that you have set for yourself.

In order for you to be a NEW you with a NEW thing, or have a NEW notch under your belt, you would have to, in essence, go through an experience that will mold you into being the NEW person that you need to be in order to handle any challenge.

The things that are the most worth it in life and what we cherish the most are those things that we found DIFFICULT. It’s a triumphant feeling to climb Mount Everest because quite frankly it’s HARD to do.

The fact of the matter that we must accept is that we’re going to go through things like pain, suffering, death, and hard times in order for us to not only LEARN, but EVOLVE into the people that we need to be to handle future situations.

It is easy to stay away from difficult situations; and that’s also very boring. It’s really easy to just sit on your couch and smoke weed all day. In doing so, you’re never going to face any contrast or adversity on your day to day life, but you’re also not going anywhere either.

When a man or woman has goals and chases them he or she will find that there is always some sort of adversity that lie in his or her path, and that should be a sign to them that they are on the right path.

Reading a book is hard because it takes focus and concentration to read every single page, but after you take in all of the knowledge you will be able to think from a completely different perspective that is better apt to make decisions based on what you’ve learned.

Staying on a workout regiment is hard because if you don’t stay on your schedule you’ll never get results. But if you do stay steadfast and strong, you will see all of the results that you’ve imagined.

Starting a business is hard, but once you do EVERYTHING that you need to do and have covered all bases, you will find that you are the most happy working for yourself like you originally wanted to but didn’t think you could do it.

Being in a relationship with someone is hard because you really have to understand and respect another person for all of their traits good and bad, but when you work through the hard times, you’ll find you have a mate that will stick by your side forever and ALWAYS be there when you need someone, even when you don’t think you do.

When ADVERSITY pops up, and you counter it with confidence and pride, you will emerge to be a better, stronger person.

A MAN will ARISE.


Download Quest - The Anecdote

The Kids Don't Stand A Chance

Written By: Troy Harris

"We're trapped inside the matrix. Forced to play our hands. We're filled with so much hatred. The kids don't stand a chance." - B.o.B

I had the privilege of being able to speak at a local middle school's Career Day today with one of my good friends. When I originally heard that I was on the program I was excited. For those of you that don't know me, I love to inspire others to feel the same feeling of fire that I feel everyday. Nevertheless, I showed up excited for the day to come.

We were assigned to an 8th grade class to talk to them about the importance of college and the benefits of attending an HBCU (FAMU in particular). When I first stepped foot in the room, I heard murmurs and whispers about how young we looked and that we didn't "look" like we had anything important to say. About midway through our spiel about SATs and study habits, I noticed the general sense of boredom shared by most of the children in the class.

One student was asleep. One wasn't paying attention at all. A few were conversing in the back of the class, and at times the teacher seemed like she lacked control of both their attention and actions. In fact, at times, the only individuals that would listen were the few that had actually visited FAMU's campus before. I soon realized that if the children can't relate, then they won't be interested. If they're not interested, then they won't learn. Period. "A mind is like a parachute. It works best when open."

With this in mind, I decided to switch it up a bit to a more atypical, interactive session. I began to ask them about their dreams and aspirations, trying my best to stray from the cliches ("stay in school", "follow your dreams", etc.), which I knew they would naturally tune out. We began to garner more interest as the conversation progressed. We started talking more about what they WANTED to do than what they were FORCED to do.

We discovered that the inattentive kid in the back was a guitar player who was out casted by his peers because of his unconventional skill ("Black people don't play the guitar nigga!") The kids in the back both wanted to be architects and artists, but just didn't feel the need to express it because of their environment. The kid that was sleep had dreams of being an entrepreneur but was under stimulated by talks of "fitting in" After a while every kid had stood up and said what they really wanted to do with their life and in the eyes of the youth I saw drive and passion. A rewarding experience to say the least.

All in all, the talk was ultra productive. Instead of GPAs, ACTs, and scholarships. We spoke of discovering, seizing, and reaching their full potential. At the end of the day, SCHOOL REALLY ISN'T THAT IMPORTANT. Even the most staunch conformist will tell you that it isn't always WHAT you know that gets you places in life. So I encouraged the hoop dreamer to keep playing basketball, and the guitarist to keep strumming because after all, its YOUR life to live, and no one else's. Money isn't everything.... really.

Strangely, my own words became applicable to my personal life. And yours too. Life is for living. For experiencing. For exploring and discovering. The thing I've learned in the classrooms while in school have, and probably will, be of little benefit to REAL LIFE. Get out of the matrix. Believe little of what you hear and some of what you see. Only embody the lessons learned, and you'll make it. I encourage everyone to read Carter G. Woodson's "The Mis-Education of the Negro". Learn, because an empty mind in America will be filled with thoughts and ideals that shouldn't be there. If we don't help the kids, who will?

I'm on my way. You should join me.

YOU, the most important person in the universe.

What if you were the most important person in the universe?”

What if the actions that you made today had the potential to impact EVERYONE on the planet for the next 500 years?  What if when you stand up and to speak your mind, you inspire MILLIONS of people to be better? What if you realized that you dreamed, and because you did, people have the courage to chase theirs?  What if you knew there was going to be a giant bronzed statue of you made one day? What would you want it to symbolize? What if you knew that no matter what adversity lie in your face, that you could overcome and ALWAYS win as long as you had faith in yourself? What if YOU were God, or a part of God ... and you were unstoppable? What if you found out that you were MORE than what people tell you, you are because they were scared of what might happen if you really understood how much impact you could make? What if your DREAMS were a message from God on the path that you should walk to live a HAPPY LIFE, carefree and blissful for all eternity? What if your face was going to be in history books?  What if children say they want to be like YOU?

Would you act the same?  Would your days still run the same way? Would you have different hobbies?  Would you study the same thing in school?  Would you be hang out with the same people?  Would you be more confident?  Would you ever give up?

What if, it is really the way you THINK that determines the way your life goes and when you are GRATEFUL, CONFIDENT, and OPTIMISTIC you are doing your best?

Would you still think the same?  Would you still act the same?

Wouldn’t you LOVE LIFE?

Isn’t it TIME for you to LIVE NOW?

Live.

Ignorance is Bliss, but IMAGINE the POSSIBILITIES

They say ignorance is bliss, and to a certain extent, this is true. It’s rather easy to go day by day and be completely oblivious to who you really are, what you’re really capable of, and what’s going on in the world.

See when you choose to be open to the TRUTH about things, you’ll notice that things become a littler harder because you see that there’s a lot more responsibility. If you want your life to be better it relies completely on YOU, you control the way you think, the way you carry yourself, and the way you act.

When you find out what you really are, you find out that the simple flesh and bones explanation that you use to understand the world isn’t quite complete. It can be pretty rough to have to think deeper about EVERYTHING, and to have to reevaluate the world, change your core beliefs and think DIFFERENTLY.

When you take a look around at your country, and the world that you live in and see how backwards, corrupt and wrong things are ... that can REALLY piss you off. They say that the TRUTH will set you FREE, but it’s going to piss you off first ... and it will. Nobody likes to be upset, and of course, it would be easier to remain ignorant. It’s a lot easier to just BLINDLY trust the people that are in charge ...

But if you find out that all of these things that you remained ignorant about are true; your entire WORLD changes ... for the better.

The nice thing about personal responsibility, depending on how hard you work on it, is that your effort will be directly shown and you can make major improvements on yourself that nobody will believe ... and you’ll find out that you are a limitless being that can achieve anything you set your mind to. Doesn’t that sound promising?

The nice thing about finding out what you really are beyond a physical understanding is that you get a chance to see that the complexities of you and the universe are eternal, yet we may never really understand.

With real self discovery, you’ll realize that you are connected with fellow man and the Earth in a way that evokes the most tremendous LOVE within that allows you to share it with the world ... LOVE feels good, I mean REAL LOVE feels good. This loving feeling will not only make you happy,, but you will have a concern for every individual and their life in their own pursuit of happiness. You will realize that you and your fellow man or woman share the same value, and everyone deserves to live the life they truly desire.


... and when you get REALLY mad once you take a conscious look at the society that we live in and see how your people have been brainwashed, controlled, and bamboozled into living a worthless existence based on consumption of material things, a switch inside of you will flick “ON.” When that ON switch is flicked, you’ll realize that you have more power than you ever knew and that on an individual level, you can make an impact. You can inform more of your peers and loved ones of what’s going on so that they don’t fall into the same traps. You will STAND UP. You’ll start thinking of ways that you can save your generation ... and you’ll see that the more people we have with no IGNORANTLY BLISSFUL BLINDFOLD on . . the more people we have to FIGHT BACK for our natural HUMAN RIGHTS and for all the beauty and love that is God given that can never be taken away from us. You’ll have something to really LIVE for.


. . and when you have a REAL relationship with GOD, you’ll find that everything ALWAYS goes your way.


Now that’s what I call BLISS.

Let's Face It, Privacy is DEAD.

They say that in exchange for SECURITY, you must give up FREEDOM. Technology advances have pushed us to an all new level of surveillance and we are more monitored by our government than ever before.

Take a Look at Jessie Ventura's Conspiracy Theory episode, "Big Brother"

Library of Congress Archiving Tweets

"For all of you who "TWEET," You will now be going down in history"



Privacy is definitely something to take into account here. They don't have to ask you if they want to archive your tweets, meaning that ALL tweets will be kept unless you have a private profile.

It's important to realize that EVERYTHING that you do on the internet is stored somewhere. . and all of that information about you is used daily, and you have one hell of a profile in some government office that knows EVERYTHING about you.

Be careful....

Check out this video about Facebook.



Think Think Think . . . This is just about awareness here.

An Inconvenient Truth

"America is a vast conspiracy to make you happy."
-John Updike

What if the "Inconvenient Truth" about Global Warming is that a real problem based on the heating of the Earth by the Sun is being blamed on all of us and we were about to experience the most extreme tax because of it for the profit of a few. What if this Carbon tax is even more cruel because there are loopholes set for the LARGEST contributors to pollution to continue to pump out toxins into the atmosphere as much as they desire. What if the government was lying to you?

Jessie Ventura's "Conspiracy Theory" is a great show and I'll make an effort to post all of the episodes. This is the GLOBAL WARMING episode.













Keep your eyes open, It's good to be aware.