Elevated Thoughts’ Latest: The Prelude
Peace everyone. Welcome to Elevated Thoughts' Latest. This blog serves as updates and/or changes I've made or have been making with the brand (if any).
And...there aren't any updates, so why lie?
I've taken a long hiatus from focusing on the brand, I stopped focusing on it in early 2022. I’ve disabled online ordering on the brand website and will remain that way for a while. I've been focusing on life, but not in a bad way. I've been investing my time into my family, work, school, health, and overall mental well-being. I was still doing this stuff before shifting focus away from the brand, just not as focused as I am now.
Throughout the years, I've invested a lot of time, money, sweat, and tears into the brand. I've made many sacrifices to create the brand and keep it alive throughout its active years. But, to tell you the truth, I did not see the results I wanted to see from the brand (financially). It's been an amazing experience as an aspiring entrepreneur, a business owner, and managing a brand with a socially conscious purpose. I've made amazing friends because of my brand, it's been a spiritually satisfying experience to say the least.
The (Temporary) Falloff
However, I invested thousands of dollars into Elevated Thoughts and didn't make a profit. I take full responsibility for it, I never learned how to properly manage a company. I never seeked help from anybody when the workload became overwhelming. I was stubborn but I still made the effort, trying to learn as I went. However, that wasn’t enough and I realized that Elevated Thoughts’ success is further away than I would’ve wanted it to be. Eventually, I became exhausted with not seeing the fruits of my labor grow.
At the end of the day, it's not just about the money. But in any business venture, it's important to see profits. How could a business succeed without turning profits?
Besides financial reasons, I had to take a mental health break for personal reasons too. I also put personal goals aside because I was so engulfed into my business, I was determined to succeed. But success isn't achieved by sheer determination alone. I can go on about the mistakes I've made, but I won't. Instead, I'll mention personal (positive) changes I've made since I took a break from the brand.
Personal Endeavors
I started investing into several investment accounts to build wealth; including a Roth IRA, a leisure spending account, a dream account (to become a homeowner ). I want to own multiple properties to have passive income and create generational wealth. The majority of inspiration knowledge I received came from a book titled The Automatic Millionaire by David Bach, I highly recommend you to read it!
I returned to school earlier this year with the goal to graduate with an Associate of Business degree then earn a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Entrepreneurship. I chose this career path because not only would this degree help me attain a good paying job as an administrator or a managerial position, but it is also to help guide me through the perils of entrepreneurship. It’s so I can learn as much as there is to know about entrepreneurship; hiring employees, knowing my target audience, managing the legal aspects, etc. I know that I can still learn all of this without a degree via the internet, but I’ve tried that and it hasn’t worked for me. At this point, school is my only option, I’m determined to earn my degrees and continue to spread the message of Elevated Thoughts.
I became more mindful of my health; going jogging and hitting the gym more often. Although I do have times of inconsistency with my physical activity routine which is understandable, I’m only human and I’m still learning to balance the different things I’m doing. I’m learning to live in the present moment more, enjoying life as much as possible. I’ve been drawing more often too, creating designs for the brand and some for pleasure.
The Saga Continues
As for a date on when Elevated Thoughts will be back up, I don’t have an answer to that. Could be in one year, could be in three. Only time will tell. But, on a positive note, Elevated Thoughts is my passion, I’ll never give it up. This is only a minor setback but the brand will be back and better than ever before.
I want to thank everyone whose supported the brand over the years, I appreciate you. To everyone still supporting the brand and promoting the message, much love. I have more plans in the works, a lot more designs that I’m working on behind the
scenes. Keep spreading the message, I won’t let you down.
Onward and upward, until next time. Stay tuned and stay elevated.
Cesar Plascencia
PRSPCTV Series V
Peace! Welcome to PRSPCTV! I'm Cesar; the owner & founder of Elevated Thoughts and the proud writer of this blog series.
To the new readers; PRSPCTV (short for perspective) is a blog series I created that breaks down insightful, philosophical quotes. I've always been intrigued by quotes and have always tried to decipher their meanings so I can learn from it. Throughout the years, I've been able to gain a deeper understanding of what these quotes mean; at least, my perception of them. The quotes that I like to dissect mainly come from philosophers of the 3rd century BC during the rise of Stoicism. These quotes are usually short but pack quite a powerful punch.
This is why I bring them to you: so both you and I can gain a deeper understanding of the quote. It's also so we can have an open discussion on the subject at hand. I don't just break it down from personal beliefs and opinions; I also back it with modern scientific research, studies, and theories that support the quote. By gaining this insight, I hope you're able to try to apply it to your lives so you can become a better version of self, as I strive to do the same. As a society, we definitely have the potential to create positive changes in the world; but it all starts with you.
If you haven't already, be sure to check out our Introduction to PRSPCTV blog, where I break down this blog series and dive into Stoicism a bit more.
Quote
"Stop acting so small. You are the universe in ecstatic motion"
- Rumi
What are your thoughts on this quote? Why does it refer to the reader as a 'universe in ecstatic motion'? Let's break it down.
The Breakdown - Part I
"Stop acting so small."
What I believe this part of the quote refers to is how we sometimes view ourselves. Figuratively speaking, of course. We sometimes think and/or believe we don't matter. We think our opinions don't matter. We believe our actions or decisions won't make a difference. We don't see ourselves as influential or impactful.
But your opinions do matter. Your actions and decisions; it all matters. What we do and don't do causes ripple effects within the macrocosm of time and space. Everything we do and everything we don't do. The actions of one has the power to influence anywhere from one person (micro) to millions of people (macro); it's all through the energy you manifest. Even when you influence one person, that person will carry their experience with you in them, and they'll influence others based on those experiences with you and everyone else as well.
A good example is the impact an adult has on a child. As a child grows to become a teenager and later into adulthood, they carry habits and experiences they were raised with or something they picked up and learned from the adults they grew up around i.e. parents, caretakers, family members, teachers, etc. This includes perspectives that adults they grew up around might've had as well.
In this sense, we're acting small because we're allowing ourselves to believe we're small; that our actions and decisions won't make a difference. Therefore, we make decisions and actions based on that mindstate. Even deciding to not act on something is a decision and action within itself. I believe this is why Rumi lets the reader know; stop acting so small. Give yourself more credit. You've made it this far in life. Your opinions matter. Your feelings matter. You matter. Whenever my impostor syndrome kicks in (different subject to touch on), whenever I start to doubt my purpose and existence, I think to myself...there's over 7 billion people on earth (that's a lot people right?). Over 7 billion people, yet there's only one you.
The Breakdown - Part II
"You are the universe in ecstatic motion."
My favorite part of this quote! What does it mean that you're the 'universe in ecstatic motion'? Let's dive into it.
My understanding of this part of the quote will be broken down to two smaller parts: a personal, metaphorical standpoint. What I provide will be from a cosmological view (the entire universe) to a quantum view (atoms, particles, etc). I'm going to try to break this down to the best of my ability, so bear with me.
Metaphorically, we're our own versions of the universe. How so? Well, the universe is comprised of trillions of stars and galaxies. In our Milky Way galaxy, planets orbit around the sun's gravitational pull; the sun provides us with sunlight here on earth. From our galaxy to our existence on earth, everything works in unison. From the oxygen we breathe that's generated from trees, the minerals and vitamins we gain from eating fruits and vegetables, the benefits to drinking water, and so on. This is a cosmological view; from an external perspective, it's what's happening around us.
From a quantum view or internal perspective, our thoughts transmit electrical signals to our brain which allow us to have control over our movements. Our lungs help us inhale/exhale, our heart beat pumps blood throughout our body; our stomach digests our foods and helps our bodies gain the necessary nutrients and vitamins. From our organs down to each and every cell; everything in your body was designed to work in unison and is interconnected; just as the universe is interconnected.
In this sense, we are the universe because every cell, organ, and bone in our bodies work in unison just as the stars, planets, galaxies, and electromagnetic fields all work in unison. We're the universe in ecstatic motion, because we're constantly moving! You could say we're mini versions or portable versions of the universe.
Fun fact! Scientifically, we are made up of the same elements as stars. Yes, you read that right: stars. Humans are made up of 97% of the same atoms as stars: carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, and sulfur. It's crazy, isn't it? Here's a passage taken from a Space.com article:
"The astronomers evaluated each element's abundance through a method called spectroscopy; each element emits distinct wavelengths of light from within a star, and they measured the depth of the dark and bright patches in each star's light spectrum to determine what it was made of."
According to Merriam-Webster, a star is defined as "a self-luminous gaseous spheroidal celestial body of great mass which produces energy by means of nuclear fusion reactions".
Stars produce energy by means of nuclear fusion reactions. Our bodies produce energy through chemical processes via food and drinks; it uses carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. This is possible as foods contain stored chemical energy. The similarities we have with stars and the universe in general are astounding.
The Takeaway
But, I believe this pretty much validates what Rumi said; we are the universe in ecstatic motion. We have the power to bend the very fabric of space and time by what what we do and what we don't do.
Everything we do and don't do changes the present moment forever. From then on, it creates the building blocks for the future.
With everything I mentioned, I hope it brought some sense to those that might've not understood the quote. Besides the scientific information that I provided, most of what was said is just from my perspective, but intertwined with quantum mechanics. It's who we are; beings made of energy. Everything in this plane of existence is made of energy. I implore you to do your own research so you can come up with your own opinions on quantum mechanics, energy, our selves from a cosmic point of a view, and so on.
Hope you enjoyed this. Drop a comment below and let me know what you think! Until next time, stay tuned and stay elevated. Peace ✌🏼
Elevated Thoughts' Latest: Quarter 1 Edition
Peace everyone. Welcome to a brand new edition of Elevated Thoughts' Latest. We took a hiatus from making blogs and it's been long overdue so we're back! For those unaware, this blog consists of recent news, anything pertaining to the brand; upcoming releases, upcoming sales and/or giveaways, and changes made within the brand. I hope everyone is having a good start to 2022. Thanks for tuning in, with no further delay, let's get into this. 🧠
Recent
I decided to put some products up for sale; these products are the least popular of our catalog. These products are limited edition as they will not be remade, so be sure to cop an item or two! Who knows, they might be worth a lot more in the future!
I've been making several changes to the brand and content; a complete revamping if you will. I've been slowly updating the website and Instagram page. I'm also making some important changes to the brand, which, I believe, will make the brand much better. Shout-out to Estephani, Chris, Carmen, and the handful of other people that give me and have given me advice on the brand, you all know who you are and your opinions/insight are greatly appreciated.
As I become more attuned to my ideal consumer, I'm learning how to personalize the brand more and more. Some of the updates I'm doing to the website is creating a more consise message. I noticed that on some pages I'd promote a Hip-Hop inspired brand, other pages I'd promote a graffiti brand, while on other pages I'd promote a lifestyle brand. They're all true, our main influences are the Hip-Hop culture and graffiti. It's what guided me in my youth, took me into the unknown and what helped me uplift my state of mind. But, along with some guidance, I realized where I truly want to go with the brand. In essence, this brand is about creating thought-provoking designs. I want Elevated Thoughts to embrace most, if not all, cultures and lifestyles. Not exclusive to the Hip-Hop Culture. It's not exclusive to graffiti. I'll always pay homage to Hip-Hop and graffiti though, no doubt. But the purpose is to help spark thought in people. Inspire people to think differently. Motivate people to push themselves and search for their selves and their purpose. Educate the masses by teaching them things they don't know. Informing people on historical events and on our views.
On the Instagram page, I realized that I didn't have consistent content. It's what is referred to as an aesthetic. Having a consistent message along with color branding. Many brands are well known for the colors they use; Coca-Cola with the color red, Pepsi with blue, Supreme with red and so on. Our go-to aesthetic will be black and white.
Why choose a black and white aesthetic?
Good question, I'm glad you asked! What I admire most about these colors is what they represent. Black is the absence or absorption of visible light. White is all colors combined. Black and white are also seen as opposites. I'm sure you're familiar with the Yin Yang symbol? Light and dark. Good and bad. It's a dichotomy. I once heard in a song 'without darkness, it's hard to appreciate the light'. Those words couldn't ring any more true. How would you know what good is if you don't know what bad is? How would you know what bad is without the good? You have to learn to appreciate both the good and the bad. This is what my brand represents. You have to go through the darkness (black) in order to become enlightened (white).
New Releases
At this time I won't be releasing any new products, Elevated Thoughts inventory is pretty full right now but I'm hoping to introduce some more dope designs either by Summer or Fall 2022 so be on the lookout!
Newsletter
To our new readers (and those who haven't already), be sure to subscribe to our newsletter! You can do so by entering your e-mail on the pop-up once you open up our official site or towards the bottom of the page you'll see the form to enter your e-mail. Once you subscribe, you'll receive a 10% off discount for your first purchase. We don't flood your inbox with e-mails like many other companies do. We send the more important stuff pertaining to the brand, such as newsletters, sharing info on blog releases, product releases and such.
To those checking out the blog for the first time and to our current subscribers; thank you for the opportunity and stay tuned for exclusive discounts.
Blogs
Have you checked out our PRSPCTV blog series? If not; it's a blog series that I started which consists of breaking down philosophical quotes. Philosophical quotes are usually very short, but pack a very deep message. These quotes are usually from Stoic philosophers. For those unfamiliar with Stoicism, Stoicism started off as a school of philosophical thought in Greece, back in 3 BCE. Since then, Stoicism has grown into cultural phenomenon that I've come to admire and try to live by. Stoicism is about taking each moment as it comes; embracing the present, without allowing external factors control your feelings negatively. The purpose of the PRSPCTV blog series is to help see things from multiple perspectives; not just for self, but for others as well. I try to dissect what I believe the philosophers underlying message of their quote is. I also try to explain how that quote can be compared to modern times so we're able to relate to it. To read more about it, check it out here.
Coming Soon
We have some great content coming soon; we're working on releasing a PRSPCTV podcast series and more dope blogs that delve into issues that I believe are important to shine a spotlight on. And, of course, we're definitely working on new designs behind the scenes!
As always, I truly appreciate everyone's support. Thank you for reading this edition of Elevated Thoughts' Latest. I'm looking forward to providing you with more elevated content and looking forward to what 2022 has to offer. Don't forget to sign up to the newsletter and follow us on social media; you can find the links on the bottom of this page! If you've purchased any of our products, be sure to leave us a review, we'd greatly appreciate it! Stay safe and stay elevated everyone! Happy New Year's!
Peace and love,
Cesar Plascencia
PRSPCTV Series IV
Peace everyone! Welcome to our PRSPCTV Blog Series IV! I'm Cesar; owner & founder of Elevated Thoughts and your host of PRSPCTV. For our new readers, PRSPCTV (short for perspective) is a blog series I created that breaks down insightful, philosophical quotes; mainly from Stoic philosophers. I do this in order for us to learn how to think critically; not just to understand what these quotes mean, but to help us gain knowledge of self by breaking down the quotes from my perspective; sometimes backed by modern scientific research where it applies. In doing this blog series, I hope you can apply the knowledge to your lives to help you become better selves; while it helps me self-reflect as well. This has the potential to improve the conditions of our society. I don't want to get too far into what PRSPCTV is about; if you're new to the blog be sure to check out our Introduction To PRSPCTV blog. With no further delay, let's get into this quote, break it down and uplift our state of minds 🧠
Quote
"It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters"
- Epictetus
What're your thoughts on this quote? Does it actually matter how you react to situations? If so, what difference does it make? Let's break it down and see what we can gain from it.
The Breakdown
This quote, although short, packs a powerful set of words. From my perspective, Epictetus is pretty much informing the reader to stop and think before you react to a situation. It separates events that occur on the outside of our bodies (in the world around us I.e physically), versus events that occur on the inside (in our minds and feelings I.e mentally and emotionally). It's essentially saying there's a difference between what happens to you (externally), and how you react to it (internally).
You don't have to react to situations in a certain (negative) way. I believe everything and anything can influence us to behave in certain ways. But if we learn to remove all those learned behaviors we are conditioned with by first acknowledging those behaviors, we'll definitely be more self-aware in life.
By learned behaviors, I mean the shit we see; in media and in reality. We see how people react in certain situations and our subconscious picks it up and attempts to mimic those reactions. But sometimes when we experience something, we tend to react similarly to what we've witnessed because we want to able to relate to it. We're social creatures, of course we like to relate to others about the struggles. It makes us feel like we're not alone, so it helps create a support system, so-to speak.
This isn't to downplay struggles by any means, either. We all have our struggles. I've gone through them and continue to go through them every single day. I'm sure some have gone through worse than what I've been through, which I don't refute and highly admire. But no matter what you've gone through or are currently going through, we can all possess emotional intelligence, so you're able to handle unexpected situations much better. To helps realign your entire perspective but you must first acknowledge how you react to events, and WHY you act that way as well.
The only difference between then and now is that I'm able to manage my struggles better because I changed my mindframe, I consciously process most of my emotions before reacting, and have coping mechanisms in place to help me through my struggles. This is known as emotional intelligence. According to Psychology Today, "emotional intelligence refers to the ability to identify and manage one’s own emotions, as well as the emotions of others. Emotional intelligence is generally said to include a few skills: namely emotional awareness, or the ability to identify and name one’s own emotions; the ability to harness those emotions and apply them to tasks like thinking and problem solving; and the ability to manage emotions, which includes both regulating one’s own emotions when necessary and helping others to do the same." This also ties in with having self-awareness. To read more on emotional intelligence, click here to read the article.
There is a possibility that we have a chemical imbalance in our bodies, too. According to medical news outlet Healthline, a chemical imbalance "in the brain is said to occur when the brain has either excessive or insufficient chemicals, called neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are natural chemicals that help ease the communication between your nerve cells. Examples include norepinephrine and serotonin." Click here to check out the article. (These articles are not click-baits either, this is information provided for your convenience. It's also for accountability on my part; I don't say things just to say them. I like to back it up with research and facts.)
Further studies are needed to directly link a chemical imbalance to depression and other mental illnesses, so take this information with a grain of salt. From my opinion, I do believe chemical imbalances affect our mental health and overall well-being because everything is interconnected in this existence. Everything requires a balance. Too much of anything could be harmful to us, even what we think wouldn't be possible. Too much water. Too much love. Too much sunlight. When there's an excess of one thing, it causes an imbalance which then leads to deficiencies. If balance isn't restored, deficiencies begin to cause real issues; such as the ones we're dealing with in society today. Global warming, obesity, violence, you name it. All of it originates from a source.
I could write an entire book about this shit. But back to the matter at hand: not reacting to events.
Events that occur in the world around us or externally, are different from events that occur inside of us or internally. Some events that we experience, we cannot really control how we react, like the death of a loved one, for example. Most, if not all of us, would break down and cry. But it's understandable. Events like those are major events dealing with people we love that we don't experience often. But what about the rest of the events that we experience on a daily basis? How are we able to separate the external events from internal ones?
We have to practice self-awareness. By practicing self-awareness, we're able to, well, become more self-aware of every present moment.
The Takeaway
How can I practice self-awareness? What should I do in order to possess emotional intelligence?
It's easier said than done, that's for sure.
Self-awareness requires high levels of awareness. Being mindful of your surroundings. Remaining aware at all times; no matter what you're doing, no matter where you are, no matter who you're with. This is just one aspect of it. Self-awareness is when you're hyper aware about your self through deep reflection. Your thought process, your actions, your body language, your words. Question everything about who you are, why you're that way, and so on. Achieving self-awareness does not happen overnight. As I mentioned before, you have to practice it. Even when you have achieved a certain level of self-awareness, it does not mean you've mastered it. Like a muscle, it requires constant exertion in order for it to grow. But through time, you'll begin to notice that you think before you respond. You learn to set the majority of your emotions aside and respond to situations without allowing those emotions to take over, especially strong emotions such as anger and fear.
In order to possess emotional intelligence, one of the things you must be able to do is associate your emotions to your feelings. As you feel an emotion coming to you, such as anger, you must be able to break that emotion down to the very basis. Why do you feel anger? Is it justifiable? Is that anger based on past experiences? What can you do so you won't feel that same type of anger anymore? Remember: it's not the emotion itself that's bad. At the end of the day, we're human beings. We feel. We experience. The underlying issue is when we get caught up on a certain emotion and our mind magnifies it.
Some of my personal coping mechanisms are listening to music, meditating daily, exercising at the gym, and self reflection. Music, to me, is therapeutic. Meditating helps me embrace the present moment and allows me to become more grounded and calm. Exercising at the gym is also a great way to cope with stress.
Sometimes when I'm feeling down, I remind myself that I should be grateful because I'm still alive and I'm still able to experience life, regardless of what I'm going through. I'm able to breathe, walk, talk, smell, taste, see, etc. I have a family that loves me. I have a job, a means of transportation, food, a roof over my head, and so on. Sometimes we tend to take certain things like that for granted because we have it and use it everyday. Not everybody is as fortunate to have all that we have. I remind myself that not every struggle is permanent, and while I may not be in the best situation, someone out there has it worse than I do. As fucked up as that sounds, it's true. You may think you have it bad, but out of the 7 billion people on earth, yeah; there is definitely somebody out there that has it worse than you. Also, something I've learned over the years of self-reflection and independence: don't set expectations of anyone. When you do, you'll feel upset when you're the one who should take responsibility for setting expectations in the first place. Nobody owes you anything. You're in charge of your own feelings and of your own life.
Here's a few truths I tell myself and others when going through a stressful time.
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Your situation could be always be better, but it can always be worse at the same time.
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Any day above ground is a good day.
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As long as you're alive, there's nothing you can't overcome.
The next time you undergo a certain situation, remember to stop and think before you react. Is it worth getting stressed about? If you answered 'yes', you probably need to practice emotional intelligence and self-awareness more. If you answered 'no', you're getting there! Remember the words of the quote: it's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.
Hope you enjoyed reading the article. Don't forget to do your own research instead of just relying on my words! Most of what I mentioned is backed by science, but remember, this blog series is based on my perspective of these quotes; my understanding of them and my breakdown of it. I highly encourage you to conduct your own research, find your own coping mechanisms, practice emotional intelligence and self-awareness!
Hope you enjoyed this breakdown! Drop a comment and let me know what you think!
Much love everyone,
PRSPCTV - Series III
Peace everyone! Welcome to our PRSPCTV Blog Series Part III! This is Cesar; owner & founder of Elevated Thoughts. For those unaware, PRSPCTV (short for perspective) is a blog series I created that breaks down insightful, philosophical quotes; mainly from Stoic philosophers. I do this in order for us to learn how to think critically; not only to understand what these quotes mean, but to help us gain knowledge of self. By breaking these quotes down from my perspective, I hope we can apply the knowledge to our lives to help us become better selves, which in turn can help create a better society. I don't want to get too far into what PRSPCTV is about; if you're new to the blog be sure to check out our Introduction To PRSPCTV blog. With no further delay, let's get into this quote, break it down and uplift our state of minds 🧠
Quote
"It is not that we have a short time to live, but that we waste a lot of it. Life is long enough, and a sufficiently generous amount has been given to us for the highest achievements if it were all well invested. But when it is wasted in heedless luxury and spent on no-good activity, we are forced at last by death's final constraint to realize that it has passed away before we knew it was passing. So it is: we are not given a short life, but we make it short; and we are not ill-supplied, but wasteful of it...life is long if you know how to use it."
- Seneca
Philosopher's Summary
Lucius Annaeus Seneca, or better known as Seneca was a Hispano-Roman Stoic philosopher whom lived from 4 BC-65 AD. He went to School of the Sextii; a Roman school of philosophy. Some of his influences include Attalus the Stoic, Sotion, Papirius Fabianus, and his aunt (name is unknown).
What're your thoughts on this quote? Do you believe life is short or do you believe life is long as the quote claims? What would be considered 'heedless luxury' and 'no-good activities'? Let's dig in!
The Breakdown - Part I
"It is not that we have a short time to live, but that we waste a lot of it"
We've all heard it before; life is too short. The purpose of that quote is to change one's perspective from negative to positive. It serves as a way to ease the pain and stress we all deal with on a daily basis. It's to encourage people to focus on the good things, rather than on the bad. From my perspective, that quote has remained relative to popular culture because countless people die every day; no matter the age, the time, place or reason. Events that result in one's death usually occur unexpectedly (obviously). Because of this, a lot of people that pass away don't get to fulfill their individual purpose; or could it be that their true purpose on this plane of existence was to influence us? This would mean that it's only an impression that we have of them; that people were supposed to live longer and achieve more in life. This I can't say for certain, but if it's taken in that context; then their true purpose was indeed fulfilled. Regardless of this; Seneca claimed that we don't have a short time to live, we just tend to waste it. He also emphasized that we waste a lot of it.
The Breakdown - Part II
"Life is long enough, and a sufficiently generous amount has been given to us for the highest achievements if it were all well invested. But when it is wasted in heedless luxury and spent on no-good activity, we are forced at last by death's final constraint to realize that it has passed away before we knew it was passing."
In the second breakdown of this long quote, Seneca stresses that life IS long enough and adds that we are given a sufficiently generous amount of life. He even criticizes how life is wasted. Although I don't know what he'd refer to as 'heedless luxury' and 'no-good activity' since he was speaking on his timeline (within the 1st century), I'll break down what I believe are no-good activities and heedless luxury in our modern times.
In the digital age, access to information is infinite; nearly everything you think of can be searched and found online. This is beneficial to the world, but also carries negative effects along with it. According to a time-tracking software company named RescueTime, the average adult (active RescueTime users) spends 3 hours and 15 minutes per day on their smartphone. Summed up annually, that makes for a total of 47.90 days. A little over a month that we spend our time on our phones. In the course of 10 years, the daily 3-hour smartphone usage accounts to 479 days. In a period of 10 years, that amounts to 1 year and 4 months. Crazy, right? We don't realize this because we don't acknowledge the time we spend; time is always passing us by and the more distractions there are around us, the harder it is to acknowledge how much time we spend on these distractions; let alone trying to change oneself and stop such habits from holding us back.
I'd definitely consider some smartphone usage as a no-good activity. Excessive smartphone usage (to be exact) and binge-watching are on my personal list of no-good activities. Now, I'm not knocking anyone down for doing either or. To each their own; I understand that everyone is unique with their own individual coping mechanisms, or may have different destinies that require excessive smartphone usage and/or binge-watching. I do that shit myself; but it's those same habits I'm working on undoing because they're not a part of my purpose.
With that being said, I don't believe that excessive smartphone usage and binge-watching are entirely bad habits. Sometimes we have an extra minute or two and decide to look something up on our phones. Watching TV or streaming shows and movies online are ways we as humans escape from our busy lives. At least, in my opinion it is. We scroll through our timelines to connect with others or just for the hell of it. We're social creatures; by nature, socializing is what we do and have always done. With the technological advancements we've accomplished over the last decade or two, we can socialize with people who are on the other side of the planet with the simple touch of a button. When I was growing up, I remember my family and I would go to movie stores (Blockbuster) where we'd rent movies. Now, we don't even have to leave the house to watch a movie anymore! That's the beauty of technology! But beware, there are, of course, consequences that come along with the use of the technologies aforementioned.
To sum it up from my perspective, no-good activities are basically activities that aren't beneficial to your self. Notice how I put 'your self' instead of 'yourself'. Self, according to Wikipedia, is defined as 'an individual person as the object of its own reflective consciousness. Since the self is a reference by a subject to the same subject, this reference is necessarily subjective. I believe we should put more emphasis on our selves to take responsibility for our individual behaviors, tendencies, and actions.
Back to the matter at hand; if certain activities aren't beneficial to your self, then you probably shouldn't be partaking in them. For example; if I was on my phone for four hours today and I can't seem to remember exactly what I did while I was using it, then it probably wasn't something beneficial to me. If it wasn't beneficial to me, then I remind my self to be more aware; more mindful of the time I spend on my phone the next time I'm using it, so as to not allow time to slip me by so I can continue on improving my self, fulfilling my destiny and enjoying every present moment. If I was on my phone for four hours today and I remember that it was because I did research for this blog or to read or learn something, then it was beneficial to me.
The Breakdown - Part III
"So it is: we are not given a short life, but we make it short; and we are not ill-supplied, but wasteful of it...life is long if you know how to use it."
Could this last sentence of this quote be true? We make life short? How?
I believe there is a lot of truth to this quote; we do tend to make life short. We make it short by not paying attention to time; we allow it to pass us by and we don't make the best use of it. Instead of enjoying every present moment, we get caught up in scrolling up and down our phones, going from app to app, video to video. Watching show after show after show online. Poor eating and sleeping habits cause our bodies to react in such natural ways that weaken our immune systems. We, in turn, get sick, develop diseases and/or health complications. It's a domino effect. One thought turns into an action, which then turns into a habit; our bodies react accordingly to those habits and we suffer from those habits. We do make life short. The fallacy that I believe lies in this sentence is that we're not ill-supplied of life. Don't get me wrong, I do believe that we're not ill-supplied of life; life is long if we know how to use it. But, I'd like to take into account the countless, innocent lives that are lost every single day. Whether it's due to health complications, heinous acts, or tragic circumstances; I believe those lives were ill-supplied. They weren't able to enjoy life more; mainly babies and children. It's a sad reality that we all deal with, whether we hear about it or have gone through that experience. With that being said, I agree and disagree with this last sentence of the quote.
The Takeaway
When it comes to no-good activities, you just have to use your best judgement on what is beneficial to you and what isn't. If you acknowledge an activity that you can live without, find ways to start breaking away from that activity. Limit your smartphone usage. Limit the time you spend watching videos, shows or movies. Download an app that tracks your time and notifies you when you've reached a certain limit of usage for the day. I use Quality Time to track my smartphone usage. And no, this is not an ad. I just want to help people based off what I know and what works for me. Exercising a few times per week helps too. Eat better. Research has shown that regular exercise helps improve not only your health, but your habits as well. Don't just take my word for it though, see for yourself! Read articles on self improvement; or, if you're ready to make changes, take action! Experience is the best teacher, as the saying goes. But there's numerous methods you can adopt that will help you break away from your no-good activities. The trick is to find them and follow through. Even when you falter, you have to acknowledge that it's okay to do so from time to time. We're not perfect. We're perfect but in our own, individual ways (that's a different matter to discuss in itself). But it's okay to falter. It'll take a lot less time to accept it and move on, than completely rejecting it and not learning from your mistakes; learning how you faltered and why. Instead, acknowledge your mistake; deeply analyze it, brush the shit off and keep it moving. A more, in-depth article (one of my favorites) on discipline and self control can be found here.
The lessons to take heed from this blog are to remain consistent once you begin to experience self growth. Don't allow your mistakes to deter you, build self-discipline, find a balance and maintain it. Most of all, remain patient. You don't become a whole new person from one day to the next. But who you are tomorrow depends on the choices you make today. An MC by the name of Wake Self (RIP) said in a song 'to create a new life you have to grow into it first'.
I'll leave you with a quote I admire and have posted in my room: "Every time you are tempted to react in the same old way, ask if you want to be a prisoner of the past or a pioneer of the future."
So, what will it be? Do you want to be a prisoner of the past or a pioneer of the future? The choice is yours.
PRSPCTV - Series II
Peace everyone! Welcome to our PRSPCTV Blog Series Part II! This is Cesar; owner & founder of Elevated Thoughts. For those unaware, PRSPCTV (short for perspective) is a blog series I created that breaks down insightful, philosophical quotes; mainly from Stoic philosophers. I do this in order for everyone to learn how to think critically; not just to understand what these quotes mean, but to help gain knowledge of self. By breaking these quotes down from my perspective, I hope you can apply the knowledge to your lives to help you become better selves, which in turn can help create a better society. I won't get too far into what PRSPCTV is about; if you're new to the blog be sure to check out the Introduction To PRSPCTV blog. With no further delay, let's get into this quote, break it down and uplift our state of minds 🧠
Quote
"Choose rather to be strong of soul than strong of body". - Pythagoras
To be strong of soul than strong of body. What the hell does that mean? Why should we be strong of soul rather than strong of body? Let's delve deep into this quote from our perspective.
The Breakdown - Part I
"Choose to be strong of soul"
Let's begin with the very definition of soul. According to Mirriam-Webster, soul is defined as: the immaterial essence, animating principle, or actuating cause of an individual life. Another definition is: the spiritual principle embodied in human beings, all rational and spiritual beings, or the universe. I'm sure we all know what a soul is; it's in all of us! It's what gives us life! But to break down what a strong soul is and why I agree that you should choose to be strong of soul rather than strong of body; breaking it down to the very definition is much easier to explain it all.
So, strong of soul - what does it mean? I believe one way of having a strong soul is having resilience. Taking the hits of life and still being able to get back up, brush the shit off and keep it pushing. We all go through rough times where we feel defeated and feel like giving up. But resilience is the ability to move forward, even in the face of adversity. From my personal observation, my strong soul won't allow me to give up. There's nothing that can ever stop me from achieving my goals (except death, of course).
Having a strong soul, from my perspective, also means being open to change. Having the ability to adapt to situations quickly makes all the difference because you can go through unplanned events without unnecessary stress and anxiety that usually comes with it. Other criteria for having a strong soul is taking responsibility for your actions, learning to be grateful for life, being your self, and so on.
A strong soul, to sum it up, means having knowledge of self. To truly know who you are, why you are that way, and being attentive to everything you do; both consciously and subconsciously. Analyzing what you do, what happens to you; anything that happens because everything in life is interconnected whether you believe it or not.
The Breakdown - Part II
"Rather than strong of body"
Strong of body basically means being physically strong. This isn't to bash being physically strong; there are countless benefits to exercising, we strongly encourage exercising regularly! But it's mainly to highlight the importance of choosing to be strong of soul than strong of body. People that have chosen to be strong of body instead of strong of soul don't possess emotional intelligence. They don't know who they really are. What happens when they go through challenges where they have to self-reflect or endure an emotionally challenging event or situation? They're unable to control their emotions.
The Takeaway
So, why is it better to be strong of soul than strong of body? There are many, many reasons why. But, to break it down as simply as possible, is because of life. When life brings you obstacles and challenges, being strong of body will not allow you to overcome the shit you have to face on a daily basis. Being strong of body will only allow you to overcome physical challenges. But the obstacles of life? Being strong of soul is a must to overcome them. Being strong of soul gives you the persistence, endurance, strength, and patience you need to become strong of body; but more importantly, become strong as a whole. Possessing mental strength, spiritual strength, and physical strength.
How do you become strong of soul?
Read books and articles online; expand your state of mind and never stop growing. Learn to meditate. Build self-awareness. Practice empathy. Be grateful. Become emotionally intelligent. Learn to take constructive criticism. Welcome obstacles and challenges. Life is too short to focus on the bullshit. Most importantly? Love yourself. Accept who you are. Don't like something about yourself? Change it. If you can't change it, learn to embrace it. But all in all, you are the one and only variable in your own life that can create these changes; it's all on you.
Become in tune with your SELF. Self is defined as "a person's essential being that distinguishes them from others, especially considered as the object of introspection or reflexive action." Never stop growing,
Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed the blog; be sure to tune in next month for another quote breakdown! Drop a comment below, share the blog, let me know what you think! Until next time, peace ✌🏼
PRSPCTV - Series I
Peace and welcome to PRSPCTV! For those unaware, PRSPCTV (short for perspective) is a monthly blog series I began to help people understand quotes that are sometimes difficult to understand. The goal is to break down these quotes, help people gain a deeper understanding which can then lead to people applying it to their lives and become better selves. By the way, my name is Cesar; owner and founder of a small, Las Vegas based lifestyle brand called Elevated Thoughts Clothing. Hope you enjoy the read; let me know what you think in the comments below!
Quote
"You have power over your mind, not outside events. Realize this and you will find strength." - Epictetus
So, what does it mean to have 'power' over your mind? Why would you want to have power over your mind? Where will strength come from once you realize power over your mind?
The Breakdown - Part I
"You have power over your mind, not outside events."
In Ancient Chinese philosophy, it's believed that we have two types of minds - the thinking mind and the observing mind. The thinking mind is the part of the mind that, well, thinks. You cannot control these thoughts, whether negative or positive. They come and go randomly throughout the day. According to research conducted by Queen's University in Canada and published by Nature Communications in July 2020, psychologists found that the average person has over 6,000 thoughts per day. Crazy, right? The observing mind is the part of the mind that observes what you're thinking. I guess you can say it's the conscious part of the mind; it gives us the ability to register what it is we're thinking of; whether that particular thought was negative or positive, good or bad, true or not, and so on.
What does Chinese philosophy have to do with this quote from a stoic philosopher?
Well, as we should know, everything is interconnected. Our bodies along with every living thing in this plane of existence: from the plants and the earth, to the sun and the cosmos.
Power comes into play when you realize that thoughts are just that: thoughts. It is with our observing mind that we tend to magnify and manifest our thoughts; both negative and positive. Our choices will be heavily affected by our influences and experiences throughout our lives; but ultimately, it's your choice what thoughts you want to magnify.
Outside events are what happens in our lives externally; shit that happens in the physical world. Some events are traumatic; some are unforgettable. Regardless of what happens, you have to acknowledge that you cannot change those events. The infamous Stoic philosopher Epictetus said it best: "it's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters". Realizing that we can't change what happens to us will definitely help; not necessarily move on or forget about it, but more so learn to grow from it. We always have a choice to allow events to either deter us or choose to grow from it.
The Breakdown - Part II
"Realize this and you will find strength"
The second sentence from this quote is self explanatory; by realizing that you have power over your mind and not outside events, you'll find strength from within.
The Takeaway
We're not fully aware of our limits or capabilities until we reach that peak. You'll find strength when you least expect it and when you do find it, practice keeping that strength and having power over your mind every day. Do not get sucked into negative thoughts, because thoughts are the early stages of manifestation. We are the dependent variable on whether those thoughts become manifested into reality. Through daily repetition, your mental strength will become resilience over time. By implementing this into your daily life, it'll turn into a habit and ultimately become a part of your character.
Hope you enjoyed this read, thanks for tuning in to this month's PRSPCTV blog series. Remember to stay safe and stay elevated; peace and love ✌🏼
An Introduction to PRSPCTV
Peace, I'm Cesar Plascencia, founder of Elevated Thoughts Clothing. Welcome to PRSPCTV! Before we touch base on PRSPCTV, I'd like to give you some insight on philosophy and Stoicism.
What is philosophy?
Philosophy, according to Mirriam-Webster, is a search for wisdom; a search for a general understanding of values and reality by chiefly speculative rather than observational means. Philosophy comes from the Latin term philosophia, meaning love of wisdom.
What is Stoicism?
Stoicism is the practice of knowledge and wisdom in action. A Stoic endures hardships without letting it affect their lives; they show no display of feelings and do not complain. More specifically, it's not to completely rid someone of their emotions or complaints. Stoicism is in place to help one transform their way of thinking and not allow one's emotions take control. It's about standing strong in the face of adversity, no matter what type of external events one is going through. Philosophy for a Stoic isn't just about having a set of principles to live by; it's about a way of life. Stoicism is about having self-control, discipline, morals, principles and practicing these every day.
Short History of Stoicism
Stoicism began as a philosophy school in ancient Greece founded by Hellenistic philosopher Zeno of Citium (334 BC-262 BC). Zeno was heavily influenced by Cynicism, which was a school of thought of ancient Greek philosophy. Cynics believed that the purpose of life is to live in virtue, in accordance with nature. In a sense, they were modern day minimalists; to live life without desires such as fame, wealth, and power. Through these ideals and many others derived from Zeno's experience and schools of philosophy that he attended (such as the Megarian school), Zeno opened the Stoic school of philosophy. Stoicism has brought a lot of great philosophers together such as Epictetus, Seneca, Marcus Aurelius and others. The rest is history!
So what about PRSPCTV?
PRSPCTV (short for perspective) is a monthly blog series that delves deep into philosophical quotes; breaking them down, word-for-word in order to gain a true understanding of the underlying message and be able to apply it to your lives and thrive. An acronym for PRSPCTV is Profound Reflection of Self; Philosophical Comprehension of Thought in Variations. Our words of affirmation for PRSPCTV is Positive, Resilient, Successful, Powerful, Conscious, Thoughtful, Valiant. Throughout this blog series, I'll be sharing quotes from many different philosophers of different cultures and different periods of time. However, it is Stoicism that has had the most influence on me which is why I felt the need to share a little bit more about it than any other form of philosophy or way of life.
For those that are unaware, I share one quote every Wednesday on the Elevated Thoughts' Instagram. After doing so for years, I've noticed for quite some time that due to Instagram's platform that relies solely on photo and video content, these quotes don't reach out to the people who need or want them the most. I don't blame anyone; who the hell is going to read a long post on Instagram? A lot of us are just there for the pictures and videos. Instagram also has a text limit that stops me from breaking down quotes the way I want to break them down. About a month ago though, I shared a poll on who would read a blog series based on discussing philosophical quotes; the feedback I received was that 100% of those that voted would read the blog series. If you were one of the voters from that poll, thank you for your support!
How does PRSPCTV work?
In the beginning of every month there will be a new PRSPCTV blog (which I'll announce on social media platforms as well). These blogs will be readily available on our website and on Pinterest as well. If you believe we should make it available on other platforms, let us know in the comments below! A quote will be chosen based on the highest number of likes and/or comments it received during the previous month on the Elevated Thoughts' Instagram. For example; if I share five quotes in any given month, whichever of those five quotes that received the most likes and/or comments will be the one selected for me to decipher on the PRSPCTV blog series.
I'll be honest; I don't know much about the history of Stoicism, nor do I know all of their values by heart. But I do know that I love philosophy, puzzles, riddles and wordplay. Another passion of mine is helping people. This is where PRSPCTV comes into play in my life; I break down philosophical quotes from my perspective (pun intended), and if I find them uplifting, I apply them to my life. If I found those quotes truly remarkable and life changing, I'll share them with you, break down the quote and explain how they helped me. I truly believe this blog series has the potential to help people, especially with the hardships a lot of us are going through from the COVID-19 pandemic. A lot of us have lost guidance, support, and hope. Let's regain what we've lost and gain knowledge, wisdom, focus, discipline and more. The ultimate goal of PRSPCTV is to help uplift people's state of minds. Are you ready to uplift your state of mind? Let me know in the comments below; until then, stay tuned and stay elevated.
Love and peace,
Cesar
The Importance of Elections
Peace y'all! Hope everybody is having a good start to their week! With midterm elections coming up, it's vital that we all get out and vote in order to make our voice heard! The 2016 presidential election showed us our political power (yes, by not voting). Many people didn't vote because they didn't like either presidential candidate or more troubling; they were unable to. But if our voice will be heard at any time, it's now more than ever. We (the Millennial generation) are on record of becoming the largest generation to date. Elections are the heart of what makes the United States a democracy. With that being said, let's get down to the importance of elections!
According to an article by The Guardian, out of the 250 million adults in the U.S in 2016, only 136 million adults cast their vote in the presidential election. What does that tell us? That 114 million or 45% of adults did not vote. Nearly half of the U.S. population of adults didn't vote; for various reasons, of course. I was a part of the population of adults that did not vote; it was because I didn't like either presidential candidate. I know, I know. I fucked up. But after the disastrous (in my opinion) Trump administration, they've ironically influenced me positively to be sure to vote in EVERY election going forward. After the presidential elections in 2012, the Census Bureau sent a questionnaire to eligible voters to gain insight on why they didn't vote. It turns out that white Americans are five times more likely to not vote because they "do not like the candidates or campaign issues" than black Americans. Black Americans are more likely than white Americans to not vote due to polling issues, such as transportation problems and inconvenient locations. Other eligible voters answered that they were "too busy" to vote, which is shown that non-white people are more than likely working in a low-wage job and have less job security than white people as well. This form voter suppression gets worse. Also, due to state felony laws preventing people from voting, 1 in 40 adults are unable to vote. Because of this, non-white people are more than likely unable to vote because of racial disparities in the criminal justice system. How will we be able to change all of these flaws in our system? You guessed it: by becoming more politically active and by voting!
The Pew Research Center found that in November 2016 there was a total of 62 million Millennials that were of voting age. The Newsweek reported that of the 62 million, only 49% or 30 million voted in the 2016 presidential election. So 1/3 of Millennials in the U.S. did not vote. Fast forward to today: our generation of Millennials in the U.S. (currently ages 22-37) are expected to be the largest generation next year, surpassing our parents' generation of Gen X or Baby Boomers (ages 38-53).
What this means is we have the largest leverage in social, economic and political issues. Why is this a good thing? It's because our political ideologies are similar. The majority of Millennials believe in a universal healthcare system, we believe in equality for all, same-sex marriage, climate change, gun control legislation and the list goes on. Our generation (more than any other) also believes that racial discrimination against black Americans are the reason why they cannot get ahead. In these crazy times of senseless violence, racial discrimination, police brutality, anti-LGBTQ; our time to rise is NOW.
Elections are ultimately what gives us the power. We have to remember that a democracy is a form of government where power is given by the people, for the people. Although there is so much government corruption and many obstacles barring some of us from voting, that doesn't mean we can't participate in other political activities to help create change. Let's do what we can, while we can. Let's create a better future for our children. Let's play the game by their rules and make it better for us and future generations to come.
A couple of more things I wanted to share with you guys. Below I added a few link's to help guide you in choosing the right candidates for the midterm elections; there's a dope article I found on GQ that serves as a guide for those that don't know where to start when it comes to researching candidates for this year's midterm elections. There's also a link provided on the bottom from Vote.org (an organization that encourages people to VOTE!) that provides locations to polling places around the country. For my local Las Vegas heads, I added an endorsement guide provided by the Las Vegas Weekly below to help you find the right candidates to elect into office.
Hope you guys enjoyed this read. Remember to drop a comment and let us know what you think! . Until next time, stay elevated y'all!
GQ - A Lazy Person's Guide to Every Senate Race in the 2018 Midterm Elections
Vote.org - Polling Place Locator
Las Vegas Weekly - Whom Should You Vote For In The Midterm Elections? And Why?
Citations:
Chalaba, Moni. "Who are the three-quarters of adult Americans who didn't vote for Trump?" The Guardian, 18 January 2017Fry, Richard "Millennials approach Baby Boomers as America’s largest generation in the electorate" Pew Research Center, 3 April 2018
Fry, Richard "Millennials projected to overtake Baby Boomers as America’s largest generation" Pew Research Center, 1 March 2018
"The Generation Gap in American Politics" Pew Research Center, 1 March 2018
Maniam, Shiva & Smith, Samantha "A wider partisan and ideological gap between younger, older generations" Fact Tank, Pew Research Center, 20 March 2017
Fry, Richard "Millennials are the largest generation in the U.S. labor force" Pew Research Center, 11 April 2018
Facial Recognition Databases
Peace y'all! Cesar with Elevated Thoughts here, trying to touch base with everybody on an issue that's been bugging me for years. Facial recognition databases have been playing a strong role in both law enforcement agencies and social media for several years now and I feel that either not enough people are aware of it, or just plain don't give a fuck. But in my opinion, our faces ending up in a facial recognition database is inevitable now, especially with this rapid advancement of technology we've been witnessing. So my question is: why shouldn't you give a fuck?
Face Recognition; what is that? According to a non-profit digital rights group known as the Electronic Frontier Foundation, face recognition "is a method of identifying or verifying the identity of an individual using their face. Face recognition systems can be used to identify people in photos, video, or in real-time. Law enforcement may also use mobile devices to identify people during police stops."
Face recognition databases has peaked human interest for decades. Since the late 2000's, however, when cellphones were replaced by personal handheld computers known as smartphones, the use of social media websites blew up; facial recognition databases shortly followed.
When I learned about facial recognition databases back in 2012 while attending the College of Southern Nevada, I had a gut feeling that it's not as good as law enforcement agencies and companies make it seem. Facebook claims they use facial recognition databases to help 'connect' people to pictures they're in and may be unaware of. Law enforcement agencies tell us that they use these databases to help with investigations and detaining criminals. Hell, even the National Security Agency (national intelligence agency) have their own extensive facial recognition database known as Tundra Freeze. The last two don't seem so bad, right? They do it to capture criminals and potential threats to our national security. But, as we all know, too much of anything is bad. Especially when data about us is collected without our consent or knowledge of it. So, why should we be concerned about our data and facial recognition databases?
To this date, Facebook has faced a total of 16 class action lawsuits for violating both state and federal laws dealing with privacy. The biggest controversy is with Cambridge Analytica LLC, an analytics firm that, in 2014, gathered data from over 87 million Facebook users without permission. That might include your data. Your likes, dislikes, comments, political views, hobbies, preferences; the list goes on. This also includes pictures of you. Think of it as a profile of you that was created without your permission. It goes from small analytic companies up to Big Brother. The FBI, CIA, NSA all have information of you which even includes arrest records, Social Security numbers, passport photos and so on. Cambridge Analytica, however, deals specifically with political analytics. So if your data was breached, it was used to influence political elections. The power it gives people to influence elections is unimaginable. This is just one company by the way. Other companies that gather data (legally or illegally) may sell your information so companies can use it for marketing purposes. This is not limited to just Facebook either. This includes ALL social media apps; Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, Vimeo, LinkedIn, etc. 5 years ago, digital forensics examiner Richard Hickman found that not only does Snapchat save your photos/videos to the app, but they also save to your phone. But who knows, the research was done 5 years ago; maybe developers have changed Snapchat settings to keep their word and actually DELETE your data after 24 hours.
Back to facial recognition databases. The NSA gathers millions of images per day and store it in their database. Their main objective is to capture suspected terrorists, both at home and abroad. But if their information was as accurate as they claim, they would've had the ability to interfere with the mass shootings that have occurred in our nation for the last few years. Years ago I read a report that if you used the word 'Mexico' in any form of digital communication; that you'd be targeted by the NSA. Are you fucking kidding me? What's really troubling (besides our invasion of privacy) is that facial recognition is not 100% accurate. In the FBI's (Federal Bureau of Investigation) biometric identification system, known as Next Generation Identification, there is a 15% chance of inaccuracy in face recognition scans and are more likely to misidentify black people than white people. Face recognition softwares used by the FBI have difficulty in distinguishing between dark skinned faces and aren't routinely checked for accuracy either. Since there is a heavier police presence in black communities around the nation and blacks have higher arrest/incarceration rates among any other race, they are over enrolled into facial recognition databases. To top it off, black people are more likely to be subjected to a facial recognition scan via body cameras by police during any type of interaction. Congressmen and the Government Accountability Office have grilled the FBI on these issues before. Although all evidence points to a racially biased database, the FBI claims their systems do not need to be tested for racial bias because the algorithms used for identification is based on facial features, not skin color. Say there is an arrest. Even if the defendant is found innocent in a court of law, their mugshot and police report remains in these databases, furthering the issue on how inaccurate and unreliable facial recognition is.
It doesn't end there. I've mentioned about certain companies that are in the business of gathering your data and selling it. One of them is Verint Systems, an analytics company who last year acquired a surveillance company named Terrogence. Started by an ex-Israeli intelligence officer, Terrogence is in business to do just that; acquire photos and videos through major social media outlets, entering it through their facial recognition software called Face-Int; then exploiting this data for profit. A well known client of Terrogence is..the U.S. government. Terrogence claims their services are to help combat terrorism online but have been found to use these databases for political gain as well. What does this mean for the rest of us? Well, it means we are all subjected to bias. When we are entered into a facial recognition database, we can be mistook as a criminal; especially with the proven inaccuracy and racially biased databases. In some softwares, it's information that may or may not be true about us that's collected to make judgements about us. We truly have no control over the information they collect about us.
My advice to you? Just be aware. Be careful what you say and how you say it. Be sure to read what information is collected in every app, how it's used, what permissions you give to apps, etc. This will not stop the use of facial recognition databases, its ties to social media and law enforcement agencies; but by discussing about the issue openly, I hope it sheds light and encourages you to read more about this. Don't take my word for it, this blog was apart of my research; most of the information collected were facts but I've included my opinion at certain times as well.
Hope you enjoyed this read! Be sure to stay tuned for the next blog on Monday, 9/17/18: Elevated Thoughts' Latest! I'll be including what I've been working on for the brand; new designs, new products as well! Also I'll be discussing the pricing changes on some products, why this was necessary and a breakdown of our pricing. Shit, I may even include a sneak peek at our next design(s)! Stay tuned and as always, stay elevated!
Peace and love,
Cesar Plascencia