Stalked By Digital Footprints

Posted on by serenitisparkles

 

Stalked by Digital.jpgImagine a world where blood sucking corporations were in constant pursuit of our trail. Imagine that the closer they could get to you, the more money they would make. Imagine they were able to place a GPS tracker, watch every move we make, and witness every conversation we had.  They can even predict our next move. WELCOME to the world of BIG DATA and DIGITAL FOOTPRINTS.

Across the world and concentrated heavily in the US, there are businesses set up solely to watch our movements and study our habits.  There are devices designed to ensure the precise collection of every mark we make in the digital world.  They are like stalkers lurking in the darkness, recording everything about our lives, to then hand over our personal information over to the highest bidder.

If we all believed that world existed, we would all be much more careful of leaving a digital footprint trail. The reality is that everyday, with every click of a button and stroke of a key, we are creating a lifetime of digital footprints. We are volunteering personal and private data along with giving up our right to privacy to exist in a more “convenient” world. In this digital world, the end user (us)  searches for the easiest way through.  The more convenient the internet becomes, the more invasive corporations are in our personal lives.

As a corporation, using data collectors, called aggregators results in a 200% increase in sales within a 6 month span.  It is like pure gold.  Collecting these digital footprints allows a corporation to specifically target each user.  The aggregators  collect strings of data from each website you visit, all of your personal information(name, age, gender, location,  your most common websites (and any other website you have visited), and your social media posts.    They are not only collecting your clicks, they are collecting your context.

THEY COLLECT LITERALLY EVERYTHING YOU HAVE DONE ONLINE. They have millions of digital files identifying your long path of digital footprints.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights offers everyone the “Right to Privacy”.  Unfortunately for the internet, there is very little control, if none, over privacy laws protecting our personal information.  Unlike tangible places in the world, the internet is global and there is no worldwide policy that addresses the right of digital citizens regarding their digital footprints.  So there it is  digital citizens, we are subject to a world where everything we do is being tracked by corporations and governments, with little control over what is done with our personal data.  We are being watched by people we don’t have any relationship with and our most private data is available to anyone with enough money to hire these collectors.  The internet is becoming more important in our daily existence and if we do not become educated about the moves we make in the digital world, all of our freedoms that we enjoy in the physical world will be at risk.

In the words of Plato, “Good people do not need laws to act responsibly,  while bad people will find a way around those laws.”

Next time you tweet, email, create a profile, or post a photo, remember that not everyone using this data has your best interest at heart.   We will all die one day, but within the internet, our digital footprints will LAST FOREVER.

Is our inner voice following the leader?

Posted on by serenitisparkles

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If someone asked you to tell them about yourself and what you represented, would your answer be found on someone else’s Facebook page? I’m sure you have seen the same inspirational quotes and stories, the horrific acts of violence, and the newest billboard hits flooding the Facebook and Twitter news feeds.

With people spending 50% of their time on social media, it is very hard to tell what was derived from your own intuition and what was a result of someone’s post.  The bandwagon effect is real and is one of the oldest forms of human interaction.  It is an observation of social behaviour in which people tend to go along with what others do or think without considering their own beliefs or values.

The more lonely or socially incapable a person is, the more likely they will follow the bandwagon.  Facebook is an excellent example of the bandwagon effect.  A story is most likely to go VIRAL if there are key names leading the way such as famous personalities, musicians, and big brands.  Social media makes it very hard for an individual to gain importance through their own beliefs because the key to social media, is that what becomes VIRAL is what is considered important.  In the real world, for the survival and quality of our lives, standing up for our “gut feeling” is necessary.

In order for a person to live without regret, or to live the life THEY see fit, they must follow their intuition.  However, when the internet has found a way to be a part of half of your day, and 55 million people share status updates each day, how do we even hear what the voice inside is saying to you.

The fact is that Facebook and other social media networks are about following the leaders of the world.  The ones with the most followers are the ones that we follow and that we admire.  If they say it is a good idea, then chances are we will share that good idea to our friends on social media. We are entering a world where people spend most of their time socializing online, where, it is not the one with the voice of reason that is heard, but the one with the most popularity.

We have to remember that social media was derived by pop culture, it is a key player in creating followers around the world.    If you are trying to lead an individual path for your life, don’t spend too much time following the masses.   The moral of the story is, Listen to your gut because if you don’t then you are living someone else’s life.

The Process of Progress

Posted on by serenitisparkles

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When was the last time you can remember writing down a goal, setting up a path to it’s success, and moving forward in CONSTANT pursuit?  How many people actually ignore social media and the lives of others in order to focus on their own life?  Unfortunately, in the age of information and social media, we are buried in a world of IRRELEVANT CONTENT.

The clouds grow thicker with the more posts shared online that it is easy to become distracted with someone else’s dream. You can be perceived to be progressing in your life via social media, but the question is, ARE YOU PROGRESSING OR REGRESSING?  If I am sitting still, how can I move forward? Progress is simply forward movement toward a goal. The only way to progress is to look inside YOUR mind for what it is you are trying to accomplish.  You can’t progress if you continuously make excuses for your delay.  Progress is a process that many people don’t have time for these days.

The fact is they do have time, they have plenty of time, they just choose to idolize someone else’s forward progression. I urge people to take a good hard look at what they want to stand for at the end of their journey.  Social media and the internet can either be a tool to aid us in our successes, or a diversion to our life’s plan.  Without the process of progress we will not accomplish anything. Instead, our minds will be used as a storage bank for the stories of others. Your progress can be simple, but if you are too distracted with the abstract world, the real world will pass you by.  THINK ABOUT IT!

I want to be famous when I grow up

Posted on by serenitisparkles

 

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There once was a time not too long ago where the majority of children would aspire to be doctors, policemen, teachers, astronauts, and even the President of the United States. This was of course before Keeping Up With The Kardashians and Justin Bieber.  Your teachers will tell you to educate yourself and you can be anything you want to be.

The truth is that famous doesn’t take much education. It might take a Youtube video going viral, a boyfriend/girlfriend in the “industry”, a stunt for huge media attention, or even a sex tape. The time of young people believing that becoming educated and skilled in a specific craft was gone when we opened the door to Reality TV and the internet. How can you honestly tell a young person it is more profitable to become a doctor, when being a Real Housewife puts you in a Mansion and you get to be a TV star.

We have people who are lawyers, doctors, and preachers trying to get a piece of the reality spotlight. And why wouldn’t they, when most reality stars are making anywhere from $10,000 to $50,000 per episode?

I have worked in and around the music industry for 10 years and I can’t tell you how many “aspiring artists” I have met. Most of these artists did not create music for the love of music, but for the love of fame and money. The fact is that out of the hundreds of music artists I have worked around, only one has made a hit on the radio, and even he was a one hit wonder.  The statistics for the aspiring famers are slim to none.  Getting a shot at being famous as a music artist, or reality personality is like winning the lottery.

The media and television stations portray fame as something everyone can get a piece of.  The reality is that you will probably spend your entire life trying.  Most people who enter the world of fame do so with some type of friend or family connections.  Others have found a way to be the most viewed on the internet and thus are able to sit side by side the famous. Fame is something you can acquire without being skilled or educated, which we saw first hand with the rise of the Kardashians.   The example has been set for the future aspirations of our children.

What reality TV should be doing is showing the actual reality of what happens in the life of a “famous” person.  With more money and attention, the problems are enormous.  99% of the people around you are trying to grab a piece of your spotlight.  You can’t use a public bathroom without being followed by someone trying to destroy your image.   Remember that a celebrity’s spotlight may be extremely bright, but it only means that there is a very dark side that we don’t see.  When your child looks at you and says, I want to be famous when I grow up, what is your response going to be?

The Tragedy of Fear

Posted on by serenitisparkles

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Being Successful, Following Your Dreams, Facing Your Fears all fall in the same category in life.  Letting go of fear is how we conquer our greatest feats.  Taking chances is how we grow and evolve.   Yet many of us, will never step “outside” of our comfort zone.  Many people will never experience a moment of existing in an unknown environment.  Sure, we have video games to simulate that type of emotion.  We have local activities that allow us to feel as if we are winning.  We even have an internet, full of stories about other people who ARE taking risks with their lives and overcoming immense obstacles.  And for many, they will sit and watch their lives pass them by.  They will remain in their “safe” zone, never wandering into the unknown.

Life will become a habit that perpetuates itself.  Because of the enormous fear that follows you, you will create your own box.  You will be so afraid of what you aren’t sure of and what is not planned that you will fail to realize that LIFE is impossible to plan.  Even the most strategic plans in our universe cannot be carried out with perfection because we as humans are imperfect.  So instead of living a life you dreamed of, you will continue to dream of the few moments in your past that made you feel like you had a purpose.

I have been criticized my entire life about my lack of planning, and crazy outlook on my dreams.  I actually think that EVERYTHING I believe can happen in my life, will happen.  I have never let lack of money, resources, or fear hold me back.  Of course, fear has always tried to stop me from taking the chance, but I ignored fear because I control my actions.  Because of my strong-willed determination, I have found myself at the top of the Hollywood Hills, standing on the roof of a glass mansion, overlooking the entire city of LA.  I have had the chance to work with A-List Celebrities and live amongst the 1%.  I have put together events for hundreds of people and partied with the elite.   I have become a writer with thousands of people reading my blogs.  I now live in another country, and my next adventure will take me to an even greater place.  And like all of my other accomplishments, I will step into the unknown.  The ONLY thing I will know is that if I believe it is possible, then I have a chance.

Being alive gives us all the CHANCE to follow what we feel is our purpose.  Some of us will have 80 years and others will only have a few days.  Time is so valuable, yet we waste it in routine.  We waste time everyday.  Potential is in ALL of us, but WILL is not.  It takes WILL and POTENTIAL to make a difference in your life.  A TRAGEDY IS DEFINED AS A PLAY WITH TRAGIC EVENTS THAT HAS AN UNHAPPY ENDING, CONCERNING THE DOWNFALL OF THE MAIN CHARACTER.    Don’t let FEAR be your downfall.  YOU, AND ONLY YOU, DECIDE HOW YOUR STORY ENDS.

“I TRY BECAUSE I FEAR NOT TRYING”  @THEMUZICLADY

The Influence of “What if?”

Posted on by serenitisparkles

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Whether we realize it or not, the main question that runs through our minds when making a decision is “What If”.  That simple statement has the ability to change the course of our lives.  What if I do this and that happens?  What if I don’t do this and that happens?  Either way we ask the question, “WHAT IF”, it is a vital thought process within our decision making.

As I have written many times before, the majority of humans living in society  are guided because of their fears of the unknown.  They are comfortable with routine and complacency.  “WHAT IF” rules their world and therefore they continue to exist in their daily schedule with little variation from the norm.

What if has the power to rule over one’s ambitions.  In fact, the primary reason a person will give up is because the risk of the WHAT IF is too large for them to bare.

WHAT IF has the ability to divert from one’s focus point and instead stop them from trying at all.  “What if I were to fail?”  is the key factor that plays over and over in the minds of most and detains their aspirations.

It is a fact, that in order to climb the highest mountain, you have to be willing to set aside all possible tragedies that could happen and focus on the feat ahead.  “The Bigger The Risk, The Bigger The Reward.”

And then there are some.  There are the doers, the risk-takers, and the champions.  They choose to use the “What if” question differently.  What if I actually did it?  What if I actually reached my end goal?  I would say this is the most important way to utilize the famous question.  If you have a choice in this life; to either overcome obstacles or let them overtake you, WHAT WOULD YOU CHOOSE?  By remaining mentally focused and POSITIVE you have the potential to create and accomplish many things in this lifetime.  How can you possibly create the reality you have always dreamed of, if you are afraid of the “WHAT IF?”

The Opportunity of Life

Posted on by serenitisparkles

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I often look back at the life I have lived and wonder why I was not yet taken from this world.  I was not one to stay on the safe side and there were plenty of opportunities in my past where death could have become me.  But, for some reason, I am able to sit here and type these words.  I have witnessed loved ones pass away, however, I continue to grow and live on.  I’m sure everyone has witnessed a story, much like there own, where the outcome for the other person was death.  Car accidents, illness, and violence are things that can happen to all of us.  Some of us are still here, and others not.  So why am I still here?  Why do I get the chance to feel one more day?  I realize that the answer is very simple.

LIFE HAS GIVEN ME AN OPPORTUNITY.  Everyday that I am breathing I have the opportunity to play a part and create my story.  I have the ability to experience the most beautiful moments that life has to offer.  I have the opportunity to chase a dream, to love someone, to fear something, and most of all, to inspire someone.

So why do so many people live under the dark cloud of negativity? Why do so many never take chances and wait on death?  It is as if some people know the end is coming and make the decision to stop living because it’s over anyway.

But it’s not over.  As long as you are here on this remarkable planet, living in this incredible moment, you should have hope.  Life gives us the opportunity that so many have lost.  We have the opportunity to enhance who we are and what mark we will leave on this world.  Life is the most important opportunity in our existence, for without it, we can no longer experience.

Being witness to so many young people, my peers, who have passed on, makes me appreciate my moment that much more.  There was once a friend that I went to school with.  We were born on the same day, the same year, at the same hospital.  We grew up and went to the same school.  He is gone and I am here.  I can’t answer why, all I can do is become the best ME that I can be.

My message for everyone who has the ability to read these words, is, never stop LIVING.  Never believe that it is over for you, because as long as you can breathe you can change and thrive.  If there is ever a moment you feel as if the world is to heavy to bare, remember that if tomorrow comes and time passes, things will balance once again.  If you feel depressed about your life, realize there is someone who never got another chance.  Understand that there are people who are now faint memories, but you are here and real.  Life is our greatest possibility, so don’t be afraid to ROLL THE DICE.

Time is our most valuable resource…

Posted on by serenitisparkles

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If I lose a dollar, I can replace it with another, but, If I lose an hour of time, I will NEVER get that hour back.  My father once said to me, “I’ll sleep when I die.”  This was a man who woke up every morning at sunrise and didn’t go to sleep until 1 or 2 in the morning.  He couldn’t have been more right.  Today, that same man is asleep forever, may he rest in peace.

Watching so closely the full cycle of life, from my daughter being born to my father’s untimely death,  has taught me a crucial lesson.  Time is my most valuable resource.  Every moment of each day is an opportunity.  It can be an opportunity to share time with a loved one, an opportunity to write, an opportunity to take a chance, and the most beautiful fact is that every moment is an OPPORTUNITY.

Many of us live in the past, or look to the future.  How many of us actually live in the NOW?  Since my father’s passing I try to ALWAYS live in the present.  I am constantly asking myself, am I happy with my moment right now.  If I am not, then I quickly adjust myself to think positively and change course.  I do not know many things, but what I am definite of is that this is my moment.  My life span could last another 50 years, or 50 seconds, but what I choose to do with my moment is vital to my quality of life.

When we fail to look around us and bask in our present, we fail to see the beauty of living.  Life is a gift.  No matter how many times we fall short, we are alive.  We have something that is so precious.  We have something that for all of us, will run out.  So when you wake up in the morning, appreciate and utilize the time you are given because it will be gone before you know it.