Things I Find Weird and/or Don't Get
Aug. 16th, 2005 04:58 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
podlingThe universal
constant of personal experience.
That people write about their individual experiences as universal constants.
Like just now I was reading a commentary column (maybe in the Guardian, I don't
quite recall) about missing products from a specific place (in this case the
UK). And of the things the author mentioned, I know where you can get several
of them nearby (like, at Stop 'n Shop, not at a specialty store). So what does
that mean? My experiences tend not to reflect the general populace? Because I
run into this with my friends too. They'll say something about there not being
something and I say, "But there is." and it's just weird.
People killing each other.
I just don't get that. I mean, it seems pretty obvious that society frowns on
it on a localized scale, and, as a matter of course, whether you like it or
not, you are part of that society and as such you should respect that it's just
not right. Like I read in some other online article, this is something that we
should've learned in kindergarten. How does it escape notice? There are some
instances where it's accidental or unavoidable, but those are exceptions rather
than the rule.
Nuclear weapons.
I just don't get nuclear weapons at all. They've been used on people, it
didn't go well in a humanity affirming way. The results were horrifying and
one I wouldn't wish on anything. What is it about that lesson that doesn't
translate? It's like the leaders of nations are kids who need to make the same
mistakes as their siblings. "Oh yeah, well you used it and it did bad things,
but when WE do it, it'll be all happiness afterwards!" But I guess that has
more to do with hatred of other countries/cultures, which I also don't get.
Maybe I'm incapable of understanding on some deep philosophical level. But...
yeah, you know what? Nuclear weapons = BAD. Is that a hard concept
really?
Black & white viewpoints.
Not that I can't be like that on some things (see "nuclear weapons") but the
fact is that I just can't understand the lack of grey. Were people never
taught to think critically about topics beyond "this is right, this is wrong"?
Is that not part of education? I just don't understand that kind of
narrowmindedness, and I especially don't understand how many people live their
whole lives like that, without growing into a deeper understanding. It seems
to take away from the tapestry of life.
Hatred of the "Other".
People are people. I understand the human impulse to create a "them" and an
"us" as a way of defining oneselves. I understand that some belief systems
don't really coexist all that peacefully, but you know what? I don't get why.
I can accept it as true, but I can't accept that it's the only way. I don't
get how you can hate someone enough to want to kill them because of their skin
color, religion, sexuality, country of origin, or whatever. I don't get
wholesale hatred. Maybe this goes along with my non-understanding of being
fundamentalist (and by that I mean any kind of fundamentalist).
Lack of personal responsibility.
Personal responsibility is a big "what the???" for me. You know what?
Sometimes things are your fault. Grow up, take responsibility for your
actions. Stop blaming people for forseeable consequences of your actions. Did
you jump off a building while drunk and break your leg? The aftermath of that
should not be suing the building owners and the bar for your incompetence, it
should be that you learn that you should not do stupid things. Did you cheat
on your SO and as a result your relationship ended? Forseeable consequence,
own up to your idiocy. Did you have a rough childhood? Okay, not your fault,
but you still have to move on with your life, hopefully in a different
direction, and make good choices.
As for complaining that it's not fair... I'm not sure where the idea that life
is fair comes from. Life isn't fair! But you know, if more people owned up to
the fact that some of their problems in life could be solved by them not doing
stupid things, I think the world would be a better place. Seriously, start
from today and move on. Granted, there are people who truly get worse than
they deserve... like that kid that got shot because he and some friends threw
eggs at a truck (and at the driver (who IMO deserves a serious smackdown)).
That kid got a bum deal, he shouldn't have been killed for having done
something so stupid, his punishment in no way fit the crime. But why was he
doing something that stupid?
Also, I know we don't blame victims, that's bad, but... well, it's like this.
There's a guy, his father's family all died from various forms of cancer. His
father had throat, lung, and colon cancer. The guy smokes like a fiend. If he
gets cancer it would be horrific and a tragedy and I would cry. It would,
however, not be unforseen or the fault of a cigarette company and honestly, I
don't think he'd blame them. That's called taking responsibility for your
decisions.
Anyway, there are lots more things I could rant about, but I think I'll just
stop here. Uh. Sorry about that little ranting. But I just don't get stuff sometimes.
constant of personal experience.
That people write about their individual experiences as universal constants.
Like just now I was reading a commentary column (maybe in the Guardian, I don't
quite recall) about missing products from a specific place (in this case the
UK). And of the things the author mentioned, I know where you can get several
of them nearby (like, at Stop 'n Shop, not at a specialty store). So what does
that mean? My experiences tend not to reflect the general populace? Because I
run into this with my friends too. They'll say something about there not being
something and I say, "But there is." and it's just weird.
People killing each other.
I just don't get that. I mean, it seems pretty obvious that society frowns on
it on a localized scale, and, as a matter of course, whether you like it or
not, you are part of that society and as such you should respect that it's just
not right. Like I read in some other online article, this is something that we
should've learned in kindergarten. How does it escape notice? There are some
instances where it's accidental or unavoidable, but those are exceptions rather
than the rule.
Nuclear weapons.
I just don't get nuclear weapons at all. They've been used on people, it
didn't go well in a humanity affirming way. The results were horrifying and
one I wouldn't wish on anything. What is it about that lesson that doesn't
translate? It's like the leaders of nations are kids who need to make the same
mistakes as their siblings. "Oh yeah, well you used it and it did bad things,
but when WE do it, it'll be all happiness afterwards!" But I guess that has
more to do with hatred of other countries/cultures, which I also don't get.
Maybe I'm incapable of understanding on some deep philosophical level. But...
yeah, you know what? Nuclear weapons = BAD. Is that a hard concept
really?
Black & white viewpoints.
Not that I can't be like that on some things (see "nuclear weapons") but the
fact is that I just can't understand the lack of grey. Were people never
taught to think critically about topics beyond "this is right, this is wrong"?
Is that not part of education? I just don't understand that kind of
narrowmindedness, and I especially don't understand how many people live their
whole lives like that, without growing into a deeper understanding. It seems
to take away from the tapestry of life.
Hatred of the "Other".
People are people. I understand the human impulse to create a "them" and an
"us" as a way of defining oneselves. I understand that some belief systems
don't really coexist all that peacefully, but you know what? I don't get why.
I can accept it as true, but I can't accept that it's the only way. I don't
get how you can hate someone enough to want to kill them because of their skin
color, religion, sexuality, country of origin, or whatever. I don't get
wholesale hatred. Maybe this goes along with my non-understanding of being
fundamentalist (and by that I mean any kind of fundamentalist).
Lack of personal responsibility.
Personal responsibility is a big "what the???" for me. You know what?
Sometimes things are your fault. Grow up, take responsibility for your
actions. Stop blaming people for forseeable consequences of your actions. Did
you jump off a building while drunk and break your leg? The aftermath of that
should not be suing the building owners and the bar for your incompetence, it
should be that you learn that you should not do stupid things. Did you cheat
on your SO and as a result your relationship ended? Forseeable consequence,
own up to your idiocy. Did you have a rough childhood? Okay, not your fault,
but you still have to move on with your life, hopefully in a different
direction, and make good choices.
As for complaining that it's not fair... I'm not sure where the idea that life
is fair comes from. Life isn't fair! But you know, if more people owned up to
the fact that some of their problems in life could be solved by them not doing
stupid things, I think the world would be a better place. Seriously, start
from today and move on. Granted, there are people who truly get worse than
they deserve... like that kid that got shot because he and some friends threw
eggs at a truck (and at the driver (who IMO deserves a serious smackdown)).
That kid got a bum deal, he shouldn't have been killed for having done
something so stupid, his punishment in no way fit the crime. But why was he
doing something that stupid?
Also, I know we don't blame victims, that's bad, but... well, it's like this.
There's a guy, his father's family all died from various forms of cancer. His
father had throat, lung, and colon cancer. The guy smokes like a fiend. If he
gets cancer it would be horrific and a tragedy and I would cry. It would,
however, not be unforseen or the fault of a cigarette company and honestly, I
don't think he'd blame them. That's called taking responsibility for your
decisions.
Anyway, there are lots more things I could rant about, but I think I'll just
stop here. Uh. Sorry about that little ranting. But I just don't get stuff sometimes.
