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Jun. 23rd, 2001 01:05 pmThe below-mentioned hair article and some other things I've seen recently got me to thinking. I took this freak test and I got an interesting score. The 'need to be unique' and 'willingness to express dissent' scales were very high. But the 'need to not conform' scale got me at about 10%. This makes sense to me.
I think a 'need to rebel' can be rebelling just for the sake of rebellion. What's the point? To piss people off? It doesn't make them think. This may boil down to (at least partially) my issues with anger and my dislike of having people mad at me. But on the other hand, needing to rebel is being just as much at the mercy of the whims of the herd as needing to conform- it's dependent on what other people think. If you really don't care what other people think, then you won't avoid doing something you want to do because it's become too fashionable or whatever. I at least try to go where my will and whims (not to mention my health) lead me with no regard whatsoever to whether it's trendy enough, or also if it's too trendy. Screw that. Like Kit said, 'I'm going to stop eating. It has become too popular.'
I think I partially came to this realization when a lot of people got really down on Barney. Yeah, the purple dinosaur. Why did anyone give a flying fuck that 3 year olds liked Barney? He was meant for 3 years olds. If 3 year olds could design web-sites I bet you wouldn't see any about how much they hate 'Schindler's List.' This sort of connects to the Wiccan thing. If it harms none, do what you want. Like Barney? Cool, watch Barney. Like your mullet? Wear a mullet. Like wearing all black? Go ahead. Do your thing, no matter if too many people like it or dislike it. I've heard where some feminists were bashing women who shaved their legs. They give the rest of us a bad name- I mean, they're your legs! Sheesh. I won't ever shave, but not because it means I'm more of a feminist- it's just a pain in the ass and I don't like doing it, but I'm not gonna sneer at you if you do. It's the whole 'more anti-establishment than thou' BS that leads to nit-picky stuff like this.
I guess one of the characteristics I try to have is the 'leading by example'. If I walk around with my hairy legs as if it's not a big deal, then in some small way that means it isn't a big deal, and someone else might feel more comfortable doing it. This goes for eating vegitarian (which I at least try to do most of the time), being Wiccan, being childfree, and all that stuff. If people see me doing this stuff as if it were perfectly normal and OK, then they are a lot more likely to be accepting of it and perhaps even think about it some than if I got in their face and scolded them or what have you. But it boils down to this- I do these things because it's what I want to do. I may wish more other people understood that, and if they ask, I'll happily talk about it. That is the sort of respect I hope to get (and usually do) from others. It comes down to karma. You have your freedoms, I have mine, thanks.
Jeez, time to get off the soapbox.
Ah, I feel better. Now I'm off to paint 'The Lovers' Tarot Key for Litha tonight.
I think a 'need to rebel' can be rebelling just for the sake of rebellion. What's the point? To piss people off? It doesn't make them think. This may boil down to (at least partially) my issues with anger and my dislike of having people mad at me. But on the other hand, needing to rebel is being just as much at the mercy of the whims of the herd as needing to conform- it's dependent on what other people think. If you really don't care what other people think, then you won't avoid doing something you want to do because it's become too fashionable or whatever. I at least try to go where my will and whims (not to mention my health) lead me with no regard whatsoever to whether it's trendy enough, or also if it's too trendy. Screw that. Like Kit said, 'I'm going to stop eating. It has become too popular.'
I think I partially came to this realization when a lot of people got really down on Barney. Yeah, the purple dinosaur. Why did anyone give a flying fuck that 3 year olds liked Barney? He was meant for 3 years olds. If 3 year olds could design web-sites I bet you wouldn't see any about how much they hate 'Schindler's List.' This sort of connects to the Wiccan thing. If it harms none, do what you want. Like Barney? Cool, watch Barney. Like your mullet? Wear a mullet. Like wearing all black? Go ahead. Do your thing, no matter if too many people like it or dislike it. I've heard where some feminists were bashing women who shaved their legs. They give the rest of us a bad name- I mean, they're your legs! Sheesh. I won't ever shave, but not because it means I'm more of a feminist- it's just a pain in the ass and I don't like doing it, but I'm not gonna sneer at you if you do. It's the whole 'more anti-establishment than thou' BS that leads to nit-picky stuff like this.
I guess one of the characteristics I try to have is the 'leading by example'. If I walk around with my hairy legs as if it's not a big deal, then in some small way that means it isn't a big deal, and someone else might feel more comfortable doing it. This goes for eating vegitarian (which I at least try to do most of the time), being Wiccan, being childfree, and all that stuff. If people see me doing this stuff as if it were perfectly normal and OK, then they are a lot more likely to be accepting of it and perhaps even think about it some than if I got in their face and scolded them or what have you. But it boils down to this- I do these things because it's what I want to do. I may wish more other people understood that, and if they ask, I'll happily talk about it. That is the sort of respect I hope to get (and usually do) from others. It comes down to karma. You have your freedoms, I have mine, thanks.
Jeez, time to get off the soapbox.
Ah, I feel better. Now I'm off to paint 'The Lovers' Tarot Key for Litha tonight.
