Like, at parties or social gatherings - I'm stumped. I like talking about woo-woo stuff, or funny things or ideas or inventions and cool stuff, even that Jean-Claude Van Dammit video that you should totally watch:
I like science, and history. But when it comes to politics or current events, I'm out of the loop.
See, here is where Imma sound stupid and crazy. I absolutely refuse to watch the news. Not CNN, not FOX, not any of it. I think it's fear mongering and polarizing and I refuse to participate in it. Here's the big shocker: Jeff and I? we don't vote. At all. Haven't for years. Because we both went through a period of paying WAY A LOT OF attention to politics for YEARS (I used to listen to Rush Limbaugh. Jayzhus what in the fuck?) and we both really CARED through Clinton and CARED through both Bushes and aside from a couple of policy changes and bills that passed or didn't pass, nothing seems to really ever change. Obama was sposed to bring CHANGE and huh. It's all the same crap. Not that the man didn't try, not that they all didn't try (or really didn't try), but *shrug* nothing changed. blah blah mistakes were made. Blah blah taxes, more or less? blah blah cut funding! AHHH! WAR!
When I saw Sarah Palin interviewing in her run, I just threw my remote. Honestly - John McCain was this staid, middle-aged white man and they put this woman next to him to bring in the 'people' - it seemed to ME. Her hokey 'good-old-gal' schtick seemed like acting to me and I think that's when I just gave up on politics.
Manchurian candidate and all that.
("If you don't vote you can't complain!) <--I don't. I don't talk about politics, I don't sweat that shit. I'm not interested, and couldn't tell you who is who in DC. Don't. Give. A. Fuck. I KNOW! You're supposed to really care! It's YOUR FUTURE and scary and AHHH! yeah - it's fear mongering and polarizing. ALWAYS only two candidates (really, has there ever really been a third?) and always only two sides to a story/issue. Bullshit.
I don't listen to news for the same reasons. It's the biggest pile of SCARY SHIT! Hurricanes, disasters, murders, child molesters, stay inside! lock your doors! walk your kids to school and walk them home! I mean, shit, I fell for it. Mike's precious feet barely ever touched the damned ground. He might get snatched!
I got exhausted watching the news, and when we lived in Maryland and hurricane Sandy was headed right for us and all I could watch was the weather channel and I PANNICKED. Annnd, it blew past us. Not that it wasn't serious for the poor people who got hit, I just mean if I had just heard it may hit, prepared like a sane person, and just watched Law & Order and calmed the fuck down, I would have been better off. News channels show the same horrific scenes over and overandover and it's all very chest-clutchy and provocative, but nah. I read about major events online and then go over to y'all's blogs and read about stuff that matters to ME. And I don't talk narc stuff with people at parties because NEGATIVITY. I get it all out here! Sunshine! har.
Which is shit that doesn't matter to anyone else I meet.
And I don't WORK *gasp*! which is just about a fucking SIN these days. Seems people cannot grasp 'happiness' and 'serenity' and all that as an emotion. Everyone MUST be stressed about something, lets all clack and talk and complain! My worry is bigger than your worry! and I don't have any worries.
I mean, yeah, I might get cancer or Jeff might have a heart attack or Mike may get hit by a meteor, but I don't have any real stressors. We aren't in debt up to our eyeballs. Our cars are older and paid off. We pay cash for just about everything, and what we do use our one credit card for is FUN stuff like vacations, and we pay it down fairly fast. We have a tiny little savings account and a retirement account, we have health insurance (all hail the VA!) and a pretty nice apartment in Mission Valley. Our lives are so quiet that people think I'm a stooge, lol. EP France has the same complaint - she works in banking but she doesn't give two fucks about news or politics either. Her husband is a conspiracy theory nut (makes me look positively SANE next to him) so her interest in politics went out the window a long time ago. I'd like to take a class, but a class in history (war of 1812!) or a cooking class to learn the science of cooking a la Alton Brown. Not like, an accounting class or current events class.
All anyone seems to want to talk about is stress and money. Work, or politics, or god forbid RELIGION (lol see what I did there?) and so I wander off to find their dog or their kids and talk to THEM. If I say something like 'oh, we had so much fun the other day doing blah blah blah' I get 'how much did it cost?' or some other STRESS question. I probably had a coupon for whatever it was and why not ask about the actual event?
oh hell, this blog post went down a rabbit hole and I can't seem to get back to my point.
From Kelly's Heros 1970:
Oddball: 'Why don't you knock it off with them negative waves? Why don't you dig how beautiful it is out here? Why don't you say something righteous and hopeful for a change?'
Moriarty: 'Crap!'
EGG ZACK LEE.
After I read a P.J O'Rourke's article where he wrote. Vote Republican and you will be robbed. Vote Democrat and you will be too poor to be robbed, I quit voting my damned self.
ReplyDeleteJCVD! YES! I just watched that video the other day. The brilliance of it practically made me cry. :)
ReplyDeleteI think I'm kind of a negative nancy myself, so this is a tough post for me. Maybe it hits too close to home. But then again, when I think about it, I talk about a lot of positive things too - mostly my kids (with people who actually want to know, not people who aren't interested but are just to polite to say, "STFU about your kids, I'm not interested").
I still care about politics (and the subject of religion for that matter) but I think you're right - nothing ever changes on either account. The masses are just as blind as they always were and probably always will be. Probably why I don't have too many friends.
I agree, that video is almost a religious experience...
DeleteI actually LIKE talking about kids with people! I liked mine, I generally like other people's - I enjoy anecdotes and all that.
My issue is (like I ever get to the damned POINT in a blog post) people dismissing me because I prefer subjects that aren't about politics/suffering/debt/etc. I LIKE laughing, I enjoy ideas and the exchange of them, even if it's about how to dig better holes or fly a better kite. I like talking to people who are engaged and enjoying life.
Jonsi, I happen to think you're fascinating, and woe betide the fatuous person who tries to say otherwise in MY presence. *hmph*
Baaha - I was going to say nearly the same thing about you, Gladys. I find it hard to believe people wouldn't enjoy conversing with you. I certainly wouldn't be bored.
Delete(slowly raises hand...) Umm, I turned off the "News" on TV shortly after Katrina. I was a damn wreck by 9AM. News has become "infotainment" or indoctrination by crazies. I shut off my Dish service in March and sent back my receiver a few weeks ago. I'm making arrangements to give my flat-screen to Rita, my antique BFF. What solidified this decision occurred when I spent a week with Rita in Aug. She has cable. After trying desperately to find something to watch one evening, there was a program and she grinned and said, "TW, I'm gonna take a nap. Let's see if you're still around after THIS!" and rolled over on the couch and went to sleep. I made it through ~4 min. of a "Honey Boo-Boo" thing and went to "my" BR to read. I do not miss TV.
ReplyDeleteI now read newspapers from around the world on my 'puter every morning, conservative to liberal. I coffee. I think. My days start out a whole lot calmer and saner. I watch documentaries that interest me on my 'puter at will. I read-a lot. I'm tired of mindless consumerism. I'm fed up with men and boys being portrayed as bumbling idiots. I'm tired of "Sex Sells" and disgusted by the lack of genuine role models for our young people. I have 0 tolerance for "Celebrities" and "Reality Programing." I'm so very, very tired of war. I volunteer from home doing what I love. My "circle" of friends is small by choice. Rita and I talk by phone every AM-just to make sure we're both still alive. Yeah, I still vote and no, I don't discuss politics.
"How much did it COST?" Yk, that's a damn RUDE question. I see rudeness becoming a "Lifestyle Preference" in everyday life. Or maybe it's just ignorance in it's dictionary definition. I enjoy the hell out of young people and remember when I too had all that excitement and energy, that awe and fascination and little kids refocus me on what *really* matters. But I do worry for them-I'd be lying if I said otherwise.
I look for all of your Posts. I go through your archives. You all give me so.much.hope. I laugh with you and yeah, sometimes, I cry too. I have a real good sense of how tough this road is, the one of Life, the one of AC's. I love you all even though I've never "met" one of you. You are the most courageous group of people I've never met. Thank you all for being who you are. Not one of you have a clue of your inherent courage or greatness. This above all gives me more hope than I can ever convey. Just putting one foot in front of the other sometimes is an astounding act of bravery and blind faith. (Cue Aaron Copeland's "Fanfare for the Common Man.") It's the uncommon greatness in the Common that is perennially lost in all the rest of the "stuff" of life. I see it all over these pages: Thank you for allowing me the gift of vicarious participation in your lives.
TW
It is not surprising to me that society as a whole seems to be suffering excesses of anxiety. Personal trauma coupled with CONSTANT images and warnings and horror stories. Constantly. Every day. All day.
ReplyDeleteI recently had to shut off a lot of that stuff. I had felt 'obligated" to watch sort of. Like it was important I watch the horror and suffering of these people effected by tragedy. Because I felt selfish, somehow for turning away. Does that make sense?
But I don't think turning away from all of that is a horrible thing anymore. We ALL could use a break from that shit. Life does not have to be all busy, and important, and heavy, and horrible all of the time. We do not need to wallow in all of this negativity and it's healthy to turn away from it. Not ignore it, but maybe take a break once and awhile. The fear mongering and 'infotainment' was tearing me up.
This is a great post, Gladys and I'm glad there are other people out there who want to talk conspiracy theory (for fun), or history, or gardening. I think it's great you can take time to sit back and think and ponder and just be.
you can talk woo woo to me anytime!
ReplyDeleteQ's Sis
I am looking forward to a long woo woo convo with you, sis.
DeleteAlso: The fact that this post is a bitch fest does not escape me. I KNOW but I am cheerful in person I SWEAR!!
ReplyDelete