A Myth...

No matter how much I hear people talking about and clamoring for world peace, I just can't help but shake my head. It's one thing to hope, but...Logically, I just don't see it happening. At least, not until and unless some other threat, outside of humanity, appears from somewhere. Mostly it is just my general lack of confidence in humanity, but let's think about this logically.

Let's imagine that world peace does occur. For one shining moment, all of the peoples and the nations put aside all of their differences, hugging in mutual affection for peace, love, and granola. There are celebrations and parades. Weapons are locked away into deep storage, or destroyed entirely...

Except...

Except for one cache of them, retained by some aspiring despot or radical group. And then as everyone else is celebrating, this armed group marches through and conquers. Deaths occur, blood fills the streets. And someone else finds, unlocks, or builds new weapons to fight them, and these groups do battle. And someone else decides that their battle is unfair, and joins in to stop the fighting. And another group decides to take advantage of the chaos to seize something else entirely. Etc., etc., ad infinitum. All started from just one element breaking the peace.

No Offense...

My last post caused some discussion back and forth, which then caused me some personal introspective thought. And you know, I think the main reason that it really set me off was confusion and disbelief. Really, I just could not imagine someone taking offense at the fact that there was a book in their field of vision with the word SLUT on it. Like, literally, this never occurred to me.

And I came to realize that...well, maybe that's my fault. But then again, I don't think I've ever really taken offense at anything that wasn't actually a personal attack against me or someone I know. Further, it seems that I may be nearly alone in this viewpoint. It works like this: One of my coworkers is highly Christian. Brings a bible to work with her, writes a psalm and "God Bless" on the back of every guest check, etc. I pointed out to the manager that some could take offense at it and complain, just because I've heard it happens. Via hearsay, I know some people might. Logically, personally, I can't imagine why anyone would. It's written on the back of the check, easy to turn over and ignore, and it's like it says, "God Bless, and you're a fucking dumbass if you don't share my views." Nope, just..."God Bless". It's her viewpoint, and she expresses it rather innocuously.

I just cannot fathom the thought processes that would lead to someone being offended by my book, or a "God Bless" on a check, or any number of other things. It just seems like a waste of energy, time, and thought that could be spent on any number of more constructive and/or fun things. Or do they really think that my book visible means I'm, like, just using it as a distraction so I can fuck their daughter across the table, or something? It...Makes...No...Sense...! People are stupid...

Hiding

This post was prompted by an event that occurred the other night at work. The new district manager came in, and had some issue with something. Now, let me start by saying the guy's a bit of a prick to begin with; he was the location manager, and most of us thought that the best part of his promotion was that we wouldn't have to deal with him anymore. But he took particular exception to the book I had with me. That book is "The Ethical Slut: A Practical Guide to Polyamory, Open Relationships, and Other Adventures". He took exception because it has the word SLUT in large letters on the front cover, and said that it has to be hidden so that people, customers, couldn't see it. I suggested just leaving it on a counter, turned face-down, which he shot down because the word is still on the back, though in smaller letters.

It took me thinking for a while before I realized why I had had such an issue with this, and in fact I felt outright insulted. Maybe the word "slut" is a hot button word for some people, and it may even be offensive to them. But to me, and many others, it is not. I am happy to be a slut. And I really don't think that manager gives people enough credit, particularly considering that I've had that book with me, visible, for about 2-4 weeks now, slowly reading through it and digesting it.

What really offended me, though, was the implication that I have to hide it. The implication is that it should be something to be ashamed of. Even if some people may disagree with my lifestyle, I'm not hurting anybody, neither those who share my ways nor those who do not. I just don't do well at hiding things. I don't go out of my to slap people in the face with it, either. But I don't do well at hiding aspects of myself, because it is simply a subtle form of dishonesty. Anybody who asked, curious about what the book was, was given a short summary (and frankly, I'd recommend it even to people who are monogamous). But personally, I'd rather be honest and be disliked for it than to be dishonest about who I am, and it's a double slap in the face to be told that my lifestyle should be hidden away and that I should be dishonest with people.

That Time Again...

Ahh, the presidential election is almost upon us again. You know, I seem to recall a time when people voted for someone that they actually WANTED in the office. If nothing else, I do remember studying about such people way back in my history and poli sci classes. Now, though...well, now it just seems like everybody just votes for whichever dipshit, partisan career politican they think will fuck up the least.

There's something wrong with that, at least in my opinion. So, I will espouse the same stance I have for years: Don't vote. You can bitch and whine about how it's the duty of every citizen to vote, but it's also the right of every citizen to be represented by something MORE than just the lesser of two evils. And maybe, just maybe, if voter turnout can be reduced to a single-digit number, the career politicians will realize that the people want something a little more and a little better for themselves.