Tuesday, July 25, 2006
disputatiousness
Why do some people argue and act offensive and then maintain that they mean to be amusing? Kidding "on the square" just isn't funny to some people and it would be nice if others were more sensitive to that. For example, my father's sister, the speed-demon knitter, was extremely sensitive about her upper arms. No, it isn't a serious issue and the political balance of the world will neither fall nor rise on it. But if one joked with her about sleeveless blouses, she was not happy, so why not simply refrain? Similarly, if people in one's family, or one's friends, hold political or other points of view that differ from others of one's family or friends, why not leave it alone? It wouldn't even be interesting if everyone had the same points of view, would it? Why do some people need to criticize and ridicule, and then pretend it's teasing?
Permalink | 
| posted by jau at 4:20 PM
— at 9:11 AM, July 27, 2006:
| posted by jau at 4:20 PM
2 more:
— at 9:11 AM, July 27, 2006:
Perhaps it's a process of metastasizing. I know what it is you're noticing, and there's definitely something to it. Carping about white after labor day, sandals in church, pants without a belt, blah blah blah.
It's gone, but there's something else popping up in the same place. When I was a kid, my parents and neighbors good-naturedly ribbed each other about voting for Carter vs. Ford. Gut-chuckle type stuff. Their kids, the same ages now, voting in opposite directions, don't speak to each other and say hideously vile things about each other.
Another thing is smoking. You walked into someone's house, and maybe it smelled of cigarette smoke, maybe it didn't. Who cares? It was their house, not yours. Now, people pass judgment on it. I live in Cali, so when people here travel elsewhere, and go into a restaurant and see people smoking, it's always a novelty. It's not permitted here. The people you say have disappeared entirely, cannot have disappeared altogether.
There is a residual effect in the matter of raising children, I notice. You spend eight hours on the Play Station, I have no opinion; I put in twelve hours on my X-BOX, you will have no opinion; if either one of us lets our kids play for 45 minutes or so, EVERYONE will opine and the situation will not be pleasant. Once it comes to how the next-generation is being raised, or is about to be raised, the live-and-let-live stuff goes the way of a snowman beneath napalm.
Overall, I think it's somewhat healthy. People still want everybody else to do things the way they would want to have it done, but nowadays they have a somewhat clearer idea as to why they want it that way, what skin comes off their nose if it isn't done the way they want it done, and what they can do to affect the change. On the other hand, there's something new going on where if someone thinks I should be wearing a baseball cap backwards, and I don't, that someone and I can't be friends because I'm not "cool." That's new, for the most part, and I don't think it's good.
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Posted by mkfreeberg to just muttering at 7/26/2006 02:38:56 PM (didn't display so jmbm pasted from email)
It's gone, but there's something else popping up in the same place. When I was a kid, my parents and neighbors good-naturedly ribbed each other about voting for Carter vs. Ford. Gut-chuckle type stuff. Their kids, the same ages now, voting in opposite directions, don't speak to each other and say hideously vile things about each other.
Another thing is smoking. You walked into someone's house, and maybe it smelled of cigarette smoke, maybe it didn't. Who cares? It was their house, not yours. Now, people pass judgment on it. I live in Cali, so when people here travel elsewhere, and go into a restaurant and see people smoking, it's always a novelty. It's not permitted here. The people you say have disappeared entirely, cannot have disappeared altogether.
There is a residual effect in the matter of raising children, I notice. You spend eight hours on the Play Station, I have no opinion; I put in twelve hours on my X-BOX, you will have no opinion; if either one of us lets our kids play for 45 minutes or so, EVERYONE will opine and the situation will not be pleasant. Once it comes to how the next-generation is being raised, or is about to be raised, the live-and-let-live stuff goes the way of a snowman beneath napalm.
Overall, I think it's somewhat healthy. People still want everybody else to do things the way they would want to have it done, but nowadays they have a somewhat clearer idea as to why they want it that way, what skin comes off their nose if it isn't done the way they want it done, and what they can do to affect the change. On the other hand, there's something new going on where if someone thinks I should be wearing a baseball cap backwards, and I don't, that someone and I can't be friends because I'm not "cool." That's new, for the most part, and I don't think it's good.
--
Posted by mkfreeberg to just muttering at 7/26/2006 02:38:56 PM (didn't display so jmbm pasted from email)
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