Racist, White Trash, White Supremacist, Die Hard Sports Fan, Conservative, Republican, Democrat, Snowflake, Guido, Rocker, Freak, Greaseball, Ginny — these are just some of the lovely, endearing terms, that I have had the displeasure of being exposed to and even accused of! With every obvious appearance, a clique is either formed in our minds or exists. For every thought or belief, a label is automatically slapped on your forehead. Not everything, nor everyone, can be “compartmentalized,” and personally speaking, despite the finger-pointing of “so-called” Millennials (I say “so-called,” because that is also an unfair label), I hold true that I do not fit any exact description/assumption. As such, I belong to no cliques, warrant no labels, nor pay homage to any groups. Never have — Never will! However, I am a free and honest thinker, and hence, defending myself begins.
Please do not misinterpret me, there are those that perfectly fit the distinction, that is either placed on them or that they themselves proclaim. Those who believe or follow certain ideals, so passionately and closely, in their deepest core (typically for some profound, ridiculous, or unknown reasons), that little to nothing will ever change or affect that. “What are you, a Democrat or a Republican? What type of music do you listen to? Who is your favorite team? I bet you all tawk’ like dis?” Who, me? Well, I am Joseph and I have a million views, thoughts, and emotions, and I am like NO OTHER! That is my credo, and I am not following any other, even if my opinions “resemble” certain cliques & labels.
It is not merely identifying black, white, red, yellow, rainbow, etc., or acknowledging that any of the latter IS different than you, that makes you prejudice. It makes you a person with functioning eyes. It is, what it is, as they say in New York. Judging and disliking that difference, makes for prejudice. “Which one is John, again?” Sometimes, it is just easier to say, “the black guy,” without getting creative or worrying about being vindicated. We need love and being uptight, simply because we see differences, seems to me, like the wrong path to take. “Which one is Bill?’ I might just answer, “the one with the big nose.” Am I still a horrible person? Do I hate big noses or black people? No. I think the proof is in the tone! Prejudice people, typically harbor some shame or guilt (if they have a conscience) for their views, so they whisper or make certain inflections, with regards to race, creed, color, in the same way, that people utter, “cancer.” These are indications of what is in a person’s head or heart — not just stating the obvious. The new guard disagrees, I know, and I will try to address that.
The microscopic dissecting of each word, until it is whittled down to what someone believes is at the core … the atom, of the speaker, seems to be a present-day occurrence. What the challenging force, does not recognize, is that inside that atom, is pure energy. The energy that makes up the person. Not the other way around. Not someone’s elaborate and presumed definition, of mine or your core belief, as a symbol of who we “really are,” as HUMANS! We are one and yet, each is an individual. [BTW: I am not high]. Growth is a good thing! My generation, for example, made and makes (author included), many bad mistakes and decisions. Some learn and mature. Those that do not, hold us all down, back, and accountable. But an uprising, by the self-proclaimed mediators for the oppressed (not those oppressed, as they have the right), is only perpetuating hate, in reverse, thus one step forward — two steps back.
In Highschool, I got into classic Disco and Freestyle music, because I enjoyed dressing sharp, nightclubs, dancing, and other perks 😉. I still loved my rock and roll, my Crooners, my Italian Singers, and early Rap music, etc. It was my taste … I was not a Guido. But die-hard Rock fans, or the kids from a certain area of town, would label me. I made many, long-haired, Iron Maiden and Metallica fan friends, by revealing who Joseph really was. Now, did we have “Guido’s”, by stereotypical definition? Absolutely! They did not just dress in a style and listen to a type of music — they disliked the kids in the dungaree jackets, with album covers painted on them. They felt superior and behaved arrogantly, as elites. That … is the line between hate and observation — being open to many things, versus being part of a clique. I am not about to prove or disprove every group or label. There are far too many and it would be far too exhausting. I just want to draw the lines in the sand. Attempt to distinguish between truth and anger!
This is a *volatile topic, like no other. It also has so many layers, that the conversations and the arguments, would force me to buy an external terabyte hard drive, just to continue and store, the back-and-forth digital dialogue. Recognizing our differences and being able to laugh at our labels (put there by ignorant people), realizing at the end of the day, that we really should simply be the best people we can be, is the underlying theme of this essay. We really should help each other and appreciate each other, within our powers. I am not innocent, yet I am not a flower child (excuse the clique/label/generalization/stereotype/presumption … you get my facetious point), and so I am not preaching, “love is all we need,” though it is! What, I am saying … or what it is that I think that I am feeling is … who cares? Wake up, stop the nonsense, and let us all enjoy this short, exceedingly difficult ride, that we all are on, called LIFE!
When you do something terribly wrong to me or someone that I love, I am going to get angry. Perhaps real angry. I might, in that heated moment, say something about your appearance, race, creed, color, religion, clothing, hairstyle, whatever (if only in my mind or under my breath), if it is blatantly obvious to me. Am I wrong? Yes, I have labeled an individual based on learned ignorance. Am I justifying? No, but the following is my analogy. Do I hate everyone who looks like you, and think that everyone like you (infinite definitions), is exactly like you NOW, at the moment in which you pissed me off? No, I do not! For then, I would truly be a judgmental person, Racist, an Anti-whatever word, that I chose to label you, in my moment of emotional weakness.
A man of high spiritual fortitude and intelligence, whom I greatly respect and admire, Dr. Wayne Dyer, said it best: “Have a Mind that is Open to Everything and Attached to Nothing. I mean, it’s like you can’t say or do anything these days without offending someone. Some people live their entire lives looking for … searching for… something to be offended by. For some reason, they expect the rest of us to conform to their own personal beliefs! You’re wrong. I’m right.”
Signed,
Human
*I have read the word volatile, enough for a lifetime, from Robinhood, ever since the GameStop situation.
DM -“ Hey Joseph,
Once again you have delivered some outstanding writing.” John K.
DM “Good one!!!” Val A.