These are Jon's blatherings. Don't be an idiot and go causing trouble...
First an explanation: I like people. Or, rather, I like people that I
like. I love those types of people. The "cool" ones. Ones that just
do their thing and make you smile and maybe help you out. However, as for society as a whole -- as for the generic, pulsating mass that is "people" -- I have written this group off as hopeless. Hopeless in the sense that, even if "they" represent 51% of the population, that is just enough to mess things up for the 49% of "us".
This sort of belief can severely interfere with your day-to-day undertakings. For example, I can no longer take part in political debates, because, quite frankly, I don't believe enough in humans to think that they will make the "right" decisions. I have my own personal "political" beliefs, but I apply them basically to myself, and, if applicable, one or two people around me who I know well enough to fit into the formula. Likewise, I don't actively support "causes". I think there are some great people working on some great causes out there. Truly. But what can I say? I feel it is a Losing Battle.
In order to, well, basically fuel my own cynicism, I am including below a list of random things I find that back up my belief in the inevitable crumbling of the fabric of society. If someone can tell me these things aren't real, I will change my mind. Oh, and for those of who think I am a crudgy, awful, cold person, I have included (at the end of course) my list of things I like about people -- about the Cool People.
- American "culture"; esp. TV, media, business, "stars"
- Another year of "Real World"
- Taken from 1994.Aug.17 The Chronicle of Higher Education --
- Jason Wilkins, University of Idaho student, fell thru a window while sticking his bare butt against a window to moon some chums. He sued the university for "failing to warn residents of the danger associated with the upper-story windows."
- Dusty Dunfield, University of Texas student, after drinking "about a dozen beers" broke his neck after diving head-first into a fountain as part of a track initiation rite. Suing, of course.
- Regena Coghlan, University of Idaho student, with a blood-alcohol level of 0.25, fell from the third-story fire escape of a sorority house and was paralyzed from the waist down. Suing.
- Bruce Miller, student at Princeton, severely injured after climbing on top of a campus commuter train and touching a power line. Seeking "multiple millions".
Excuse me ... small rant: FUCK YOU! Fuck you all. It is called responsibility. It is sad that "we" as a group will not accept it, so we must always cater to the weakest link. I hope enough drunken frat/jock fuckups (and fuckupettes) fall/leap/electrocute/mangle themselves to such an extent that the entire system falls crashing down around us and we all have to live in caves. Thank you. End of rant.
- Anyone who ever says "Well, I really am sorry Mr/Mrs ..." in that tone that means absolutely nothing and is part of their "job".
- People who treat sex like it doesn't mean anything; and each other; and their friends/families; and themselves
- Microsoft. In every way possible, but mostly for perpetuating one of the lamest excuses for an operating system this long.
- Ohhhh..... don't worry! There will be plenty more to come! You folks never let me down. <shakes head>
Now for some shiny happy optimism!
Yeah, right. But I have met people that almost turn me around. (You know who you are.) I am glad to know (statistically) there are more of you out there, too. Maybe there really are "enough". Maybe.
- When some stranger does that "hey, watsup?" nod/smile thing out of nowhere, in the middle of nowhere, late at night, etc.
- Someone just holding your hand
- Someone saying "don't worry about it" and meaning it
- Corporations who support things without expecting to get advertising dollars, or really anything, out of it
- Good comedy
- Freaks and geeks, who always were, and who look like losers cuz they are not
- Someone homeless who doesn't turn to crime
- Someone who comes up and talks to you, with no alterior motive
- The true underground that was zines and alternative and punk and hacks (and still is)
- Parents/family that doesn't beat/rape/abuse; that listens and tries to understand the world around them; that are freaks themselves (don't take them for granted)
- When someone broke still buys you a chunk of food and doesn't ever think twice about it
- Anyone who lets you crash at their place
- Those kinds of folks who you can just sit around on their couches even within minutes of meeting them
- People who are screwed up, but still cool and almost keep it together (keep trying)
- UN*X folks, especially the ones who keep it free (Linux, etc.) and have one hell of a knack for foresight (25 years and counting!); and do it because it is the best thing out there, not for big bucks
- Sitting around for 10 hours in a windowless tomb with someone you just met by random chance over the net, who turned out to be closeby, and having too good of a time irritating each other with neurotic peculiarities and ending up eating breakfast at 6am and wishing life were different but the same and wondering if anything would ever make sense and reveling in knowing that it wouldn't and there would always be times that were good and bad and hating just how fitting the word "bittersweet" was at times like this.
- People who talk like they mean it. Who eat, and breathe human interaction
and sharing the experience. Trying to think, and merge, and ooze
your life into someone else's. Giving and taking, at the same time.
The people passion, thought addiction, emotional vampirism.