Super ball!
May. 14th, 2002 02:50 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jchrisobrienThere are lots of thoughts bouncing around in my head right now. Why we feel the need to tear down those more famous than us, balancing our interests, being lured back to the world of gaming... and getting LUNCH! But before I surrender to the biological imperative, I should put something else down.
I'm trapped in a black and white world.
I was raised a strict Roman Catholic. I was taught to be tolerant, and that Jesus loves everyone, but I was also taught that certain things were sins, and Wrong. Premarital sex, homosexuality (and all other variant sexualities: bi, poly, beasts, kids). Changing your gender was wrong. Body modification was just bizarre. Generally, any sort of freak tolerance was out of the question.
That changed a little in college. They gave the classes and the talks, and I made some friends who didn't swing my way. You got to see behind the lectures from both sides and see the people, what they go through, how they live.
It took a longer to shake my preconceptions on kink. Again, exposure and discussion with people who live that lifestyle offer insights onto what is going on, what motivates a person to be tied up, and how bottoming is a form of topping in the end (or can be).
But I still wonder at times: where do you draw the line? When does a hobby or fetish go from being self expressive and just downright aberrant?
In the end, you have to make a distinction between what works for you and what works for them. There are customs and traditions all over the world, which don't mesh with our own. As we grow and expand our world view, we become exposed to these facets of life. When we encounter them, we only have our own experiences to draw on. You can keep an open mind about things, but you don't have to embrace everything you encounter. Maybe you just can't grasp why someone would pierce their skin, or want to change their gender. Maybe there are psychological issues, or hormonal ones, or just a complete desire for change. You don't have to know why they do it.
I'm always willing to ask questions, and try to understand why people do things. I want to be that liberal, open-minded "everything is OK" guy. But I can't be him, not completely. I don't think everything is OK. Some behaviors are just not healthy for me, or my cup of tea. And that's just fine. Sometimes you just have to shake you head and move on.
Right. Cannot ignore the body any longer. It must be sated!
I'm trapped in a black and white world.
I was raised a strict Roman Catholic. I was taught to be tolerant, and that Jesus loves everyone, but I was also taught that certain things were sins, and Wrong. Premarital sex, homosexuality (and all other variant sexualities: bi, poly, beasts, kids). Changing your gender was wrong. Body modification was just bizarre. Generally, any sort of freak tolerance was out of the question.
That changed a little in college. They gave the classes and the talks, and I made some friends who didn't swing my way. You got to see behind the lectures from both sides and see the people, what they go through, how they live.
It took a longer to shake my preconceptions on kink. Again, exposure and discussion with people who live that lifestyle offer insights onto what is going on, what motivates a person to be tied up, and how bottoming is a form of topping in the end (or can be).
But I still wonder at times: where do you draw the line? When does a hobby or fetish go from being self expressive and just downright aberrant?
In the end, you have to make a distinction between what works for you and what works for them. There are customs and traditions all over the world, which don't mesh with our own. As we grow and expand our world view, we become exposed to these facets of life. When we encounter them, we only have our own experiences to draw on. You can keep an open mind about things, but you don't have to embrace everything you encounter. Maybe you just can't grasp why someone would pierce their skin, or want to change their gender. Maybe there are psychological issues, or hormonal ones, or just a complete desire for change. You don't have to know why they do it.
I'm always willing to ask questions, and try to understand why people do things. I want to be that liberal, open-minded "everything is OK" guy. But I can't be him, not completely. I don't think everything is OK. Some behaviors are just not healthy for me, or my cup of tea. And that's just fine. Sometimes you just have to shake you head and move on.
Right. Cannot ignore the body any longer. It must be sated!
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no subject
Date: 2002-05-14 12:05 pm (UTC)This is how I've rationalized the concept of sin in my now fallen-catholic life:
A sin is something all encompassing. Something that takes over and ceases "life".
Like an addiction. When is too much just that? When it gets out of control for that person. When they can't live without it. When the need for it becomes more important than survival.
At least...that's how I see it.
and on a side note. I hardly think calling Natalie Portman a poor actress constitutes "tearing her down."
Re: tearing down.
Date: 2002-05-14 12:26 pm (UTC)I was thinking of people who were bashing Kevin Smith recently, or Kevin Spacey.
The crux of it is, people who say that actors/shows/bands I like suck, and only a fool would like them. When someone trashes something I enjoy, it makes me doubt myself. Are they right? Am I stupid for liking "whatever"? Is there something wrong with me?
What I have to learn is to recongize their belief as a statement on the thing in question, and not on myself. Just because someone hates VNV Nation or thinks Kevin Smith sucks, doesn't mean they think I suck. Or that I'm a sucker for liking them.
Of course if they do think that, they then get a boot to the head! :)
Re: tearing down.
Date: 2002-05-14 12:30 pm (UTC)I've gotten that a couple of time.
*bottom lip quiver*
*shrug*
Re: tearing down.
Date: 2002-05-14 12:35 pm (UTC)Re: tearing down.
Date: 2002-05-14 12:37 pm (UTC)*evil grin*
Re: tearing down.
Date: 2002-05-14 09:15 pm (UTC)In fact, I'm quite sure there are a number of Kevin Smith fans that aren't fools. I know several of them. I'm just entirely too tired of him.
You rock. Don't worry about what other people think.