Been away for a few days, lovely to return to so many positive and thoughtful comments. Thanks guys!
Part Five
People try to justify too many things by trivializing life, condensing the enormity of something so beautiful and grotesque into manageable nuggets of clichéd dialogue from the last rom-com they saw.
“Life is what you make it,” a piece of pop-philosophy from the pat-yourself-on-the-back school of “you can be like me one day” School of Arrogance. The implication being that one would ever choose to fail.
Being lazy and apathetic is never a choice, nor is alcoholism and nor is unemployment. If somebody is expressing the idea that they’re choosing not to “better” themselves, ask why. Don’t assume they’re bad, wonder why they’re making such a destructive choice. Why would someone willingly ruin his or her life? They must hate themselves to some degree to wish such a half-hearted fate on themselves, and if that’s the case then I believe they need to be helped. Not so they can contribute more to the world, but so they can absorb more of what the world has to offer.
We may be running out of resources in the form of energies and money and love and whatever else, but the jungles are still beautiful and the beaches are still idyllic. Birds are still majestic, so why can’t a man be happy in noticing these things?
If I knew, I’d be happy, but I don’t, so I’m not. Does that make me bad?
I was told a few days ago that “everyone has their problems.” I was expected to buck up and smile after hearing this. One of the most ignorant and idiotic attempts at a motivational line I’ve ever heard, and I’ve heard plenty.
Yes, everybody does have their problems, but how is that a positive thing? I don’t hear that and think “wow, they have problems yet they smile and live life!”
Instead, I think “wow, they smile and live life and yet they’re still unhappy beneath it.”
That’s one of the ugliest things about this world, the perpetual lying. On top of the lies, come lies regarding the lies and then lies regarding those. If someone wants to cry, let them. Hug them while they do. Don’t make him feel like it’s the right thing to do to bottle feelings up until he implodes.
Welcome back!
ReplyDeleteI too hate the saying "life is what you make it". It's such a silly saying, and in most cases it hurts the person who's told so, even though it's meant to encourage.
I also strongly agree with you, especially with your statement regarding the lying. People keep lying, not only to themselves, but also to others. I used to do this too. I thought that there may be a god, or that it was a just world we lived in. I also did the thing that you mentioned, I bottled up my feelings until it all imploded. I know at least one other person who did the same. It seems to be quite common.
Actually 95% of the primary jungle is gone, so that's another thing to not be particularly happy about. And there are fewer and fewer birds left aswell.
ReplyDeleteStill, I agree with with every word from you and The Beholder. So many problems could be avoided if people were just willing to stop being so hardened and treat eachother and themselves as human fucking beings.
you could be a writer, try it!
ReplyDeleteWhere you been?
ReplyDeleteGood read. Keep it up man :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for you all your comments guys, I really appreciate them.
ReplyDelete@The Beholder - I always enjoy your comments as well as your own posts, but I'm sorry you've experienced the bottling up thing.
@Supercake - That's how I earn most of my money, I'm glad it shows in some way :P
wow, cracking post and very deep. I particularly agree with the perpetual lying.
ReplyDeleteAwesome post! Got me thinking, keep it up!
ReplyDeleteDude I've felt exactly the same way as you before, and I used to hate it when someone would say "everyone has their problems" or something like that. But today when someone says that I'll take the positive from it and hear that my problems are not unique, that other people have been through the same sort of problems and have persevered. And I can honestly say I'm happy today. Never thought I'd be able to say that. It took awhile though. I'm 31 now. Anyway hang in there, shit gets better.
ReplyDelete+followed
Good blog man +follow
ReplyDeleteBeing lazy and pathetic is not a choice, but the small things, that lead to it are all your choices, even when influenced by your circumstances, you can't really blame anybody else, for the state you are in.. in some extreme cases maybe, but usually not.
ReplyDeleteI agree, that someone like this needs any help he can get though.
Interesting blog. I'll make sure to visit again. :)
The lies are making me, a former optimist, jaded and pessimistic.
ReplyDelete“wow, they smile and live life and yet they’re still unhappy beneath it.”
ReplyDeleteSo true. :S
Following and supporting, mate! :)