Things I don't have to think about today....

Is the author a wheelchair bound, HIV+ black lesbian muslim woman?

Originally Posted by Chris

Is the author a wheelchair bound, HIV+ black lesbian muslim woman?

More like an everyman/woman but not all at once type of empathic poem..

An everywoman? It sounds more like a nowoman to me.

I appreciate what the author is trying to do but I think he/she has laid it on far too thick. I'm rarely in the mood to give people a hearing when their motive appears to be the 'I'm going to make you feel guilty for being a white heterosexual western man' thing.

[Gary L]

Originally Posted by Chris

Is the author a wheelchair bound, HIV+ black lesbian muslim woman?

Does it matter?
she may be unemployed with 7 kids living in a 5 bedroom council house, while her husband who is down as living on top of the shop he runs, too

I think it does matter, for the reasons I posted just above you.

Originally Posted by Chris

Is the author a wheelchair bound, HIV+ black lesbian muslim woman?

A white heterosexual, able-bodied, married with child, middle-aged, middle-class, middle America, reasonably prosperous, author, pointing out the things he doesn't have to think (or worry) about day to day (but that perhaps he should, because others have to....)

---------- Post added at 09:38 ---------- Previous post was at 09:35 ----------

Originally Posted by Chris

An everywoman? It sounds more like a nowoman to me.

I appreciate what the author is trying to do but I think he/she has laid it on far too thick. I'm rarely in the mood to give people a hearing when their motive appears to be the 'I'm going to make you feel guilty for being a white heterosexual western man' thing.

I understand what you are saying, but he was not trying to do that (as he states in the feedback comments in his blog (linked to in the OP)) - he was just trying, in his own way, to point out that sometimes we take what we have for granted (and sometimes think less of others who do not have those things, be they health, wealth, skin colour, religion, etc), and that just because people are different, does not mean they are less (but that some people treat them as such without thinking).

That was my interpretation, anyway.....

In that case he worries too much. Nobody can walk around with all the world's problems on his shoulders. The moment you set yourself up for that you're asking to get knocked down by those who will gleefully point out those aspects of your own life that don't measure up to your ideals.

The best thing to do is acknowledge the world has gone to hell in a handcart and then do what you can about the bits that are within your own sphere of influence.

[Gary L]

Originally Posted by Chris

I think it does matter, for the reasons I posted just above you.

His name's John Scalzi.

Taunting the Tauntable since 1998
John Scalzi, Proprietor

Originally Posted by Chris

In that case he worries too much. Nobody can walk around with all the world's problems on his shoulders. The moment you set yourself up for that you're asking to get knocked down by those who will gleefully point out those aspects of your own life that don't measure up to your ideals.

The best thing to do is acknowledge the world has gone to hell in a handcart and then do what you can about the bits that are within your own sphere of influence.

As he acknowledges in his next day's blog

This is my roundabout way of saying that one of the reasons I wrote that last entry is to remind myself to try to be that person, the one who is aware what he gets unearned. In day-to-day life I work on it. Some days I do a better job than others. I’m sure all y’all will let me know when I’m having a bad day of it. I’ll try not to be too petulant when you do.

[peanut]

Originally Posted by Chris

In that case he worries too much. Nobody can walk around with all the world's problems on his shoulders. The moment you set yourself up for that you're asking to get knocked down by those who will gleefully point out those aspects of your own life that don't measure up to your ideals.

The best thing to do is acknowledge the world has gone to hell in a handcart and then do what you can about the bits that are within your own sphere of influence.

Pretty much the way I looked at it. I think I got down to about the 10th line and thought enough was enough, this guy needs to chill out a bit. It's a bit too heavy and excessive for me. And ultimately totally pointless (imo).

As the saying goes, YMMV - each person can get out of what they wish; it's his thoughts for him to try and live to, not anyone else.

Originally Posted by Chris

In that case he worries too much. Nobody can walk around with all the world's problems on his shoulders. The moment you set yourself up for that you're asking to get knocked down by those who will gleefully point out those aspects of your own life that don't measure up to your ideals.

The best thing to do is acknowledge the world has gone to hell in a handcart and then do what you can about the bits that are within your own sphere of influence.

Doesn't hurt to occasionally point out to those who never empathise at all with anyone else at all.But then it probably goes over their heads anyway..

[Gary L]

Originally Posted by Hugh

As the saying goes, YMMV - each person can get out of what they wish; it's his thoughts for him to try and live to, not anyone else.

But are they his own personal thoughts. or is he just making a mountain out of a mole hill?
I don't intend to look deep into his mind, but most of the things he doesn't want to think about and criticises, are just human nature. and an everyday occurrence.

Originally Posted by Gary L

But are they his own personal thoughts. or is he just making a mountain out of a mole hill?
I don't intend to look deep into his mind, but most of the things he doesn't want to think about and criticises, are just human nature. and an everyday occurrence.

That statement says more about you than him, imho - it's not that he doesn't want to think about these things, it's that he doesn't, because they don't affect him (but he thinks perhaps he should, because they affect others).

a) he doesn't criticise anything - he is pointing out things that happen to others every day
b) "human nature. and an everyday occurrence" -
- 1) it was human nature to keep slaves, steal cattle, and take from those weaker than ourselves; we have managed to (mostly) grow out of that part of our human nature.
- 2) "everyday occurrence" - that, my dear boy, is the problem - treating people differently/as less because they are different, shouldn't be an "everyday occurrence", and accepting it as such makes us lesser human beings.

[Gary L]

Originally Posted by Hugh

That statement says more about you than him,

Ok.