I’m baaaaaccccckkkkkk.
You know there are times you just have to walk away from the Internet. Being online comes at the expense of the real world and I spend far too much time online as it is.
But... enough about being online, let’s talk about sexual politics or is it the politics of sex?
So, last week I lost a date over the election.
True story!
I had emailed back and forth with someone and we were approaching the juncture where we were to meet for the first time. After exchanging phone numbers, having the initial conversation and the stars were aligned for our eventful first face to face.
Then things went awry...
On the night of the election I called up to firm up plans for the following day and suddenly everything went off the rails.
What could have happened?
Very simple actually, we disagreed.
I don’t even know if we disagreed per se, I get every sense we voted for the same person. As a matter of fact I’d be willing to bet on that but, there were assumptions being made and I didn’t feel compelled to correct those assumptions.
The lady in question had canvassed for our President elect, something I find admirable indeed. Thing is, I sincerely feel (and felt) whoever won the election was going to have a bunch of tough slogging ahead of them. There just isn’t any way to deny tough times are ahead.
I volunteered as much as well. So, even though I voted for the same guy, I hadn’t ‘drunk the Kool-Aid.’ I have a jaundiced view of the American body politic and I take campaign promises with a grain of salt.
Also, I had caught a George Carlin special on DVD over the weekend and while reminding me of how much I loved Carlin when he was alive, it certainly tapped into my more cynical tendencies.
So, not being all excited and celebratory, I had the feeling there was an assumption I was on the (evil) OTHER SIDE!
I just don’t have the patience for this. I have grown so very tired of the divisive attitude of many people I find it far too easy to tweak them. Plus, I don’t expect someone to agree with me on everything. If anything, I think things are better, more interesting, when couples don’t agree on things. It keeps people honest. I’m not talking about being challenged by the person you’re with at every turn, more about being able to have a passionate discussion where you respect and listen to the opposing side.
Something in the nature of dialog, especially where politics are concerned, has become a thing with a ‘Take No Prisoners’ attitude.
The older I get the more I realize the world isn’t black and white. I find it extremely funny when a person who passionately espouses a liberal point of view is simultaneously closed off from any kind of further discussion.
The person I was talking to lives in Manhattan. I was relaying to her how Manhattan cannot be taken as representative of the entire country. The country is such a big place; there are so many people across the nation who live different kinds of lives. Not wrong or right, just not the way we may live our lives. Does this mean their opinion is somehow less valid because they don’t agree with us?
I think not.
Anyway, I played a bit of the Devil‘s Advocate throughout the conversation. Not to be malicious but because the deeper into the conversation I got the more I realized there wasn’t any room for any other opinions.
So, why bother?
It’s like I was following the siren call of some vague principle but principles don’t get you laid on a Saturday night.
Posts
End of a cycle, thoughts and all that jazz...
13 years ago
6 comments:
:)
Maybe a 24 to 48 hour grace period to let her think that the world was golden before helping her face reality again may have worked better. Still doesn't mean it would work. Carlin said he didn't vote. Very funny guy but I never forgave him that. He was not a private citizen when he spoke publicly about that.
It's true...
The world isn't Black and White.
The world is Black and Blue.
yea pj, i understand what you're saying: i agree, i couldn't be with a guy who didn't generally get my passion for social justice but jeezus, we don't have to agree on everything. and besides, there are loads of obama supporters who are concerned, deeply concerned, about what he's actually going to be able to accomplish in 4, or even 8, years. and so, while i DID drink the koolaid and have been high for a week and a half, i totally understand not being high -- and it's ashame she didn't get it.
sigh. as they say: next??!!
:)
You expected to get laid on the first date? Gasp!
Pi, how'd the haircut go?
Index_Queen - Well, who am I to deny any lady’s request? ( LOL ) Actually, what I wrote was: principles don’t get you laid on a Saturday night. Nothing about first dates in there at all, although I am always open to the gratuitous (if extremely rare) rendevous. I guess I’m a bit of a slut.
The haircut actually came off without a hitch (thank you for asking). I like it, it’s certainly a lot less maintanence and if anything I probably look a helluva lot better (certainly neater) with the new ’do. Next up is to try and start this program called from Couch to 5k I saw on Cool Running.
merf1961 - Passion is a good thing to be sure. This is less about being passionate and more about being dismissive of opposing views. I have to remind myself of this constantly, it’s not an easy thing to be open and to truly listen to what others have to say.
In this instance I just found it more than a little ironic.
I think people should expect things to be not so easy through, say about, June of 2010. The first 100 days of any presidency are always looked upon with great interest but, given the current state of the economy I would have to imagine there will be a reassessment of priorities when President-Elect Obama assumes office.
As much as people would like to believe otherwise, things don’t happen overnight.
The_Red_Alias - Very astute and something I would agree with having taken my ‘lumps’ over this.
upintheair27 - I imagine you’re right but I have to admit to really not getting the whole over-the-top celebratory thing going on election night.
First off, the only thing that happened was someone won an election. While I understand some particularly overzealous people thought it was an occasion on a par with the fall of the Soviet Union or the Berlin Wall coming down, it really wasn’t.
I can understand it is something of a milestone but, on a level isn’t it what’s SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN? The electorate had two choices and the majority of people choose Barack Obama. Now we have a peaceful transition of power. It all happened contrary to all the negative things said about our society, we shouldn’t be surprised at all.
I did not know that fact about Carlin. It’s unfortunate but only cements my image of him as a dyed in wool cynic and something of an outsider.
bw29 - ;) backatcha cutie!
Post a Comment