Random Theories and Rantings

I think I know, in a way, how William Carlos Williams felt. Though he seemed to do a better job observing the world around him. Its like being on hold.

Every so often, a few times in a lifetime, you get to read something that makes you wonder what the hell is going on in the heads of your fellow human beings. Today, in the mail, I have received such a letter. I'm not going to name and names here, but it was a four page diatribe about a marriage falling apart. I understand that people go through bad times, they fight, they get into situations that are bad, but if you're trying to save a relationship I wonder if sending out a letter like I just read is the best way to go about that. In my opinion, it would have an opposite, damaging effect. I'm sure S would love it if we had a fight and I said, "you know what, I think I'm going to air our dirty laundry to everyone I know. I'm sure THAT will make you love me."

Let's say, for the sake of arguments that the letter is 100% true. If you were going to get involved with a woman with two grown children living at home wouldn't you know what they were like BEFORE you moved in and wed? Wouldn't you decide that these are people important to your future bride and proceed as such? Also, it seems to me that while complaining about sinister conspiracies and lazy hedonists that proclaiming your innocence wouldn't do much good. Maybe its the asshole in me, or just the fact that the first philosophy I fell in love with was Machiavelli, but it seems to me you fight fire with fire. Sending a large public letter out doesn't do it, be sneaky damn it! Start working against the others out to get you while they think you're working with them or even FOR them.

Well, let's go back to the world the rest of us live in. So this wonderful man sent a letter trying to tear apart everything in th lives he moved into. He's living in his own pocket universe of denial. Now, the letter was abridged (thank you for that L), and I have to say that I'm impressed with his ability to rant on without any evidence supporting his claim. It takes some nerve. I'm especially impressed with his ability to attack. Attack, attack, attack. My suggestion to him would be use more of a Socratic approach (as seen in Plato's The Trial of Socrates). While attacking may work to get you so far, you need to then use other methods in order to further your point. Apologize, stand on principle, etc.

But allow me to move away from my critique back to my original point: what the hell goes through the minds of people. If a relationship isn't working, work it out or jump ship. The problem is that both of those alternatives take work. If you're going to jump ship you need to realize that you may have failed and swallow your emotions and pride. If you're going to work it out you need to admit you may have failed and once again swallow a lot of shit in order to come to an understanding. He did neither from what I can tell. While he mentions counseling, it seems that if you're closed to the idea of working it out or ending it that going to a counselor is a waster of money and gas. Stay at home, its easier on your tires.

My guess is that most people are lazy and that special flowerism is at work here.

I thought once that only Generation Y (you know, the same people who culturally have brought back the 80s, made Britney Spears popular, made the freaks on American Idol into stars, and feel like they are all justified to do what they want because their parents told them how wonderful they were every fucking day) was the only group of Special Flowers. I guess that some of the older generations (specifically the Boomers) can have it too. The letter writer obviously feels that he is at no fault and that the world and members of his household are doing this to him. I say bullshit! Bullshit, bullshit, bullshit. The greatest gift my parents ever gave me was by calling me on my bullshit (even the stuff I hadn't tried yet). He got into the mess, work to get out of it. Don't blame everyone else and move on, still pissed off. How the hell is that a way to live?

Alright, I apologize for the mini rant there, Lewis Black called everyone a Snowflake, which I liked too. So what have I learned today? The moral of the story is that people are loony and cannot and will not deal with the world around them. Its easier to make shit up (or at least close your mind to the reality of others) than it is to deal with it. Get off your ass people! We are not special, we're all mired in the same shit of everyday life. What makes life special is when we can deal with it and enjoy those moments of clarity. My hope is that someday you will all get a letter like this and it upon reading it you will ask, "What the fuck?"

My sympathies go out to L and L in all of this. It sounds like come June, that house is going to be a far happier place to live. Good for you!

Final note: When sending a letter out complaining about others, always use spell check. Also, edit, the less you repeat the more you make your point.

I don't have a lot to write, I'm swimming around in technical jargon for a job prospect and I'm taken aback by the changes to blogger. I need to look around at it and determine if the little I learned about the old blogger still applies.

Ive noticed that history repeats itself. I'm glad to report that, for once, it isn't with me. Lauren, I'll explain more later. Basically I've come to realize that some people make the same mistakes over and over and over. The best thing you can do is get the hell out of their way. Otherwise you get caught in their gravity.

Watched Lewis Black on Broadway Saturday night. Very good, make sure to catch it one of the 600 times HBO plays it again.

Finally I'd like to advise everyone who reads this to go buy the May 17th issue of the New Yorker, read the article on Iraq and the prison abuses, and then pass it it everyone you know. I am offended by what this administration is doing to the US Constitution and the ideals we fought for to gain our independence. Additionally there is a small paragraph about John Walker in it (the American fighting with the Taliban). I'm not sure what his legal rights are now, but it sounds like his confession was coerced. We're guaranteed due process in this country, don't forget that.