I couldn't agree more. I like my eccentricities. I play war games on my computer when I have time. I started taking a couple of photography classes just because I could. Why not? I'm a senior citizen, a veteran and the local community college offered to let me audit the classes for free. What's not to like? Am I the oldest one in the class? Who cares. I think the teacher and I are close in age so that may be why she's being nice to me.
As for the future, I'm well aware that I seriously doubt I will see 2050. I will be lucky to get to 2040 or so. Meanwhile, I plan to do as much as I can to protest the government, climate change deniers, and anything else I feel like yelling about. All the while preparing for what's coming. Your research has been invaluable and I look forward to a continuing partnership as we head into a future full of extreme weather and a wannabe mafia don/dictator, not dictator that can't figure out what day of the week it is half the time. But he wants to use soldiers to police the cities and help clean up the trash.
Well said. What is our prepping and protesting for if we're also not going to fit in a game or a photography class when we can? As I've learned myself, denying those things is a recipe for misery.
My confession is that I like hanging out at home, listening to music, reading stuff online, watching dumb TV sitcoms, and talking with my wife about whatever strange topics happen to entertain us. I don't like socializing, participating in group activities, or basically interacting with others unless I really have to. It is very tempting to feel guilty about this situation, since the general American pop culture consensus seems to be the entire reason we're alive is to spend as much time as possible with friends and extended family -- eating at restaurants, having picnics, blowing up fireworks, driving long distances in American made cars, buying tons of plastic trinkets at various big box outlet stores -- and the only alternative lifestyle is one filled with depression or "fomo."
I say screw 'em. I like being weird, and so does my wife. I think this makes me the luckiest person I know.
You framed the expectations so well. For years, I did more of that than I wanted and now I'm in the same groove. I just want to hang out at home with my family or go for walks or work on various projects. It's nice to hang out with people a few times a year, and that's all I need.
Same for me. I'm also into solo role-playing games when I can make the time. So, I'm mostly anti-social and an intellectual misfit - so was my father & he lived a very happy life.
When I was 22 I lived in a cheap three story in pre-gentrified Wicker Park Chicago. Across the hallway were 2 women who had started a radical feminist group called Sister Serpants. The guy who lived on the floor below us was an artist who made terrariums with buried strange objects in them. And my roommate and I were trying to start a satirical religion called The Temple of Industrial Leisure.
Weird, outsider, original, strange were all big compliments back then.
But “weird” doesnt play well in corporate boardrooms. And it’s harder and harder to tell the difference between neoliberal American “content” culture and boardrooms.
I think its adoption as a political insult/slur by the democrats a couple of years ago was a big mistake. I think in the contexts they were using it there were better words to capture what they were seeing. "Creepy" would have been much better fit.
To those wanna-be millionaires out there, I wonder if it's ever occurred to them that nobody wants them there, including the millionaires that they are striving to emulate.
I was thinking about this just yesterday. The billionaires seem to understand on some level that they are merely parasites, that they have pretty much single-handedly destroyed the planet and the future for billions, and it's making them rather...figidity.
My favorite hobbies are dance lessons and writing sappy letters to people. The dancing is fun because I get wear the glitzy costumes and participate in the recital like I'm a kid again. This post resonates well, however, about prioritizing how to our free time in way that is meaningful, regardless of incoming doom. My goal is to stop doomscrolling/mindlessly scrolling on the internet. Reading scientific articles is good but I'm trying to break my reddit habit.
My family and I are also going to expand our garden, after five years of me fighting to have one, because they love it. My thoughts on extinction are that if humanity goes extinct, it won't matter because nobody will be able to tell. Midcentury is concerningly soon though, hope it doesn't happen, but we'll see.
Most of us are stuck in what the old mystics called emotional programs for happiness. We chase security, approval, and control. Anything that doesn’t feed those programs gets labeled weird, dangerous, or addictive.
The thing is, those programs never deliver. You can be rich, praised, and in control, and still feel empty. Sometimes freedom starts by breaking the script and letting yourself love what you love without apology.
I like eccentric people, love off-the-wall humour, square pegs in round holes, autistic people are great - no lies, tell you how it is. I love having these people in my life, makes it richer.
I wish my hobby could be stalking and harassing MAGA types but that definitely wouldn't be healthy. I really should focus more on writing and creating music.
I used to be down with Donkey & Shrek (“fly your freak flag”) but over time I’ve become *far* more honey badger (“it really doesn’t give a shit”) tbh 😹
Do your own thing, consenting adults and all that notwithstanding, as well as “don’t do shit that fucks other people (up or at all)”.
The fact that I got this shortly after feeling hurt after being called "weird" is a balm to my soul.
Perfect timing. :)
I couldn't agree more. I like my eccentricities. I play war games on my computer when I have time. I started taking a couple of photography classes just because I could. Why not? I'm a senior citizen, a veteran and the local community college offered to let me audit the classes for free. What's not to like? Am I the oldest one in the class? Who cares. I think the teacher and I are close in age so that may be why she's being nice to me.
As for the future, I'm well aware that I seriously doubt I will see 2050. I will be lucky to get to 2040 or so. Meanwhile, I plan to do as much as I can to protest the government, climate change deniers, and anything else I feel like yelling about. All the while preparing for what's coming. Your research has been invaluable and I look forward to a continuing partnership as we head into a future full of extreme weather and a wannabe mafia don/dictator, not dictator that can't figure out what day of the week it is half the time. But he wants to use soldiers to police the cities and help clean up the trash.
Well said. What is our prepping and protesting for if we're also not going to fit in a game or a photography class when we can? As I've learned myself, denying those things is a recipe for misery.
My confession is that I like hanging out at home, listening to music, reading stuff online, watching dumb TV sitcoms, and talking with my wife about whatever strange topics happen to entertain us. I don't like socializing, participating in group activities, or basically interacting with others unless I really have to. It is very tempting to feel guilty about this situation, since the general American pop culture consensus seems to be the entire reason we're alive is to spend as much time as possible with friends and extended family -- eating at restaurants, having picnics, blowing up fireworks, driving long distances in American made cars, buying tons of plastic trinkets at various big box outlet stores -- and the only alternative lifestyle is one filled with depression or "fomo."
I say screw 'em. I like being weird, and so does my wife. I think this makes me the luckiest person I know.
You framed the expectations so well. For years, I did more of that than I wanted and now I'm in the same groove. I just want to hang out at home with my family or go for walks or work on various projects. It's nice to hang out with people a few times a year, and that's all I need.
Same for me. I'm also into solo role-playing games when I can make the time. So, I'm mostly anti-social and an intellectual misfit - so was my father & he lived a very happy life.
When I was 22 I lived in a cheap three story in pre-gentrified Wicker Park Chicago. Across the hallway were 2 women who had started a radical feminist group called Sister Serpants. The guy who lived on the floor below us was an artist who made terrariums with buried strange objects in them. And my roommate and I were trying to start a satirical religion called The Temple of Industrial Leisure.
Weird, outsider, original, strange were all big compliments back then.
But “weird” doesnt play well in corporate boardrooms. And it’s harder and harder to tell the difference between neoliberal American “content” culture and boardrooms.
For a little while, weird was celebrated in our culture. Seems like it's back to just being a slur now.
I think its adoption as a political insult/slur by the democrats a couple of years ago was a big mistake. I think in the contexts they were using it there were better words to capture what they were seeing. "Creepy" would have been much better fit.
American culture is becoming a Uni-culture. I’ve never seen it so narrowed.
To those wanna-be millionaires out there, I wonder if it's ever occurred to them that nobody wants them there, including the millionaires that they are striving to emulate.
I was thinking about this just yesterday. The billionaires seem to understand on some level that they are merely parasites, that they have pretty much single-handedly destroyed the planet and the future for billions, and it's making them rather...figidity.
And very insecure!
Those willing to be weird are less worried about following the crowd.
Once again, you hit the center of the dart board.
Thank you. :)
My favorite hobbies are dance lessons and writing sappy letters to people. The dancing is fun because I get wear the glitzy costumes and participate in the recital like I'm a kid again. This post resonates well, however, about prioritizing how to our free time in way that is meaningful, regardless of incoming doom. My goal is to stop doomscrolling/mindlessly scrolling on the internet. Reading scientific articles is good but I'm trying to break my reddit habit.
My family and I are also going to expand our garden, after five years of me fighting to have one, because they love it. My thoughts on extinction are that if humanity goes extinct, it won't matter because nobody will be able to tell. Midcentury is concerningly soon though, hope it doesn't happen, but we'll see.
I've openly embrace my inner weirdo for many years. I remember at one job, a friend would tease me by calling me a nerd - I always replied thank you.
Most of us are stuck in what the old mystics called emotional programs for happiness. We chase security, approval, and control. Anything that doesn’t feed those programs gets labeled weird, dangerous, or addictive.
The thing is, those programs never deliver. You can be rich, praised, and in control, and still feel empty. Sometimes freedom starts by breaking the script and letting yourself love what you love without apology.
I like eccentric people, love off-the-wall humour, square pegs in round holes, autistic people are great - no lies, tell you how it is. I love having these people in my life, makes it richer.
A friend once told me I could entertain myself in a corner for hours 😂
I wish my hobby could be stalking and harassing MAGA types but that definitely wouldn't be healthy. I really should focus more on writing and creating music.
Yeah! I love it! Share your weirdnesses!
Yeah baby!
I used to be down with Donkey & Shrek (“fly your freak flag”) but over time I’ve become *far* more honey badger (“it really doesn’t give a shit”) tbh 😹
Do your own thing, consenting adults and all that notwithstanding, as well as “don’t do shit that fucks other people (up or at all)”.
I love this. Thank you.