Now, I've never argued with Stupid, like, what's the point. But I'm killer baffled. Like, half laughing and half mortified.
Offended? No. Kinda pissed, pissed off, like really pissed? Fuck yeah.
Long ago, a friend, Albert, once advised me "choose your battles wisely". He shared this at the height of my pissed-off ness. I didn't care for his advice, at first, I was actually offended. Like, can't he see the injustice? Doesn't he care? But chewing on it, while grrr'ing and snarling, re-playing the dreaded scenario... He was right.
So, fine. Exhale. Not worth my time.
Just recently, a few days ago, a Grrrr scenario went down. Like, two Grrrr incidents in the same day.
At first I wondered if it was a generational thing... but it's not. It's a people thing. Maybe a bit of a generational thing.
I was working on set, and while waiting for the day to start, people start shooting the breeze. I won't share specifics, but these two young lads spoke to me in this way as if I wasn't listening, like when you're talking about someone as soon as they leave the room, in a snide way. It felt like high school, and it's possible they just graduated from high school within the last five years.
"Why are they still accepting..."
"Long sleeves, again?"
It's not what they said, but how they said it. It's all about intention. They said it to be outright mean, they wanted me to hear it. Or maybe we just live in a culture where people have no freaking clue how they sound because we've become so detached, or self-imperial, or just assholes. Take your pick.
I asked a few friends, is this normal now? To speak to people in such a way? I've never come across it, but my cross section of friends and acquaintances are your everyday, work hard, non asshole people.
Everyone said, "Not normal". Another friend surmised "millennials". I guess they were of that age group, maybe? But mostly, idk? I'd love to blanket it and say, "yeah, millennials" but I think it's more far reaching.
I think people are more jerky nowadays. Rude. Self-important in their fiercely contained, well-managed and driven Instagram, selfie world. Too quick to judge, to toss to the side, and gossip, which has become a cultural norm. It's frightening. We've become this overly obsessed Tear-Down culture. The ultimate self-ruling judge.
My crown is bigger than yours, so fuck off!
I blame Twitter, the comments link to any article, boredom, and sheer ignorance to what goes on outside of your backyard: geopolitics and technology. If you were truly informed about the happenings of the rest of the world, like really informed without feeling informed by just reading a mere new headline, than this ambush to tear down strangers would become meaningless. Like, void of reason.
So. How should I end this...
For any jerks out there or loose lipped assholes. Before you drop the mic, ready to give it to someone, pretend that you're standing in front of a mirror. And let it rip, don't hold back. Go off!! And then keep going, and going, and going. Don't stop until you realize that words matter, that every word counts. And cuts.
Choose to be good.
