Scoffing at "weirdness" makes no sense (thoughts, problems, relationship)
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In fact, my inspiration for this thread is precisely the social and professional changes that (very justifiably) shifted from "deviant" to "normal"
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In fact, neurodiversity is getting more and more attention in recent years. Thus, there's a campaign to destigmatize high-functioning autism and probably other kinds of mental differences, too.
In the 1975 movie Taxi Driver, director Martin Scorsese introduced the transformed Travis Bickle character --with Mohawk and aviator sunglasses-- in a jarring quick pan. No doubt audiences in 1975 recognized the character had turned a corner, where Bickle had previously been just flaky and odd.
Fast forward to 2022 and a kid with face and neck tattoos can purchase multiple guns and ammunition in a suburban gun store. What would a 1975 gun store clerk's reaction have been?
Maybe our 2022 society can forgive the people who saw Taxi Driver in a theatre in 1975 and knew a dangerous, unhinged person based on his chosen appearance, when they saw one.
I mostly agree but think it's replaced by a type of toxicity, always wanting to slam a co-worker for something. It's like people these days really want to bond on what and who they hate.
Agreed. It just changes form, and people hide their true feelings because it's no longer socially acceptable. Many of them still hold the same views, they just don't share them. THEY don't want to be pegged as judgemental just in case the people they hang around aren't. Their judgments are manifested in behavior instead of spoken...because you can always deny someone else's (accurate) perception of behavior you may be ashamed of. But if you say it, well, it's out there. Older people are viewed as "stuck in their ways" and conservative for a reason. It's not easy for people to change their view of someone once they've formed an opinion, and many times they won't give people the space to be human. It's hard to admit you may have been wrong about someone.
I remember a time when I was working in a particular law office in downtown Los Angeles in the former Security Pacific Bank building. I used to love to sit out in the plaza at lunchtime, feed the pigeons and laugh at their antics.
I was at the time very attractive, very sexy, wore great clothing, and looked like a woman who would not be sitting by herself at lunch smack dab in the middle of the corporate world laughing with pigeons. I knew that several people who knew me from the office (mostly women) were laughing at me and I didn't care. They were in their own little negative world and I was simply enjoying nature. And I was enjoying it while my life was falling apart, I might add. A nasty husband, horrible separation and divorce, and losing everything.
That is just how I roll and have always rolled -- whether I was 10, or 41 (like the pigeon era), 55 or now 70. I don't give one damn what someone thinks. If I want to run around like crazy in a park because a great song makes me joyful I'm damn well going to do it.
I will go right on being weird. I've always marched to a different drummer and always will. I don't know how to be any other way. Adhering to the societal norm never felt right for me.
Mind you, I worked in the corporate world for 30+ years so it's not like I couldn't do it. There are many weirdos in the corporate world. They do it on their own time and in their own minds.
Once one reaches sufficient net worth, they become "eccentric", not weird.
I've never placed much importance upon living to anyone else's standards. I understand there is an entire ethos built upon stature and placing yourself into a particular niche that you wish to be perceived in. Appealing to those vanities is where Madison avenue makes it's bread and butter (keeping up with the Joneses)
But, that's never been a priority for me. If it's important to someone that I live up to their standards, then I don't need them.
Once one reaches sufficient net worth, they become "eccentric", not weird.
I've never placed much importance upon living to anyone else's standards. I understand there is an entire ethos built upon stature and placing yourself into a particular niche that you wish to be perceived in. Appealing to those vanities is where Madison avenue makes it's bread and butter (keeping up with the Joneses)
But, that's never been a priority for me. If it's important to someone that I live up to their standards, then I don't need them.
Johnny Depp is a great example. First of all I admire him because he's an empath who survived severe childhood abuse and is still a caring, compassionate, generous and accessible human being. His movies aren't always my cup of tea but he's a great example of weird who became uber famous and wealthy and is now, yes, eccentric. It's obvious the guy has something going on besides superior intelligence. A very high "creativity IQ."
It means leave others be. What one considers weird others do not. Live and let live. Those who spend time worrying about other's weirdness have too much free time on their hands. Go be yourself and don't worry about what others think.
I think some people get worried that it's going to throw off the balance of their safe, predictable, vanilla, controllable lifestyles.
Why are you judging people as ‘predictable’, ‘safe’ or ‘vanilla’ if they exhibit controllable/socially acceptable behavior? It’s as though you’re stating being intoxicated or uncontrollably running around/yelling in a park, per the thread/OP, is somehow preferable to social intelligence.
Quote:
Originally Posted by modest
I subscribe more to the live and let live doctrine.
I agree; that said, it’s human nature to notice socially awkward/‘weird’/aggressive behavior. It may be indicative of a larger problem.
It means leave others be. What one considers weird others do not. Live and let live. Those who spend time worrying about other's weirdness have too much free time on their hands. Go be yourself and don't worry about what others think.
Ah! I thought maybe you were trying to call out anyone who was participating in the thread. LOL
Really, the only time my hackles go up is if I perceive the person might be dangerous. Sometimes that perception comes right away, other times, it's a perception that comes with time, and being around that person.
In a way, this is fresh on my mind because we had a family situation (of sorts) where over time, I've come to perceive someone as dangerous...but in the manipulative, lying kind of way. It was actually my very first perception of her, but then I was persuaded to give her the benefit of the doubt...but she made it clear my perception wasn't wrong...and she's been banished by me, from my life. Yes, she's probably mentally ill. But she's hurt and manipulated people, and she's beyond anything I can do. Keep her away from me.
Why are you judging people as ‘predictable’, ‘safe’ or ‘vanilla’ if they exhibit controllable/socially acceptable behavior? It’s as though you’re stating being intoxicated or uncontrollably running around/yelling in a park, per the thread/OP, is somehow preferable to social intelligence.
I didn't say that. You did.
What I said...and I'm going to say this very clearly...
is that some people might find these behaviors as disruptive to their predictable, safe, or vanilla lifestyles. Some of these people take it too far by exhibiting hateful feelings or behaviors towards others. That is a problem, because hateful feelings can evolve into a much larger problem. For instance, a lot of these mass shootings we've observed over and over again on a recurring basis stemmed from someone hating something about someone else.
I'm not judging those people who judge others. I am not judging this as it is right or wrong. I'm simply stating it as a matter of fact.
Who is to say what is weird or not weird? Is being gay weird? Some seem to think so. Is going to church and praying to an invisible deity weird? Some seem to think that as well.
I once ran into a tribe of furries late at night once when I was grabbing a slice of pizza. Of course, I thought it was weird. But they left me alone, they weren't harming anyone, and they weren't being destructive. They were just...being themselves. So I didn't mind them one bit. I was merely amused by it.
Socially acceptable is not an absolute. Rather, it floats along a spectrum, depending on who you are, where you live, how old you are, who you surround yourself with, etc.
So, to answer your inquiry again, I'm not judging anyone here. I'm simply stating these things as a matter of fact.
Quote:
Originally Posted by CorporateCowboy
I agree; that said, it’s human nature to notice socially awkward/‘weird’/aggressive behavior. It may be indicative of a larger problem.
But it may not be either.
Last edited by modest; 07-07-2022 at 03:21 PM..
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Johnny Depp is a great example. First of all I admire him because he's an empath who survived severe childhood abuse and is still a caring, compassionate, generous and accessible human being. His movies aren't always my cup of tea but he's a great example of weird who became uber famous and wealthy and is now, yes, eccentric. It's obvious the guy has something going on besides superior intelligence. A very high "creativity IQ."
