Stuff.
I was being introspectivey today.
I was receiving books at work today and came across a book called "How Just Is The War On Terror?" and I imagined that if Jim (my Grammy's husband) saw it, he'd probably flip out about "TREASON!" and "GOD DAMN LIBERALS" and other fun inanities (I made that up, but it might be a word. Check on it! It's homework now). And I felt pretty smug about myself. But then I thought, if I came across a book called "Just How Superfucking Awesome Is The Death Penalty?", I'd probably be equally dismissive. So, really, where does that leave me?
I look at my family; they are all pretty far right. And, beyond just political reasons, they represent what I don't want to be. They watch Fox News religiously, listen to everything Sean Hannity, Jim Quinn, and Ann Coulter have to say, and refuse to pay attention to any media outlet that Rush Limbaugh et al. refers to as "ZOMG LIBRALZ!" If CNN or CBS or the New York Times reports on anything more than a sports score or the weather, they INSTANTLY dismiss it as garbage. They will not even listen to what Al Franken or Arianna Huffington has to say on an issue.
I try to be the opposite of that. I listen to 104.7 (the Pittsburgh talk radio channel) so I can hear what Quinn, Beck, and Limbaugh have to say. I thumb through Michael Savage books. I try to at least open myself to other points of view (it often ends in me yelling/laughing at the book/radio/TV channel), so that I see what they have to say and challenge my own view. I almost never (almost because I did quite enjoy Al Franken's "Lies And The Lying Liars Who Tell Them book because it was funny like whoa) read blatantly liberal articles or propoganda, because I don't feel like I need someone to pat me on the back and say "don't worry....you're obviously right". And I don't quote Al Franken as a news source like they do with Sean Hannity.
I'm not entirely "leftist". I don't think ANYONE is entirely anything-ist. Even if they try to be. I'm pro-life and, shhh!-don't-tell-anyone, I don't really care about Going Green. But I know anytime I see anythig that says "Gun Ownership may not be the worst thing ever", I instantly dismiss it as crap-poop. And that's not fair of me. As much as I try to be open-minded on all issues, I'm really not as much as I'd like to be.
But I'm more open-minded than some people I know. And even THAT annoys me because I get annoyed whenever I turn on Glenn Beck and realize my relatives will NEVER open a Michael Moore book with the same intention of seeing how the other side thinks. Makes me think I should be closed-minded and self-righteous, too. But I'm just too damn snazzy for that.
You know what I hate? The 70's. And, to a lesser degree, the 60's.
What absolute wastes of human time. I keep getting into this with my dad and Tina at work. The 60's and 70's were just a putrid little festering blister of bad, overrated music, annoying half-retarded hippies, and everyone being drugged to hell. What a waste. I'll give the 60's credit for Civil Rights and Lyndon Johnson's presidency, but the rest of those two decades: Just drug-induced lunacy.
Look at the clothes! Listen to the music (seriously...maybe it NEVER FUCKING HAPPENED in the era, but try listening to 60's and 70's music SOBER. It's garbage, by and large). Look at the puke color schemes and the god awful vehicles and the facial hair.
What the fuck? Stupid war, too. Everything was the worst.
All right, I had more to say, but I'm going to go watch Dan In Real Life for the second time in two days. LOVE THIS MOVIE. It's my #2, I think, behind Hot Fuzz.
I was receiving books at work today and came across a book called "How Just Is The War On Terror?" and I imagined that if Jim (my Grammy's husband) saw it, he'd probably flip out about "TREASON!" and "GOD DAMN LIBERALS" and other fun inanities (I made that up, but it might be a word. Check on it! It's homework now). And I felt pretty smug about myself. But then I thought, if I came across a book called "Just How Superfucking Awesome Is The Death Penalty?", I'd probably be equally dismissive. So, really, where does that leave me?
I look at my family; they are all pretty far right. And, beyond just political reasons, they represent what I don't want to be. They watch Fox News religiously, listen to everything Sean Hannity, Jim Quinn, and Ann Coulter have to say, and refuse to pay attention to any media outlet that Rush Limbaugh et al. refers to as "ZOMG LIBRALZ!" If CNN or CBS or the New York Times reports on anything more than a sports score or the weather, they INSTANTLY dismiss it as garbage. They will not even listen to what Al Franken or Arianna Huffington has to say on an issue.
I try to be the opposite of that. I listen to 104.7 (the Pittsburgh talk radio channel) so I can hear what Quinn, Beck, and Limbaugh have to say. I thumb through Michael Savage books. I try to at least open myself to other points of view (it often ends in me yelling/laughing at the book/radio/TV channel), so that I see what they have to say and challenge my own view. I almost never (almost because I did quite enjoy Al Franken's "Lies And The Lying Liars Who Tell Them book because it was funny like whoa) read blatantly liberal articles or propoganda, because I don't feel like I need someone to pat me on the back and say "don't worry....you're obviously right". And I don't quote Al Franken as a news source like they do with Sean Hannity.
I'm not entirely "leftist". I don't think ANYONE is entirely anything-ist. Even if they try to be. I'm pro-life and, shhh!-don't-tell-anyone, I don't really care about Going Green. But I know anytime I see anythig that says "Gun Ownership may not be the worst thing ever", I instantly dismiss it as crap-poop. And that's not fair of me. As much as I try to be open-minded on all issues, I'm really not as much as I'd like to be.
But I'm more open-minded than some people I know. And even THAT annoys me because I get annoyed whenever I turn on Glenn Beck and realize my relatives will NEVER open a Michael Moore book with the same intention of seeing how the other side thinks. Makes me think I should be closed-minded and self-righteous, too. But I'm just too damn snazzy for that.
You know what I hate? The 70's. And, to a lesser degree, the 60's.
What absolute wastes of human time. I keep getting into this with my dad and Tina at work. The 60's and 70's were just a putrid little festering blister of bad, overrated music, annoying half-retarded hippies, and everyone being drugged to hell. What a waste. I'll give the 60's credit for Civil Rights and Lyndon Johnson's presidency, but the rest of those two decades: Just drug-induced lunacy.
Look at the clothes! Listen to the music (seriously...maybe it NEVER FUCKING HAPPENED in the era, but try listening to 60's and 70's music SOBER. It's garbage, by and large). Look at the puke color schemes and the god awful vehicles and the facial hair.
What the fuck? Stupid war, too. Everything was the worst.
All right, I had more to say, but I'm going to go watch Dan In Real Life for the second time in two days. LOVE THIS MOVIE. It's my #2, I think, behind Hot Fuzz.