When Politics Become Personal
A large part of what I blog about isn't political, and I've had engaging discussions on various topics with people whose political beliefs are quite different from mine. Still, I can't help feeling that people with conservative political views have it in for me. It might not be personal when Al Sharpton has dinner with Bill O'Reilly, but for me it kind of is. Look at it this way. The conservative viewpoint is that anyone can get rich, and we shouldn't bother helping out those who aren't because they're just not trying hard enough, right? Well, for me, this isn't just theoretical. I've had years of failure in trying to find gainful employment, and I don't see it as entirely my fault. But to someone with a conservative attitude, I'm basically a drain on society. They don't say this directly to me, but it's what I get when I read between the lines. In some ways it's worse than religious people thinking I'm going to Hell. I don't appreciate that, but I don't believe in Hell, and I still have to live in society as much as I try otherwise. I don't mean to imply that I'm particularly badly off, since at least I have A job, and my wife bethje supports me when I need it. I'm privileged in some respects, but due to the fact that I've never been self-sufficient, I see myself more as a Have-Not than a Have. Maybe President Obama and John Boehner can play golf together and discuss these issues without taking it personally, but, well, they're both rich. It's not like that for me. Besides, it seems like conservatives prefer the fire-under-your-ass method of motivation, and while that might work for some people, it doesn't for me.
On another note, I had a dream last night (or, more accurately, this morning or early afternoon) that I was in college and the Minus 5's gun album had inexplicably become popular. I wish this would become true, but I doubt it will. Anyway, I've had a lot of college dreams recently, and I remember one where it made me feel trapped. Kind of weird, considering that I thought college was mostly freeing for me. I sometimes resented having to go to class and do homework, but that wasn't so much curtailing freedom as it was just a pain in the ass. For the most part, I liked that I could usually do what I wanted when I wanted. Not that my activity was particularly restricted at home, but I still felt I had to answer to someone, which wasn't the case living on campus. I do think the resident assistants in my building were a bit too determined in enforcing quiet hours. That didn't seem to be so much the case when I stayed in another building for summer classes. Is this because it was the summer, or maybe because my normal building was the honors dorm? I don't know. I know the Honors College had a reputation of being snobbish, which is totally unfair. There's a HUGE difference between a shut-in and an elitist! There were some people there who seemed to be studying all the time, though, which I never really understood. Did these people WANT to enforce stereotypes, or what? Oh, well. To each their own, I suppose. Unless you want to play Frisbee over the sidewalks, that is. I just remember this recently, and how no one seemed to care how dangerous it was. The paranoid part of me wonders if those kids only did that when I was around. But that's not true, right? Right?
By the way, I have a job interview and a doctor's appointment tomorrow, so I'm doubly scared.
On another note, I had a dream last night (or, more accurately, this morning or early afternoon) that I was in college and the Minus 5's gun album had inexplicably become popular. I wish this would become true, but I doubt it will. Anyway, I've had a lot of college dreams recently, and I remember one where it made me feel trapped. Kind of weird, considering that I thought college was mostly freeing for me. I sometimes resented having to go to class and do homework, but that wasn't so much curtailing freedom as it was just a pain in the ass. For the most part, I liked that I could usually do what I wanted when I wanted. Not that my activity was particularly restricted at home, but I still felt I had to answer to someone, which wasn't the case living on campus. I do think the resident assistants in my building were a bit too determined in enforcing quiet hours. That didn't seem to be so much the case when I stayed in another building for summer classes. Is this because it was the summer, or maybe because my normal building was the honors dorm? I don't know. I know the Honors College had a reputation of being snobbish, which is totally unfair. There's a HUGE difference between a shut-in and an elitist! There were some people there who seemed to be studying all the time, though, which I never really understood. Did these people WANT to enforce stereotypes, or what? Oh, well. To each their own, I suppose. Unless you want to play Frisbee over the sidewalks, that is. I just remember this recently, and how no one seemed to care how dangerous it was. The paranoid part of me wonders if those kids only did that when I was around. But that's not true, right? Right?
By the way, I have a job interview and a doctor's appointment tomorrow, so I'm doubly scared.