A brief glimpse into the insanity in my area

[Syhto]

Re: A brief glimpse into the insanity in my area

True, I guess I'm just saying generally its a waste of time to be angry at ignorant people. telling them what's what is fine, but try to keep your cool and don't let it get to you. Like in the ops situation, you'd probably be much happier worrying about your own plans and education etc rather than feel suffocated by everyone else's supposed views. at least that's easiest on me rather than worrying about how retarded politics are, etc. which used to drain all my energy. if t motivates you that's ok but if t fuels anger and the like then it sux. speaking generally here

[Reincarnate]

Re: A brief glimpse into the insanity in my area

True, I guess I'm just saying generally its a waste of time to be angry at ignorant people. telling them what's what is fine, but try to keep your cool and don't let it get to you. Like in the ops situation, you'd probably be much happier worrying about your own plans and education etc rather than feel suffocated by everyone else's supposed views. at least that's easiest on me rather than worrying about how retarded politics are, etc. which used to drain all my energy. if t motivates you that's ok but if t fuels anger and the like then it sux. speaking generally here

thing is, it's not as easy as "worry about yourself" and ignore supposed views when those views are pushing for actual changes that affect people. politics are retarded but ignoring them just allows agendas to get pushed uncontested.

[Syhto]

Re: A brief glimpse into the insanity in my area

Eh, there are a lot of subtleties. you can do your own part without being absorbed by it, and its kinda hard to fight when you disagree with the whole thing. so when I say worry about yourself, that also includes your place in the political spectrum and reform. its what you can do vs what you can't do. you can't always change peoples minds, however you are in control of your happiness and outlook. And I think outlook is the most important, seeing as so many people are totally in the dark and just say **** all, the only people that are running it have their thumbs up their asses anyways. aka be an example like I said in my first post. its always easier said than done

[Reincarnate]

Re: A brief glimpse into the insanity in my area

Eh, there are a lot of subtleties. you can do your own part without being absorbed by it, and its kinda hard to fight when you disagree with the whole thing. so when I say worry about yourself, that also includes your place in the political spectrum and reform. its what you can do vs what you can't do. you can't always change peoples minds, however you are in control of your happiness and outlook. And I think outlook is the most important, seeing as so many people are totally in the dark and just say **** all, the only people that are running it have their thumbs up their asses anyways. aka be an example like I said in my first post. its always easier said than done

I agree that it's easy to get absorbed by it. I spend a fair bit of time researching things in the news and it just makes me angry in the end. I'm not sure what that ultimately accomplishes. At the same time, though, ignorance is not necessarily bliss and it doesn't help to not know how the country is changing over time.

"Worrying about myself and my place in the spectrum" feels incomplete to me, because I am part of a society. Even if I am not directly affected by education cuts at this point in my life, or affected by gay marriage law since I am straight, and so on -- I am affected by a society that is composed of people who ARE affected by these things directly, and the dynamics are completely different because of it. I don't like being part of a society where people are discriminated against for absurd reasons or where scientific progress and education are hindered by superstition and fallacy.

Really, the question is how to feel less helpless as an average citizen, and I think that is best accomplished by setting an example and teaching people how to do things like writing to congresspeople to try to bring about change. It helps to perpetuate the practice of questioning things critically and doing your research, etc. You won't change the fundamentalists/extremists who are set in their ideologies, but you can at least play to the middle.

[Cavernio]

Re: A brief glimpse into the insanity in my area

"I just feel like... you know, at some point, you're not entitled to your opinion. You've got a right to free speech, certainly, but when you wield power and try to push for changes that are based on factually inaccurate and ideologically batshit foundations, you are hurting the country."

I think this is one of the smartest things you've ever said, especially the 'when you wield power' section. And we all have power over more than just ourselves.

As great as it is to say it's only one's outlook that matters, that's bs when it comes down to the necessities of life. If you lack things like food, shelter and health, (not even considering that happiness becomes incredibly hard to have under such instances), your life is going to be cut short. And how a country or province or state is led can directly affect all the necessities of life.

[UserNameGoesHere]

Re: A brief glimpse into the insanity in my area

The problem is, when you are surrounded by fundamentalists, you can't just worry about yourself because they won't let you. They will push their views and their beliefs onto you. They will punish you for not accepting their dogma if it is at all possible for them to do so, legally or not. They will openly attack you and demand that you explain yourself while claiming that you are the aggressor. You of course being anyone who isn't just like they are. There is a very black-and-white with-us-or-against-us type mentality.

As for having a college degree, it isn't so much flaunting that as it is people will openly hate you strictly because you do have a degree if they don't happen to have one. It generally becomes known that you have a degree and you will then be discriminated against because of this. I don't go bragging about it. I don't even bring it up in conversation unless asked. But people can usually guess and if they know you they know.

I try to avoid these types of fundamentalist people as often as possible but it isn't always possible. I don't care to discuss politics or religion with them but again they also make that impossible as they directly probe. They seek you out. Then, if you then don't answer the "right way" (aka religious fundamentalist way) you are "the enemy" and "the aggressor" and "have some 'splainin' to do".

I realize I can't change these peoples' minds, but how do I go about avoiding them when there are so many of them, they're very vocal, and they actively seek people out to probe to see if they are "friend" (one of them) or "foe" (everyone else)? And how do I stop their bad decisions from affecting my life?

[Reincarnate]

Re: A brief glimpse into the insanity in my area

Leave

[igotrhythm]

Re: A brief glimpse into the insanity in my area

Regarding the Paul Ryan quote regarding rape: He's certainly not wrong, and the laws are such that a rapist can successfully sue for custody of their child. (Nor is it impossible for a woman to sexually assault or even rape a man, but that's a different argument.) What IS turning me off is the lack of compassion he has for the victims.

Combine this with Todd Akin's assertion that the female body has its own defenses against a rapist's semen, and you have clear proof that there's no such thing as too much education if those that are able to weasel their way into federal office can hold such absurd notions.

Going back to OP's quandary about how to avoid being attacked because he's different from his neighbors, he's probably asking because he's at his wit's end, and "I'd rather not talk about it" doesn't work anymore. Short of leaving, his best defense is probably one of isolationism until he has the resources necessary to move to a region of greater tolerance. From where I'm sitting, looking for an out-of-town job, at least on the surface, cures both problems: Less time around antagonists and you build up money to prepare for an eventual exodus.

Good luck out there, UNGH.

[Syhto]

Re: A brief glimpse into the insanity in my area

reincarnate I agree, you can't just worry about issues that directly affect you. however when talking about people finding their "place", it also should include figuring out which issues seem most pressing and which ones you feel strongly enough about, to educate yourself and put yourself out there for advocating change/help etc. it's easy to be discouraged if you go all over the map and sign petitions etc, but every little bit of effort does help. It just depends on which issues hit home the most for you, so you can be passionate about it and make a bigger difference than perhaps just being well informed.

And I'm not trying to say oh just worry about yourself, as in ignore everything else. I mean you need to worry about what YOU are putting out there, how you deal with people, what you're doing, etc. It isn't just YOU, it's you and your relation to everything around you and the impact you are having on the world. It's certainly true that there are a lot of injustices going on, all the time there are new things springing up, but I believe our general attitude is in need of reform as well. it isn't that hard to say, change the way you react to those "extremists" in Atlanta.

I'm not trying to come out with an idealist approach to being happy, only saying that, it's up to you to change anything in your environment. aka complaining about things, isn't going to help. Sometimes, it's important to be REALLY MAD at things. Some things are just crazy, you can't always be happy or be understanding. But you have to be somewhat in control of yourself, at the very least, not being dragged around by opposing factors.

As great as it is to say it's only one's outlook that matters, that's bs when it comes down to the necessities of life.

lol, who said that? I said it was important. If you go out in a world of doom and gloom, what point is there in leading a fulfilling life. You have to take care of yourself and your outlook, if you don't have the outlook that you can go out and change the world, or at least something, why would you leave the comfort of your living room or room on the computer or playing video games or what have you? The world is made up of billions of individuals, if everyone were to say, have a positive outlook and went out everyday full of energy, can you imagine the impact?

That being said, yes, we're all part of society. It is a huge machine with lots of inter and co dependencies that we rely on to continue our everyday lives. HOWEVER, I feel that that so many people carry around toooo much baggage. That is why I say the revolution starts with the individual, and it's an ongoing process. If you have the means to change your mind and learn and grow with the way you feel, you can discover much more than the political and media fed status quo. Life is about living, right ??? So less worrying, more going out and doing something. Even small things make a difference.

IDK MAN, I JUST GET TIRED OF THE SAME ARGUMENTS. its always like omg rednecks are dumb and christians are stupid all the time. I really don't feel that way, I think it's kind of funny, even when perhaps it isn't. there's another side to every story. just do your part and live your life and enjoy it. I don't think you have much more you are obligated to do

[UserNameGoesHere]

Re: A brief glimpse into the insanity in my area

Understand that I don't have a problem with all Christians. It's only the pushy fundamentalist types I have a problem with.

It's also quite hard to avoid confrontation with such types when they come up to you and accost you.

Also, this isn't Atlanta-specific. In fact, Atlanta is probably one of the better places in the state. That particular post merely served as a perfect example of the types of fundamentalist people who tend to cause problems around here.

I do try to avoid them but it's not always possible, especially in certain areas.

They try to change laws to dictate how you live based on their beliefs as to how they live and how everyone else "should" live. They are against things such as religious freedoms (which they favor only when it is their religion in question -- not ever for any others). They are pro taking your rights away.

It is only the religious fundamentalists who are a real problem.

[Cavernio]

Re: A brief glimpse into the insanity in my area

Where are you going and what are you doing such that someone even asks you questions like that user??

"You have to take care of yourself and your outlook, if you don't have the outlook that you can go out and change the world, or at least something, why would you leave the comfort of your living room or room on the computer or playing video games or what have you?"
Oh hey thats me in my living room.

"The world is made up of billions of individuals, if everyone were to say, have a positive outlook and went out everyday full of energy, can you imagine the impact?"
I totally agree. But without a way for someone to become positive, it's a useless statement. "you are in control of your happiness and outlook" just isn't true.
I used to be a very positive person. And then I got depressed and tired, and now I know 10+ years later that I'm like that because I'm actually sick. And I bet that had I had a family doctor who actually took a medical history of me and who had access to all my records, instead of going to walk-ins which took the same tests over and over again, I would have been diagnosed years ago. There's an epidemic of depression in North America, 10% of people are on anti-depressants, people for whom the power of positive thinking does jackshit for them.

[UserNameGoesHere]

Re: A brief glimpse into the insanity in my area

Anywhere really. Grocery stores. Restaurants. Fast food places. Just out and about walking down the street. Laundromat. Chain stores.

It'll go something like this. More likely if you're waiting in a line. You seem approachable and nice enough so someone strikes up a conversation with you. At some point they say something like "Which church do you go to?" You then say "Well, I don't go to church." At that point they're either reasonable about it, tell you where they go, and invite you there and leave it at that. (I have no problem with these type) .... or they're very unreasonable about it, quickly change tone 180 and become very hostile very quickly, make egregious claims (Atheists cause all the problems in the world, you're going to hell, etc...) and so forth.

Keep in mind, the worst of the worst don't even really like you if you're just a different denomination of the same religion. They like you even less if you're a very different denomination from theirs. They like you even less than that if you're a different religion entirely. And flat-out hate the nonreligious.

It also doesn't help when you have these kinds of people at family gatherings/etc... and things become very awkward very quickly.

[Cavernio]

Re: A brief glimpse into the insanity in my area

Only go places if you don't shower and don't wash your clothes. That'll keep the friendly people from wanting to say hi.

[qqwref]

Re: A brief glimpse into the insanity in my area

Why not just tell them the church your parents go to? I mean, it's a bit of a lie, but it's a reasonable answer and probably better than having people yell at you.

[UserNameGoesHere]

Re: A brief glimpse into the insanity in my area

I'd rather not lie about stuff like that. Well I'd rather not be having these sorts of conversations to begin with, but if someone else flat-up asks you stuff, you're going to answer. In a way, if someone is going to be hostile about it, I'd rather see that behavior early on, unpleasant as it is, so I can know how they really are.

I'd really rather not have such hostile people thinking I'm one of them as that just might promote further unpleasant conversations and/or them following me around or thinking I'm their buddy or something. And I'd truly rather distance myself from such people.

It just really depends on the situation though. I try not to say too much unless I really need to. Let them assume what they want. Most times you won't have a problem but just be prepared for when you do.