To all the fundamentalists, republicans, democrats, conservatives, liberals and everyone else who's opinions are quotations. Fuck off.
That's right. Pretty much if you identify yourself as part of any political or philosophical group other than people who think before they form opinions, fuck you.
There are lots of reasons for this, but the really really big one is that freedom isn't conditional or limited. If you think people should have the right to own guns but not to marry anyone they want, you're a human piece of shit.
If you support marriage equality but you think only the government can be trusted with guns, then you're a witless sheep, and I have even less respect for you.
People say the world isn't black and white, that things are more "complicated" than that. No they're not dammit. You people make shit complicated because you're either mean or stupid; usually both.
You know what my political ideology is? It's mind your own fucking business. If you don't like how someone else lives their life, DON'T TALK TO THEM! Just shut up and keep your own counsel. My rights end where yours begin, and vice versa. Drunk driving, littering, and shooting people are crimes. Getting drunk and high, destroying your own house, or even shooting yourself, shouldn't be. No one has a right to protect you from yourself, you get to do ANYTHING YOU WANT as long as it does not directly prevent anyone else from doing anything they want. You want to build a house without a permit, do the wiring wrong and blow yourself up in your sleep? Fine, but you're liable for damage to your neighbour's property. Until your actions are immediately harmful to someone who isn't you, what you do is your problem.
That's my philosophy. It's also the ONLY philosophy, EVER that it's okay to force on other people. That's right, I'm forcing you to do whatever you decide to do, and if you try to force me to do something, I will fuck you up. Sound fair? Good.
Friday, April 25, 2014
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Poison the Trolls
"Ignore them and they'll go away."
"They just want attention."
"Don't feed the trolls."
"If you pay attention to them, they win."
Horse shit.
This is the kind of thing people say, this is the advice they give their children. You know who believes this crap? People who have never actually BEEN bullied.
Silence is permission. How's that for an expression?
Every time some asshole makes a derogatory comment and you say nothing, you ignore them, they get away with it. You're giving them permission, and you're becoming an accomplice to every time they hurt someone in the future.
You, yes, YOU, reading this right now, are personally guilty for the pain of every person you didn't stand up for, and for the next victim every time you let someone get away with being nasty to you.
When someone gets bullied, and you tell them "Just let it go, ignore them and they'll stop, they only want your attention." You might as well be the bully, because you're taking his side. That's what they want, to hurt people and get away with it.
This can only continue, because people look the other way, because they keep getting away with it. It stops when the bullies become pariahs. It stops, when they stop getting away with it, when hurting other people actually gets punished. It stops, when someone starts shit, and suddenly the entire world turns on them.
So stop letting them get away with it, dammit.
"They just want attention."
"Don't feed the trolls."
"If you pay attention to them, they win."
Horse shit.
This is the kind of thing people say, this is the advice they give their children. You know who believes this crap? People who have never actually BEEN bullied.
Silence is permission. How's that for an expression?
Every time some asshole makes a derogatory comment and you say nothing, you ignore them, they get away with it. You're giving them permission, and you're becoming an accomplice to every time they hurt someone in the future.
You, yes, YOU, reading this right now, are personally guilty for the pain of every person you didn't stand up for, and for the next victim every time you let someone get away with being nasty to you.
When someone gets bullied, and you tell them "Just let it go, ignore them and they'll stop, they only want your attention." You might as well be the bully, because you're taking his side. That's what they want, to hurt people and get away with it.
This can only continue, because people look the other way, because they keep getting away with it. It stops when the bullies become pariahs. It stops, when they stop getting away with it, when hurting other people actually gets punished. It stops, when someone starts shit, and suddenly the entire world turns on them.
So stop letting them get away with it, dammit.
Sunday, April 6, 2014
Slightly Mad
So I'm going to talk a little about mental illness. I'm not really sure why. A little because I just need to, and a little because no one else does. Also maybe a little because I'm crazy and I don't need a reason, so there.
This is something that really happens, I guarantee you know a few people who deal with these problems. In fact, if you're reading this, I could probably name them for you. They put up a brave front, on any given day, you'd probably never know. Depression, social anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, psychosis. Behind the scenes, some of your friends are struggling every day with demons I hope you never face.
No one talks about it. It's a taboo subject, no one wants to look it in the eye, to admit that it happens, even when they're the ones suffering through it. Well, I'm talking.
From one day, one hour, to the next, I never know how I'm going to be feeling. Most of the time I act the part of the stable productive member of society fairly convincingly, but I'm sure the more time you spend around me, the more the mask starts to slip. I know every now and then my closest friends will ask "are you alright?" I always tell them I'm fine, or there's nothing in particular wrong. One of my favorite expressions, "It's been a day." Not a good day, not a bad day, just a day.
The answer is no, I'm very rarely alright, but I manage.
Sometimes my mind goes away a little, and what I really want is to spend an hour watching how leaves move in the wind, or watching water drip off a roof. It took a lot of work today to make it to my job on time and not get sidetracked watching the rain. Sometimes when that happens I even do things without really knowing why I did them. Sometimes I wander a circle around the house and then go sit back down and do nothing again. I know I'm doing it, I just don't really know why.
Sometimes I can't handle people, loud noises, enclosed spaces. Sometimes I have to escape. I don't know what I'm escaping, I just have to go somewhere for a while. Some people have midnight snacks, I have midnight walks until I don't know where I am and have to figure out which way home is.
Sometimes people is what I need. Sometimes a gathering of friends is the only thing that drowns out all the noise in my head. It's crowded in here. Sometimes I throw myself into the conversation, usually with some dumb joke or another. Sometimes, I just listen.
Sometimes every bad things that ever happened, every mistake I ever made, everything bad that ever could happen, and especially the things that are inevitable, come and demand I pay attention to them all at the same time, until all I can manage is to sit and stare at the computer and pretend I'm not falling apart.
Sometimes I just want someone to ask if I'm okay, and not take yes for an answer.
Other times I go two days without sleep and write nonsense about how I'm feeling at seven o'clock in the morning.
I live for the good days. There are good days. Sometimes it's just good hours, but when it's good it's very good. Worth it even. I guess that's what it's all about.
The point. Yes, I had a point when I started this. The point is, it's frustrating, even frightening, when your own mind is the enemy. When you're problems are work, or family, or bills, you have something external to struggle against. Being betrayed by your physical health is a lot harder to live with. But what do you do when you're so depressed you can't even gather up the will to want to get better?
To those who have to live with us. I want you to know it's not your fault. But it's not our fault either, so on the bad days, please be patient. I want to thank those of you who stand by one of us when you could walk away.
To all you other crazy people. I want you to you know you're not alone. I want you to know it's okay to talk about it, and it's okay to ask when you need help. I am going to post this publicly, because the stigma needs to stop, and I'm okay with standing up to speak in front of the crowd if it helps someone else speak in front of those closest to them.
Good luck,
And may you find what you seek.
-Katharine
This is something that really happens, I guarantee you know a few people who deal with these problems. In fact, if you're reading this, I could probably name them for you. They put up a brave front, on any given day, you'd probably never know. Depression, social anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, psychosis. Behind the scenes, some of your friends are struggling every day with demons I hope you never face.
No one talks about it. It's a taboo subject, no one wants to look it in the eye, to admit that it happens, even when they're the ones suffering through it. Well, I'm talking.
From one day, one hour, to the next, I never know how I'm going to be feeling. Most of the time I act the part of the stable productive member of society fairly convincingly, but I'm sure the more time you spend around me, the more the mask starts to slip. I know every now and then my closest friends will ask "are you alright?" I always tell them I'm fine, or there's nothing in particular wrong. One of my favorite expressions, "It's been a day." Not a good day, not a bad day, just a day.
The answer is no, I'm very rarely alright, but I manage.
Sometimes my mind goes away a little, and what I really want is to spend an hour watching how leaves move in the wind, or watching water drip off a roof. It took a lot of work today to make it to my job on time and not get sidetracked watching the rain. Sometimes when that happens I even do things without really knowing why I did them. Sometimes I wander a circle around the house and then go sit back down and do nothing again. I know I'm doing it, I just don't really know why.
Sometimes I can't handle people, loud noises, enclosed spaces. Sometimes I have to escape. I don't know what I'm escaping, I just have to go somewhere for a while. Some people have midnight snacks, I have midnight walks until I don't know where I am and have to figure out which way home is.
Sometimes people is what I need. Sometimes a gathering of friends is the only thing that drowns out all the noise in my head. It's crowded in here. Sometimes I throw myself into the conversation, usually with some dumb joke or another. Sometimes, I just listen.
Sometimes every bad things that ever happened, every mistake I ever made, everything bad that ever could happen, and especially the things that are inevitable, come and demand I pay attention to them all at the same time, until all I can manage is to sit and stare at the computer and pretend I'm not falling apart.
Sometimes I just want someone to ask if I'm okay, and not take yes for an answer.
Other times I go two days without sleep and write nonsense about how I'm feeling at seven o'clock in the morning.
I live for the good days. There are good days. Sometimes it's just good hours, but when it's good it's very good. Worth it even. I guess that's what it's all about.
The point. Yes, I had a point when I started this. The point is, it's frustrating, even frightening, when your own mind is the enemy. When you're problems are work, or family, or bills, you have something external to struggle against. Being betrayed by your physical health is a lot harder to live with. But what do you do when you're so depressed you can't even gather up the will to want to get better?
To those who have to live with us. I want you to know it's not your fault. But it's not our fault either, so on the bad days, please be patient. I want to thank those of you who stand by one of us when you could walk away.
To all you other crazy people. I want you to you know you're not alone. I want you to know it's okay to talk about it, and it's okay to ask when you need help. I am going to post this publicly, because the stigma needs to stop, and I'm okay with standing up to speak in front of the crowd if it helps someone else speak in front of those closest to them.
Good luck,
And may you find what you seek.
-Katharine
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