Bits and Pieces of My Mind

Another collection of peevish observations.

 

Girls!Girls!Girls!

         Like those hideous strip joints, stop calling women girls. This is irritates me because even though people claim it's an endearment, I think it's belittling. A military jet pilot is called a girl in an article headline. Can you imagine referring to a man that way? No, that's a child-someone immature, black men used to be called that as an insult. But somehow referring to an adult women as a girl is seen as sweet. Not to me.

        

But Muh Rights!

          Privileged white people throwing a hissy fit for being outright racist or barred entry for not wearing a mask is getting out of control. What these alleged grown ups forgot is that every restaurant, hotel and store has a sign that says they have the right to refuse you service. It's private property like your house. If said business doesn't like how you are dressed or behave they can tell you to leave (but not because you're black, Jewish or gay.)

          Most people don't understand what their civil rights are. Being an asshole without consequences is not a given. Not wearing a mask when health policy meant to protect everyone clearly states you must -buhbye. That goes for shoes, shirts or lack of adult supervision.

         You do have a right to free speech but that doesn't mean you can yell fire in a crowded theater, or demand that people agree with your opinions.

         Treat others as you would like to be treated isn't just a pithy saying. The Golden Rule is like Newton's third law -for every reaction there is an equal opposite reaction. Be nice, it cost you nothing and is good karma.

. . . By Any Other Word is Just as Sweet

 

         The LBGTQ community needs a better term than an armful of letters. It's awkward, hard to remember and too long. Gay and Lesbian is redundant, Bi is ok then there's transgender, queer, ci-gender, non binary- by then this old fart is confused. It needs something simple and catchy.

          People don't say Japanese, Chinese, Korean, India culture. They say Asian.

         What is the opposite of straight? Curved? As on a curve. Hmm, how about Rainbow. There. Simple, inclusive and already in use. The Rainbow Community, that has a nice ring to it.

 

The Other Social Distance

          Social media is like telepathy, you can hear what other people are thinking and you discover how dull they are and how little they think about you. What it lacks is the concept of boundaries. Oversharing, people talking on the phone while in the bathroom (eww) and intruding on what little privacy is left. Celebrities have a lot of experience with boundaries and protecting their family from the glare of public scrutiny.

         I watch The Try Guys on YouTube and recently their partners started a podcast of their own. One partner stays out of the limelight despite persistence by some, perhaps, overly curious/nosy fans. You know, if he or she chooses to stay off camera, people need to respect that. Some people don't like having their picture taken, speak in public or join in social events. They should not be bullied or cajoled to go along to please anyone.

         Privacy is becoming a precious commodity in an increasingly public world. Private thoughts are blared in posts, texts and photos. I'm long past being appalled by teenagers breaking up via texts but selfies ( especially nude ones) are still insufferable acts of egoism. You sent a boob shot to your boyfriend? Why don't you just walk up to him in front of his friends in public and flash them cause that's what you're doing.

         Boundary means an inside and outside to everything. The gadgets have blurred and even erased those boundaries. People have no problem or awareness of talking loudly on a phone and sharing it with strangers around them. A women was removed from a train for disturbing passengers by talking for twelve hours non stop. A young women was legally slapped for posting a photo of an older women in a locker room with disparaging remarks about her appearance.

         Men of course, have been caught hacking web cam's, zoom meetings and any manner of supposedly private discussion out of juvenile mischief or malice. Rarely do we hear an apology for such behavior.

         Boundaries people. They are important to ones mental well being and maintaining a sense of self that is apart from hive mentality. 

         Also, your private life is boring and none of our business so keep it to yourself.

LBGTQ, Rainbow flag, Try Guys, social media