Dear whoever wants to read this,
Recently I have been doing some soul searching. See, there was a time when I once fancied myself a writer, artist, romantic and all around lover of all things that exemplified life in its purest form. Something happened along the way. I got older. Things became more simplified. Essentials such as work, family and rent conveniently took the place of the daydreaming and journaling and musing that I did ten years prior. Fears replaced ambitions. And I began to find myself surrounded by similar individuals with similar fears which surrounded us all like little boxes. Every once in while I find out what happens when I attempt to leave my box. The results are often amusing. Other times they are not amusing at all. Lately for me it has been the latter. Maybe I have finally hit a midlife crisis of sorts. My new found interest in snowboarding has convinced my father that this is the case, and who knows? Maybe he is right, but that is another topic for another time. Whether he is right or not I am certain that the world is changing on me and lately I’ve been having some trouble adjusting. Although this discovery has been and is continuously made every day as I am bombarded with cable T.V., text messaging and facebook, today it profoundly reared its ugly yet again in a seemingly harmless conversation about reality television. It came to me in the form of two phrases: 1. “It’s really not that deep” and 2. “You are a hater”.
Now although I am quite aware that if put into the context of every day language these two phrases really are not that deep and I according to modern definitions really am a hater. But the thing that I hate (and the older definition applies here) is the marginalization and dismissal that is inflicted on the individual who has views about art, culture, politics and life in general that are different from the mainstream. Let me explain. In a conversation that I was having with some of my coworkers someone mentioned that they recently started watching the new season of “The Real World”. Since I really don’t fancy reality television all that much, I just listened as these individuals went on and on about the transsexual on the show and another character who is a guitar player. Since I too am a guitar player one individual who noticed that I was silent assured me that I would love this person because she has seen me on occasion carrying my guitar. I must confess that because of other situations in which this type of association was made I was slightly annoyed; a fact which I made politely clear after this person made the observation. In fact I even went as far to say that usually when people tell me that I would love something based on loose associations made between me and others (ie: Bob Marley, Wyclef and even India Irie!) it makes me unfairly critical of their suggestions. She then replied “well it’s really not that deep maybe you’re just a hater” (I’m paraphrasing). Another co-worker then chimed in and cosigned on her comment. It was then of course made official that I according to my coworkers am officially a hater. And before I knew it I was conveniently rendered mute and dismissed from the conversation which of course went on without me.
Now don’t get me wrong I realize that this whole dialog may seem like some hyper sensitive tirade from two phrases that the average individual may deem as harmless. But I still feel compelled to explain myself when I feel that I am being oversimplified. It is because we live in an age of oversimplification that I am sensitive. It is because many of us are too over stimulated for the beauty of details that I am sensitive. It is because the age of poets seems to be fleeting that I am sensitive. We are living in an age where the packaging on a product is what matters most and not its contents. I do not wish to be a product. Perhaps this is why I’m not a famous guitar player. Perhaps now that I have taken my own time to think about this artist on “The Real World” I might now give him the chance he deserves to inspire me. Perhaps his world is different from mine and I might learn something from it. But I live in a world too. I am just doing my best to make sure it stays real.
Yours truly “the hater”
1 comment:
The sad truth is that for some, having one's own opinions & thought processes in today's society is enough to make you a so called hater. As a matter of opinion, this coworker & their cosigner are more likely the haters. Many will hate just because something is different. Some just like to be seen as cool by using that term & mainly because they have nothing better to say & because they've been challenged.
I have found myself on the receiving end of similar situations & I generally don't let it irritate me too much as the snob in me has come to recognize that such comments usually spew from the flapping jibs of individuals who can neither cook up an original idea nor digest anything other than what the masses are eating.
I find it rather telling that this situation provoked you to even consider this guitar guy may have something to offer you as most never take that extra step. Clearly, these coworkers didn't consider the idea that just because they've seen you with a guitar would not automatically incline you towards this tv guitarist. Yeah, he could have been the new Jimi, but it's more likely that he's just another attention whore who happens to strum a few chords.
The reality is that folks will always attempt to find fault with you if you don't fall in line.
So from one hater to another: Welcome to the 'real world'.
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