Party Poopers
>> Tuesday, June 23, 2009
What is it about some people?
They see someone happy, someone enjoying themselves with a little imagination or whimsy or silliness, hurting no one. And they stomp on it.
I'm at a loss to understand it.
So, someone wants to talk with British (or French or Swedish) accent around the house. If it gives them pleasure and you can understand it, why not?
So your son likes to wear hats around the house. Why not?
Perhaps your husband wants to wear a kilt. Who's he hurting?
So your daughter writes stuff on her jeans. Irksome, but, hey, she wears them.
If something does you no harm, why stop it? So someone likes different music or shows, so they like books or photography, so they favored someone different on American Idol - why not?
God, what a bore the world would be if we were interchangeable, liked the same foods and movies and books and music.
Why is it if certain someones see someone else doing something they don't understand or don't get or choose not to do, they can't be happy themselves unless the someone else's are stopped?
Boy in gymnastics is "girly"? Ha, lot you know about it.
Someone covers themselves in tattoos? How does that change who they are? Are they less intelligent or capable or caring because of it?
Two people of the same gender want to commit to each other. What the hell difference does it make to you? (And don't bother complaining to me of sin. If you're going to pay for eternity for something, all the more reason to enjoy it now. Sin is God's place to judge, NOT YOURS. And, no, I don't think love like that is sinful; I think it's love. In my opinion, you'd have to be a pretty twisted God to be against love.).
I don't understand this need to suck the pleasures of life out of people's lives.
What I'm saying is, if your grandmother wants to wear a too red lipstick, smile and tell her she's beautiful (I mean, isn't she?).
If your daughter makes a home for a fairy, why not play along?
If you have the chance to rain on someone's parade with no real benefit for yourself, why not forgo it?
And if you want to tell my sister that you support her own quirks so she doesn't feel so deflated, by all means, do!
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My lovely 74-year-old mom came over today so she could sit in the sun (she lives in a condo). I was hopping up and down, trying to keep from running outside to yell at her about getting sunburned, dehydrated, having a stroke, etc, etc. Then I thought, oh, who cares. She enjoys it. Hopefully it won't kill her. And she looks great with a tan.
It drives me nuts when people think that they get to have an opinion about things that they really don't.
oh, and I'm loving that graphic, too... it's perfect
Love the image too, and well said, some people are just sticks in the mud, just wired differently I guess, I like the way you're wired.
Ah, thanks, Bob.
Truth is, who is really doing the most harm, someone happily enjoying themselves or someone ruining someone else's fun?
Not that I think any of you do stuff like that.
People have an attachment to what they see as the status quo. They want their group's opinion to be the world's opinion. Which is strange because, a person's perspective is always different from another person's.
Off Topic: Buzz Aldrin, Rapping. It's made of epic win.
http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/0be5c681fc/buzz-aldrin-s-rocket-experience
I read an article on Psych Today that dissected just this situation.
The upshot was that those "party poopers" are doing so because they feel actually threatened. These folks find their worldview desperately imperiled by such ideas as gay marriage.
I would argue that, if your worldview is so easily bruised, it might be time to reassess.
Your sister needs to come hang around me. I'll chip in and help build that fairy house (if I'm not swamped with work).
Being different is GOOD.
Amen, sister!
Kelly
The kilt comment is what got me... about a month ago at my retail job a man came in wearing a kilt. No biggie, right? But it boggled my mind to see the number of parents who let their teens openly point, stare, gawk, giggle, etc. Who cares???
That's what I say!
Don't you think it's interesting that the same people who feel so justified in criticizing those that are "different" are the same folks who really don't like themselves?
As for the kilt, the only people who've done that, to date, were a bunch of teenagers with the 8 sizes too big jeans with waistbands just about at their knees. Right. Manly. Yet, oddly enough I didn't feel the need to point.
Live and let live, eh Stephanie? Go with the flow. Different strokes for different folks. Thank you for letting me be mice elf.
There is seemingly no end to your tolerance. We shall see.
I have little tolerance for party poopers as you see. The key divining line (and of course it's not that simple) is whether anyone is hurt.
As long as no one gets hurt, it's not my problem. Is my life so empty I have to suck the fun out of life for someone else?
"Sin lies only in hurting others unnecessarily. All other "sins" are invented nonsense."
--Robert Heinlein
Well said! There is not much meaner-spirited thing to do than to make fun of someone and steal the joy from something they previously loved.
Yeah, I hate it when I happen.
Thank you SO much for the lovely post! Even now, I'm writing with my luxuriously posh British accent, shamelessly basking in the acceptance!
You rock! (Oh, wait, that's not very British, is it?)
Actually, I think you could sound quite British saying "You rock!" It's all in the vowels. And the first thing that popped into my mind as I read this was my sweet nephew who LOVES to wear a knit cap everywhere. Unfortunately, his other aunt hates this so much, she even goes into his room while he is sleeping to remove the hat (much to the annoyance of his mother--my sister). Who cares? He likes to wear a hat to bed! What harm? He is a charming young man. Leave him alone!
I've always loved the expression, "Live and let live." Unless someone is trying to hurt someone else then I could care less how they want to enjoy themselves.
EXACTLY!!! Live and let live. If we practiced this live and let live mantra the world would be a much more peaceful place in which to live. Awesome post.