... Gently coaxing my dear daughter through the entrance of our local fish market, her eyebrows instantly raised as we entered. "Sheeew!!! " she said, as she pinched her nose and jerked her head high , aghast. She looked around amazed that no-one else was bothered by the smell. I watched as her eyes slowly began to tear. She looked up at me....eyes pleading to leave, yet wanting to endure... knowing my love for the world of fishing. She let out a cough, and a gag or two, as I ordered some grouper and scallops. Distracted by a few large fish heads to be sold for fish soup, and then by a tank filled with live blue crabs...she slowly began to assimilate. We studied the different varieties of sea life, displayed proudly as gems in their glass enclosed cases. By the time we left, about 45 minutes later, the stinky stenches had permeated our clothing and found acceptance with our olfactory nerves. We had assimilated.
Fish stinks. There is no denying it. Only accepting it, or getting used to the smell. There is no market for mullet perfume, or for squid flavored soda pop. We must be careful what we assimilate to....lest we become what we hate. Recall those things that would never have been accepted just a short time ago, but are now part of our culture due to the shame of political in-correctedness, sly political incrementalisms, and assimilation. Choose to hold dear the things inside that you know to love,....so that you don't become what you hate...
Interesting ideas, & quite lyrical prose in some places (smooth & digestible). Technically, above-average grammar (it's spelled dissent, not "descent"); but heavily interwoven with Freudian symbolism, reflective of commonplace bigotries & rather disturbed, dark. Cloned, zombie-ish, & slightly hypnotic, like a Michael Moore script; written in the style of a dedicated & determined propagandist: "We, You, They... Cockroaches, Fish, (etc)". I don't sense much sincerety or individuality here; you seem a well trained parrot of the 'status quo', or 'establishment' (or maybe just intensely hostile, frustrated, & confused). The stark hypocrisy of you expressing your own belief systems, while making very vaguely worded, negatively phrased, & accusatively toned observations about others' 'religions', is almost funny. It's not surprising that you have so many followers after being up for only a couple of months.
ReplyDeleteUnreal, you start off criticizing his spelling and grammar as if you are some college professor he asked to critique his work, then you start tearing down his message. Where is YOUR blog with your public thoughts for the word to tear into? How dare you really? If you aren't sensing individuality or sincerity, perhaps you are the one with the problem sensing and seeing? I sensed it just fine and loved how he lead from a story to a thought related to how we often just continue letting these changes happen thinking someone else will DO something, but time keeps moving & more keeps building on top of the previous garbage we swallowed. I definitely can relate to the sentiment here, and second it--third and fourth it too!
DeleteThanks. Fixed dissent. "He had nothing to say, and he said it" -Ambrose Bierce. :-)
ReplyDeleteI wish I'd read YOUR perfect response before going off on my rant, lol. Sorry but I really hate sanctimonious jerks like that. An opinion on the message is fine and welcome I am sure, but to just nitpick, tear down & pretty much say zip in the process, well, it's late and I'm easily set off. Your quote was all that needed saying, great rebuttal. :)
DeleteThat's a really intriguing analogy, I'm still tossing it around in my mind, actually. I was thinking just yesterday how we humans become so conditioned to the 'norms' of everyday living, that we don't ever question why we're doing things the way we are. (This occurred to me as we were going into Wendy's for lunch, and I was wishing the menu would offer me an apple, a handful of almonds, and a glass of skim milk, which is what I really wanted for lunch, but I had to choose from the 'normal' menu items) Your website is very thought-provoking!
ReplyDeleteWell put Sir! I agree with you and the message.
ReplyDeleteA practical tip to your girl- vicks vapor rub a little bit applied on the upper lip can block unplessant smells. My father and I loved fishing but the smell would get to me too.
I enjoyed the story relating to how we often find ways to get through the "Stink" in society (Vicks for the nostrils = assimilating). The problem is that it is becoming automatic, people are feeling helpless so they ignore and deny what's right in front of their eyes. I've often advised people to start small, don't think about the huge big changes that need to be made, start on one thing you can do here and now, like just becoming aware of automatic knee jerk thinking and the thoughts or phrases in our minds, our words, how one's stomach feels (or body) when we accept yet another infringement on our freedoms. Paying attention doesn't cost a dime, and it's the 1st step of any change--becoming aware a change needs to happen.
ReplyDelete