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My New Reality

Posted by Herb7734 7 years, 6 months ago to Humor
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Lately, my life seems to be getting more complicated. I'm so confused! Here is my situation:

I was born white, which makes me a racist

I am a fiscal and moral conservative, which makes me a fascist.

I am heterosexual, which makes me a homophobe.

I am non-unionwhich makes me a traitor to the working class.

I am a Jew, which makes me an infidel. I am older than 75 which makes me a useless old man.

I think and I reason: therefore I doubt much that the mainstream media tells me which makes me reactionary.

I am proud of my heritage and our inclusive American culture, which makes me a xenophobe.

I value my safety and that of my family; therefore I am a right wing extremist.

I believe in hard work, fair play, and fair compensation according to each individual's merits, which makes me anti-social.

I and my friends acquired a good education and paid off my debts which makes me some kind of an odd underachiever.

I served in the armed forces and believe in the defense and protection of the homeland by all citizens, which makes me a militarist.

Can anyone help me come to terms with this, because I'm not sure who I am anymore. Besides -- I'm not sure what bathroom I should use.


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  • Posted by Blanco 7 years, 6 months ago
    Great comments and ever so true in this X-Files society in which we live. Herb, I'm with you on every point, except that I'm a Christian instead of a Jew - another deplorable, intolerant situation. I'll likely have to go to a re-education camp eventually.
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    • Posted by $ Olduglycarl 7 years, 6 months ago
      I am in the process of fixing that problem...I attempt to elevate that conversation the way is should have been when men became more comfortable with an internal self driven conscience.

      Mankind didn't always have that until about 3000 years ago, it didn't happen over night and is still evolving; BUT!.. today, the shame of it is...many still do not. [the ruleless class and preliterate societies comes to mind here.]
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  • Posted by $ blarman 7 years, 6 months ago
    Too bad reality doesn't have many more like you. Each generation seems to replace the true sturdy oak trees like yourself with more and more scrub brush and puncture weed!
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    • Posted by 7 years, 6 months ago
      I've lived through 4 generations so far with very few trees appearing. Some now and then. The few flowers that bloom are wilted.
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      • Posted by $ MichaelAarethun 7 years, 6 months ago
        How many years to a generation? In some neighbor hoods it's 20-24 years in others 12 to 14. Does the term have any real meaning anymore or is it just a way of defining age limitations for welfare checks? Or is it like liberal and conservative. Here's your book of generations you might find page 593 interesting. AKA Useless.
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  • Posted by blackswan 7 years, 6 months ago
    Herb

    It looks like we're on almost identical paths:

    Lately, my life seems to be getting more complicated. I'm so confused! Here is my situation:

    I was born black, which makes me a racist (or a victim). Actually, I'm neither.

    I am a fiscal and moral conservative, which makes me a fascist. Actually, a fascist wants to dip his hands in others' pockets, which doesn't describe me.

    I am heterosexual, which makes me a homophobe. Actually, I'm a realist, and I don't want my fantasies to trump reality.

    I am non-union, which makes me a traitor to the working class. In reality, being part of a union is more likely to make one a traitor to the working class.

    I am a Jew, which makes me an infidel (doesn't bother me).

    I am older than 68 which makes me a useless old man (in the eyes of some - not mine, since I clearly have a LOT to offer).

    I think and I reason: therefore I doubt much that the mainstream media tells me which makes me reactionary. Better reactionary than stupid.

    I am proud of my heritage and our inclusive American culture, which makes me a xenophobe. But America/industrial culture IS superior to all others.

    I value my safety and that of my family; therefore I am a right wing extremist. If you think that's wrong, try breaking into my house.

    I believe in hard work, fair play, and fair compensation according to each individual's merits, which makes me anti-social. Being social doesn't mean that I'm a patsy.

    I and my friends acquired a good education and paid off our debts which makes us some kind of an odd underachievers. Actually, it makes us the bedrock of America.

    I served in the armed forces and believe in the defense and protection of the homeland by all citizens, which makes me a militarist. I sometimes wish I were a general who would develop rational rules of engagement.

    Can anyone help me come to terms with this, because I'm not sure who I am anymore. Besides -- I'm not sure what bathroom I should use. Just kidding. I have no problem distinguishing between reality and fantasy.
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    • Posted by term2 7 years, 6 months ago
      I was born with white skin, am over 70, am gay, and in the basket of deplorables (whatever that means !!). I am just me and don't care at all about political correctness. But I do respect all people who respect me.
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    • Posted by 7 years, 6 months ago
      You are emulating Sammy Davis, being black and a Jew - except you have two eyes. That's true, when it comes to reality VS fantasy. However, you might substitute "lies" for "fantasy."
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  • Posted by Owlsrayne 7 years, 6 months ago
    I'm just as disgusted as many of you. I see this country going, going gone. I just wish there was a local militia I could join, so I could start planning for a Civil War.
    I just the Congress would stop the Prez from bringing all these middle eastern immigrants in. It just makes me so angry. He just want to Islamize America.
    Also, all those who don't know what gender they are report to the nearest Genetic Correction Center to re-establish the correct sexual orientation.
    I'm just recovering from left hip replacement surgery and I'm going to have to wait till my next Doctors appt to find out if I can drive and get a job. I'm tired of living on just social security.
    I regret not going to Kings Point Merchant Marine Academy, my father was a graduate from there during WW2.
    There, I feel a little better.
    Where is John Galt?
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  • Posted by gpecaut 7 years, 6 months ago
    Except for age and religion. I am right there with you. You left out that we (Objectivists) would also be thrown into that "basket of deplorables". This changing of language has come into use to get thoses that can't think for themselves to support the PC. We should throw it back at them by proudly declaring we are Americans. We love our Country. We are militarists if that means we have served our Country. We are under achievers, if that means we pay our debts. We are anti social, if that means (as Ayn would put it, " I shall not work for the sake of another, nor allow another to work for mine". We are Rightwinged extremist, if that means we care about our family's safety and security. We are Xenophon's if that means we are proud to be American. We are reactionary if that means we research, and think rather than go along with the lemmings. We are Infidels, and proud of it. We are independent working class, willing to rise on our own merits. We are fascist if that means moral and fiscally conservative. We are what ever race we were born if that makes us racist.
    We are OBJECTIVISTS, and we are proud of it!
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  • Posted by term2 7 years, 6 months ago
    Hillary would probably call you and me "deplorable" (assuming you would not support her).

    I want to get a t shirt with "deplorable me" on it
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  • Posted by ART_HOUSTON 7 years, 6 months ago
    THANK YOU!!!!! It is so upsetting to have what is an honorable life to be referred to all by these deplorable names. G_D forgive us if a Democrat is elected president of our great country.
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  • Posted by $ jdg 7 years, 6 months ago
    All this is simply resentment of white men's achievement by useless mouth-breathers. It's time to find friends who don't buy that crap.
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    • Posted by 7 years, 6 months ago
      Hey!
      I had a deviated septum and became a mouth breather. I had it fixed and am no longer a deviate.
      Also, my east coast relatives aren't easy to get rid of.They are nice people who are delusional. They'll probably be at the head of the line when the soldiers up the street they are coming down.
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  • Posted by Kilroy 7 years, 6 months ago
    Herb7743
    What you have described is a result of the media’s propaganda and the government’s social engineering. Getting a balanced view of anything is nearly impossible unless one makes it a full time job.

    You might add these to your list:
    1. All white males are suspected of being child molesters

    2. All those not a member of the 5 major religions (Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, Christianity and Islam, i.e. Pagans) are heretics and must be shunned.

    As far as which bathroom to use: Just mark your territory and move on. :-)

    You have presented a great list. Can I post it on Facebook?
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  • Posted by DrZarkov99 7 years, 6 months ago
    Each person is as unique as his or her fingerprints, as far as I'm concerned. I ignore attempts to make me fit into a box, and refuse to do the same to others. I think I can attribute that to a childhood in which my family relocated frequently (I went to 13 different schools across the country before finishing high school), so getting infused with local "tribal" customs didn't happen. I had to learn to establish workable relationships quickly and openly.

    Xenophobia was a luxury I couldn't afford, so I had a rainbow collection of friends and acquaintances. I still maintain reasonably cordial relations with people of political and religious positions across the spectrum.

    I have to laugh when I'm called "homophobic." I was completely unaware of the gay connection to "The Village People," just as one example, and one of my favorite music groups is Queen. I'm definitely not a Barbara Streisand fan though, so maybe that qualifies the homophobe label. I've lived around and worked with folk of all sexual preferences, and find most to be just regular people.

    I don't have much patience with ideologues, as the idea that they are in sole possession of the truth doesn't pass muster on a rational basis. Mixing spiritual and political positions, as Muslims are prone to do, makes me question whether or not Islam should be treated as a religion or political ideology, so I guess I fit the Islamophobic label too.

    I guess you aren't alone, Herb.
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    • Posted by TheRealBill 7 years, 6 months ago
      Are you a "military brat" as well? As an army brat I'd been to more schools than grade levels, across multiple countries and as a result developed a different approach which sounds much like yours.

      "I've lived around and worked with folk of all sexual preferences, and find most to be just regular people."

      I think this ties into our growing identity problem. I wish I had the link but years ago I read a "rant" by a man who enjoyed sex with other men, and described himself as "not a gay man" because it is a really powerful piece. He talked length about how "the gay movement" is something he doesn't like because it treats being gay as an identity and one that is in-your-face and demanding at that. But, just as the vast majority of conservatives don't actually care who you sleep with, the vast majority of homosexual men are not "gay" and many dislike the identity.

      The entity problem is that rather than stand for our own, individually defined, identity we increasingly accept and in some cases run toward, allow our identity to be defined as an external group-oriented one. In so doing you object yourself to an identity not under your control. I suspect this is the underlying problem with people against gay marriage who profess no problems with gayness (or more accurately homosexuality). in that context it manifests as feeling like gay marriage is an attack on marriage. But I suspect the underlying "attack" is on their identity of "a married couple" not on the institution/convention itself. But with the talking-(pin)heads decrying any form of individual identity they lack the language to express it accurately.

      I think this manifests itself in other ways such as the "don't judge" phrase in used in high school so much. It isn't the judging that is a problem directly, it is that the person has identified themselves as/with a group identity which having submitted themselves to, they are unconsciously trying to defend. often the judgement is accurate, but acknowledging that produces cognitive dissonance. You can't challenge the group beliefs even if the individual member doesn't share them because that challenges their identity as defined by the group.

      This is perhaps, to me, on the the crucial "offerings" of objectivism - the emphasis on being an individual with an individually defined identity. Group identity is fundamentally a way to not think about the members of the group. Yet there is still the underlying "I am my own person" which gets assaulted when someone who has allowed a group identity to be theirs takes umbrage at that identity being challenged or different than their own.

      It also explains an apparent paradox among the millennial generation - supposedly more "tolerant/accepting" yet bristle at group based differences. I think the data showing them being more accepting is accurate, but the part about them being more bigoted is actually showing not bigotry but a reflex and unconscious defense of a group identity they don't fully accept as their own.

      If they ever, as a group, fully grasp that accepting group identity means you don't control your own identity, a lot would change dramatically, and for the better.
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      • Posted by 7 years, 6 months ago
        No, not a military brat. My father owned a little restaurant and made me come in and work on a Saturday. "Come in Saturday and you'll work twelve hours like everybody else and I'll give you pay." I read The Fountainhead when I was 14 and It started me on the road to understanding that I wasn't crazy, it was that the world was.
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  • Posted by $ MichaelAarethun 7 years, 6 months ago
    First of all you aren't paranoid they really are following you. Secondly if you look in the rearview notice anything. They are are all graduates of the Clinton School of Cheats, Liars, and Crooks.

    Add it all up you are due for a Last Laugh Medal.

    Think of it. What they going to eat when we quit producing?
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