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| It's not only an admonishment for my blog posts, it's also etched inside my wife's wedding ring. |
Blogger's note: "Words" is an ongoing feature in which I take a look at special qualities and misrepresentations of the English language, how much fun it is to play with its words, and why it reigns as one of the hardest languages to master.
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By definition, this is a stereotype
used as sarcasm in a satirical form,
which may or may not be humorous
depending on your point of view.
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Sarcasm - noun; 1. harsh or bitter derision or irony, 2. a sharply ironical taunt; sneering or cutting remark.
Satire - noun; 1. the use of irony, sarcasm, ridicule, or the like in exposing, denouncing, or deriding vice, folly, etc., 2. a literary composition, in verse or prose, in which human folly and vice are held up to scorn, derision, or ridicule, 3. a literary genre comprising such compositions.
Hypocrisy - noun; 1. the practice of professing standards, beliefs, etc., contrary to one's real character or actual behavior, esp the pretense of virtue and piety, 2. an act or instance of this.
I previously posted my 25th blog entry, making this my 26th blog post. And that means...nothing. It's like a 51st birthday, which is only notable for meaning you made it past 50. But 25 is a quarter of some sort that people generally identify as a cause for celebration. I could have celebrated my 25th posting on my 25th post, but that's cheating. That's like
For #26, I'm taking a look back at where I started, not so much at the blog posts themselves but in my style and creative process holding true to what I anticipated them being. There should be no confusion as to what my writing is about. There's a description of what motivates me and influences my writing style in the right hand margin, a sort of mission statement. But before a reader is able to read that or anything I've posted, there's a content warning that has to be accepted before proceeding. Even if the reader doesn't know me personally, he/she gets the "look before you leap" admonishment.
(You may take a short pause at this time to allow yourself an opportunity to read or re-read the "About Grainiums" side note. Or have someone read it to you.)
So why open with definitions? Because when presenting an opinion, editorial or formulating discussion open for debate, I believe it's important that I let anyone participating know which end of the gun the bullets come out of. As I am also a participant, it's important that I know, too, so I don't accidentally shoot myself. I hold myself accountable to the definitions dictating my actions, and my expectation is that others not only hold me true to that accountability but hold themselves true to it, as well. To that end, my process is a simple one to me: 1) find a topic, hopefully one that's made the transition from common to non sense, 2) establish a basis for my point or counterpoint, 3) present that point via example, satire or sarcasm, and 4) draw a conclusion that is every bit as far to one side as the topic is to the other. Load, aim, fire. The rules I set for employing that process are even simpler: 1) be able to support what I write, 2) be prepared to take my lumps for what I write, and 3) while I may have to make some personal compromises, don't be a hypocrite.
In writing what I do, I set my goal as being like the kid in the story who points at the Emperor and says to the crowd, "He has no clothes on," then goes on to point at the Emperor's dick and asks everyone if they think it's that cold, too. That's important, as it's sometimes the little things that are overlooked when it's the little things that make the biggest statement. Everything that is open for public consumption should also be open for commentary. And when I say everything is open to commentary, that includes me. I have no problem with that. I am just as fallible and affable and full-of-bull as the next person. Granted, some topics tend to be off limits, like special needs kids - not retards, they're entirely different. While I wouldn't poke fun at a special needs kid, I would poke fun at the ridiculousness of the retards who perpetuate the concept that the rest of us shouldn't keep score and that everyone deserves a medal.
I was compelled recently to look in the mirror and ask myself if I had been conforming to the guidelines I'd set for my blog. I asked myself if I thought I'd crossed the line at any point. The honest answer was "sort of" in the sense that I saw myself crossing to an opposing line in order to regain a sense of moral equilibrium. (Picture a ship listing to one side and me going to the opposite side, hoping the ship will level off...and that the ship's captain is not Italian.) Here's an example: I didn't post about this, but the animal activists at PETA filed a lawsuit basically seeking rights for animals based on the 13th Amendment. For those who didn't realize there were any constitutional amendments beyond the First and the Second...surprise! The 13th was the one that abolished slavery - of people - and PETA wanted to apply it to orcas at Sea World. To me, PETA went way past the line of sensibility and was deserving of having their noses rubbed in their shit and told, "No!" So when an organization or an airline or a legal process or an opposition to gay people or opposition among gay people strikes a ridiculous chord, I wanna join the band. I want to play their song in a different key, maybe change the tempo. I want to play Stairway to Heaven with a kazoo.
Am I a hypocrite? That's tough to answer. I think asking a person if they're a hypocrite is like asking a person if they're modest. If they say yes, they're immodest because a person who truly is modest can't say they're modest. It's like a nickname...only other people can put that tag on you. So, similar to modesty, you can't answer the hypocrisy question for yourself. Being a hypocrite is one of those things that others tell you you are, and something you generally can only acknowledge after you're told you are one. On the other hand, wherein modesty can be a trait, I believe hypocrisy to be situational, therefore an individual can make an effort to avoid placing him/herself in that position. So my best answer is that I try not to be, which is why I stand prepared to take my lumps. When I write something I put some considerable effort into reading what I wrote several times over and asking if I went too far or if this makes me look like a hypocrite before I post. I also look at how I've reacted to past situations (part of that research I mentioned) to ensure I'm not making room in my mouth for one or both of my feet. They're big.
So in the reflection of my 25 posts, I'm satisfied that my fly is up and I have matching socks. Yeah, my tie is a little crooked, but overall I think I've maintained a consistent appearance and I find myself looking forward to the next 25 posts with confidence so when I look in the mirror again I'll just need to comb a few hairs down to be presentable. For those of you who have gained enlightenment from what I've presented, you're welcome for the insight. For those who found a chuckle, I thank you for the encouragement. For those who took offense, well, there's that red admonishment button you clicked, so...
I gotta go. Celebration's over, and I've got some writing to do. Besides, I'm hogging the mirror and others need to use it.
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