I credit the above very trenchant comment (and universal Truth) to Homer Simpson. (It's probably happened already: Some Ph.D. candidate getting his degree with a dissertatin based on The Simpson's impact on America. Aye Caramba, The Simpson's has probably impacted our language & literature!)
Being a normal, testosterone-driven male, I don't feel any outrage about the war in Iraq. Sure, intellectually I can perceive that it's a rather huge waste of time, talent and resources, but when's the last time you visited an inner city school? There's probably more good coming out of Iraq, per unit/value than from inner city schools.
It's very easy for various seemingly like-minded, same-culture people to have variously different reactions to the same stimuli/stimulus. Imagine all the people you work with and play with and are related to being in a big theatre together, looking at a blank screen. Suddenly there is a projection of a large, detailed photograph of two men kissing. How many people will react exactly like I would? Like you would? See what I'm getting at? And these are people you pretty much get along with, your fellow 'culturalists.'
Take this process into account when you want to start talking about coffins coming back from Iraq, or some other 'horrible' aspect of the war. And remember, just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't some idea of how you feel.
All I have to do is imagine how I'd feel if I heard that golf courses were going to be closed so that affordable housing could be built on them. I'd be devastated!! My wife would make a pretend frown and then when I challenged her on her sincerety, she'd say, "Hey, just because I don't care doesn't mean I don't understand.
(The opposite of this is hearing that all all cemetaries over 150 acres were being turned into golf courses. That would really perk me up while she would start writing indignant letters to the editor.)
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7 comments:
I don't understand. Duh-oh.
Well, golden, it's because he's trying some very advanced philosophical techniques here, namely comparing dissimilar situations and coming to the wrong conclusion.
It's only for the genius mentality; thank bananas for his generosity in sharing a piece of his mind, such as it is.
My word verification (Swear!) is "amffu" which pretty much sums up my feelings about you two wise-acres...
See, a friend and I were 'discussing' Irzq. I have no emotional investment in Iraq. But I wanted her to know that I do understand that I understand how that happens. So that's why Homer's comment last night seemed a fitting way for me to express what I was feeling.
Oh. Glad you explained that.
P.S.: amffu yourself.
Just because I don't understand you doesn't mean I don't care!
Well, now I understand. No, really, I do. Come on, don't be that way. I'm empathizing.
Don't be that way, or the highway? You were in the Marines? Gunnie Nibbles?
Treemonisha, I dream of "my dinner with Tree." In IMax...
Even-Handed Soap box derby, more blogging please.
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