Have you ever noticed that when it comes to certain things in life, most people are pretty much the same? If I was to say that I was looking for a “good” parking spot, just about everyone on earth would know exactly what I meant. They would automatically interpret “good” to mean “close”. No one ever asks the question, what do you mean by a good parking spot? At the same time, I don’t have to say “I’m looking for a close parking spot”. In this instance “good” and “close” is the same thing even though the words are not synonyms by any means. Because of this, it assumed that everyone on earth would obviously agree on what a “good” parking spot was. What if someone doesn’t agree? What if you were driving in a car with me and I proclaimed ecstatically that I found a great parking spot, and then I parked in the last spot in the lot. You’d think I was a bit off right? The question that I often find myself asking however, is why do most people agree with so many things in life on what is better than something else? Is it because those things are better, or because people are trained by culture to think they are better? If someone simply had a different perspective on things, could they actually see beauty in things that most people find irritating? As more of a fun post than anything else, I thought it would be interesting to list my top ten things in life that most people hate, and that I actually kind of enjoy because I’ve had the fortune of gaining a different perspective on these things. These are things that I think people are trained by culture to hate because most people do hate them, but they sort of assume they are bad because they have always heard everyone else say that they are bad. I would ask you all to consider, are these things really as bad as most people assume them to be. After reading, it would be great if you would respond with one of your own.
10) Baseball on T.V. –
O.k. so not everyone hates baseball on television, but I often hear from fellow sports fans that baseball doesn’t match up to other sports on T.V. because its too slow, takes too long, and is just boring. Instead of boring, I see the slow pace of the game as relaxing, and the strategy of the game as interesting to dissect.
9) Boredom –
You’re thinking, really? Yes really. I actually think being bored is underrated as it provides me time to reflect and organize my thoughts. People should really give planned boredom a chance; it’s actually…well…kind of fun.
8) Movie subtitles –
Many people refuse to watch foreign films unless they are dubbed over in English. When you dub over a film you lose the timing and emotion of the actors, the intensity of the editing, and the feel of the movie changes for the worse. If your excuse is that you don’t read fast enough, the more foreign films you watch the quicker of a reader you become. It’s a win – win situation.
7) Commercialism at Christmas –
This one is especially big for my fellow lovers of Jesus. For some reason people assume that commercializing the birth of Jesus is a bad thing. I have yet to hear a good reason why. The more it’s commercialized, the longer it stays accepted in the mainstream. Because of the commercialization we have Christmas specials on network television that often include the gospel and Christmas music about Jesus being played in fast food restaurants for an entire month. What’s wrong with that?
6) Big business –
You often hear people say that they hate Starbucks for putting mom and pop coffee shops out of business, or that they hate multiplexes for putting little movie houses under, or that Wal-Mart kills smaller grocery outlets. So what? These same people usually say that they support capitalism. Do you see the hypocrisy? The big stores put the little ones under because people like the big ones better. Our society is built on allowing people a choice and people are choosing big business. Why should this upset us? Don’t get mad at Wal-Mart, get mad at everyone you know who shops there. It’s their fault. Besides, Starbucks being a big business allows them to donate MILLIONS of dollars to deserving charities each year, something small coffee houses can’t do.
5) Grocery shopping –
I think people are trained to assume that we are supposed to hate grocery shopping. I love it. It relaxes me. I take my time, use the hour or so to reflect on life, and pay attention to new products that I and my family might enjoy. Try thinking of grocery shopping like this and it might change your whole perspective.
4) Miley Cyrus –
And other celebrities like her. For some reason its trendy to slam on certain celebrities. I know some actually do some dumb things that bring it on. But why does it become trendy to slam on people like Miley Cyrus? I don’t get it. What did she ever do to you…or anyone else for that matter? It’s popular to be annoyed by many celebrities that actually aren’t that annoying. I actually think Miley is talented. O.k. call me a little girl, I’m just using her to make a bigger point.
3) Long lines –
People hate long lines because they are impatient. When I am at a store I often get in the longest line on purpose, and this practice along with many others has trained me to be a more patient person. I rarely get frustrated at anything anymore and this is a major reason why.
2) Censorship –
Not on a political level but on a personal or business level. Many people think it’s wrong to censor. Wal-Mart and stores like it wont sell parental advisory versions of any music, so if you wont edit your album than you’ll have to sell it somewhere else. Green Day recently released a press statement condemning the act and calling Wal-Mart on the carpet. I think Green Day should realize that Wal-Mart is a business that has right under our laws to sell or not sell anything they want. It’s not “right” or “wrong” on their part, it’s their right. If you don’t like it, buy and sell your music somewhere else, why is that so hard?
NUMBER 1) Rainy/overcast weather –
For some reason when someone hopes for “good weather” they always mean the same thing – warm weather and clear skies. I think warm weather and clear skies is overrated. I love a light rain and some clouds in the sky – why can’t this be what people mean when they say they want “good” weather. Are we all trained and programmed to love warm weather because that’s what the status quo considers “good” weather, or do we really like it better. Maybe I’m weird but I don’t. I can’t wait for a news weather man to one day say “hey everyone, look for great weather this week, low 60’s with a lot of clouds and a great chance of rain.”
What do you think? Send me yours or critique mine.
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5 comments:
I like it! Good for you for coming up with a list. I don't agree with all of your choices but definitely some of them - and I agree with your point, in general. Like I love black liquorice but most people hate it which I'm totally fine with since it means there's more for me! Of course, there's the spiritual aspect too where the worst situations often bring the greatest results. (By the way, my mom thinks a good parking spot is one in the shade - no matter where it is.)
Amen on the overcast rainy days I love them. We have had a lot of beautiful weather days lately. Lots of rain. Down with the sun and the heat!!!!
great list! I would love to hear more tricks to growing patient. and rainy days are severely underrated
I'm also a fan of overcast days and rainy days, and even better when they hit on Tuesdays, like today! :)
My ethnicity being Filipino, I like to think that I prefer warm, sunny days because I'm genetically wired to be closer to the Equator where it's consistently sunny and warm. However, gloomy, overcast, and rainy days are perfect 'nap weather', which is "good". And, yes, I think you're weird for liking overcast days. I think everybody who prefers overcast to sunny weather is weird.
I don't prefer Jesus songs being played during the Christmas season because it's not actually the Gospel - it's like an ornamented Gospel, like the whole Christmas tree thing. (The tree makes some sense, symbolically, if it holds up the North Star, but what's up with all the glittery balls? And candy canes?) Also, maybe it's from being a musician, but instead of the music being edifying to the words, I've associated some progressions, phrasing, and timbres to be more annoying, cartoonish, or uncreative. I can hear the most beautiful lyrics but be turned off by the midi harp sounds that are supposed to be angelic but, to me, come off as inhuman or inorganic.
Furthermore, non-believers are paid to sing words, Scripture even (ie. Handel's "Messiah"), that they don't actually have to believe during Christmas season. This worries me. Even though I know our God is sovereign and saves us and shepherds us out of our blindness, I can't help but fear that people will continue to sweep songs about Jesus into the same category as songs about Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer and Frosty the Snow Man, not to mention to sweep His story under that same rug as the story of the Grinch who Stole Christmas or Christmas Carol. That's just my two cents.
On the other hand, Mariah Carey can sing me Christmas songs anytime of the year.
Planned boredom - Amen. I'm pretty sure that's the strict translation of "Sabbath".
Don't stop blogging! I'm diggin' your thinkin'. Peace
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