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I Want To Believe
Mar. 8th, 2002 02:34 pmlately, I've been doing some spring cleaning of my social life, putting some distance between myself and people who aren't good for me. these people come in many forms, ranging from Callous Assholes to People I Just Should Have Blown Off Years Ago.
i would like to complain today about Callous Assholes. you know who i mean: people who think it's really entertaining to intentionally provoke others, often just to see what they'll do. in my experience, most of these people are extremely intelligent but somewhat lacking in empathy. they seem oblivious to how antisocial their behavior is. they are blissfully unaware that you can only do that sort of thing to your friends for so long before the ones with a spine get sick of it and go away.
i'm also getting a bit weary of people who make excuses for Callous Assholes. these are the people who would never pull this sort of stunt themselves, but who say, when you complain to them about the Callous Asshole's latest trick, "oh, he's just trying to get a rise out of you," or "i don't know why you're so upset. you know what he's like." it's not that these people mean any harm, but it does strike me as a trifle insensitive.
you know what? i honestly don't *care* whether some asshole was serious when he said to me "if i were a woman, i wouldn't want to be had sex with. i wouldn't want to be conquered and subjugated like that." it really makes no difference whatsoever to me what his motivation was for saying it. if he means it, he's an asshole; if he doesn't mean it, he's still an asshole. and life is way too short to put up with assholes just because they're amusing when they're not being assholes.
admittedly, the above-mentioned comment struck a nerve. the guy who said it should be proud; that was, i'm sure, exactly what he intended. the trouble is, i actually suspect a lot of men really do think that way. i'd like to believe i'm wrong, being as how i'm straight and all and i'd like to have sex again sometime before i die, and i'm really not into assholes. but more and more lately i'm thinking the smart thing would be to fill in my crotch with concrete like they do with hollow trees that are in danger of collapsing under their own weight.
some people say i'm cynical, but i don't think that's true. i'm actually an optimist. if i was a cynic, these things wouldn't disappoint me so much.
i would like to complain today about Callous Assholes. you know who i mean: people who think it's really entertaining to intentionally provoke others, often just to see what they'll do. in my experience, most of these people are extremely intelligent but somewhat lacking in empathy. they seem oblivious to how antisocial their behavior is. they are blissfully unaware that you can only do that sort of thing to your friends for so long before the ones with a spine get sick of it and go away.
i'm also getting a bit weary of people who make excuses for Callous Assholes. these are the people who would never pull this sort of stunt themselves, but who say, when you complain to them about the Callous Asshole's latest trick, "oh, he's just trying to get a rise out of you," or "i don't know why you're so upset. you know what he's like." it's not that these people mean any harm, but it does strike me as a trifle insensitive.
you know what? i honestly don't *care* whether some asshole was serious when he said to me "if i were a woman, i wouldn't want to be had sex with. i wouldn't want to be conquered and subjugated like that." it really makes no difference whatsoever to me what his motivation was for saying it. if he means it, he's an asshole; if he doesn't mean it, he's still an asshole. and life is way too short to put up with assholes just because they're amusing when they're not being assholes.
admittedly, the above-mentioned comment struck a nerve. the guy who said it should be proud; that was, i'm sure, exactly what he intended. the trouble is, i actually suspect a lot of men really do think that way. i'd like to believe i'm wrong, being as how i'm straight and all and i'd like to have sex again sometime before i die, and i'm really not into assholes. but more and more lately i'm thinking the smart thing would be to fill in my crotch with concrete like they do with hollow trees that are in danger of collapsing under their own weight.
some people say i'm cynical, but i don't think that's true. i'm actually an optimist. if i was a cynic, these things wouldn't disappoint me so much.
