follow this thought
All fuckin morning I’ve had the song “Rudolph the red nosed reindeer” stuck in my head. But not the traditional version, oh no, I have to have the fuckin version put out years ago by the Temptations. What the fuck is all that about, why do I have to have the fucked up Soul-Train version of the song stuck on endless loop in my fuckin head? What the fuck did I fuckin do to deserve this dammit?
Anyway, moving on and shit, I had sort of an epiphany last night whilst watching the TV. I’m sitting on the couch watching the 3rd annual VH-1 Hip-Hop honors award show. Which is this annual show where muthafuckers get together to pay their respects to old school hip-hop artists.
Being a big fan of old school hip-hop it’s cool seeing folks I grew up with getting their proper dues and it’s actually one of the better executed award shows out there. I’m talking cats like Big Daddy Kane, Grandmaster Flash, Ice T, Run-DMC, LL Cool J, Beastie Boys, Public Enemy, Afrika Bambaataa, Wu-Tang Clan, Ice Cube.
So like I’m saying I’m watching this show and on towards the end Forest Whitaker with his odd looking ass comes out to present the Wu-Tang Clan. Forest Whitaker worked with Wu-Tang’s RZA' during the making of Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai'. Which I might add, if you muthafuckers want to see a great unknown movie way the fuck off the beaten path? I so highly recommend 'Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai'.
Anyhow, Forest is talking about the group and how he’s a fan when it hit me. Forest, even though he admits not quite getting it, still digs the fuck out of Wu-Tang and what they’re all about. It then came to me what in my mind the most defining problem in America is.
That being that muthafuckers want to understand too much, and until a muthafucker thinks they understand you or your thang, they don’t want to deal with you or accept you. Now I know what some of you must be thinking, that this is the most fucked up shit we’ve ever heard. But think real hard on this cause by the simple fact that you read this blog makes you heads above most other muthafuckers out there.
There are some people and organizations out there that try so hard to understand other folks and things that they become an issue to themselves and others. “You’re an American Indian and I need to understand you and what you stand for so I can decide if I’m supposed to like you or not”. My answer is why do you need to understand a muthafucker in order to like em because if that was the case I’d never make a fuckin friend.
America wants to understand so hard that it begins to negate the reason behind the understanding which is basically getting along and thusly is seen as an asshole. Is this making any sense at all? It’s like being at a bar or social function and see the guy who’s making a huge prick of himself because he wants a friend so bad that he’s seen as the asshole.
America wants to understand the fuckin Chinese, the stinkin Arabs, the Black, and Jews so bad that when they can’t the shit gets all fucked up and suddenly it’s my way or the highway and before you know it everybody’s all Mr. Pissypants and shit and sitting in the back of the bus. I think the secret is that you don’t have to understand a muthafucker to like or coexist with a muthafucker. Anybody feeling me out there?
"and the monkey flipped the switch"
posted by Greg Beck at Wednesday, October 18, 2006
15 Comments:
I had that Fergie song "London Bridge" stuck in my head this morning. Not so much the song but mental images from the video. I'm not gonna complain about that.
I am feeling you and I'm with you. One thing, though, Greg, I think the problem isn't America, I think it is one slice of America, to wit: Leftists. Leftists (not just liberals, but leftists) want to understand everyone out there and they want to pigeon-hole them as bad or good. So basically they are just haters. They end up doing the same thing as the people they hate. They prejudge people. I say: Who gives a shit whether someone doesn't like your religion or race. They only thing that person has to do is keep their hands off you. Hate me if you want. Just don't try to tell me how I should act, what I should eat, what I should believe, and where I should go. Just leave me the hell alone.
I'm puttin up my good old left hand here to say that I think I just read a load a bullshit.
The left in general might be perceived as wanting to understand everyone; that's because they're busy trying to explain to all the tunnel-vision right-wing fascists that there's a bigger world out there than the tunnel shows; but the pigeonholing comes straight from the *right*; Jews in this box, Chinese in that box, Blacks over here and all you gay folk just stand over there on the firing line.
The problem is that people fear the unknown. And to a lot of people, anything 'different' equals something 'unknown' therefore to be feared, thusly oppressed, discriminated against and warred upon until the whole world becomes a safe homogenized ultra-pasteurized WASP world.
You're right that there's no need to understand people on an intimate level to like them or coexist with them. Hell, I understand very little of the world around me.
All we have to do is accept the fact that there IS a world around us, the fact that we are not all the same, and get past the fear of the unknown. Unfortunately, hatemongering and emphasizing the differences between us as points of contention is far more profitable and simpler to do, plus the government has a big interest in keeping it going.
So there you have that.
In other news, I had a three-star night of absolutely obscene dreams. And I stayed in bed til nine.
There is a saying in Zen Busshism, "If one tries to place the utmost impotance on understanding they will never understand."
When one accepts that there are those who are different and do not try to uncerstand them then the acceptance leads to understanding.
Maybe I need a cup of coffee.
Is it so folks can justify their actions with a clear conscience?
I'll vote "Yes".
I'll leave it for you to decide if this is on topic or irrelevant. One of today's best hip hop artists, Brother Ali, has a track titled "Forest Whitaker." It streams at his MySpace page here. "You ain't got to love me!"
I can agree with Walker that the "wanting to understand" thing is mostly a liberal phenomenon. But I disagree that the motivation is about labeling. Liberals just want to know "Why are you so different from me and, you know, all fucked up like that? How can I help you change who YOU are so that you can be more like ME?" It's completely wrong-headed, I know. We can't help it. Comes from smoking too much weed.
The right-wing neo-cons clearly don't want to understand jack shit. "Understanding" is just a code word for "being brain-washed by terrorists". Everyone gets labeled right out of the box and there ain't no goin' back. "You're with us, or against us. You agree with everything we say without question, or you're an Evil Doer out to kill Americans."
I think TOLERANCE trumps understanding. I don't have to "understand" someone to tolerate them. We might not be best friends; but we won't be enemies either.
You put up with my shit, I put up with your shit. Carve that in fucking stone. That's the way we make the world work without killing each other.
So sayeth XO.
You know, interestingly, I agree virtually completely with XO.
Just like the neocons XO talks about (whoever the hell they are) I say, yes, you have to choose: Either you are on the side of the terrorists, who would love to burn down all the gay bars, and then execute you, assuming you weren't dead on the first round ... or you are with America.
So if you are into understanding, grok that.
Welcome aboard, Walker. Live long and prosper.
The neo-cons are Bush, Rumsfeld, Rice, Rove, Leo Strauss, et al. Google 'em. I ain't got time tonight. Need to eat me a Healthy Choice frozen dinner and go play my congas.
And yes, I grok that, MVS.
Almost forgot about the Forest Whitaker thing. Go here
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-114807005318329993
and watch the trailer for "The Last King Of Scotland."
Forest Whitaker fucking CHANNELS Idi Amin. This is the role that Whitaker was born to play. It's why God gave him that one fucked up eye.
If he doesn't win the Best Actor Oscar on just the trailer alone, then the Academy is a bunch of racist, rebel-flag-flyin', cousin-fuckin', one-toothed, trailer-livin', white trash bastards.
I can't wait to see this movie.
I'm having some trouble understanding this grok thing, although I fully support your right to do it.
Recall earlier that I said I don't understand a lot of what goes on around me. It just seems to be a mechanism that works.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grok
I think there is a difference between natural curiosity and just being an asshole that feels the need to hassle absolutely everyone around.
Democrats are the kind of douchenozzles that constantly hover over you during dinner and keep asking whether you want a refill on your Pepsi.
Republicans are like the little kids that punch your arm, punch your arm, punch your arm... asking if you want to fight. Daring you to fight. Calling you a pussy for not fighting. Begging you to fight.
The moment you take a swing at the assholes, they're off in a flash to rat you out to anyone who will listen. Talk about fucksticks.
That is radically different than how I get to know people.
Greg I do not understand you.
I do however dig your vibe.
BTW - Tolerance is highly over rated.
There are some people in this world who are constantly begging to be removed from the gene pool.
It causes a lot of unnecessary agravation to a lot of people who don't need or deserve it to have to tolerate their BS.
BTW part 2 - Ever get that Andy Griffith theme stuck in your head?
HEHEHE ;)
I'm not sure when we grow into this whole "understanding" bit. Think about little kids: They see someone who's different, and go "Hey! They're different!" And then it doesn't matter at all, because little kids don't care if someone or something is different. If they like that someone, or that something, then they like them, or it, without feeling the need to understand it.
I guess, in that way, I'm a little like a little kid. There's a lot of things I like, from different cultures all over the country and the globe. Do I understand them? No. Not even close. Do I feel the burning need to? Not so much, no. I'm smart enough to realize that there are things I won't ever understand, and that's perfectly okay.
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