It's not crack and biscuits all the time.

[hackthis_archive]

1. miram_heddy is talking about racial perceptions in fandom and I was fascinated to read not just her post, but the subsequent responses. Talking about race is always a hot-bed topic for me, and one likely to send my blood pressure ratcheting exponentially, as more than one person will attest. So, I point this out, not because I'm interested in a big sociological discussion today, because those tend to take a lot of Valium on my part, but just because it’s always interesting to read other people's opinions.

2. voodoo_in_tx has some advice on what to do if you feel a bit more shitastic ™ than normal. *Both 1 & 2 are gacked from voleuse

3. In case I'm really not the last person to have read cereta's fabulous post on fandom and male privilege, you can check it out here -- Might I suggest you read this one and miriam_heddy's together and have yourself a good long think? Your head'll explode, sure, but it's certainly food for thought.

4. There are all kinds of labels we attach to ourselves: liberal, conservative, straight, bi, gay, undecided, black, white, Asian, Latino, male, female, in-between, sexual, chaste, slutty, English, Welsh, French, American, Indian, Canadian, New Yorker, Californian, Londoner, Christian, Atheist, Jewish, Muslim, tall, short, medium, fat, thin, scrawny, obese, corpulent, Rubenesque, zaftig, professional, working class, rich, poor, skint, flush, smart, stupid, blonde, brunette, ginger, bald, mental, sane, in need of therapy -- why do we do this to ourselves?

Why is it when people ask, "What are you?" we don’t just say," I'm me, motherfucker, why do you ask?"


*Today's links are brought to you by hackthis's underutilized brain, which sometimes just has to have a moment to itself. During this moment, I felt I should also ask for a Jake icon that says, "gay cowboy marine," a George/Brad icon that says Big Gay Uncles, and a George icon that says, "makes his man trade go to Kentucky."

Comments

[ethrosdemon.livejournal.com]

Those identity issues I tend to think of as "the shit we go through in college" or in your college-age years. It really always surprises me when people who are grown-ass adults get bogged down in all that.

*edits self*

So, I was going to tell a story here, but then I didn't want to end up in a flame war on your journal with the idiots who will meta all over it.

Some adjectives are useful--like buring, drowning, gun-toting, high, Britainically Majestic, and possessed. However, others are just the things we use to separate ourselves from others. That bores me. Let's all hug.

Get your minions to make me George icons, too!

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

I tend to assume that there are certain things that people just know intrisically, like the whole right v. wrong thing, but I tend to be proven wrong on this a lot -- as my blood-pressure and you can attest, so.

I totally agree that some adjectives are very necessary, like, stoned and drunk, smoking hot, and pissing like a racehorse. Actually, that last one's a simile, but you get my drift.

Also, why aren't your minions making you icons? Wait. You just got a big old, fabulous piece of story art from Slod! You are just greedy.

[ethrosdemon.livejournal.com]

I put a link to that art Slod made on my lj. It's also my new desktop.

People do NOT know right v. wrong. Haven't you noticed that yet?

I AM greedy. We also have the same minions. So. Take that!

another important adj: orgasmic

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

You know what might be my favorite adjective? Scandelous. Or free. I like free.

[ethrosdemon.livejournal.com]

You DO love scandalous. I was just thinking that yesteday. I missed a chance to wedge that into your story. I love verdant. And so does VIGGO.

mfeo.

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

FYI: This next section of the story is so crack-a-licious that I think I might need to call Betty Ford.

[ethrosdemon.livejournal.com]

FYI: I'm watching From Dusk 'Til Dawn tonight, so get ready for some serious crack coming back atcha.

[notemily.livejournal.com]

I think labels are just words, and we cling to them for the same reason we use language--to try to communicate, to connect, with those around us. without labels, we might feel kind of lost, like nobody can identify with what we go through every day, but if we say "hey, you're _____? me too!" then suddenly we have someone to talk to about it, and maybe a friend.

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

*thinks hard*

I'm green! Are you green too?

[notemily.livejournal.com]

I'm more of a chartreuse.

[ethrosdemon.livejournal.com]

stop the presses. did you know our shared husband, George, was born in KENTUCKY? I thought he was born in Ohio.

*world askew*

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

Dude, I fucking mentioned that in the story! His dad ran for congress there or whatever. Where you been?!

[ethrosdemon.livejournal.com]

ok, hold up hold up!

His dad was a newscaster in Cinci. OHIO. Or maybe Dayton. Somewhere in southern Ohio, I know this because my mom lived there in high school. Long story. Anyway, so I knew about his dad being on the news since my MOM was crushing on George way back in ER days.

And as for his dad--asshat! I wish I had some of his campaign ads on tape to send you. OMG. He had a whole campaign AGAINST GAY MARRIAGE thing. I think he and George don't get on v well. ha.

[sparky77.livejournal.com]

I guess at it's simplest, people label themselves so they can be part of a group. It's something that I've never really gotten because once you label yourself, your basically giving up part of who you are in order to feel like you belong. I just never got the idea of giving up part of yourself just to feel like a member of something.

Labels make things easy. You don't really ever have to know yourself or know anyone else if you use labels as identification. And unfortunately, I think for the most part most people really aren't truly interested in knowing themselves or really, anyone else. People just want to feel safe.

And wow, that was cynical. I'm going to shut up now and go back to work and try to think happy thoughts.

[unholyglee.livejournal.com]

Do you have particular images from which you would like said icons made?

And I'm sure the essays you pointed at are very thought-provoking, and I shall look at them. Really. Just as soon as my own blood-pressure drops from my daily brush with racial perceptions and male privilage, also known as my daily bus ride. I can only deal with so many socially pertinent issues at once, and I'm afraid I'm all full up at the moment.

[acroamatica.livejournal.com]

Re: #4.

We do it because it puts us in groups. Even calling yourself totally unique puts you in a group of people - those who all say that about themselves. We do it to ourselves because we like to be in groups; we do it to others because it aids the mental sorting of all the thousands of people we meet. Where this method goes wrong is when we sort someone into the wrong bin, or when we assume because they are in one bin, they wouldn't also fit in another, or when we refuse to change a label based on new information. And so we supply the labels we want to have put on us, depending on the situation. I'm quite comfortable being labelled, as long as those labels will help me get what I want. Do I mind that people at work assume I'm straight, square, and a bit of a swot? Not any more than I mind my friends knowing I'm bi, way more wild than I let on, and not really the scholar type. I don't wear my leather collar, jeans, and studded cuffs to work, because I want my boss to think I'm vanilla and inoffensive and therefore no-one any customer would look sideways at; I do, on the other hand, wear them to the record shop, because it encourages the clerks to sort me as the sort of person they don't need to talk down to. *shrug* It's a tool, like everything else in the world.

[zoniduck.livejournal.com]

I couldn't begin to tackle the George and Brad ones, but the Jake request seemed simple enough.

...

Hope you like them, sweetie. I certainly won't be offended if someone else comes up with better versions. *g*

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

You love me! You really love me! *twirls!*

[zoniduck.livejournal.com]

How funny that I chose one of the same images as nopejr down there. Hee!

[kaethe.livejournal.com]

Defining ourselves as X or not-Y gives us a sense of identity, I suppose. It's also a shorthand way of describing what kind of expectations we can have for ourselves or some other person. Like with the kids I teach--saying so'n'so is ED (emotionally disabled) or LEP (limited English proficient) gives the other teachers and me a simple way of conveying information about that student.

Also, another label to add to your list: asexual. Because I am all about the awareness.

[nopejr.livejournal.com]

[nopejr.livejournal.com]

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

Wow. Love. *preens happily*

[nopejr.livejournal.com]

And for the whole set:

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

You probably can't hear me wheezing and howling, but it's so happening. Thank you!

[nopejr.livejournal.com]

:) You're welcome!

[mikhale.livejournal.com]

This post is very Slytherin of you, spouting thoughtful stuff about labels that is brilliant and true and we all just keep bobbing our heads in agreement and then when you ask for icons, we are till bobbing our heads in agreement and we are tricked into making gay uncles icons and Jake as well.

I'm on to you, you crackficdealer.